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I would recommend that you research Las Terrenas, DR.Ìý It has a very European population and is probably the most sophisticated area in the the DR.Ìý I am from 🇨🇦 Canada and own a home there.Ìý I have connections for all your respective needs.Ìý Good luck!Ìý Gary

Following...

My suggestions:

Very important to visit and look around everywhere or you are investing blindly- places vary greatly and especially infrastructure. Many things are being built but many times takes much longer or does not complete. Take the real estate agents though nice with a grain of salt because they want to sell properties.

Good advice!

Do not buy without thoroughly researching any project and area.

Please come and rent for 6 to 12 months.Ìý This country is not for everyone.Ìý If this is purely an investment and you don't intend to live here then your research is even more important!Ìý

Take your time, there is no hurry.

...

Valerio, I am a construction professional who has led top end resort projects.

I can put you in contact with a friend, an Architect who is multi lingual and lives in Caso de Campo ( originally from Luxembourg) who is close to hospitality in the east and south east. And has been involved in top end villas and resorts here. He is fluent in Italian.

We worked together on a stalled very large resort project in Las Terrenas which had CONFITUR. A French national living in LT still looks to restart that project and maybe worth talking with too. Quite a large Italian community lives in in LT too and has a European feel and offers growth potential for the better heeled tourist.

Send meÌý private message if interested.

Stevenbow wrote:

Valerio,
Good day.
The north shore is arguably the prettiest place on the island. The new president has several investments here so we are confident it will be a focus of the new govt.

With all due respect, I'm guessing you haven't traveled the island very much.

I have lived here 15 yrs been to every corner of the D.R. and speak the language fluently as well as traveled to over 40 countries. I have been married to my Dominican wife for 33 yrs.

I have removed theÌý post with your contact information. Unless you are an advertiser then you cannot promote yourself.Ìý Ìý Others can talk about you and refer to you but you can't do it yourself honey.Ìý

Feel free to take a classified!

Stevenbow wrote:

I have lived here 15 yrs been to every corner of the D.R. and speak the language fluently as well as traveled to over 40 countries. I have been married to my Dominican wife for 33 yrs.

I stand corrected.

I too have been to every corner of the country many times, speak the language fluently, and have had a Dominican wife(s) for more time than you have. But that may be because I've been here for 50 years.

I also have a very successful business here but don't advertise it on forums.Ìý I also think there are many parts of this island much prettier than the North Coast.Ìý MUCH prettier.

I guess we have a different opinion of pretty and best. Happy new year.

Reality is that each of us has our own opinions. There is NOÌý ONEÌý fit for everyone. So agree that this is they way it is.

How about instead of assuming what any other person may want, talk about why YOU LOVE the area you love!Ìý Ìý ÌýYou dont need toÌý denigrate another place to promote what you love. Simple.

His preference was to be in an area with a sizeable Italian community and his research was good noting south and south east. Las Terrenas fits this profile too. And imo both Bayahibe and Samana offer the most interesting prospects especially if you are Italian.

As planner says we all have different opinions and there are threads here on this forum debating this.

Incidentally Valerio should also check the expat.com Italian language forum for DR. Type in expat.com followed by Italian name for DR.

"Arguably the prettiest place on this island" is far denigrating anyone or anything!Ìý

I may come back at a later date but out for now.

denigrate
verb [ T ]
UKÌý /ˈden.ɪ.É¡reɪt/ USÌý /ˈden.É™.É¡reɪt/

to say that someone or something is not good or important


Never ever said that!

Wow, you sure are sensitive. It was a general comment about denigrating as we have had a lot of this in the past.Ìý

The comment directed at you was about posting contact info!

Stevenbow wrote:

I guess we have a different opinion of pretty and best. Happy new year.

Back atcha Kiddo!Ìý ÌýWe gotta sit down one day with a cold one and compare notes.Ìý Ìý

Thank you jdjonesdr : I like the positive statements this is what life is all about staying in focus ! , we all know the negatives out there and is really boring to listen to. Blessings . Krumite

That's your opinion of course.

thanks to all of the answers, you are very kind! Actually, I would have identified the south coast of the country, and especially the south-east coast of the country because logistically it is well served by the main airports of the country and arriving immediately after an intercontinental flight from Italy is important ... to get to Las Terrenas it takes more. 2 hours by car!Ìý

I also read that the climate of the southern coast is more favorable, since the southern area is more sheltered from the trade winds from the northeast and therefore it rains less, apart from hurricanes ... not least also the seismic aspect: the whole country is at risk of earthquakes, but the northern area is the most dangerous one, as it is crossed by a system of particularly active faults ...

Expect other opinions and info from those who want itÌý

p.s: Gari and Lennoxnev I will write to you in private, thank you!

Glad you got what you were looking for!

Thak you so much and happy new year!!

P.s: I can no longer send messages in private: after contacting Gary and Lennox, I was trying to contact Severino but he does not let me send messages

Hello Valerio 78,

I am not sure why you are unable to contact me privately but I have read your message and I would be happy to communicate with you regarding your efforts in the D.R.Ìý

You can reach me at XXX. I work in Casa de Campo and the La Romana area on the south east coast of the country. Happy New Year to you!

New members have very limited ability to private message.Ìý We have massive spam issues so it takes some time for you to have this right.

Please PM this member directly.

And Steverino you know you cannot post your email on a public forum.Ìý It will be removed.Ìý PM the person in question please. He can receive and respond but can't initiate.

