What is the Real Estate in Zona Colonial like ??

[Mm530]

I have always found the historic & colonial architecture of " La Zona" very enchanting & amazing.

I usually see alot of beautiful , amazing , well preserved buildings... but I also see alot of empty, neglected , left to decay buildings that look like if cleaned up would be amazing !!!!

I always wonder how come some rich investor hasnt bought the place, fix it up . Then I remember i'm not in the US .

I always also see " Se Vende L" signs but if i call I wouldn't know what to say.

Im saving my money and to be honest a nice little spot in La Zona to Airbnb wouldnt be bad
Why are so many places left empty ?

Is the Zona a good place to buy ?

Anyone know anything about this ???

 

[etolw]

Nice place. Very interesting historical vibes.
Safe

I married there once

Some owners temporary abroad. Sincerely, have no idea.

 

[Seamonkey]

There are over 300 Airbnb listings in the zone already. Add all the hotels to that and the market is flooded. It's really not a great investment, which is why you see many for sale.

 

[xstew]

There are over 300 Airbnb listings in the zone already. Add all the hotels to that and the market is flooded. It's really not a great investment, which is why you see many for sale.

Look at the real questions in Zona Colonial. Most are not going to change in yearssss.
Electric and water same as rest of s.d. unstable hours.
Parking non existant. If you own a car finding parking is a headache!
Dont go to resturants unless you like Paris prices !
To leave paridise you need taxi's at Porto Rico prices !
Shopping only one super market and $$$$ with mostly Beer and Hard Alcahol at Ritz Paris prices.
El conde street mostly every buisness is gift shops with all gifts made in Tiawan.
All other's in el conde more expensive than most tourist locations in the world. Dont go looking for a bargan no bargans here !
Banking all banks have closed except goverment Bank Reservis and Popular.
Post office ONE hidden on Catolica street.
Hotels and B&B 4-5 in every block. Ritz prices !
Medical one pharmacy one price. No medical clinic's.
Buying property More expensive per meter square than in Paris. Avaliable in many colonial colors yellow,Red blue,green eaven on occasion colonial white [very rare].
Police protection. lots of police they can be found sitting in the main park. If you stop your car they will fine you and take your drivers licenct to inshure you pay fine.
Public transport NONE !
Tourist guides by the dozen.

This is just a small listing of All the advantages available .
Legal assistance more lawyers than New York and more Expensive.
Dont let this deter you outside of the Colonial Zone it is just like outher big city's. Crouded noisy impossible traffic. AND MALLS if you need some thing Super market doctor dentist movie pizza anything it is in the MALL. This it the land of MALL's they build a new one every 6 months so thats whare to go !
Have a nice day and tour the Zona Colonial [Take money with you ]!

 

[Caonabo]

So, as I read it to be, you take issue with the prices?

 

[NanSanPedro]

It's a very eclectic area to me. If I didn't have a kid and was by myself, I would consider living there. I know everything is more expensive there but if you don't want/have a car, you can live there for about $2000-2500/month.

 

[Seamonkey]

I personally love the Zona Colonial. I go every 2-3 months for 4-5 days to get away from the North Coast. I don't find it expensive at all. I can get an airbnb loft for USD$55 per night or a nice hotel for USD$110. As for food you need to know which places to go to. 2 weeks ago I sat in a nice looking Dominican restaurant right on El Conde and they wanted RD455 for the plate of the day (chicken, rice, beans and salad), I walked out. If you walk off El conde in either direction you'll find many small Dominican restaurants, tons of colmados and pharmacies. There is not only one pharmacy like mentioned in the post above.There's a hospital located 2 streets from the Malecon and medical clinics as well. Parking is difficult, but I take the bus or my motorcycle so it doesn't matter to me.

Prices are far from being even close to prices in Paris. You can take a taxi or Uber to any mall for 300 pesos. Transportation is super cheap.

 

[william webster]

Formerstew

My hotel has parking in ZC... actually... many do

Dinner prices I find very reasonable.... Trip Advisor helps if you don't have your own favorites

Food stores - Nacional is Nacional... no different than Santiago

I have a wonderful woman whom I buy coffee from early in the morning

I enjoy a break from the NoCoast every now/then

 

[Mm530]

I completely agree SeaMonkey ! I am sorry but Xstew just seems mad at life. I have visited this area Every Weekend for 2 months until the Lockdown .... and have never seen what you speak of.

I am not Dominican but I am latino and everyone is always nice and helpful. I find more traffic around the malls. The malecón is right there. Ubers are VERY CHEAP ! i am talking US 12$ from the airport. There are MANY colmados & Comedores in this area that has AMAZING local food for 5$. The carritos can take you anywhere in SD for less than 2 usd$. I love the historical charm . Those streets make you forget you are in a city . There is nearby San Carlos & Villa Francisca near La Zona and they have cheaper options and are more local. I just love it .

Anyone know of the price range of these houses ?? I usally stay at a decent Airbnb in the area ( not historic place) for 28$ usd a night . What are the usual costs for an apartment in La Zona Historic part?

 

[el justo]

Call the Vicini family.

They own EVERY building in the CZ.

Maybe they will offload one to ya on the cheap[emoji12]

For those who may not know the Vicini family here is a documentary from 12 years ago that is still very relevant to today. The oppressed continue to be.

https://youtu.be/tp_EkCesIp8

 

[Mm530]

For those who may not know the Vicini family here is a documentary from 12 years ago that is still very relevant to today. The oppressed continue to be.

https://youtu.be/tp_EkCesIp8

Seems interesting. I will watch Thankss

 

[xstew]

Seems interesting. I will watch Thankss

Well having my office and residence in the Z.C. for over 20 years. I witnessed many things that make me not want to live inthe Z.C.I wont say what the dangers are but believe it or not i have witnessed them and they will be there forever. Lets just say it's not healthy !

