Legal & Tax.
Legal guides for buying property in the DR — taxes, CONFOTUR, title transfer, and foreigner ownership.
11 min readBuying Pre-Construction with CONFOTUR: Verify It's Really Registered
A sales brochure that says "CONFOTUR approved" is not a legal fact until you've seen the resolution number. Here's exactly how to verify a pre-construction project's CONFOTUR status before you sign — and what happens if it never comes through.
9 min readBuying DR Property with Cryptocurrency: What's Actually Legal
Bitcoin doesn't touch a Dominican title. Here's the mechanism developers actually use to accept crypto, what the Registro de Títulos requires instead, and where buyers get exposed.
10 min readCONFOTUR Decompiled: What Each Tax Break Is Really Worth
CONFOTUR isn't one $50,000 discount — it's three separate exemptions with three separate dollar values. Here's each one broken down, line by line, on a real $300,000 purchase.
12 min readBuying DR Property as a Couple: Ownership Options Explained
Two names on a Dominican title split evenly, or a shared company that holds the deed instead? Here's how joint property ownership in the Dominican Republic actually works for couples, and when an SRL or a fideicomiso beats a simple co-ownership deed.
10 min readFideicomiso Trusts for DR Property: When They Make Sense
Mexico requires a bank trust for coastal foreign buyers. The Dominican Republic doesn't — so why do some DR buyers still set up a fideicomiso, and when does it actually pay for itself?
11 min readEuropean Buyer's Guide to DR Property, Euros, and Residency
German, French, Dutch and other EU buyers face a currency question no dollar-based guide answers: what does euro pricing actually cost, and does a double-tax treaty protect you? It doesn't — here's what does.
10 min readHow to Find a Trustworthy Real Estate Lawyer in the DR
A practical guide to hiring an independent property attorney in the DR — what they cost, what they do, and how to spot the conflicts of interest that cost buyers dearly.
11 min readWhat You Can Legally Build on a Samaná Lot: Zoning Explained
A plain-English breakdown of MITUR Resolución 06/2011 — the zoning regulation that determines exactly what you can build on any lot in Samaná and Las Terrenas, and what it means for your investment.
11 min readUS Tax Reporting for Americans Who Own DR Property
A plain-English guide to US tax reporting obligations for Americans who own property or bank accounts in the Dominican Republic — covering FATCA, FBAR, Form 8938, and rental income.
11 min readDR Residency by Investment: What $200K Actually Gets You
A data-driven breakdown of what the Dominican Republic's $200K investment threshold actually delivers — residency timeline, citizenship pathway, tax benefits, and real costs.
7 min readHow to Check a Dominican Republic Real Estate Agent Is Legitimate
The Dominican Republic does not yet license real estate agents, so anyone can call themselves one. Here are the four checks that actually tell you who you are dealing with.
9 min readWhat Real Estate Agents Actually Charge in the Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has a published commission standard — 5% minimum on urban sales, one month's rent on annual leases. Here is the full schedule, and the 18% tax on top that catches sellers out.