Sosúa Beach Renovations

[cavok]

The shacks on the beach will be there until after the elections next May. Riots and protests are not conducive to geting votes.

 

[bachata]

Great you enjoy your fixer upper in Sosua.
Living at Ayuntamiento and Pedro Clisante you obviously are in the heart of gringolandia.

If you were to visit your people in Sosua Abajo, La Union, Loma del Chivo, Montellano just to mention a few,
The water situation, garbage collection, or electrical outages would be a different story.
Being Dominican even when living in the US, this should be obvious to you.
Even Perla Marina or Windy's area in Cabarete has water problems.

No water infrastructure, drought, heat are a major problem for the DR.
Count your blessings if you have water and few electric outages.
Not all Dominicans live in the US to escape, nor do they have the financial resources that a Dominican living in the US has.

Maybe you have low expectations because you can escape and have money.
Putting lipstick on Sosua does not change the realities,
Yes, there still is a LITTLE construction going on at the Charamicos end of the beach.
After years nothing completed nor anything substantial.
The shacks with no bathrooms or sewage are still scenically decorating the beach.


One day the owners of the land and the government will finally take over.
This being the DR, who knows when this will be.

There is NOT a lot of business going on in Sosua compared to the peak years.
Yes some business is being conducted by some hopefuls.
Some tourists mainly US jetBlue are still arriving.
There was no peak tourist season or income last winter in Sosua.
I highly doubt that there will be a substantial increase this winter.
I'll be on the N. Coast for four months, but not in Sosua.

You are right, my location is a little bit noisy during the day due all the moto cinchos with out muffler silencers and sometimes at night when cars pass through blasting music but I have the water, electric and garbage service 90% covered plus high security.
I will be back next week, we are renewing the kitchen and closets in this trip.

JJ

 

[XQT]

You are right, my location is a little bit noisy during the day due all the moto cinchos with out muffler silencers and sometimes at night when cars pass through blasting music but I have the water, electric and garbage service 90% covered plus high security.
I will be back next week, we are renewing the kitchen and closets in this trip.

JJ

Some noise but much better than in the days of CMC across from Club Residencial,
Loud music went on till 3 am.
In your area at lest you have the best hope of services.
Outside to Sosua it's much worse.
Enjoy the beach.
Hope you get metal kitchen cabinets, as termites are a problem.
The flooding on Pedro Clisante that used to occur in that area, seems to have been improved with drainage.
No flooding worries, no rain.

 

[bachata]

Some noise but much better than in the days of CMC across from Club Residencial,
Loud music went on till 3 am.
In your area at lest you have the best hope of services.
Outside to Sosua it's much worse.
Enjoy the beach.
Hope you get metal kitchen cabinets, as termites are a problem.
The flooding on Pedro Clisante that used to occur in that area, seems to have been improved with drainage.
No flooding worries, no rain.

Yes we are installing aluminum kitchen cabinets and closets, bathroom cabinets too. Last year we replaced all windows.
Little by little improving!

JJ

 

[drstock]

...There was no peak tourist season or income last winter in Sosua...

There were a lot of Quebecois snowbirds in Sosua last winter. It was hard to get a seat in the bar I usually visit when I go there because they had taken it over - not that it has much to do with the beach renovations.

 

[Allyn Bishop]

Yes we are installing aluminum kitchen cabinets and closets, bathroom cabinets too. Last year we replaced all windows.
Little by little improving!

JJ

Do you use a service like Airbnb to rent your apartment or how do you attract renters? I know people looking who are not currently in the area who would be potential clients if they could see good photos and enquire directly with you about rents and terms if they could click on a link or call your WhatsApp.

 

[bachata]

Do you use a service like Airbnb to rent your apartment or how do you attract renters? I know people looking who are not currently in the area who would be potential clients if they could see good photos and enquire directly with you about rents and terms if they could click on a link or call your WhatsApp.

We are no on Airbnb or any other advertising platform.
The apartment remains unoccupied most of the time.

JJ

 

[XQT]

Do you use a service like Airbnb to rent your apartment or how do you attract renters? I know people looking who are not currently in the area who would be potential clients if they could see good photos and enquire directly with you about rents and terms if they could click on a link or call your WhatsApp.

Many owners and HOA do not want Airbnb's operating in their complex.
It entails frequent short term rentals, no control of who lives there, constant moves,
no control of ingress and egress.
It's different for investors who do not live there and who care only about rental income.

Many buildings are disallowing Airbnb's or impose a minimum one month rental.

Of course hardly any do offer a breakfast.
A real B&B was owners renting rooms in their house and also serving breakfast,
Which was standard in Europe......in the old days also very affordable.

 

[bachata]

In the high season we usually get inquiry from snow birds coming from Canada. Preferably Three months stay or more.
That will cover with the maintenance and some repairs.

JJ

 

[jd426]

In the high season we usually get inquiry from snow birds coming from Canada. Preferably Three months stay or more.
That will cover with the maintenance and some repairs.

