Steve WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO KID? 'Sounds to me like you are just trying to white wash over the crappy conditions that the developers have created. YOU are promoting LIES as to the current situation and even what WILL be in 3-5 years. If something is supposed to be done here in a YEAR--make that 3 years; if it's supposed to take 3 years, make it 5. Come on, really? Have YOU had Dengue Fever? My husband, one of my kids and I have all had it, and it's called Break Bone Fever for a reason! 2007 WAS NAMED YEAR OF DENGUE FEVER EPIDEMIC IN THE DR!! (Listin Diario, Martes 27, 2007). And that just was like book ends around the Leptosporosis epidemic, typhoid and the more recent infectious conjunctivitis.
The quality of life for those of us LIVING here from several years back until the foreseeable future SUCKS! NO, I wouldn't recommend BUYING ANYTHING here because you can currently get better deals in the US and certainly in the rest of the Caribbean. Many a Saturday night it is DEAD in JD!! Sure there are good times to be had, but they aren't just flowing out like a couple of years ago (even a year ago--there's been a steady decline independent of 'high' season.)
The lack of infrastructure (no offense to the lovely Colmados run by kind people like Matilda because WE NEED YOU) such as: Supermarkets, ATMS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE CASH IN THEM, another gas station, functioning/reliable power/sewer & water, trash removal, etc. ARE ALL LACKING! From a professional standpoint (as a public health doc), I'm repulsed by the everyday conditions where mosquitos breed & carry Dengue & Malaria, flies transmit salmonellla and e coli to ones food (because the construction workers hired by the developers have just taken a crap right next to your house), and water contamination by amoeba and leptosporosis. These are LIFE THREATENING conditions that YOU may be able to comfortably avoid from your sealed office raking in cash, but those of us living here resent and PAY dearly for it.
It is true that the demographics of Santo Domingo show that JD WILL pay off for these developers and because the DR doesn't have decent environmental or occupational health enforcement, areas like JD will be increasingly polarized between those who can seal themselves in and everyone else.
The lesson we have brought our kids here for (besides Spanish) is how NOT to treat this planet. Get real...stop being selfish and thinking only of your bank account. How anyone can in their right mind with a clear conscience post the "lovely" idyllic photos you post without the disclaimer "WARNING: EVERYTHING HERE IS NOT AS IT APPEARS" is beyond me!