Proyecto Marina Puerto Blanco de la Cidudad Marina Luperón

The Dominican Republic has free capital flow in or out of the country, and foreign ownership of property is virtually unlimited. The DR uses the same deed and land title system as many advanced countries such as the Netherlands -- the "Catastral". While a lawyer usually provides title search, escrow and closing services, buyer and seller can do these themselves. You can also purchase these services and even title insurance through firms such as Stewart Title Dominicana, S.A., a division of Stewart Title Latin America.

The key to buying land in the DR: grin and nod and give thanks for all forms of stamped and beribboned documents, including titles, which sellers and their lawyers may show you, but don't consider them the final word. Snap off a few GPS points from the property's corners, then high-tail it to the Tribunal de Tierras where the real and only title exists along with its relevant plats. Give the ladies in the Tribunal the appropriate numbers, just like in the U.S.: district, folio, plat, lot, etc., and they will show you the title.

The title looks like a large and stiff version of an American automobile title. The front side describes the property, its position, the present owner(s) and the last price paid for it. On the reverse side you will find two important sections: Restrictions and Liens. You want, of course, no restrictions or limitations on the use of the property, nor should you accept a cent of indebtedness.

Next you grab the owner and stand before the folks in the Tribunal with lots of identification and proof of the purchase. The nice ladies stamp it all up, and give you lots of copies which, remember, do not carry force of law. Only the Catastral has the real title. In short, the Catastral system relies on the principle that if one title proves false, nobody has a good one, and not even dictators dare mess with that hornet's nest. It would prove as fatal to them as would raising the price of beer and rum. But you can make it simpler for yourself by working with Rosa Van Sant at 809-543-0079/452-1125 or RosaVanSant@gmail.com.