Some Dominicans love to bite the hand that feeds them

[waytogo]

exactly, trinitytown is great if you are a jet-setter or somewhat high-falutin' because you never there in the residence long enough to notice what is missing at street level. And when you are in town you are exclusively in the range of Av JPD or 27 Feb. Seriously, the best part of over there is close proximity to Texas Avenue for dining. but el ensueno is very nice because Francia is suitable avenue for the quick errands or even late night weekend socializing at the Monument. I mean you can coin toss what you want to spend for your date, either cheap Brasa BBQ or Marisco Centro. I think it is only a bit more noisy and "urban" at the end where Francia terminates into Circulavacion or Hermanas Rosario or whatever that street is called. Cheap place to get your car fixed in that area also. But I d stay away from the auto sound places, most of their inventory looked like garbage to me. 8000 is a nice amount. Im almost envious. You dont live in that street with the ring of houses that looks like Fred Flinstones, Bedrock do you? Calle 5 I think it is, which the gazebo in the middle of the street? Man, I thought that was a great addition to the neighborhood...minus all the dog-crap all over the place.
That bakery is a nice place. Have you been to the meat market guy across the street? There is a butcher somewhere in that area on the other side of the street.

I shop at that meat market/colmado every day............
I'm on Calle 7.........right around the corner from that market........
They get their chicken delivered fresh every morning at about 8:15............
And I am there at 8:20 to get ahead of all the old ladies that have to finger touch all the meats........
I think I love fried chicken more than the chicas.............

B in Santiago

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

You can do all of the negotiating in the world...

That is the reality the world over. There are times when you wish you could reach out like a southern Baptist preacher and force common sense into their closed minds, but alas you can't.

While losing out on that perfect whatever it is may sting for a brief period having a secondary choice offers a quick way to move on. Besides, you would probably not fair well in the long run if you compromised and entered into a long term arrangement with that type of person. Count it as good fortune and move on smiling contentedly to yourself knowing that even though you didn't get what you wanted, you are probably better off anyways.

Watch the house rot from afar...

 

[SKing]

Watch the house rot from afar...

I plan too....Hehehehe.

SHALENA

 

[DominicanQuest]

Call me the contrarian. My English school needs more space. We are on a street which intersects with La Churchill, but facing the side street. Larger spot opened up just around the corner - facing La Churchill, right by a stop light, but for the same rent. Turns out the attorney had spent the deposito of the previous tenants and did not have the money to return it. We made him a deal - lower the rent $5000 pesos, but we will pay him his commission as normal - that's all he cared about anyways. So, we get the larger space on the main avenue, paying less than we pay now, and 2 months free to boot! (due to some other quick negotiating) You just gotta know how to negotiate and find people's pressure points. If you want something, go and get it.These people need money.

In my current apartment I was paying $350 per month for a 1 br (expensive but its amueblado with internet, gas, and cable) We were having a baby so we wanted 2 br. Upstairs the 2 br is $600. They tried to sell me on that but I wasnt having it. Some guys moved out of this one, which is identical to the one upstairs, and the offered it for $500. I did have to kill a bunch of cucarachas, but it is all good now.

Works better if you speak Spanish too.

 

[Robert]

I have learned that everything is negotiable. The secret is not being afraid to walk away. When I negotiate rent or the price of a high ticket item and I can't get near my upper limit, I say thank you, inform them of my backup plan to procure the same item or type of property elsewhere, pause for no longer than 15 seconds, hand them a card with my cell # and inform them they have 10 minutes to change their mind. I then leave heading in the direction of my backup plan.

Not always 100% successful, but you find out really quickly if the vendor is motivated.

And that's pretty much how I have negotiated rents in the DR. Be prepared to walk away, leave your card and tell them to get back to you when they change their mind.

 

[Mauricio]

And that's pretty much how I have negotiated rents in the DR. Be prepared to walk away, leave your card and tell them to get back to you when they change their mind.

I kind of learned that by accident. I liked a house that was 20% higher prices than I wanted and was able to pay. At the end they came down a lot but still not at my highest bid. I walked away from it, even though we were close. Two weeks later they called me that they wanted to meet. At the real estate office they asked, so, how are you intending to pay. I said: pay? We don't have a deal. They answered, oh yes, we'll do it at the price you said.

Never be to eager to buy is what I learned.

 

[Robert]

actually, i am flattered that a guy with so much wealth, who lives in the Dominican equivalent of Monaco, finds me to be so important that he cannot go through a single day without addressing some remarks towards me.

I have no issues erasing 12,000+ posts with a click.

Either stay on topic, add value to a thread or keep away, it's very simple.
Yes, I have also posted in our mods forum, as I'm very aware its not just the regular posters that are hijacking threads.

 

[Aguaita29]

There is a misconception among foreigners when they hear the word "barrio"
they think it means ghetto. Barrio just means "sector" and there are many, many nice, clean
barrio neighborhoods. But of course there are filthy barrios.

True! Barrio doesn?t necessarily mean it?s a bad place. What is a bad place is "suburbio".

 

[Mauricio]

There is not one single Dominican I know that understands the word 'barrio' just as sector, even though that's the correct Spanish meaning. In Dominican Republic barrio has the meaning of a not so good neighborhood.

 

[DRob]

Shalena,

Personally, I think you ought to take the whole thing as a blessing. Consider, you could have stayed and dealt with a LL who threatens to sell from under you on a monthly basis.