Ok

Thanks honey.

AND FYIÌý the system has been having issues with PM,Ìý so its not just new members having issues apparently.

Which part of the island would you recommend in investing?Ìý We are Canadian and would like to invest in a beachfront property but would use it for ourselves as snowbirds for 6 months and rent the rest of the time.

In this case if its for yourselvesÌý 6 months of the yearÌý buy where you like to vacation!Ìý That is more important I would think than anything else.

I'm in the midst of a 49-day roam around the DR, assessing the Real Estate Market for myself.Ìý

Probably my biggest lesson learned thus far:
Ìý >>Ìý Don't buy ANYTHING in the DR until you see it for yourself.Ìý

The fundamental problems are:
1.Ìý Lack of Transparency.Ìý There's no effective to compare the numbers and specs remotely.Ìý There's no MLS, and the realty agents are NOT necessarily the trained Realtors many of us are used to.Ìý ÌýAdditionally, the agents show ONLY the properties they control, or, if they have already worked out a cooperative agreement with another Agent, will show you their properties, as well.
2.Ìý Pictures don't necessarily lie...but they sure can leave out a lot of truth.Ìý
Ìý >> For example, I've toured properties that are beautiful...but until you're there in person, you don't realize there's a major rock quarry just down the street that will drive you absolutely nuts with the blasting and heavy equipment.Ìý [Yes, I've toured such a property here.]
>>Ìý The pictures may be very outdated.Ìý For example, I recently rented a place via airbnb that had GORGEOUS photos of a unit that appeared brand new!!!Ìý And it probably was, when the pictures were taken perhaps 10 years ago -- which for frequently-rented short stay units, can be equivalent to 20 years of wear.Ìý When I arrived, the place was battered and beaten, worn and tired.Ìý I wondered whether the sheets had been washed since the previous tenant.
>> Additionally, the pictures shown can be taken from the angle that makes the unit look largest and prettiest, while not showing the peeling veneer on the table or the mold embedded in the shower grout.Ìý The pictures can also be retouched to eliminate the appearance of many problems.

In sum, I must echo what others have said in many other posts:Ìý ONLY BUY WHAT YOU CAN SEE...AND PICTURES DON'T COUNT!! Ìý Go see it with your own Mark 1 Eyeballs!!!

Now, if you have someone in the DR that you absolutely, totally trust...well, maybe that's an exception.

Yes definitely visit different areas prior to buying and buy where YOU want to be. We almost bought sight unseen. Basing everything off of pictures and reviews. Glad we waited to visit. We ended building in a new development. Which has been stressful on it’s own. Anywho good luck!Ìý Don’t go into anything hastily!

Thank you my wife and I will be traveling to the Dominican Republic on April 22 to view several properties in the greater PuntaÌý Cana area everything you said I believe in the end if you’re buying site unseen you on that risk.

Your suggestion reminds me of a time when I was applying for a job my interview was at 1:30 in the afternoon but I drove over in the morning to see the morning commute and I hung out the rest of the day of the interview (not with the folks interviewing me) but to take the evening commute home the more research you do the less risk you have in anything. Still working for the same University 7 years later.

Lastly being a member of this group reduces risk (not eliminates it) if you read various opinions and then make an informed decision.

ExpatRusher wrote:

I'm in the midst of a 49-day roam around the DR, assessing the Real Estate Market for myself.Ìý

Probably my biggest lesson learned thus far:
Ìý >>Ìý Don't buy ANYTHING in the DR until you see it for yourself.Ìý

The fundamental problems are:
1.Ìý Lack of Transparency.Ìý There's no effective to compare the numbers and specs remotely.Ìý There's no MLS, and the realty agents are NOT necessarily the trained Realtors many of us are used to.Ìý ÌýAdditionally, the agents show ONLY the properties they control, or, if they have already worked out a cooperative agreement with another Agent, will show you their properties, as well.
2.Ìý Pictures don't necessarily lie...but they sure can leave out a lot of truth.Ìý
Ìý >> For example, I've toured properties that are beautiful...but until you're there in person, you don't realize there's a major rock quarry just down the street that will drive you absolutely nuts with the blasting and heavy equipment.Ìý [Yes, I've toured such a property here.]
>>Ìý The pictures may be very outdated.Ìý For example, I recently rented a place via airbnb that had GORGEOUS photos of a unit that appeared brand new!!!Ìý And it probably was, when the pictures were taken perhaps 10 years ago -- which for frequently-rented short stay units, can be equivalent to 20 years of wear.Ìý When I arrived, the place was battered and beaten, worn and tired.Ìý I wondered whether the sheets had been washed since the previous tenant.
>> Additionally, the pictures shown can be taken from the angle that makes the unit look largest and prettiest, while not showing the peeling veneer on the table or the mold embedded in the shower grout.Ìý The pictures can also be retouched to eliminate the appearance of many problems.

In sum, I must echo what others have said in many other posts:Ìý ONLY BUY WHAT YOU CAN SEE...AND PICTURES DON'T COUNT!! Ìý Go see it with your own Mark 1 Eyeballs!!!

Now, if you have someone in the DR that you absolutely, totally trust...well, maybe that's an exception.

Spot on. I can't bang this drum loud enough. Visit the space and, if you can, live there for a period of time before making any commitment.
I think they call it "margarita madness" - come here for a two week vacation and leave having put down a deposit on an apartment you know little about.