hard to negoiate

donmobay said:

i have been looking for different apt. for more than three months. I find a house/apt ground floor. I make an offer of 20% less, figuring we will agree at a 10% difference. I asked the upstairs tenant how long vacant. more than 3 months. So now (think as a banker) 6 months rent gone. To get that money back they have to raise the rent, at least 100$u.s. per month,and the place is not rented because the asking is a little high. Place is still vacant. More thasn 6 months vacant.. As a owner i would be ripping out my hair in frustration.
Their is a large # of apts available for rent and more becoming available everyday.
Maybe i should stay where i am and see what happens in the next 3-6 months.

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Many owners will rather see it sitting empty than get something for it. The mentality is VERY strange here.

Walk around the Gold's Gym area off of Winston Churchill and you will see many, many places for rent.

I have seen places vacant for 6-12 months and still they don't move on price. When you tell them they would have had 6-12 months rent in the bank if they had dropped their price by US$150 in the first place, they look at you like you're trying to screw them over.

Robert said:

Many owners will rather see it sitting empty than get something for it. The mentality is VERY strange here.

Walk around the Gold's Gym area off of Winston Churchill and you will see many, many places for rent.

I have seen places vacant for 6-12 months and still they don't move on price. When you tell them they would have had 6-12 months rent in the bank if they had dropped their price by US$150 in the first place, they look at you like you're trying to screw them over.

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Yes agreed! this is an amazing mindset they have here.I have experienced the identical situations, especially this expectation that a gringo lands at SDQ, picks up his luggage, grabs a "fiador" or guarantor, and sets off in search of his new rental..Somehow I must have missed the lineup where they were offering these DR guarantors that they all expect that we inherit on arrival.
I guess these business practices are what makes this the 3rd world and create opportunities for us 1rst world business types. Although its very frustrating at times doing business here, just think, one could have a doctorate in DR university and still negotiate in such a manner. Just think if you decide to get in the real estate rental business here how easy it would be to compete with these knuckleheads, excuse the comment but its really fits the case.

Most of these places are already paid for and for those Dominicans who really don't need the money they won't budge on the price to keep the rif raf out. If these people really needed the money they would drop the price.

Robert said:

Many owners will rather see it sitting empty than get something for it. The mentality is VERY strange here.

Walk around the Gold's Gym area off of Winston Churchill and you will see many, many places for rent.

I have seen places vacant for 6-12 months and still they don't move on price. When you tell them they would have had 6-12 months rent in the bank if they had dropped their price by US$150 in the first place, they look at you like you're trying to screw them over.

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there are different ways to consider in these situations...i rent apartments and will negotiate on the rate if it is long term rentals, but i find the tenants want to play games,,,they say they want long term, but then do not want to put up first and last months rent or a security deposit,,,then they say one or two months and move,,,or they want to pay the electric themselves but again dont want to put up deposit and leave without paying the bill,,,so if you want to deal,,,deal fair and both ways...

if not, sometimes it is better empty than someone who wants low ball price and then leaves..

if you want a lower rent, make your whole proposal,,,give the deposit and guarantee and you will get your unit, i am sure of it.

they always want 2 months deposit plus first month rent which is no problem and understandale for 1 year contract. But asking for a local guarantor of which us extranjeros rarely have is over the top. My experience as to why they ask this is so they can blame every little worn out decrepid peice of furnishings on the tennant and if anything breaks that is the fualt of the 35 year old apt. fridge inversol etc, they want tennant to pay as well ebven after only living ther 2-3 months. If you dont pay they harrass your fiador..A little integrety and honesty would go a long way and keep us expats happier and willing to recommend this country as opposed to the constant battles.

Say thanks but no thanks. Leave a contact number with the landlord and let them sit on it for an other month. Then send somebody by to offer him HALF. Ans see if they get the message. Sometimes that works.

Yes, our locals have a funny way to look at the economy. And because the mostly all do, it somehow works for them. But then, there are the hard facts and those who will sell or rent are those who will see the writing on the wall quicker than the others.
What Dominicans are really good at however, is to read people. If they get the least hint of your "urgent" interest, they will play hardball.
So be cool. Most everything is for sale or rent here, so tell'em... they're better be quick or they will not get your business.

An other way to work out a lower price, is with some creativeness as to how you pay. Let's say, you're looking for a long time rental, you may offer a bulk payment for several months in advance. You will want to CAREFULLY check out the landlord's seriousness and reputation as well as the property's condition before making such an offer to the owner (directly only, not some "agent"). But if you keep in mind, that one of all landlords worries is that they may find themselves stuck with a tenant who stops paying, this may help easing the way to lower price.

Just a bit of trivia:
As home prices start to tumble, I recently re-visited a property which has been for sale for over 5 years now. I've seen it a year ago and now the price is substantially higher than it was a year ago. Owner's explanation: The home is still worth as much as it was, but since he hasn't sold anything for a long time, he now needs more money!
There ya go. :cheeky:

... J-D.

Just a bit of trivia:
As home prices start to tumble, I recently re-visited a property which has been for sale for over 5 years now. I've seen it a year ago and now the price is substantially higher than it was a year ago. Owner's explanation: The home is still worth as much as it was, but since he hasn't sold anything for a long time, he now needs more money!
There ya go.

Ya that will work every time with unintelligent rich people who enjoy throwing money away, in other words they dont really want to sell it just dream about selling it...anyone can be rich for at least a thrid of your life!!! that would be the 1/3 that you are dreaming of riches in your sleep.

I sell real estate in a much different market and honestly, I have never seen a rental applicant successfully negotiate a lower rental price, even on a long term (i.e. 24 month) lease.

In any market, if an owner can afford to let a property sit vacant because lower rents can mean more problems (i.e. rif raf, demanding tenants, and many other issues) then the property will indeed sit vacant. It's not just a Dominican thing. Previous bad experiences by a failed negotation with a demanding tenant make many landlords hard nosed.