- Thread starter arete92
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Advice On Buying Property in Puerto Plata Area
Thanks for sharing Russel; i'm definatly re-thinking some things as you guys have offered honest advice.
I would lean you back to a gated community. Free standing homes have security problems. I have lived here for 15 years and my wife is also a Dominican. She would never consider a free standing house that has no security.
No rules against solar,the house I had rented had solar for the pool,I plan on doing the same with my new house. Smart of you to ask about solar being allowed,many gated communities don't allow it because they make a lot of money from the homeowners selling them their electricity at sky high rates.Great info thanks for sharing. As a side question.. are there any rules regarding the installation of solar panels in any of the communities you have lived? I thought I would ask while we're on the topic.. common sense would be it's your house you can do what you like, but it's the DR
Just listed with REMAX (in Torre Alto first floor below Golds Gym in new building). I live in Santiago but will tell them to get pictures. Based on its proximity to both the University and the Zona Franca I have to believe Claro has service available but suggest you go by their main office on 27 Febrero and confirm. Water I would say municipal but once again I would want you to confirm. (You can obviously talk to the neighbors). I don't mean to be at all vague but prefer you to confirm these things on your own. PM me and I'll put you in touch with the agent at REMAX.
Did anyone read in the daily news here on DR1 about several robberies in Casa De Campo? If the bad guys can get in the most exclusive and wealthiest community in the country then they can rob you anywhere. I have been here long enough to know that that does not mean throw caution to the wind but if you think you are safe just because it is a "gated" community you are very sadly mistaken.
Let me tell you about my Mom's villa. It's located in SD and when built, it was a beautiful piece of paradise, a few other homes built. Came back 12 years later and all the half acre lot had homes built and the development was fully occupied. Unfortunate, the squatters also moved into the lots that were not being watch and started building shacks all over the community. A guy from NY bought the lot next door and put in a secure private parking lot so the no muffler cars are starting at 4;00 am along with the motos. Get a place with a strong HOA and gated...... you will not regret it. BTW, at sundown, you have to lock the iron bars on all doors.
Of course anyone anywhere can be robbed. That is not the point.
The point is that a free standing home with no protection is far more likely to be robbed than one in a gated community. The reason is that when people are not allowed to walk through and see likely targets, and there are some gun toting guards with happy trigger fingers about, the crooks will look for lower hanging fruit.
Exclusive areas like Casa De Campo and Sea Horse Ranch have crimes that are more likely to be "inside jobs".
Good point, I have witnessed a few robberies one in a gated community and another in I guess a "good" barrio in Puerto Plata the first one was a Dominican who rented a property in the gated community and showed off a lot on Instagram and social media posting bragging pics along with inviting friends over during the night time, so basically asking for it. The second was Dominican woman who lives in North america, months prior she was posting photos of gifts for the family and other things, she did so innocently and is very humble and integrated superbly well here; unfortunatly through social media the robbers targeted her and knew exactly when to go to the house when the whole family was out the first night enjoying a meal in Santiago. I learned one thing very well, never add Dominicans I do not immediatley know on social media and second not the country to show off your check-ins when in different cities and restraunts those two things combined are a recipe for diaster. Biggest thing for me when I first started going there 7 years ago although it's all smiles for obvious reasons not the place to make small-talk about boating events or when you're going on vacation and the circle you hang out with there will determine your happiness in the island. Helps that my Spanish is near perfect now and easy to identify the people you don't want to talk to sadley my filter is at about 85% of the people daily.
Thanks for sharing, I can defiantly see that happening and in fact have, but.. if a individual purchased let's say 3 acres of land and had the appropriate security as in a fence with barb or some other structure around the perim. & dog(s) surely that would be enough to scare off the 90% ? breaking down the demographic who would steal would be 14-30 year olds whom are poor and only have a motoconcho for a means of transportation that have a liter or fuel in the tank would be a little hesitant on going out that far out? especially if there was above average security? it seems to me though from the sentiment of everyones responses you defiantly want some type of community close.
- your last statement though, the 4 AM vehicles starting would drive me nuts and would ultimatley lead me to sell the place. Sometimes I feel as privacy in this country is only something for the most elite.