I've seen the pics you've posted of your new(er) home. It's truly amazing. You've done quite well for yourself, Ms. King, despite the trifling issues of those other folk.

 

[Commander Ooh La La USN]

True! Barrio doesn?t necessarily mean it?s a bad place. What is a bad place is "suburbio".

A bad place is any place in the UK called "an estate" and any place in DR called a "residencial".

 

[SKing]

Shalena,

Personally, I think you ought to take the whole thing as a blessing. Consider, you could have stayed and dealt with a LL who threatens to sell from under you on a monthly basis.

I've seen the pics you've posted of your new(er) home. It's truly amazing. You've done quite well for yourself, Ms. King, despite the trifling issues of those other folk.

Thank you!

I'm paying out the a$$ on this new house though.

And from the info I'm getting on the Construction thread, looks like we may be moving to the Campo after the lease is up! LOL

SHALENA

 

[Aguaita29]

There is not one single Dominican I know that understands the word 'barrio' just as sector, even though that's the correct Spanish meaning. In Dominican Republic barrio has the meaning of a not so good neighborhood.

Right! But sometimes someone tells you they live in a place that has barrio included in the name, and it?s not what you expected. Same thing the other way, they live in a sector that you?ve heard is nice, but their neighborhood is "arrabalizado".

 

[Aguaita29]

A bad place is any place in the UK called "an estate" and any place in DR called a "residencial".

Residencial is nice...or at least supposed to be!

 

[Mauricio]

Right! But sometimes someone tells you they live in a place that has barrio included in the name, and it?s not what you expected. Same thing the other way, they live in a sector that you?ve heard is nice, but their neighborhood is "arrabalizado".

That's true

 

[Commander Ooh La La USN]

Residencial is nice...or at least supposed to be!

Residenciales are blueprinted as "nice", the end result is always an anemically furnished series of housing projects(in the traditional US sense).

 

[Mauricio]

I once sold a car: a Chevrolet Chevalier. A guy wanted to buy it, but wanted to make a test drive first. No problem, I said. We went all the way from Santo Domingo to San Pedro, because he had to finance it with a guy there. The car turned off six times on the way (it had electrical problems I hadn't been able to get solved). I was sure he wouldn't buy it. He still did though. I never understood.

It might be that it has to do with the fact that Dominicans but with their emotions. Last year I sold another vehicle. A mitsubishi montero. It wasn't in the best state. Buyer had it checked at a mechanic but never drove the vehicle one single meter. When later in Agora we closed the deal, he gave me the money, I gave him the keys. When I was still depositing the money in the bank, he called me from the Parking garage. The vehicle had problems he said (the 4wd light was giving a warning sign and the check engine light turned on. I told him he was still in time, if he wanted we could just cancel the deal. No, he said, it's ok, I'll figure it out, and left. I think he just felt already emotionally attached to his new acquisition and couldn't cancel the deal.

 

[jkc]

You can do all of the negotiating in the world, some Dominicans, if they even THINK that they can get more they will hold out for more. Even if the thought is not based on anything but a hunch. And they would rather let the house, car, solar, whatever lay and catch dust rather than go for a lower price.

There are some houses I've seen, where they are holding out YEARS...and they don't even maintain the house in those years but continually raise the price each year because they say that everything gets more expensive year after year. They'll still want top of the line price even if the house has been sitting 5 years vacant and the faucets are rusted, the yard overgrown, windows broken. It doesn't matter what the house is really worth, only what they THINK its worth.

SHALENA

SHALENA

Does NEGOTIATION exist there? I like when GRINGOS have had some luck, but they think it is the NORMS!
It is not the NORMS! They simply want the world for their Used cars, dirty houses ect.,... If they do not get their ways, let it be!
Keep negotiating, bu the majority will not even pay attention to your NEGOTIATING SKILLS!

 

[Cdn_Gringo]

Keep negotiating, bu the majority will not even pay attention to your NEGOTIATING SKILLS!

While there is an element of skill involved, primarily negotiating is the art of compromise. You have something I want (house), and I have something you want (money).

You can keep your house, but you don't get the money you want. I can keep my money but don't get the house I want. If one or both parties can't find a way to meet each other's needs, then nothing changes. That's life. The person with the money is usually in a better position though. If you refuse my money, then someone else will accept it. It could be a long time before then next person comes along who is prepared to offer you money.

When will the holdout party get the money they want? Depends on how long they continue to send the money people away.

 

[MJSantoDomingo]

Real negotiations may be difficult at times, but the one that always frustrates me is that no one ever wants to give an estimate.
If a car has a problem and you bring it to a mechanic. The mechanic says it seems like "such n such" is the problem. I then ask, how much do you think that will cost. The answer: I do not know until I do the work. Well, that is the wrong answer. I need an estimate before I say go ahead and do the work. And if they start the work and find other problems, then I need to be called for approval before doing the additional work. But they seem to want to do the work - and then just surprise you with a bill at the end.
I have had people do this many times on different projects, not just for car repairs. They seem so reluctant to give estimates. One time, I actually asked: Do you understand what an estimate is??? I need to know if this is going to cost me approximately 3000 pesos or 10,000 pesos before I can tell you to do the work - and an estimate is an estimate, if you tell me 4000 pesos and it comes out to be 4500 pesos, then that is close to the estimate and acceptable.
It seems that they are wary of telling someone a estimated price in case they underestimate.