JJ

Thats probably the Best Plan , similar to like " summer Rentals" , which I assume you are familiar with, since you from NC,
Here in Jersey, same , A summer rental is much preferred over the Weekly renters ,who are just way too much Trouble all around .
One would have to be really desperate for Money , to even consider them . ( we even had a TV show about it , if people may recall)

And then u can enjoy the "Shoulder Seasons" thoroughly, with no Calendar to watch .

 

[jd_mine]

Thank you guys very much for the kind words. We’ve been in Pattaya now for about eight weeks and so far so great. While we definitely miss our friends and family back in the DR this move was ( so far ) was a giant step in the right direction. Life here is much calmer, easier and happier for the entire family. The DR can grind you down after a period of time and my patience was razor thin by the time we got on the airplane. It’s funny listening to some of the expats complain about the driving, culture and prices over here. I laugh internally and think, you wouldn’t last a day in the DR. It’s almost too easy to here 🤣

We have been scouting new bar locations for the last two months. This town is a different beast and we are being very methodical and cautious in our approach. Good things coming but in due time.

Cheers and thank you again.

So, I'm guessing you found a quiet spot to live?
I went to Pattaya, but it was just too busy for me.
Constant noise, people and traffic.
But I was on vacation and I'm guessing you can find more quiet spots on the outskirts of the city?
I much preferred Sosua, where I had my apartment in a totally quiet area, but could still be at the beach or bars/restaurants within 10 minutes.
It also did not help I apparently am not attracted to Thai women .....

 

[cavok]

There are a lot of beautiful Thai women, but Pattaya is too big, too, busy, too hot, and too far for me.

 

[JD Jones]

So, I'm guessing you found a quiet spot to live?
I went to Pattaya, but it was just too busy for me.
Constant noise, people and traffic.
But I was on vacation and I'm guessing you can find more quiet spots on the outskirts of the city?
I much preferred Sosua, where I had my apartment in a totally quiet area, but could still be at the beach or bars/restaurants within 10 minutes.
It also did not help I apparently am not attracted to Thai women .....

I have a few friends who moved there long ago and all live in quiet, secure areas. Many of them live in complexes where they comprise most of the tenants.

Most are older and have middle-aged women who are live-ins or visit daily.

I get emails from some of them on a regular basis and I have to admit I get a little jealous at times.

 

[cavok]

The grass is always greener...............

 

[JD Jones]

The grass is always greener...............

Very true. Then again, they are all ex-expat residents from the DR and all of them are very happy with their decision. I'm guessing they're "assistants" all speak English

 

[cavok]

Very true. Then again, they are all ex-expat residents from the DR and all of them are very happy with their decision. I'm guessing they're "assistants" all speak English

I think some people just constantly need a new adventure(?), A British friend of mine owned a bar on the beach in Boca Chica for about 10 years. He sold it and started to spend 6 months of the year in Thailand. That lasted for several years until he finally got tired of the heat, rain(he said it rains a lot there), and the language barrier. It's not for everybody.

 

[Allyn Bishop]

I'm not sure how any of this is germane to the OP but since we're going down the Thailand rabbit hole I'll point out that comparing Thailand to the DR, and Pattaya to Sosua, makes no sense since Thailand is more than 10 times larger than the DR and the same more or less for Pattaya vs Sosua. Also almost no foreigners speak proper Thai and the writing is all but incomprehensible to Westerners while Spanish is one of the easiest languages to become conversational in for many Westerners.. Sosua in its heyday, or some would say at its worst, is but a spit in the ocean compared to Pattaya and the only advantages The DR has is proximity to North America.

Like the DR, Thailand is relatively large, as The DR is for an island, diverse in many ways so it's easy to find somewhere that you fancy. Pattaya does not represent the rest of Thailand just like Sosua is not "the real" DR.

 

[jd426]

I have a few friends who moved there long ago and all live in quiet, secure areas. Many of them live in complexes where they comprise most of the tenants.

Most are older and have middle-aged women who are live-ins or visit daily.

I get emails from some of them on a regular basis and I have to admit I get a little jealous at times.

I know zero people in Thailand , only know a couple guys who are in the Phils now , doing same , and Although I dont know their true Family backgrounds they all say the exact same thing.
" These people treat me better than my own family did" Which i find facinating ..
One old timer I met on my one and only trip like 10 years ago and who sticks out in my mind because we had many long conversations, he had like 3 women tending to him , and they seemed to genuinely care for him, from clothing him, preparing all his meals , etc He was a Vet who had some physical disabilities, but sharp as a Tack , telling amazing stories .
this Topic does fascinate me , where one chooses to live out their Retirement. and how WILL your family treat you in your declining Years ? .

 

[cavok]

Regardless of size, Pattaya and Sosua have the same common denominator - ditto for those who go there.

 

[bachata]

I met a Canadian yesterday while riding the Metro bus, he have been living in the North shores 12 years now Sosua / Cabarete currently.
He said he lives happy and planning stay for ever here.

JJ