Also, as the electricity situation gets better, so called non-luxury properties or homes in secondary middle class neighborhoods will increase in value because there will be a level playing field will respect to amenities.  There are some beautiful apartments and homes that simply sell for a deep discount because of the location (and therefore lack of attention by the electric company).

It Costs More in English

If you have any high school Spanish skills rumbling around the back of your brain, now is the time to use it.  The fact of the matter is, you will not find many people in the Dominican Republic that speak fluent English.  I do not care what your travel agent told you. Yes, of course the desk clerks at some larger hotels speak English. But do not expect to have any in depth and profound conversations in your native tongue.  The fact of the matter is, you will have a hard time at the airport, with taxi drivers, with the corner "Colmado" or convenience store and with the general population at large.  This also includes many well-educated professionals such as bankers, lawyers, the folks at the Telephone Company, etc, etc. 

Now, with that said, just be aware that you will pay more when you encounter someone in business that is catering to the US tourist. This is especially true with real estate people.  Anyone marketing property in English knows that most Americans do not know the local market and really have no easy way of finding out. The rental costs of apartments and real estate will, in some cases, be quoted in double to what a Dominican would pay for the same thing.  Just keep this tidbit of information in the back of your mind.  Some Dominicans think Americans are "loaded" and have no problem paying higher prices than the locals.  Remember - do your homework and brush up on your Spanish. It will cost you, if you don't.

Home Sweet Home

So you have decided you like the Dominican Republic and want to get settled in.  Where do you look?  Good question…….here's the answer.  That depends.  It depends on if you want to live near the beach or directly inside the city. It also depends if you like music or not.  What I mean by that is, Dominicans are very fun loving people.  They like their music.  I like their music. But not every-night and not until 4:00AM in the morning.  You will find a very cozy 3-bedroom house for rent in some working class or middle class neighborhoods that rent for $ 185 per month at current exchange rates.  No, that is not a typo, I  did say $ 185 per month.  Very clean, very nice, with
a front porch. The catch is, your chances are pretty good that your neighbor is aspiring to become a Disc-Jockey and would like the whole surrounding area to be aware of his music selection skills.  In all honesty, you could get that in any middle class neighborhood in the US. The difference is, in the US, the other neighbors will probably also complain about the noise and the police will come to address the problem.  Late Friday-Night block parties are the norm is some districts. If you like that, then you already have your real estate focus narrowed down.  If you want conservative neighbors and a quiet atmosphere, that leaves you with another set of places to focus your search.

There really is a big spread in prices for both rentals and real estate sales.  Like real estate everywhere, it is a function of location and amenities. There are decent places to live for $ 200 per month with regards to rental rates.  There are very nice homes for sale in good neighborhoods for less than $ 40,000.  It really all depends on what you want and what you are comfortable with.  Like everywhere else, bargain hard and pay cash if you can.  Non residents cannot get local bank financing. 

Here is a selected and recent list of real classified ads for apartment rentals and properties for sale in and around Santo Domingo (all translated from Spanish).  Prices are Monthly for rentals.

This certainly is not everything and is a cross section of prices in what I would call acceptable areas.
 

• Apartment Rental, Furnished, 2BR, 1Bath, Central Air, Parking, Telephone, light.  $ 650 US
• Apartment Rental, Unfurnished, 3BR, 2 ½ Bath, Generator for Bldg, Quiet, secure. RD 10,000 Pesos (about $ 625 US) 
• Apartment Rental, Unfurnished, 2BR,  2 Bath, Patio in Ceramic, Intercom, Planta.  RD 8,000 Pesos  (about $ 500 US)
• Apartment Rental, Unfurnished, 2BR,  1 Bath, Doorman,  Full 24 hr Electricity  $ 385 US 
• House for Sale,  3,000 sq. meters near the beach , 3BR, 2 ½ bath, 2 terraces,  Fruit Trees, floors in Marbol , 2 dining rms   Asking $ 100,000 US
• House for Sale,  5 BR, 3 Bath, Patio, Cistern, covered parking RD 1,250,000 Pesos (about $ 78,000 US) 
• House for Sale,  3 BR, 2 ½ bath  Terrace, good area in The city, swimming Pool.    RD 1,400,000 Pesos   (about $ 87,500 US)
• Apartment Rental, Unfurnished, 3BR  Brand New , 2nd floor apartment.  RD 2,500 Pesos  (about $ 160 US)
• House Rental, Unfurnished, 3BR,  2 bath,  Swimming Pool,  two Water tanks, A/C.  RD 8,000 Pesos   (about $ 500 US)
• Penthouse Apt for Sale  2BR, 2 bath  Private Parking RD 450,000 Pesos (about $ 28,200 US)
• Apartment for Sale, 3 BR, 2 ½ Bath  Excellent Area, Bldg has Full Generator RD 1,580,000 Pesos   (about $ 100,000 US)
• Apartment Building for Sale,  6 Apartments in building in the Zona Oriental.  RD 3,200,000 Pesos (about $ 200,000 US)
• Room for Rent,  Furnished Room,  Private bath, independent entrance  RD 2,000 Pesos monthly   (about $ 125 US)
• House Rentals   Unfurnished, 3BR, Various Areas, Realtor has Various Apartments  From RD 2,000 -
• RD 3,000 & RD 4000 Pesos ( $ 150 US & up )

I Want My MTV

One of the most common questions I often get concerns lifestyle and living expectations. I get the impression that most Americans think the Dominican Republic is still in the dark ages. While there are some things that are not as common or plentiful as the US, one can easily find Heinz ketchup, Post cereals, Heathy Choice frozen meals, General Electric appliances, Liz Calirborne clothing, Levis jeans, Tommy Hilfiger, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and of course……MTV.  Keep in mind that while most American and European products are easily available, they certainly will cost more due to import taxes imposed by the government.  If one considers substituting local products, which are of good quality, your costs might actually be less expensive than what you would pay in North America. 

Telephone and Internet access is also available and quite good.  56K Access is currently available as is Digital cellular telephone services.  Cellular telephones due tend to be quite expensive, even though the prices are coming down.  I would suggest the purchase of a cell phone in North America if you want a cell phone.  Even if you think you will only be visiting for a short while, I can suggest the various pre-paid cell phone calling card plans that both telephone companies offer.