DRforme
American expat in Dominican Republic
Forum posts
34
About me
American
Registration: 05 March 2023
Build a house (loan?) by MH3
Hey guys! Quick question about building a house. We own land, but the banks we鈥檝e talked to don鈥檛 do mortgages for new construction like in the U.S. They say the only way is through a 鈥渂uilder,鈥� where the house is already ...
First you need to decide if you are going to build your home with a builder/contractor for basically a turnkey home. Or will you be going the subcontractor route where you do the hiring for each phase of the build. But like anything else there are ... Read More
Residency - updates and changes 2024 by planner
We are seeing changes in processes here and it's time for a new thread with updates.LIshali had agreed to update us here on those changes and to clarify a number of issues as we go along!First let's talk the basics: how you start and which type you ...
@ExpatRusher Correct me if I鈥檓 wrong but I would think the only document that you would have to renew or update would be the FBI background report. As the other documents needed to be Apostilled such as marriage, birth, pension letters do not ... Read More
Airbnb proposal to register and tax in the DR as posted on DR1 by windeguy
Posted on DR1: Yesterday at 12:09 PMAdd bookmark#1It appears this 2024 is when the Dominican government will start to impose regulations on AirB&B. In FITUR 2024 in Spain, David Collado said that a new agreement already exist and is currently ...
@planner Sadly everyday someone falls for the well rehearsed ROI sales pitch. Many people are sold the idea that they can purchase a home/villa/apt here and the rental income will pay off their investment. With the ever increasing amount of Social ... Read More
Best way to transfer money from US to Dominican bank account by wondering9
Any insights or opinions on the best way to transfer money from a US to a Dominican bank account?I've seen Remitly recommended here and I think that's what I'll end up going with, but I was curious about other options, especially Wise and Xe.My ...
@Tippj Be advised that Western Union is going to start implementing a 1% tax on international transactions starting January 1 2026. It will only affect transfers that involve Cash, Cashiers Checks or Money Orders. Read More
Best way to transfer money from US to Dominican bank account by wondering9
Any insights or opinions on the best way to transfer money from a US to a Dominican bank account?I've seen Remitly recommended here and I think that's what I'll end up going with, but I was curious about other options, especially Wise and Xe.My ...
You could also take a look at Boss Revolution they have been pretty reliable for us. You did not mention it but I鈥檓 hoping you are receiving in US dollars. As these money transfer places exchange at a much lower rate than you can get yourself. Read More
Retirement Visas by Pat Kitchen
My wife and I are in the process of obtaining retirement visas for the DR.聽 We have been in contact with a couple of Dominican law firms.聽 We are a bit taken aback with the fees they are charging.聽 Also, we know there are going to be ...
@ddmcghee Have already done that countless times. I can pretty much recite the list of requirements without looking. 馃憖 and yes I have not found one thing that supports what I was told by the consulate. I did not go into this process without ... Read More
Retirement Visas by Pat Kitchen
My wife and I are in the process of obtaining retirement visas for the DR.聽 We have been in contact with a couple of Dominican law firms.聽 We are a bit taken aback with the fees they are charging.聽 Also, we know there are going to be ...
@ddmcghee Ok many Thanks to you and the others who have replied. I will be going back to the consulate next week sometime to drop off something and will get a little more clarification on this. If it turns out to be false then I just proceed knowing ... Read More
Retirement Visas by Pat Kitchen
My wife and I are in the process of obtaining retirement visas for the DR.聽 We have been in contact with a couple of Dominican law firms.聽 We are a bit taken aback with the fees they are charging.聽 Also, we know there are going to be ...
@wondering9 I know all to well about assuming or relying on anything in regards to DR. But regardless of which path of residency I choose the only difference or change is whether I obtain permanent or temporary residence from the start. If it turns ... Read More
Retirement Visas by Pat Kitchen
My wife and I are in the process of obtaining retirement visas for the DR.聽 We have been in contact with a couple of Dominican law firms.聽 We are a bit taken aback with the fees they are charging.聽 Also, we know there are going to be ...
@ddmcghee Yes I completely understand that but one should assume that the people at the consulate are familiar with applying for residency along with what path to choose in applying. Not sure why it would have even been suggested if it was not a ... Read More
Retirement Visas by Pat Kitchen
My wife and I are in the process of obtaining retirement visas for the DR.聽 We have been in contact with a couple of Dominican law firms.聽 We are a bit taken aback with the fees they are charging.聽 Also, we know there are going to be ...
@Alfonso Ayala This was told to me and discussed with the person who reviewed all my documents at the consulate. So not sure who I鈥檓 supposed to verify it with. I know that it sounds wrong as I have done my homework. Maybe it鈥檚 something ... Read More
Retirement Visas by Pat Kitchen
My wife and I are in the process of obtaining retirement visas for the DR.聽 We have been in contact with a couple of Dominican law firms.聽 We are a bit taken aback with the fees they are charging.聽 Also, we know there are going to be ...