Arete,
fences with barbed wire/razor wire are commonly defeated here by throwing a heavy blanket over the wire, then climbing over.
dogs are commonly defeated here with a piece of poisoned beef thrown over the fence, a machete, or even a gun... gunshots are not uncommon to hear. If you don’t have a good neighbor nearby who is brave enough to check on you, no one else would think twice about it.
What is your wife’s family’s thoughts on what you’re considering doing? I know that my Dominican friends, maid, etc would advise against it.
I bought them in Puerto Plata from North American Solar Panels.... they also installed them, A young Canadian; but I think he flew the coop.
There is a Battery Company in Puerto Plata who also sells, installs and maintains solar panels.... forgot the name ; ut all the usual hustle of sales pitches in RD.
Have shared the same concerns talking about both the pros and cons, to be transparent there would be another trusted individual buying this lott with me whom is family but quite honestly after hearing everyones input I think it's better to pay the extra money and be in at least a populated area around working class professionals or other honest ex-pats. Everyone has definatly pushed me away from the campo type of setting, you guys have a lot more years living there than I do so the advice offered I take into consideration. - in the end we're just looking for a decent size lott that offers security and privacy along with the ability and space to grow a med. size gardin and big enough for kids to run around.
We're not yet property owners in Puerto Plata, but will be within the next couple of years. We've lived in the city (well, my wife her whole life) since 2011.
I would personally not be willing to live in a house as you describe above. Why? Because, while that might provide some security, more I'd think it would draw a huge amount of attention having such heavy security measures. I've never drawn any attention while living here, and things have not gone that bad for me, quite to the contrary...
We have two small kids, and live currently in a closed street (=gated community), where you cannot even see the houses from the street. This is to say, that unless you are within the community, you cannot see our house. The gate is full iron, you cannot see the street from outside. All the neighbors know all of us, and all these factors make me and my wife feel safe. Every household also has dogs here, are no matter if Edenorte has an apagon going on or not, the street is very brightly lit.
I love the countryside in my country (North-Western Europe), but here I would not live outside of the city, and not in a place I don't know well.
For my family, what I could consider in the future, is a place in the campo to visit, but a home in the city. My wife's sister has a beatiful wooden house very deep in a campo, which might be the most beautiful place in the DR I've visited. The house is wooden, and obviously without any particular security, but my SIL knows everyone in the small village, and I've always felt safe there. The thing is, that house draws no attention whatsoever. It's no way suitable for full-time living though, but an excellent resort for weekends with the family.
Thanks for sharing Josh, great points raised it's obvious at this point the campo living is out of the question for me the guys who have contributed to the forum offered solid advice. The only thing I have a hard time accepting to be honest is the lott sizes the recent developments in torres de alta & los coj. seem super small to me most of my friends back yards have a little pool area and perhaps a few bushes. This ofcourse is a subjective thing and it could be resolved buying two lotts? To be clear though I will be building my own house a family member owns a reputable business that supplies most of our needs. I've never actually been in the gated communities in Puerto Plata are there decent size lotts available for say like 1.5-1.8 mil pesos? - I understand where you're coming from in context of the wooden houses in the campo they are beautiful and often have superb space but then again who is going to rob a yuca farmer, not too many hopefully.. as for us we attract too much unwanted attention while there although I have never had issues as well as travelling through the country but have found once seen automatically you're a potential target for something perhaps not a robbery, but something perfect spanish or not. ofcourse hanging around the family and knowing when and how to tell someone no the dominican way sure makes things more smooth and staying away from anything that involves loud music and alcohol
When I first started going there like many I tried to swim against the current which just doesnt work at all there and getting things done in general took a long time as well as relying on other to help me, in most of our countries everything is a straight shot and we know what to predict when conducting our business but there everything is a surprise, I have now learned after learning the language and culture in order to mitigate any frustrations I should be indepedent as possible when I say this i mostly mean language, reliable transportation and money that has it's orgins in a different country. Thanks for sharing your experiences again.
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We have several properties in the campo around Jarabacoa but my wife would never( so she says) live outside town. We live in a very busy area just outside a barrio but I think it is very safe. Well lit, even if the power is off, cameras and iron and street dogs and long time neighbours that all own their houses. One of our campo lots is a 1000 metres sq and in a quiet area with good neighbours (JWs) but several of them have had breakin while away for the day. Hard to find an area where you won't have any crime.