North Shore Mid May

[planner]

Hello everyone - well I am going back to visit the DR mid May. I'll be staying on the north shore in a friends condo! I have several requests:
1. Any special events going on May 12 to 25?
2. Can anyone recommend a realtor - I'm thinking about buying down there.
3. I'm a latin dancer. Love to merengue but absolutely love to salsa. Anyone know where to go salsa ???? I've had limited luck on previous visits.

I'd love to get to know some Canadians or Americans in the Puerto Plata area.......

Thanks for all your help....

[mainer]

Hi Planner,
I live on the North shore and have been here for 2 and a half months. I highly recommend Dean Brown of Century 21 for real estate. He is a very honest and dependable person. He has helped us out a lot, even though we did not buy property through him. His e-mail is islandcruisers@hotmail.com.

Sorry that I can't help you with the other questions. I don't get out to dance much!

Mainer

[Ken]

I agree that Dean Brown is the person for you to contact about real estate. He is an American expatriate, and is very honest and conscientious. He works out of the Perdomo reality and is the Century 21 rep for the North Shore. I have been living in the DR for 17 years and Sosua for almost 3. Dean is one of a very, very few realtors that I would recommend in the DR. His primary interest is in a satisfied client. Most are primarily interested in making a sale so they can get their commission.

I recommend that you email Dean, let him know when you are coming, and make tentative arrangements for your first meeting with him. As mainer indicated, his email address is islandcruisers@hotmail.com

If you are thinking of buying property, whether a house, a condo or land, you will also want an attorney who is both capable and honest. Two in Sosua I can recommend are Fabio Guzman, the attorney who answers questions in the Legal section of the board, http://www.drlawyer.com/index.htm and Guido Perdomo http://www.juanperdomo.com/eng/index.htm Go to the Perdomo website and click on see our legal consultant.

Don't know of any special events planned for time of your visit. For dancing, you may want to consider the carwash. It is certainly not a typical tourist place, but some go and the music and dancing is Dominican. See this thread Nightclubs in Sosua

If I can be of further help, let me know. If you have a question you don't want to post, you can send me an email or PM by clicking the appropriate button under any of my posts.

[mainer]

Ken,
I hadn't thought of recommending the carwash. We were out last Saturday night, and we stopped to look at a couple from the roadside. We didn't go "in" as we had the kids with us. It looked like a lot of fun, albeit kinda loud. We will have to stop in sometime just so we can give an opinion on it.


Planner,
If you are going to use a real estate agent or an attorney in the DR, I would strongly suggest that you use one that comes recommended. Although many people in this country are very nice, we have come across a couple of scam artists. Only one of these persons was Dominican, the rest were foreigners. It is not as though you have to watch your back, but there have been instances of fraud. Such as people selling houses that do not belong to them. Just use a recommended and reliable attorney and realtor, and you should be fine.

Good Luck, and let us know how it goes.

Mainer

[planner]

Thanks Mainer and Ken - I will contact Dean Brown by email and start the process with him.

I've been to the car wash - many of them actually! I love them. I tend to stay away from the touristy discos, I want Dominican and Latino music.

This is my 12th trip in 4 years. The country is definately in my blood! I can see myself living in the DR quite easily. I really do want to meet other Canadians and Americans who live there though before I make a final decision.

If you don't mind I'd like to email you both directly to chat.

[BushBaby]

Hah .... So what's up with us Brits then - we speak English as well you know!!! What area is the condo in, Sosua or Puerto Plata? If the latter, let me know & I'll check on the Salsa Venues that exist over here!!
Re buying a house, ... take your time PLEASE. Check the area you want, find out what true prices are by 'chatting around' & learn what you need in/on the house to make it more comfortable to live in!!
Feel free to e-mail or PM me if you are coming to Puerto Plata - Grahame.

[gary80vette]

Hi grahame

We are heading to Sosua 19th May for a couple of weeks and have already hooked up with Dean Brown so that we can have a look at some buying somewhere in the area. You're right he seems very helpful. I've exchanged emails and spoken on the phone with him and he is proving to be a great source of information not just for property buying.

What's the ex-pat Brit community like over there? Are there many Brits living on the north coast? It would be good to get a first hand view of day to day living in DR from someone who's already doing it.

Cheers

Gary