@ryzik68 I had initially planned on applying for a marriage residency. But after the person at the consulate that was reviewing my documents seen that I was also a Social Security recipient he advised to go with the pensioner route. As that would ... Read More
Retirement Visas by Pat Kitchen
My wife and I are in the process of obtaining retirement visas for the DR.聽 We have been in contact with a couple of Dominican law firms.聽 We are a bit taken aback with the fees they are charging.聽 Also, we know there are going to be ...
@karynllanders Congratulations I just submitted my residency documents to the Orlando FL consulate 3 days ago. Was told should be about 3 weeks for processing. Already anticipating the headaches and snags when I get to the Capital. Read More
Santiago vs. Puerto Plata by wondering9
So if my goal was to spend a couple of months exploring the north coast, using public transportation rather than a private car, which in your opinion would make a better base, Santiago or Puerto Plata? I know Santiago is inland, but it seems to be ...
As was said definitely Puerto Plata as a home base. Remember you have the freedom to pack up and move on to a location that appeals to you or meets your requirements. Sounds like a great plan have fun. Read More
Looking to purchase a property in Punta Cana by tliew1
Hi all.My name is Teck. We currently reside in Ontario Canada. On our last trip we started to talk to an owner of a 10 unit apartment building that a friend lives in. The owner wants to sell his building and property and my wife and I are interested ...
@UncleBuck 馃幆 Pretty sound advice UB. I cannot even begin to imagine the amount of buyers remorse for the uninitiated to DR life. Read More
What you can and can't buy in the DR by wondering9
So I'm downsizing prior to the move, and curious about what kinds of household items will be easy to replace locally and what you might want to bring with you and/or might find yourself ordering from Amazon later. Does anyone have opinions or ...
@Locomotionone Bringing a vehicle is a whole new can of worms. We did all the research last year on sending a two year old Hyundai to DR and in the end we decided that it wasn鈥檛 worth it. So we decided to just purchase a new Hyundai in DR ... Read More
What you can and can't buy in the DR by wondering9
So I'm downsizing prior to the move, and curious about what kinds of household items will be easy to replace locally and what you might want to bring with you and/or might find yourself ordering from Amazon later. Does anyone have opinions or ...
@wondering9 I know most people are against shipping items from the US because they think it is more costly than buying in DR. But I can tell you that is not always true as we have built two homes in DR and have shipped almost everything from patio ... Read More
American Kitchen Appliances in Dominican Republic by mibojones
We're building in Punta Cana and asked our builder about installing a garbage disposal (InSinkerator) in our kitchen. He thought we meant trash can. We shared the details with him from Lowe's online, but he had never seen one before.Has anyone seen ...
UB is spot on with his assessment. I would be very curious to know what a 鈥漨odern sewage system鈥� consists of myself. 馃ぃ Read More
Ma, I am coming Home by KatWillNY
HI all, Great forum filled with knowledge and great people willing to share their stories. A little background. I was born in the DR and moved to the states in '86 as a 12 year old with my mother. Over the years, I somewhat infrequently visited ...
@tcantey That鈥檚 great news whereabouts are you purchasing. Read More
Ma, I am coming Home by KatWillNY
HI all, Great forum filled with knowledge and great people willing to share their stories. A little background. I was born in the DR and moved to the states in '86 as a 12 year old with my mother. Over the years, I somewhat infrequently visited ...
Thank you for the reply, yes we are building to our liking which is why we did not purchase the finished house as we wanted a few things done differently. We actually made out better by doing it this way as we got a bigger lot and a bigger house for ... Read More
Ma, I am coming Home by KatWillNY
HI all, Great forum filled with knowledge and great people willing to share their stories. A little background. I was born in the DR and moved to the states in '86 as a 12 year old with my mother. Over the years, I somewhat infrequently visited ...
Wow just seen this post for the first time. It was with great pleasure to read your whole thread as the more I read the more I could understand and relate to your feelings. My wife and I are in a similar situation as my wife鈥檚 wonderful ... Read More
Sending cash to USA bank account by LT American
Good afternoon, I need to send cash to my USA bank account. Is western union the only option?
@Tchieffo2014 What exactly are you worried about. 馃し鈥嶁檪锔� Read More
Shipping household goods back from DR to the U.S. by lmclmf2009
Hi everyone.聽 I wondered if anyone has had experience shipping their household items back to the U.S. (Florida).聽 If so, may I ask the following:1. What company did you use?2.聽 Did you ship furniture, electronics, and personal items ...
@dlreilly18 Yes correct your goods are picked, shipped, delivered all for a quoted price. I just had a lot of stuff picked up today from my house for shipping to La Vega. A little tip for you if you are sending large appliances like refrigerators, ... Read More
Shipping household goods back from DR to the U.S. by lmclmf2009
Hi everyone.聽 I wondered if anyone has had experience shipping their household items back to the U.S. (Florida).聽 If so, may I ask the following:1. What company did you use?2.聽 Did you ship furniture, electronics, and personal items ...
