Property websites

Hello,



I have a question about property websites in the Dominican Republic and I thought this forum might be a good place to ask it on: I am thinking of buying an apartment in the Dominican Republic and there are a few websites I've come across that list what seem to be very cheap properties for sale. However, many of the properties on the sites have yet to be built and all one sees are images of what they will look like after they've been built. One such website is point2homes. Here's an example of an apartment on point2homes.com that seems, when I compare it with properties on other sites, to be a bit on the cheap side: point2homes



Now, it may be that the properties aren't actually cheap and that I am just unfamiliar with property prices in the Dominican Republic. I haven't been to the Dominican Republic and all I've done really is compared prices on different websites.



Does anyone here have any experience with point2homes? I like a lot of the properties on the site, but I don't think I've ever come across a property site in Ireland where the properties listed were ones that were being planned to be built.



Thank you in advance.
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Welcome to the forums.

Reality is often these sites are out of date or the listings are totally out of date.  Another issue, is what you see is not what you get. Some of those photos are from   years ago when it was new.  Currently it no longer looks like that.

We recommend boots on the ground. Meaning come take a look for yourself!
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Agreed.  Spend time here and investigate.  Sometimes the projects will be built and developers have the best of intentions, but the pace is inevitably slower than you are probably used to.  Then there are the projects that never get off the ground.  Take a tour of  the North Coast where there are dozens of projects that were half started or have been abandoned from Luperon east to Sabaneta before the government decided to focus on Punta Cana and surrounds a few years ago, instead of the North Coast. Other areas like Punta Cana may have more promise, but in all cases caveat emptor is the rule.
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Having rented, owner and managed properties here, I will recommend one more thing.  Buy something finished and built, in a completed project with a title available so that you actually get what you see and not some pipe dream.  This country is big on "pipes"... and empty promises.  All the real estate agents sing the same song...you know the one..."money".

There are many finished projects that you could find a good property to suit your needs.  If you want new then build it yourself.  Above all else, repeated many times in this forum, rent...rent...rent until you are sure.
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Thank you very much planner, snowinpalm and DominicanadaMike for your replies and advice. I will be in the Dominican Republic next month and I will check out properties while I am there. I will let you know how I get on.
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Three years of visiting and did not expect to buy anything. Year two found the area I liked and still year later to wait to purchase the condo that I wanted . If you are considering buying rent on airbnb (rented three times/condos on visits during the year)and you can see the areas, apartments, people, noise, infrastructure and everything else staying at a hotel will not provide.
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Three years of visiting and did not expect to buy anything. Year two found the area I liked and still year later to wait to purchase the condo that I wanted (rented three times on visits during the year). If you are considering buying rent on airbnb and you can see the areas, apartments, people, noise, infrastructure and everything else staying at a hotel will not provide.
- @DRVisitor


Thank you very much, DRVisitor. Good advice.
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@DominicanadaMike


I think you nailed this one Mike. 

Buying pre-construction is far too risky in this country, and I agree.  If something goes wrong, you dont have alot of options.  Court is expensive and is very slow, can take years to solve or not at all.  So if this happens to you, you will lose alot of money, depending when or if you pull out. 

Where I am renting, there are alot of owners and also tenants.  Its a nice concept, as each building has 6 stories, only 4 apartments on each floor, top and bottom floors are 2 stories.  Very nice.    One of the buildings was completed, but missing the elevator.  Builder ran out of money so they didnt get their elevator.   One of the owners who lives on the top floor went and bought the elevator and had it installed, because he could not walk every day up and down, otherwise the apartment was well constructed and met his needs.  Lucky he had the means to do this.  Apparently some of the other buildings did not get completed at all, and this project was started in 2011.
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I cannot say I am familiar with the builders but construction issues happen with most of the builders or so many it cannot be gauged?
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Karin,  I know your story sadly, too well.  What's sadder is you tell new buyers this and they still go ahead and buy somewhere new and then regret it.  You can take a horse to water but...
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And this applies across the board.  Those of us with years and years of experience try out best to highlight the pros and cons, the risks and realities!

Sadly it often falls on deaf ears. 

Best advice - take your time! There is no rush.  Make sure you understand before making decisions
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Hello,



I have a question about property websites in the Dominican Republic and I thought this forum might be a good place to ask it on: I am thinking of buying an apartment in the Dominican Republic and there are a few websites I've come across that list what seem to be very cheap properties for sale. However, many of the properties on the sites have yet to be built and all one sees are images of what they will look like after they've been built. One such website is [link under review]. Here's an example of an apartment on point2homes.com that seems, when I compare it with properties on other sites, to be a bit on the cheap side: https://www.point2homes.com/DO/Condo-Fo … 31799.html



Now, it may be that the properties aren't actually cheap and that I am just unfamiliar with property prices in the Dominican Republic. I haven't been to the Dominican Republic and all I've done really is compared prices on different websites.



Does anyone here have any experience with point2homes? I like a lot of the properties on the site, but I don't think I've ever come across a property site in Ireland where the properties listed were ones that were being planned to be built.



Thank you in advance.
- @Duanaibh
       Yes I looked at some property's on that site and planner is right about some being years old
and when you call they offer to show what's available , also some that “are” still available  you have to read between the lines , like when they say “ 1 bed 1 bath “ yes there is a bed but it's in the kitchen meaning it's a small studio not a one bedroom ,or when they say close to the beach, everything is close too the beach,they usually mean like a 5min drive…. You notice they didn't say “walk to the beach “
be careful and be careful who you use to help you , but that's another thread…..🤞
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We owned an apartment here in LT and have owned two land lots. We ran across quite a few different property sites over the years that had pictures of our apartment or our land. With the apartment, it was hard to tell if they were using our pictures to try to sell one of the other 23 near identical apartments or actually thought our apartment was on the market. With the land, there would be a mix of pictures, some presumably from the actual land that was for sale alongside pictures that we knew were our land.

We have also toured homes and apartments that only had small similarities with the pictures on websites. Many are really old, taken from strange angles, using fish-eye lenses to make them look larger. We also saw places that had pictures of views that no longer exist because new structures were built that block them.

Websites are just one tool to use - you can certainly weed out properties using them, but until you see something with your own eyes, assume it doesn't exist!
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Thank you Tippj and ddmcghee.

Sorry for resurrecting this thread, but I just thought I'd let people know how I got on in the Dominican Republic. I loved Punta Cana and I actually rather liked Santo Domingo. I found it a bit easier than Punta Cana in terms of getting from A to B. I think you'd probably need a car in Punta Cana to really get to know it well. Public transport is okay, but a car would be nice.

I popped over to Colombia for a few weeks too and I really liked it over there too. So I'd say it's between the Dominican Republic and Colombia. I'd like to spend around 3 months in both. The problem is that I have to be in Ireland once a month, which means I'd have to fly back and forth. If it were a two to three hour flight then it'd be grand, but the distance makes it a bit complicated. But where there's a will there's a way, as they say. I'll try to work something out. Maybe I could space the months out a bit and not do three months one after the other.

Thanks again for all the advice. I have a lot of thinking and planning to do. Now the real fun starts 🙂
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@DominicanadaMike Great advise!

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