Pre-construction is where Punta Cana’s best prices live — and most of its horror stories. The pattern behind the horror stories is remarkably consistent. Before any deposit leaves your account, check these five.
1. A CONFOTUR claim with no resolution number
If the sales deck says “CONFOTUR” and nobody can produce the resolution number, assume it does not exist. A mere application (“solicitud”) creates no benefit. Here is how the incentive actually works and how to verify it against MITUR’s registry.
2. No title certificate or unsegregated land (“deslinde”)
Ask for the certificado de título of the parent parcel and its legal status certification from the Registro de Títulos. Land still in the middle of deslinde (survey/segregation) means your future unit’s title chain is not yet real.
3. Deposits into personal accounts
Reservations and progress payments belong in the developer’s corporate account — ideally an escrow or fideicomiso structure. A wire to an individual’s account is unrecoverable by design.
4. A promise of sale that promises nothing
The promesa de venta should be signed before a notary and should state the delivery date, penalties for late delivery, the exact unit, and the payment schedule. “Standard contract, don’t worry” is not a clause.
5. A price too far from the zone benchmark
Deals meaningfully below the zone’s measured price band are usually pricing in a problem you have not found yet. Check the current band for your zone on the zone map — July 2026 figures run US$1,286 to US$3,600/m² depending on zone.
Two minutes of structured questions beat two years of litigation. Run any specific deal through the free Deal Risk Score — 7 questions, a due-diligence score, and exactly what to verify next.
Then work the paper: the free due-diligence checklist lists every document referenced above. If the deal survives all five flags, the next step is mechanical — the 9-step closing process.
Educational content, not legal advice. Retain an independent Dominican real-estate attorney — not the developer’s — for any purchase.
