Advice about finding a place in Sosua/Cabarete

Thanks Bob! Just from browsing around these forums it's clear that your a legend in the area :-)

So our budget is up to $1,000 a month for a small 2br or large 1br... Would a taxi be the ideal way to get to Encuentro and other surrounding areas? Assuming it would be a few times a week, would i be better off with a monthly car rental?

Much appreciated!!

With that budget depending on time of year you should have no problem finding a condo or villa (villa more likely in the Sosua area).
I would use a cab until you see how things shake out.


BObK

Thanks Bob! Much appreciated 

Welcome.  Doctors -  CDC in Sosua.

Nannies, ask around once you find a place,  someone will have a recommendation.

You really don't want to be driving. Options

Taxi
Gua gua - local  van that pretends its a bus
Carro Publico - beat up cars that run a route

Moto Concho - motor cycle taxi - use if you do not value your life.

is Sousa and Caberete similar in what they have to offer?   You think one is better than the other ?

We live between the two so we have the best of both worlds.  Larger Expat presence in Soaua and more tourist driven in Cabarete.  Both are great places to live.
Cabarete is more of a sports minded town so a  younger crowd.  Sosua has the reputation as a sex capital of what ever.  However this is confined to a small section of town and we have never found it to be a problem.

Bob K

Hello. I have been living in Cabarete 6 years and I also work online. Love Vancouver and the BC area in general!

Keep in mind Nov is super low season. Dec is super high season. It could be hard to find a place in Dec unless you start looking right now. Also, expect that the rent could be triple what it is normally.

Many places come with internet included. If not, you can get internet yourself easily (without a contract) from Cable Del Norte or Claro. If you want reliable, better to get a battery backup because the power does go out semi-often here. Most places have a generator, so it's usually just a click off, but it is annoying when you are in the middle of working.

You can check out anywhere in Ocean Dream or Harmony in downtown Cabarete, Ocean Point, Caba Reef, Kite Beach Hotel or Dulce Vida on Kite Beach.

There are tennis courts at Kite Beach Hotel. No sure how they function. They also have courts at Sea Horse Ranch. Can't think of anywhere else that has a court.

Cabarete and Sosua are close distance from each other, but they are very different and you will get a different opinion from everyone. I prefer Cabarete. It's a wastersports mecca and very exciting place to be. Sosua is nice, but it has a lot of chicas in the downtown area. Maybe not as family friendly. But gorgeous beaches and a lot cheaper for rentals and restaurants than Cabarete.

You can drive if you want after you have been here for a bit and understand the flow, but public transpo is super easy and cheap. You don't need to get a "taxi" but you can if you like. It's just more expensive. Here are some articles I wrote on the topic. Hope I am allowed to post them here:  ***

If you do decide to rent a car, check out OK Motors. Great cars and service and they will deliver and pick up the car.

Good luck with whatever you choose! ***. Send me a PM and we can have a coffee.

All places are different for everyone.  So its all about what you want what you need and what you dont like. Pros and cons with each area!!

Hello everyone, I am a new member here looking to relocate to the Dominican Republic. My family and I are interested in the Sosua/Cabarete area and any feedback you can give would be appreciated. We currently live in South Carolina and I work remotely from home. With that said, a high-speed internet connection is crucial. We plan to visit in October (staying 2 months) to scout out the area. While we are visiting, it is my goal to find a suitable long-term place to rent when we move in February/March.

Can anyone suggest a few decent family/pet friendly places to check out? Our requirements are pretty flexible:

reliable internet connection (Wi-Fi is okay), water and electricity
relatively close (less than an hour)to hospitals, veterinarian, etc.

Other than those requirements, we are open. If anyone knows of any places for us to check out while we are in DR, please let me know. Also, any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

The best kept place in the area is Hispaniola Beach (if you want ocean front condo) and Hispaniola Residencial (if you want a villa with a private pool).

Welcome to the forums. A 2 month trip will help you sort it all out!

There are many many places that will suit your needs. Your issue will be looking in the fall.and wanting to start your.lease in high season!

Bob will be along.with suggestions for you as well!

