New members of the Dominican Republic forum, introduce yourselves here — June to December 2017

Hello Everyone,

'm Greg nad I am new to the Dominican Republic Forum..

I'm 46 years old retied from the US Navy and currently living and working in Louisiana. After more than 20 years in the military I am planning to permanently retire within the next 12 months and Dominican Republic is one of the places on my list.

  I've been there once, but only for a brief stay in Santo Domingo. I would like insight on other places to live and things to do in DR. I am a vey laid back and relaxed person that is looking forward to learning and enjoying a new culture..


Thank you all....

Greg

Welcome Greg! Do lots of reading honey, so much info here for you.

The country is big and diverse. I spent 4 years in Santo Domingo but love the north coast! Each area appeals to different things!

Feel free to ask questions and open new threads as needed.

Thanks planner.. I'll be visiting there in August to start looking around.

Excellent come to the north coast i will show you around!

Welcome Greg.  Lots to read here and lots of good info.  It sounds like you are doing it right by spending some time exploring to see if the DR works for you and where to settle.  We have been on the north coast full time for 11 years now.  After looking over all the info here come back with any questions you may have.
Good luck

Bob K

Thanks Bob,

  I do appreciate the information. I am going to do some exploring and I am very sure I'll have tons of questions for both you and planner.. Thanks again..

You should totally explore Las Terrenas, I am moving there after summer neighbour!

Welcome to you too. tell us about yourself!

Hey Everyone,
I'm Tanya. I'm married with two children 8 and 6. My husband and I are planning on relocating our family to the DR in the near future. I'm just starting to get lists and plans in order as I know there are many things that need to be done before the move is able. We've found a school for the girls and are in the process of getting the documentations ready. We're looking at relocating to Punta Cana- Bavaro or anything close to Cap Cana school. Any helpful hints would be great! Thanks.

Welcome to the forums. First hint - read read read. Lots of good info here. Ask questions in the appropriate threads!

Welcome.  Do lots of reading.  I assume you have been here before.

Bob K

Hi, we are new here, and will be relocating to DR in 2018. We will be here October- December this year to start the process, find friends and a possible base for 2018. We are an Anglo/ Chinese couple with a young son who have lived in China, Hong Kong and the UK. Taking on semi retirement and hoping to build or buy a small resort/ rentals complex. Just to say Hi, and if anyone can recommend a good attorney for our Residence application.
Many thanks, D&C

Hi and welcome to you both. What area will you be coming to?  I can recommend a good lawyer in a few different locations!

Hi Planner, not so sure as to where we will eventually settle, Carribean or North coast it depends really on so many factors. Schools being one and business opportunities another. I guess that for our residency an attorney in San Domingo would probably be best, although we favour the Sosua area as are initial base. Is it a disadvantage having an Attorney in Sosua, so far from the immigration offices in San Domingo?
The major factor for where we settle will be risk of earthquake. We survived the devastation in Hunan Province China a few years ago and really do not want to repeat it. We understand that the earth moves everywhere, but what areas are least affected?

Earthquakes are not considered a huge issue (they do happen) more likely to have hurricane / ttppical storm issues. For that the north coast is a good choice. I will message you

Welcome.
We live on the north coast in the Sosua/Cabarete area.  We use a lawyer here in town for local stuff and land issues.  For our residency we used someone in Santiago who will hold  your hand for the entire process. She take you to Santo Domingo to get all the work done.  We as well as our friends and clients use here.

Planner also has a good residency lawyer in Santo Domingo.

As far as earth quakes we have small tremors every once in a while but we do not worry about them.

No major hurricanes here on the north coast in over 40 years.


Bob K

Hi Bob, thanks for the welcome and info. We are already leaning towards the N. Coast as being better for us. Any advice you can offer will be welcome. Are you working or enjoying retirement?

We currently are re retired.  After we got here 11 years ago we needed something to do to keep us busy so we worked in Real estate f or a few years.  We have retired again about 5 years ago.
Please feel free to ask any questions you may have.

Bob K

Wow! Ambitious! There's a gorgeous boutique hotel property for sale in Cabrera...Hotel Catalina...we wish we had the funds to by it and get it operational again... especially since Amara resort at playa grande has put Cabrera on the map so yo speak. PM me if you want more details...welcome to forum, best place for information

Greetings everybody

New to this site

I am an Architect and Residential Construction Project Manager living in between New York City and Puerto Plata. Coming myself from a tropical country I really enjoy the Caribbean weather in the Dominican Republic.

I came for a short vacation time and what supposed to be a typical vacation turned out to be a life-changing event.  I am currently residing in Luperon (Puerto Plata).

Feel free to contact me for any questions.

