12 Reasons to Make the Dominican Republic Your New Affordable Home
Editor’s Note: This story appeared on Live and Invest Overseas.
“Enough with your Caribbean vacations this year!” This is the response Bill Piatt received from his wife, Anne, when he proposed a trip to the Dominican Republic on a cold February day in Virginia.
At the time, the couple had just returned from four weeks on another Caribbean island.
They initially booked for five weeks but could not stay longer. Not when a new cruise ship arrives every day, releasing thousands of tourists to flood the shores and fill the restaurants and shops.
Anne was just happy to be home. But Bill felt changed. He found a Delta voucher that was about to expire and looked to see where it could take him…Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, it was. I’m alone.
When Bill shared his story with us, he explained how, years before this unplanned trip to the DR, the couple had been searching for their dream property overseas.
Over the course of 10 years, they have traveled to parts of Nicaragua, Ecuador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Belize, and Spain – spending a month or more in each. They saw a lot. And, nothing, so far, has been just right.
Bill and Anne had a list (you should, too). And, down in the Dominican Republic, which shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with Haiti, it took just three days for Bill to realize he had found the property … pending Anne’s approval.
This is the Piatts’ list of specifications for their new overseas home – and their thoughts on how Las Terrenas came to be.
1. Close to the Beach … but with Shade Trees and Mountains Nearby
Las Terrenas has some of the best beaches in the DR. Each of these five beaches has its own character.
The area is surrounded by mountains and has plenty of palm trees for shade.
2. Affordable restaurants and cafes within walking distance
Not only are the dining options affordable here, but almost every type of cuisine is covered from French to Italian and Asian fusion.
You can get a tasty barbecue on the beach for $2 to $4 … a three-course dinner at a French restaurant for $7 … and, if you want to splurge, you’ll be hard-pressed to spend more than $40 in the end (including drinks).
Expats here complain that there are too many restaurants that they never have time to try.
3. A Welcoming, International Society
For decades, European immigrants have lived in Las Terrenas and welcomed new neighbors. Each nationality brings its own flavor to the city and provides an eclectic mix unusual for a Caribbean island.
4. Relatively Not Found
Expats here far outnumber tourists in number. There are no cruise ships.
Many Caribbean islands offer little more than T-shirt and trinket shops and bars. In Las Terrenas, you can find all kinds of specialty food shops – from a German butcher to a French boulangerie – and buy high-quality clothes.
5. Easy Accessibility of Domestic and International Travel
Las Terrenas is connected by a highway to the capital Santo Domingo. A two-hour drive to the airport, more shopping, and a sophisticated entertainment scene.
From Santo Domingo, you can fly to Miami in two hours and New York City in three and a half hours.
6. An Up and Coming Place with a Visible Path to Progress
Las Terrenas has developed a lot since the installation of electricity in 1994. El Catey Airport, 30 minutes away, opened in 2006.
The highway to Santo Domingo was completed in 2008. Also a promenade was built near Playa Bonita in 2014.
7. Quality Construction
Concrete houses are built to withstand earthquakes and hurricanes. High quality finishes are available locally – as are highly skilled general contractors.
And construction prices here are lower than elsewhere in the Caribbean, averaging $200 per square foot.
8. Political Stability
The DR government is stable and consistent in its management of the country.
9. Foreigners Are Welcome Here
New residency and citizenship options are perhaps the most accessible, cheapest, and fastest available anywhere in the world … and make the DR an easy place to live and invest.
10. Active Lifestyle
The Piatts found that in many other places they looked, it cost money to stay fit and healthy. Here in Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic, you have options for many free activities … and some at low cost.
Popular activities include kiteboarding, windsurfing, kayaking, horseback riding, fishing, sailing, hiking and swimming.
11. A Fully Walkable Community
You can reach everywhere around Las Terrenas, from the beaches to the city, on foot or by bike.
12. Quality Healthcare in the Dominican Republic
A new international clinic – with English-speaking staff – opened in Las Terrenas in 2014. There is also a helicopter service in Santo Domingo, where you will find a world-class hospital with specialist doctors.
So, Bill found that Las Terrenas ticked every box on his list.
But what about Anne? It only took him 48 hours to say “I’ll come and look at it, but we’re not buying anything!” that “No, we’re not getting a condo … I love that little house over there.”