 

[NanSanPedro]

For those who may not know the Vicini family here is a documentary from 12 years ago that is still very relevant to today. The oppressed continue to be.

https://youtu.be/tp_EkCesIp8

The batey life as portrayed in the vid is not relevant today. It was back in in 2010, but not now.

I have been to several bateys and the conditions are not as bad as they were in the vid. I have seen housing that is like that, but it was not in the bateys, it was in the cane fields.

I'm not saying life is grand in the bateys, it is not. But it's not as bad as that shown in the vid.

I have been told that all the sugar cane companies left the DR and what is being done now is from the government owned sugar. I have never seen a guard with a gun and telling the Haitian they can't leave. I've only gotten to 9 minutes into the vid, but I did want to clear this up.

 

[Caonabo]

Well having my office and residence in the Z.C. for over 20 years. I witnessed many things that make me not want to live inthe Z.C.I wont say what the dangers are but believe it or not i have witnessed them and they will be there forever. Lets just say it's not healthy !

So otherwise, a complete useless posting.

 

[Russell]

I go to the CZ when I can with family. Stay at the best boutique hotel right on the park across from the big church. Walk up and down the conde and enjoy myself.
I did notice that prices have risen and size of bottles got smaller.... but thats the way things are in a tourist zone.
If I couldn't afford it, I just would not go there....not an issue.

 

[bienamor]

Well having my office and residence in the Z.C. for over 20 years. I witnessed many things that make me not want to live inthe Z.C.I wont say what the dangers are but believe it or not i have witnessed them and they will be there forever. Lets just say it's not healthy !

Having lived in the colonial zone for over 20 years I have not seen that many problems. Since the National moved in the access to food shopping is 200% better. as far as restaurants and other areas for plate of the day plenty to choose from an price is not that bad if your stay away from the high end like brechola? as far as crime really not that bad have seen worse in other areas of SD. Traffic is ok until you leave the zone.

why not say what the dangers you have observed might help the rest of us out!

 

[Caonabo]

Having lived in the colonial zone for over 20 years I have not seen that many problems. Since the National moved in the access to food shopping is 200% better. as far as restaurants and other areas for plate of the day plenty to choose from an price is not that bad if your stay away from the high end like brechola? as far as crime really not that bad have seen worse in other areas of SD. Traffic is ok until you leave the zone.

why not say what the dangers you have observed might help the rest of us out!

Because, that would then erase the shroud of intrigue.

 

[Mm530]

OK....So does anyone know the price range of these houses ??

How would a US citizen go about purchasing one & possibly fix it up ??

What is the Real Estate like in this area ??? Loans ? Mortgages..


Facts and EDUCATED opinions only please (it's not my concern that you find it dangerous)

 

[johne]

The batey life as portrayed in the vid is not relevant today. It was back in in 2010, but not now.

I have been to several bateys and the conditions are not as bad as they were in the vid. I have seen housing that is like that, but it was not in the bateys, it was in the cane fields.

I'm not saying life is grand in the bateys, it is not. But it's not as bad as that shown in the vid.

I have been told that all the sugar cane companies left the DR and what is being done now is from the government owned sugar. I have never seen a guard with a gun and telling the Haitian they can't leave. I've only gotten to 9 minutes into the vid, but I did want to clear this up.

I watched it and found it fascinating. I went through a batey about 15 years ago because the guy that was driving knew a "shortcut" to the city we were going thru. LOL. So much for that idea! It was something that reminded me of life in the south during slavery. I will never forget how tall that horse was with the man on top holding a whip was we asked directions.

 

[xstew]

I watched it and found it fascinating. I went through a batey about 15 years ago because the guy that was driving knew a "shortcut" to the city we were going thru. LOL. So much for that idea! It was something that reminded me of life in the south during slavery. I will never forget how tall that horse was with the man on top holding a whip was we asked directions.

Bienamore use your head --you cant see the problems because you can not remember the past. And also appaerently you have never done any construction. Just think what did they use before iron and plastic tubing were invented LEAD. Before dirty water proccessing whare did you ****. What type of paint was available [None without lead ] They just painted over with led based paint. You think they stripped all the old paint and repainted with non led based some times they did but the led has leached into the ramed dirt. Led is one of the hardest metals to get rid of. And one of the most dangerous. Whare did they get water from and how did they store it ?
They dug cisterns that they still use today. I once worked on a old building whare the people living there were having all kind of health problems. So i started whare ? with the **** problem i hired a sewage company to draine the septic tank. When empty and dried out i climed down to find that their was still water seeplin in. That stumped me untill decided to clean the fresh water cistern. Once the fresh water cistern dried out the water stopped leaking into the **** side of their system. The two cisterns were cement lined but seperated by only one foot dirt fill. They were leaking back and forth with each other. I cleaned both and lined them with cement and sealed them with waterproof lineings. This was not in my initial proposal of the restoration i did the labor for free. During this time the home was empty and the dwellers were living elseware and guess what all their health problemd had dissappeared. They moved back in and they have had no health problems from that day on. I'm 80 years old and have no college education but i think you should think twice saying i no nothing of what i'm precicting on 300 hundred year old buildings. And P.S there still
are many other secrets to discover living in an old colonial area. But here the sun shines and people smile so everyone thinks that is the way it allways was and always will be. Take care my friend !