Swhite welcome to the forum.  Lots of good info here.  We have lived in the Sosua/Cabarete area for over 11 years.
Also look at residential hispanolo and casa linda for villa rentals.

Feel free to ask away

Bob K

Thank you very much for this useful info. I do appreciate it. So as I understand November is a good month to make a move in terms of low rental cost. What other months (in the beginning of a year) are good for this purpose?
Regards, Marat

High season here starts in early december and runs until after Easter!  The date will depend on when Easter falls but mid to late April it will end. Then it is shoulder season.

Wow, thank you! It had not occurred to me to factor in peak season...thank you so much! With everything else to consider, that little (but important) facet was overlooked.

Thanks Julie, I will be sure to check them out. Any other advice?

Thank you planner! It's very useful info. I guess I still will be able to find a place for a reasonable price starting December 1st.

Probably but not guaranteed!

IF you are only talking about renting a few months and looking to start in December you will pay top price.

Bob K

I see. Thank you. Will a rental lease for 6 or 12 months make a difference in terms of price? What is/are the best months to make a move to this area?
Again, thank you so much for helping us out.
Regards, Marat

6 months takes you thru high season. 12 months might get you  a bit of a break on price.

Best time to negotiate a lease - about 30 days after high season!

Of course that only applies to high tourism areas!

Thank you planner!

Is the area between Sosua and Cabarete considered as a high tourist area?

Let me rephrase my question. Which specific areas between Sosua and Cabarete (if any) are not considered as high tourism areas? Of course, I am asking about places on a shore or very close to it. Thank you!

All of Sosua and Cabarete are high tourist areas.

I see, thank you.

If you can send me a PM I can refer you to a Real estate agent who rented me an apartment at a very reasonable price. He is a English gentleman and the best words I can use to describe him is SUPER.

You will be able to find long term rentals (8-12 months) at a more reasonable rate and a good choice of properties.  However "boots on the ground" will be your best bet to find one.  You might also check on sites like VRBO and such for private rentals.
Sousa/Cabarete are in the "tourist" zone but do have a very large Expat community (probably the largest in the country) in the area as well as a good mix of local populations.  For us the "perfect" place

Bob K

Thank you Bob! You've been very helpful. Yes, I agree that "boots on the ground" is the best way and that's exactly what I am going to do while visiting in few weeks. Thanks to you and other members of expat community, I already have a small list of places to check out. I guess the main challenge will be to find a suitable place for a reasonable price at this time of the year. Hopefully, I'll get lucky

This time of year will be easy to find lodging as it is the low season about to get a bit "lower" for a short spell.

Bob K

Thank you Bob. Can you recommend me any real estate agents with good reputation, who can help me to find a place I am looking for (long-term renting)? I would appreciate it.
Regards,
Marat

Hello everyone!
I have read all the posts in this thread, and it was A LOT of useful information. Some questions were asked that I had not though of, so...THANK YOU and the responses were so informative and detailed. The more I read, the more questions I have. For instance,  Can I legally visit  for approximately 6 mos(max) on a tourist visa? I would really like to spend this time in finding a suitable place to rent before the high season begins. Along those same lines, would I be able to rent a place long-term, without issue? Specifically without having my residency. Any help you can give would help. Thanks in advance

Sandra

Yes you can stay 6 months and pay the overstay fee. And usually no issue renting a place!!!

Ps. Written while I am stuck in traffic. Big accident in the road!

Whew! Thank you so much, that is a huge relief. I can not express how invaluable your information is.  Thanks again

Sandra

Swhite yes you can rent with out your residency and yes you can stay past the 30 day tourist visa limit just pay your "fine" at the airport when you leave. Staying for between 3 and 9 months is a $4000 peso fine or about $84 USD.

Bob K

Marat try both Caldwell banker and ReMax Coral bay .  Both in Sosua.  also just walking around will give you some ideas as well as the "lay of the land"

Bob K

Does that overfeeding have to be paid in pesos or are dollars or euros fine....thanks

Overfee i meant to say I'm sorry for the previous mistake ....thanks