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Property Management Recommendations in Punta Cana

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smm_cad

Hi all,

I have purchased some pre-construction condos in the Punta Cana area. One in Los Corales and one near downtown Punta Cana. I intend to use these for short term rental for much of the year and reside in them part of the year. At least initially I plan to use a property manager to manage the property.  I'm hoping I can draw on the experience of the members of this forum for a couple of questions.


1.  Do you have recommendations/experience with trusted property managers? Which ones? Would you use them again? What services should I look for in a good one?

2.  What are their fees charged? I've heard 15% of rentals. Is that normal? Is it always a percentage of rentals?

3.  I would really like to market and book the units myself but have property management take care of the onsite logistics (eg cleaning, maintenance,  etc).  Do property managers share responsibilities with owners or do they do it all themselves?


I would appreciate responses and recommendations from members who have (or did have) their own units. If you are getting a referral fee or commission for recommending a company, please disclose it.  I AM NOT looking for responses from property managers/real estate agents or anyone looking to promote their own services.

Many thanks for your help!

DRVisitor

10%-30% but like anything else you get what you pay for many times. However that can vary based on specific rental time (daily, monthly, etc).

The problem is if you are not living there becomes more important to have a quality property manager for issues and repairs.

smm_cad

Thank you! Any recommendations on specific PMs?

DRVisitor

I just switched so no recommendations at the moment. And switch was from person moving out of the country.

carmenllado
I have such horror stories that I finally decided to manage them myself. People here just don’t have the same standards, they don’t see when a frame is not straight, when the curtains are short or when it’s time to wash the duvet… Let me know if you need any specific advice. After 6 years I have some tips about who is who in town, but unfortunately I haven’t meet one single real state agent or property manager that I can say that is a serious professional. They don’t even need a license…
planner
Thanks for your comments @carmen and welcome to the forums!
Tripp789
We live in the North Coast, so no referrals.  We changed from Dominican to American PM’s who live here, primarily for the ease of communication, but there were rumors of undisclosed rentals from other clients as well.  This is fairly common, so choose well.

We would recommend using digital wifi connected  locks for monitoring.
DominicanadaMike
smm_cad; I haven't spoken up because you said you didn't want to hear from Property Managers.  I am not your average PM, and I am not looking for more work.  However, I have been doing this for about 8 years in the PC area and if you want to hear some free advise or get some direction I would be happy to meet with you over a beer...  Just PM me.
planner
Great offer Mike!!!!
DominicanadaMike
@Planner...shhhh, don't tell anybody...any excuse for a beer...lol
sberger50
I know this thread is about Property Managers in PC, but how about some recommendations of some good PM in the Cabarete area?  The area is growing like a weed in summer, and some of us may have rentals that may be available.  Any suggestions would be appreciated!
planner
Mike I need a laugh out loud emoji....1f923.svg1f923.svg1f923.svg
smm_cad

@carmenllado Thanks for the info. I've heard similar stories but at least initially I'm hoping to not have to manage a property myself but I may reach out to you to get some advice. Thanks again for the response.

smm_cad

@DominicanadaMike thanks for your offer Mike. I may take you up on it once I'm there.  I'm not there yet but at this point just doing some research. All the best.

smm_cad

@Tripp789 Great suggestion!

Tippj
…. ? If someone rents out a property at say $1000 USD and you have to pay a “PM “

30% a month so he can call you to tell you something is broken then he has to call someone to fix it and you have to pay for it to b fixed……. What about if someone
Hires a local handyman for the same money every month like putting him on staff to show up every day just to do odd jobs around the property….. ( maybe do a little painting or fixing a doorknob) and then when something big breaks you have someone there to fix it right away without the middle man ……. I have a question for Carmenllado …….. what’s a duvet…..and does someone really clean it……🤔
planner
If you put someone on the payroll so to speak now you are responsible as an employer!   That is one giant headache.


Next thing you know the handyman is making up reasons to "fix" things. And then doesnt show up etc etc.   NO way this will work.  Either you live here and actively manage or you hire a  property manager!
DominicanadaMike
As a property Manager, not just someone who calls people to do the work, I take care of 100% of the Management.  I have Owners that don't even call me for 2 or 3 years at a time...no need.  I do everything, accounting, advertising, renting, cleaning and 98% of all maintenance.  When I need someone I take care of that too.  I manage to collect enough rental money to cover all expenses and still have some left for the owner at the end of the year.  I take the responsibility that if I am the one getting a renter, then I am responsible for that renter.  For me it's 100% or nothing.

Of course, doing everything yourself is a bonus. 
Karin1
@carmenllado

If the property manager has the connections, then they will have some handymen available but then they have to find the supplies.  Although there are alot of hardware stores, they dont always have what is needed.   I waited to have a very heavy mirror moved/anchored to another wall and after 5 months its still not done.  Forget it.    I am not an owner so I dont have this issues however,  as a tenant, I signed a lease that says "everything is in perfect working order" and from now on you have to repair and maintain the apartment.

I found out the refrigerator keeps breaking, I cant open the sliding doors in the living room where I have 15 feet of windows, etc.   But they did fix most of what I requested, it only took 5 months and I started giving big tips to the handyman (and offering him food and a drive somewhere if he needs it) and he comes alot faster now than previously!    They told me the sliding doors would be fixed between xmas and when I returned in January but this didn't get done until the end of March.  And not fully repaired, we still need some pully's for the bottom of the doors to make them slide easier.  If your not there to check on quality or completeness of the repair, just dont be surprised if its not done properly. 1f636.svg
Karin1
@DominicanadaMike


Canada Mike, awesome!   If I cant get some things repaired (and its really bothering me), I might come to you for assistance since your not far from me.  Good to know.
DominicanadaMike
It's not like I "like" to do everything myself but I find even when I hire one of the "professionals" I still end up doing the job over again myself.

In this country everyone can do everything and they're all professionals if you ask...1f923.svg1f923.svg1f923.svg

Of course then the tenants expect you to come within 15 minutes of calling even when it's not my problem...and it's in the middle of the night!

Also when you have someone else doing it and the tenant complains about the work you don't know who to believe.  I avoid that issue if I do it myself.  I know exactly how I left it.
Karin1
Some tenants are not reasonable.  So I make things clear at the start of the rental.

I tell my tenants in Canada that they are free to email or call me about any concern they have, and they will receive a reply the next day.  If there is a water leak, TURN OFF the water supply.   If there is a fire or an extreme emergency, get out of there immediately, and then call 911, and then call me.  If the issue is not related to their personal safety, then talk to you later.  1f917.svg
Tippj
If you put someone on the payroll so to speak now you are responsible as an employer!   That is one giant headache.


Next thing you know the handyman is making up reasons to "fix" things. And then doesnt show up etc etc.   NO way this will work.  Either you live here and actively manage or you hire a  property manager!
- @planner

           Hola planner , what’s to say your PM does the same thing to keep his brother-in-law working
           Every other day…..now your almost paying 2 salary’s every month……… my attorney said if I needed anything done and I hired a guy to do it he would make sure everything was finished
correctly  before payment was made……… But do you ever notice that other people don’t have the same high standard when other’ peoples money is being used…….. 🙄 and the most common
reasons …is it must have gotten lost in the translation …….😏


planner
Them putting someone on payroll is not your problem or responsibility.  Having an employee here is a big deal. As an expat don't go there unless you have no other choice or you open a company and know what you are getting into.



And I agree often the standards are not even close!

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