@dlreilly18 I just wanted to clarify with you that I鈥檓 not sure if you want to ship to DR or out of DR as I just realized your post was about shipping back to the USA. If it is back to the USA I have zero experience with that as everything I ... Read More
Clearing your belongings through customs in Dominican Republic by Priscilla
Hello everyone, During one聮s big move abroad, shipping personal belongings to the host country can be stressful. Customs regulations differ from one country to another and you never quite know what to expect when trying to recover your belongings ...
You can save yourself a lot of headaches and worrying by using a Dominican shipping company. They will pick up pretty much whatever you want or need and ship right to your door. You call them and tell them what you want to ship and they will ask you ... Read More
Air Conditioner by Gman123
I need to buy 3 ductless air conditioners for the house I am going to rent. 2 small ones for the bedrooms and a larger one for the main living room. What brands would you recommend keeping in mind price is an issue?
Thanks Planner and UncleBuck I have checked out some of the places you mentioned and there pricing is way more than Refripartes. Thanks again for the suggestions though. 馃憤 Read More
Air Conditioner by Gman123
I need to buy 3 ductless air conditioners for the house I am going to rent. 2 small ones for the bedrooms and a larger one for the main living room. What brands would you recommend keeping in mind price is an issue?
@planner Can you recommend another A/C seller that you feel has better competitive pricing. As far as my wife negotiating a better price it鈥檚 not that they are overpriced but rather she is a Dominican woman who drives a hard bargain no matter ... Read More
Air Conditioner by Gman123
I need to buy 3 ductless air conditioners for the house I am going to rent. 2 small ones for the bedrooms and a larger one for the main living room. What brands would you recommend keeping in mind price is an issue?
@planner There prices are pretty comparable to everyone else. I would rather spend a little more for a purchase from as you say a reputable and reliable dealer than buying an A/C unit from Jumbo. Especially if you ever need warranty service. Matter ... Read More
Air Conditioner by Gman123
I need to buy 3 ductless air conditioners for the house I am going to rent. 2 small ones for the bedrooms and a larger one for the main living room. What brands would you recommend keeping in mind price is an issue?
@crabelramble Not sure why that happened as I was just on their website. Try Googling TGM Dominican Republic that should bring up the page. Read More
Air Conditioner by Gman123
I need to buy 3 ductless air conditioners for the house I am going to rent. 2 small ones for the bedrooms and a larger one for the main living room. What brands would you recommend keeping in mind price is an issue?
Well getting back to the OP芒聙聶s question the most popular brand is TGM you can also take a look at the Daikin brand. I purchased 2 Daikin units last year and they have held up very well have not had any issues with them at all. I can also recommend ... Read More
Shipping household goods back from DR to the U.S. by lmclmf2009
Hi everyone.聽 I wondered if anyone has had experience shipping their household items back to the U.S. (Florida).聽 If so, may I ask the following:1. What company did you use?2.聽 Did you ship furniture, electronics, and personal items ...
I have to agree on shipping household items from U.S. having built a small house last year I shipped about 20 standard boxes filled to the brim with everything you could imagine. We paid 175.00 for every 3 boxes which includes a bottle of oil with ... Read More
advice on the buying a home by MyGenieintheBottle
Hello to everyone! Thank you for this great forum, it is so needed! I travel to DR a few times a year and now I am buying a home there and wanted advice on the buying process there. The owner accepted my offer, but only wanted me to fund the ...
Ohhhh boy I will just concur with Uncle Buck. Please take a step back and thoroughly investigate this whole transaction. First off never let anyone dictate how you will finance or pay for your purchase. I would also recommend that you never want to ... Read More
Living in DR is not for everyone! by polo1club
I see more negative information about DR then usual. I realize that its not the same as living in the US, Europe, Canada or Brazil, but it is a different country different cultures and different traditions, The people are loud and festive sometimes ...
I will have to agree wholeheartedly that the DR is not for everyone. Like was said by someone previously there are always going to be people that feel the need to say derogatory remarks about the DR. Yes there are many things that could be addressed ... Read More
Best gas line set up ideas on new home being built? by polo1club
Does anyone have any suggestions for best results for adding Gas to a new house. I will take any ideas please!
@planner Thank you sorry I did not do the new member introduction. But I just happen to stumble upon this post I just felt compelled to answer the question as anything to do with propane is not something you want to take shortcuts with. Something ... Read More
Best gas line set up ideas on new home being built? by polo1club
Does anyone have any suggestions for best results for adding Gas to a new house. I will take any ideas please!
I would like to give you a word of caution. Please do a little homework about running propane lines and how to properly hook them up. In DR I have seen some very sketchy setups regarding propane lines and regulators. You first need to know how many ... Read More