Good news first: the Dominican Republic places no restrictions on foreign property ownership. You buy with a passport, under the same rules as a Dominican citizen. The process is paper-heavy but predictable — here is the sequence.
The nine steps
- Offer and reservation. Usually a modest reservation deposit takes the unit off the market. Keep it small until due diligence clears.
- Retain your own attorney. Independent, not the developer’s. This is the single highest-leverage decision in the whole process.
- Due diligence. Title certificate, legal-status certification from the Registro de Títulos, liens, deslinde status, developer track record — and if CONFOTUR is claimed, the resolution number verified. The checklist covers the full document list, and the Risk Score tells you where to dig.
- Promise of sale (promesa de venta) before a notary: unit, price, schedule, delivery date, penalties.
- Payments per schedule — to corporate/escrow accounts only.
- Final deed (contrato de venta) signed before a notary on delivery.
- Property appraisal and transfer tax. The DGII assesses the property; the 3% transfer tax is paid on the higher of price or assessed value — unless the unit sits in a current CONFOTUR project, in which case it is exempt.
- Title registration at the Registro de Títulos.
- New certificado de título in your name. Only now is the purchase actually complete.
Budget beyond the price
Plan for legal fees, notary fees, and the 3% transfer tax when it applies. Then model the ongoing picture — rental income, occupancy, operating costs and the 1%/yr IPI where it applies — in the ROI calculator, using the current numbers for your zone from the July 2026 price map.
And before step 1 ever happens: the five red flags exist precisely so you never reach step 3 with the wrong developer. Planning to hold the unit as a long-term rental rather than an Airbnb? The lease itself is governed by rental Law 85-25 — know it before you sign a tenant.
Educational content, not legal advice. Processes and costs vary by case — confirm specifics with your Dominican attorney.
