Dominican Republic Real Estate Glossary
Every legal term, financial metric, and local concept you'll encounter when buying property in the Dominican Republic. From CONFOTUR tax incentives to title registration — decoded for foreign investors.
Every legal term, financial metric, and local concept you'll encounter when buying property in the Dominican Republic. From CONFOTUR tax incentives to title registration — decoded for foreign investors.
The average rental income earned per occupied night. In Las Terrenas, ADR for a 2-bedroom villa runs $140–$180/night in peak season. A key input in calculating a property's revenue potential.
Read more about ADR →Analyze a property with this data →The final deed of sale, signed before a notary, that transfers legal ownership from seller to buyer. The equivalent of a closing deed in the US system.
Read more about Acto →A tourism-classified apartment, often qualifying for CONFOTUR tax incentives. Classification affects both tax treatment and permitted rental use.
Read more about Apartamento →Legal term for real property (land and anything permanently attached to it). Used in all formal documents and title registrations.
Read more about Bien →Net Operating Income divided by purchase price, expressed as a percentage. A 7% cap rate on a $300,000 property means $21,000/year NOI. Standard benchmark for comparing investment properties.
Read more about Cap →Analyze a property with this data →Annual pre-tax cash flow divided by total cash invested. Accounts for financing costs, unlike cap rate. More relevant metric for leveraged buyers.
Read more about Cash-on-Cash →The official title certificate issued by the Title Registry (Registro de Títulos). The gold standard of DR property ownership — if a property doesn't have one, treat it as a red flag until it does.
Read more about Certificado →DR government program that grants significant tax exemptions to qualifying tourism real estate projects. Benefits include exemption from property transfer tax, annual property tax (IPI), and import duties on furnishings for up to 15 years. Not all properties qualify — always verify certification status.
Read more about CONFOTUR →A preliminary purchase agreement (similar to a US purchase contract) signed before the final deed. Typically includes deposit terms, price, and timeline. Legally binding.
Read more about Compromiso →A condominium building or development where individual units are privately owned and common areas are shared. Governed by a condominium association with monthly fees.
Read more about Condominio →The official legal-status certificate issued by the Registro de Títulos showing a property's registered owner, liens, mortgages, and annotations. It is the single most important due-diligence document — your attorney should pull a current one before any balance is paid.
Read more about Certificación →The official survey and demarcation process that defines and registers a property's exact boundaries. A property that hasn't been deslindered may have boundary ambiguities. Critical to verify before purchase.
Read more about Deslinde →The DR's internal revenue service. Responsible for collecting property taxes, rental income tax, and transfer taxes. All property transactions must be registered with DGII.
Read more about Dirección →A notarized legal document. In real estate, often used interchangeably with the deed of sale (Acto de Venta). Any formal property agreement must be in escritura form to be legally valid.
Read more about Escritura →A trust structure used in some DR real estate transactions. Sometimes used by developers for pre-construction projects to hold buyer deposits. Less common than in Mexico — verify the terms carefully.
Read more about Fideicomiso →Annual gross rental income divided by property purchase price. A quick screening metric. Gross yield of 8%+ is generally considered attractive in the Samaná market.
Read more about Gross →A mortgage. DR banks offer mortgages to both residents and non-residents, though terms for foreigners are typically less favorable (higher rates, lower LTV). Most foreign investors buy cash.
Read more about Hipoteca →Annual property tax in the DR. Applies to properties valued above RD$9.5 million (roughly $160,000 USD at current rates). Rate is 1% of the value above the threshold. CONFOTUR-certified properties are typically exempt.
Read more about IPI →Income tax on rental revenue. Non-resident landlords are subject to a 27% withholding tax on gross rental income unless an applicable tax treaty applies. Consult a local accountant.
Read more about ISR →Neighborhood association. In residential communities, may coordinate local services, security, and dispute resolution. Not a formal legal body like a condominium association.
Read more about Junta →The largest and most internationally developed town on the Samaná Peninsula. The primary market for vacation rental investment in the region, with strong French and Italian expat communities.
Read more about Las →A subdivision of land into individual lots. If buying within a lotificación, verify the subdivision was legally approved and each lot has its own registered title.
Read more about Lotificación →The reserved portion of an estate that Dominican law sets aside for protected heirs (children and a surviving spouse). Forced heirship applies to DR-situated real estate regardless of a foreign owner's home-country will, so only the remainder can be freely willed. A Dominican will and the right ownership structure are the usual ways to plan around it.
Read more about Legítima →Square meters. DR property is measured and listed in m². 1 m² = 10.76 sq ft. A 150 m² apartment is approximately 1,615 sq ft.
Read more about Metros →Gross rental revenue minus operating expenses (management fees, maintenance, insurance, utilities, HOA). Does not include mortgage payments. The core metric for evaluating income property.
Read more about NOI →Analyze a property with this data →A notary public who authenticates and certifies legal documents. All real estate transactions in the DR require a licensed notary. The notary is a legally appointed officer — not just a stamp.
Read more about Notario →The percentage of available nights that a property is rented. In Las Terrenas, well-managed 2BR vacation rentals average 55–70% annual occupancy. Peak season (December–April) often runs 85%+.
Read more about Occupancy →An officially registered parcel of land with a unique cadastral number. Buying a parcela means buying a titled, surveyed plot. Key term in land transactions.
Read more about Parcela →The cadastral map showing official land boundaries as registered with the national land registry. Should match the physical deslinde.
Read more about Plano →Pre-construction sale. Common in DR resort developments — buyer purchases before the building is complete. Typically offers lower entry price but carries completion risk. CONFOTUR benefits are often tied to pre-construction purchases.
Read more about Pre-construcción →Same as Compromiso de Venta — a preliminary promise-to-sell agreement. Both terms are used interchangeably depending on the notary and region.
Read more about Promesa →The official government land registry where all property titles, mortgages, and liens are recorded. Always verify title status at the Registro before purchasing.
Read more about Registro →Total return (rental income + appreciation) relative to total capital invested. Distinguish between cash ROI (cash flow / cash invested) and total ROI (which includes paper appreciation).
Read more about ROI →A 50 km strip of land in northeastern Dominican Republic. Encompasses Las Terrenas, Samaná town, Las Galeras, and El Limón. One of the DR's highest-growth vacation real estate markets.
Read more about Samaná →A plot of land, usually residential. "Solar en venta" = land for sale. Distinguish from parcela — solar is the common term; parcela is the official legal designation.
Read more about Solar →The Dominican inheritance tax on transferring a deceased owner's assets: 3% of appraised value, rising to 4.5% when the heirs reside abroad — well below typical US or EU estate taxes. A foreigner's death triggers a local succession proceeding before heirs can take title or sell.
Read more about Succession →Land. Generic term for any plot of land, regardless of title status. Always verify whether terreno listings have a Certificado de Título or are pending deslinde.
Read more about Terreno →Property title — general term for the ownership document. Full legal title = Certificado de Título. Partial or pending registrations carry more risk.
Read more about Título →3% of the property's assessed value, paid at closing by the buyer. CONFOTUR-certified properties are exempt from this tax.
Read more about Transfer →Land use classification (zoning). Determines what can legally be built on a parcel — residential, commercial, tourism, agricultural. Always verify before buying land for development.
Read more about Uso →The government's assessed value of a property, used for calculating IPI and transfer taxes. Typically lower than market value in the DR.
Read more about Valor →A standalone vacation home, usually with private pool. The premium property type in Las Terrenas. Strong rental demand; higher acquisition cost; above-average ADR.
Read more about Villa →Paste any DR listing URL and get a full investment analysis — pricing, revenue projections, and property score — powered by AI.
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