Hi there, my name is Chantal and my husband Andy and I are from Northern Ontario and are seriously thinking about moving to the Dominican within the next year. I have been reading many conversations/topics on the forum which are very insightful, helpful and glad to see there is support from expats living in the DR already. I know that we do and will have many questions about our next steps. Glad to have joined the forum!

welcome to you both!    I know a few people in Luperon,  will meet up with you all over there one day soon.

Do lots and lots of reading, ask questions when you need or want. AND please share your experiences with us where appropriate!

Thank you Planner for your quick response! We are thinking of making the leap next summer/fall to the Dominican. We have a friend who has a villa in a gated community just between Sosua and Cabarete and we have been there to visit…We absolutely loved it! He even lent us his truck and we found driving not that bad, which is strange because everyone on the forum says, “Don’t drive, it’s crazy here”. One of my biggest question is that we plan to sell everything we own here in Canada in order to live in the Dominican but want to invest our money in either an apartment building, villas (basically something in real estate market) but rent an apartment out for ourselves separate from the purchase. Does this make good business sense to do so? Is the real estate market there worth this type of investment? It doesn't have to happen right away, but at least this will give us an idea on what to do. Thanks for in advance for your input.

Thank you Planner for your welcoming greeting

Let me know when planning a trip to Luperon. I really want to meet you.

Saludos

Real estate -  a big maybe. It depends on so much. My suggestion open a thread and ask the questions!

Thanks navaeddy will do. I am way overdue to make a trip.

Welcome to you both
Chantsy rent for a few months before you buy anything and be very careful if you are buying investment property.

Bob K

Hi Chaney,
I have been researching a similar strategy. The N. Coast is currently depressed and some areas have fallen in price. Other Expats properties are on the market at inflated prices as they want to cover their own expenses rather than take a loss. P. M me for further details and my own take on the situation.
If you want to go alone be very careful what you buy, not only area and price. If you have little or no experience in property condition and build use a expert it inspect first.
It really depends on your own take on investment. Do not hope to make mega capital gain in a short period. Do not be taken in by businesses and advertising companies. Find, look, see, inspect, debate. Head not heart. Regards, D

Okay,  lets take this conversation to its own thread please.   This is to welcome new members.
Thanks all.

Hello all,

I am looking to relocate in January 2018, I am looking for lawyer for residence procedure in Santo Domingo preferably. I have decided to relocate to Punta Cana for a fresh start so I'm looking for housing also. Any info is appreciated.

Welcome. English speaking lawyer in Santo Domingo Wilson Rood wilsonrood@gmail.com

Finding a place is boots on the ground usually. Book a hotel for a week and get out looking!

djwold welcome.
Planners rec is a good one
Have you been here before?
Good luck on your new adventure

Bob K

Hi everyone my name is Raymond I wanted to thank everyone this is a great site.. i have lurked for a bit and it is truly the best source of information I have found about DR...I am a Mainframe IT consultant for a global wealth management firm here in the states and I am looking to relocate temporarily to the north coast of DR in a few months for 6-12 months as I can and have worked remotely from the island. I love Dr and maybe am thinking in the future of buying a property down the line but for now just looking for a temp residence to get myself and my fiance situated in a safe neighborhood. my fiance is from Puerto Plata so I visit often (5 times since December). sometimes I stay with her or sub a place but at this point I wanted to get a safe,secure residence there maybe a 2-3 bedroom between $200-400 US a month since i will be staying for months at a time over the course of the next year. I like costambar but anything in puerto plata, cabarete or sosua preferably not to far from 5 i can be enlightened about please advise. I am a little familiar with the area but i think mines is more of a tourist view so Any help on this or just any basic advice on any topic for a newbie moving to the country is appreciated thanks in advance all!

Welcome. I know of a nice furnished place in costambar that is available in a couple months. Message me.

Welcome, it sounds like a plan.  There lots of places along the whole area that meet your criteria.  However boots on the ground still is the best way to see what is available.  Maybe your GF can do some looking around before you arrive?

Bob K

Thanks planner! I just PMed you

Hey Bob,

Thanks for the response...I agree boots on the ground are probably the best route..my fiance actually is on the hunt as well and just started this week. I actually just returned from costambar on saturday while I was there we walked some portion of the neighborhood (calle Guyacanes side) and took many numbers she went to look at a place on monday and will be able to go see anything in the puerto plata/costambar area for me/us that i can find before i come back in september..as far as up and down the rest of the coast (sosua to cabarete) Is there any legit websites or contacts with long term rentals that you guys may know or is everything basically word of mouth and boots to ground? I have no clue on where to start to research those areas or how to go about looking while i am here in the states everything i find is usually vacation rentals.

How is Las terranas and why did you pick there? I have never been so that is why I ask

Hi Bob, site has sure changed a lot since I was here.  Made the mistake of forgetting my PW & couldn't get a new one for some unimadgable  (sp) reason. So through the servants entrance have returned, Gypsy401 reincarnated as tinker 40.Good meeting you at the reunion at the Jolly Roger. So now I am a new subscriber.