Punta Cana and Bávaro bring together resort developments, condominium projects, villas, commercial premises and businesses serving visitors and residents. The pace of a reservation or launch can make a transaction appear simple, especially when the buyer is abroad. Dominican title, planning, tax, condominium and corporate rules still apply. Proxario serves clients in the area through coordinated in-person and remote work; our listed office is in Santo Domingo, and we do not represent that we maintain a separate Punta Cana office.

Property purchases built on independent due diligence

We review the transaction for the buyer, independently from the broker, seller or developer. The work begins with the exact cadastral designation and the current registered owner. It then addresses title status, liens, seller authority, the survey position, condominium documentation, permits, the proposed purchase contract and the path to registration. For a pre-construction purchase, the analysis also covers the developer’s right to the land, the project documents, construction milestones, remedies for delay and the conditions for delivery and individual title.

The Registro Inmobiliario advises prospective buyers to obtain the official certification showing a property’s legal status. That certificate is a central input, but it is not the whole review. Names, parcel references and contractual descriptions must agree; corporate sellers must have current authority; and the payment schedule should match objective deliverables. We explain material findings in clear English or Spanish before the client commits funds.

CONFOTUR claims require project-level verification

Punta Cana marketing frequently refers to CONFOTUR. Classification under the tourism-incentive framework belongs to a particular project and resolution; it should never be inferred from a logo, a nearby classified development or a sales statement. We compare the project offered to the buyer with the official CONFOTUR project lookup, obtain and read the applicable resolution, and test whether the developer, parcel, phase and unit are actually within its scope.

Official CONFOTUR materials describe the classification process and available benefits, while the underlying framework appears in Law 158-01 and later amendments. Eligibility, duration and transaction treatment depend on the controlling documents and current law. Our advice therefore states what can be supported for the specific acquisition and identifies any item that must be confirmed with the authority or a tax professional; it does not promise a tax result from advertising alone.

Short-term rentals: title is only the starting point

A unit that can legally be owned is not automatically suitable for vacation-rental operations. We examine the registered condominium declaration and regulations, later valid decisions, the designated use of the unit, the operator’s contracts, guest rules and building requirements. Dominican condominium law permits leasing while also respecting the use assigned by the governing documents and obligations concerning safety and neighbors. Platform availability or an existing online listing is not legal clearance.

Where the activity is operated as a business, the review may extend to company formation, RNC tax registration, invoicing, employment or contractor arrangements, municipal and sector requirements, insurance, consumer-facing terms and data handling. We coordinate the property and operating analysis so the ownership structure, rental plan and compliance calendar do not contradict one another.

Support for foreign buyers and remote closings

Foreign nationality does not by itself prevent a person from owning Dominican real estate. The practical issues are identity and civil-status documents, source-of-funds review, tax registration where applicable, properly executed contracts and a reliable registration file. A client who cannot travel may use a carefully limited power of attorney after the document is notarized and apostilled or legalized as required and translated into Spanish by an authorized translator when necessary.

We also help decide whether the buyer should hold title personally, through a Dominican SRL or through an existing foreign entity. That decision should reflect the actual use, co-investors, financing, liability, reporting, succession and exit plan. A company adds governance and recurring obligations; it is not an automatic shortcut. When an entity is appropriate, the formation, RNC, corporate approvals and purchase documents are managed as one sequence.

How Proxario handles a Punta Cana engagement

Scoping call. We identify the property or business, the parties, location, deadlines and documents already signed.
Independent record review. We request current official certifications and compare them with the contract and project materials.
Written risk report. The client receives clear findings, open conditions and recommended contract protections.
Implementation. We negotiate or revise documents, coordinate powers and corporate approvals, support closing and track the agreed registry filings.
Post-closing handoff. We deliver the registered evidence received and a practical list of continuing property, company or rental obligations.

Documents that help us begin

Reservation, offer, promise of sale or draft purchase agreement.
Copy of the title, cadastral plan and unit or project description supplied by the seller.
CONFOTUR resolution or benefit statement used in the sales materials.
Condominium regulations and rental-management agreement, if relevant.
Buyer passport or Dominican ID, civil status, address and ownership preferences.
Corporate documents when either party is a legal entity.

Official sources

Primary references used for this overview; the live record and procedure should be checked for each matter.

Lawyers serving Punta Cana and Bávaro