Buying Property in DR

Your questions are difficult to answser with certainty, the issue is too fuzzy, you hardly know what is going on there.

I do not want to sound too dramatic but mixing someone into a business where money is involved is the one of the weirdest mistake one can do in the DR. 'Gringa' harpooning is the favorite sport among Dominican males. 

I will try to give you some hints for a start and see if you can provide us with more info.

1) I do not understand how you could still owe money on the purchase of the lot as no owner would hand the property over without having receiced full payment.

2) If the lot had been purchased, you would have received a 'título', a property title, which is issued by the 'Tribunal de tierras'. You were just mentionning a 'contract' , what does it say ? By whom was it issued ? Can you provide us with  a copy ?

3) If you have no Title, to whom does the lot belong ? If it belongs to someone else, you will have paid for the construction of a building you will never own.

What to do ?
It depends on you.

4) Have you ever seen the lot with your own eyes ? Do you know its precise location ? Are you sure the pictures you received are those of your project and not of another house that is being built by someone else ?

5) If you speak Spanish fluently enough, from Canada,  you could call a lawyer to investigate, make sure it is someone you can trust, maybe a member of the forum could recommend you one.

6) Do you speak Spanish good enough to investigate yourself or where you talking in English with him all the time ? Can you do that boots on the ground and face that man's world ?

7) Where is located your lot ? City ? Village ?

For now, I would recommend you not let him understand you are suspicious .

Welcome to the forums. 

You have likely been far far too trusting.  Now you need to be very careful how you proceed.  Do you have anything in writing yet?  Purchase agreement?  Receipts from anything? 

Before coming down here you want to gather as much information as possible without tipping your hand so to speak. 

What area of the country are we talking about here?

Have a lawyer read the paper work.I have been coming to DR for 15 years. and one thing you don’t do is trust a local with money or buying .don’t fall for any of that .they are out there to make money specially when they know people from developing countries.
My advice get a lawyer. ask planner she knows lishali very good attorney she can help you .
Ask your guy to see paper work he can’t denied you any of that .
I am also in the market to purchase land to build a home in La Romana  I am from Boston. But I told the realtors I will not buy anything over internet. I need to see the la d in title.
Don’t get soft with these people. Stand your ground  if you don’t they will take advantage of you.I speak Spanish fluently. If you need anything let me know. I also have a friend of mine who is a Dominican lawyer who resides here in Boston.

Sincerely

Rich

I find that in many situations it is psychologically less painful to let things slide because changing them will hurt even more. Thats been my experience.
Sounds like you are finally reaching point where the opposite is true.
Do you love and trust him this fella. If yes then continue the course. Send the money, move there and things have a way of working out. If not, get yourself a lawyer....
I am buying a property in Juan Dolio. It closes in a week or so. There is  nothing left to chance in completing this transaction. I am using the law firm Guzman Aritza. They are largest in DR with locations around the country. A little on the expensive side but worth it I think since partners wrote much of DR property law  so far as condos. They speak english fluently. I recommend them but urge you to check around on your own.

Good luck with all of this. Please keep us informed.

Maddalena....pro tip.......kiss it off just walk away.   Lick your wounds and get on in life and not be so naive in the future.

@maggielola57 All of the documents should be record at the courts, look like you should be able to go there and give your name and his, and they should pull it up, that way you could see how everything is written up, and if he have you listed as part owner he maybe using your funds and he maybe on those papers as sol owner, I would check into it, before I put another dollar into it, and some time those people wait until you pay it off and set you up to be kill, and the property automatically comes to him, and it's nothing your family back home can do, nor will that country will investigate your death, don't spend another dollar until your names is on the deed by itself ,and get a good real estate attorney to help you with the process, they know the answers to ask

Expecting documents to be at the courts is a bit naive.  However, your advice is generally sound.

You want to fly under the radar as much as possible.  Reasons for wanting documentation -  your accountant is asking so you can file your taxes.  He has no idea if you do or do not need them. KEEP copies of absolutely everything, every text message, every  western union transfer, every whatsapp message. 

Put it all together and then sleep on it. DO what feels right next!   

@maggielola57 I have a trustworthy lawyer— maybe he can guide you. Located in Capital. Trust your gut but def play it cool. Its chess 😉

Hi everyone,

Please note that i have removed one advertising post from this thread.

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For further information, kindly go through our DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FORUM CODE OF CONDUCT .

Thank you,

Priscilla

Expat.com Team

Thanks Priscilla!

@jdah411

I use them too. For 17 years. Worth it!

You can DM me with more info so I can give you more info. As someone here wrote, I too am worried about you. I am a gringa woman, speak Spanish well, have owned for 17 years in las terrenas.

In a DM you can share more info and I can share back.

You need a good lawyer and you need to be very careful. I think walking away- far away- isn't the worst advice. The minute you are suspicious, you are right to be. I fear the worst and it could be dangerous. Please be careful and make sure you are protected -staying somewhere with a guard-  and not alone with this person. Nothing you wrote here makes much sense to me.  you don't own anything unless your name is on the title and you absolutely need a recommended lawyer - I use the one someone mentioned above (I don't want this post getting deleted). Also, you need a deslinda, which is a land survey. 

Do update us.

@radarflytetyme all of this is great advice.