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5 Best Countries for North Americans to Buy Real Estate

5 Best Countries for North Americans to Buy Real Estate

Jun 20, 2025 | Dominican Republic Villas, Expat Life, News, Relocating to the Dominican Republic

It can be hard to find a good property investment in North America’s inflated real estate market. Many Canadians and Americans are turning to foreign real estate and finding great deals in countries like the Dominican Republic, which boasts varied real estate prices, low living costs, and high tourism, not to mention gorgeous beaches and warm weather all year long!

Here are five countries where you can find good real estate deals. Keep reading to learn why Dominican Republic real estate is your go-to choice on the list and how you can invest your money in a Casa Linda villa!

Spain

A bustling tourist area if ever there was one! Whether you want a historic condo in Barcelona or a coastal cottage, this country offers plenty of variety for your next property investment. Spain’s position as a major tourist attraction provides a great opportunity to list your property on Airbnb and generate rental income from the comfort of your home country!

Portugal

Portugal’s less touristy areas offer great opportunities for property investment! Non-residential investors are allowed to take out mortgages, and you don’t need to live there to qualify. Portugal is also ranked among the top 10 safest countries in the world, which offers a greater guarantee of your property’s safety and value appreciation.

Costa Rica

If you’re looking for a peaceful country with a thriving economy, Costa Rica is a great place to purchase foreign property! Costa Rica’s government is stable, and the country overall is considered very peaceful, making it a safe place to purchase a vacation home or rental property. Although Costa Rica has stricter property laws than some of the other countries on this list, it also offers a great opportunity for high rental income and ROI.

Mexico

If you live in the US, you’ll have an easier time travelling to and from your foreign property by investing in Mexico! Their purchasing process is quite simple for foreign investors, and with the low cost of living, vibrant culture, and proximity to your home country, you’ll likely want to visit your property as much as possible!

Dominican Republic

Nothing beats the foreign investment opportunities in the DR! Tourist hotspots like Cabarete (where our Casa Linda villas are located) are prime locations for purchasing a vacation home or rental.

Buying a property in the Dominican Republic is very similar to the process in Canada and the US, and there are no purchase restrictions for foreign investors. In fact, our government encourages foreign property investment from North Americans, allowing you to qualify for certain tax breaks and incentives.

If you’re over 65, you can benefit from full property tax exemption. The DR also offers plenty of resources for retirees and former US military members, making it a great retirement investment for older adults who want to embrace expat life!

Not to mention our low real estate prices; In the United States, the average cost for a single-family home is $398,400. At Casa Linda, we offer luxurious properties for a fraction of the price in the US and Canada, with our lowest starting at $199,700 USD. These properties include full landscaping, your very own inground pool, and access to community amenities—talk about a good deal!

Invest in Dominican Republic Real Estate with Casa Linda

If you’re interested in foreign property investment, partner with Casa Linda to buy your very own luxury villa or townhouse! Our villas are customizable to suit your lifestyle and preferences, ensuring you get the tropical retreat of your dreams.

Whether you mainly use your villa as a rental or vacation home, or take the leap and join our bustling expat community, Casa Linda offers the best deal for foreign property investment. So what are you waiting for? Contact us today to learn more about our floor plans and prices.

Answers To Easy Property Buying In The Dominican Republic

Answers To Easy Property Buying In The Dominican Republic

May 12, 2025 | Dominican Republic Villas, News, Relocating to the Dominican Republic

You’re interested in buying a home in the gorgeous tropical nation of the Dominican Republic, but you don’t know where to start. Moving to a foreign nation can be intimidating, and questions rattle around in your mind—Questions about visas, citizenship, and property rights. Casa Linda has a clientele of mostly foreign home-seekers and will be happy to demystify the property ownership process for you!

The Dominican Republic is extremely foreign investor-friendly; tourism is a massive part of the national economy, and expats living in the DR bring their foreign wealth with them to stay! With the government incentivized to make things easy for foreigners, you may be surprised by how simple the answers to some of your questions will be!

Who Can Own Property in the Dominican Republic?

In most cases, there are no restrictions on foreigners purchasing property in the DR (but if you ever want to visit that property, make sure you’re eligible to enter the country!)

In fact, owning property over $200,000 USD in value is considered an investment major enough to fast-track your residency process (more on that later)! A valid ID and passport will be enough to make a purchase.

What Does the Purchasing Process Look Like?

Let’s use the purchase of a villa at Casa Linda as an example. You’re ready to leave your worries behind and move to the Dominican Republic. After browsing the Casa Linda website, you see a beautiful floor plan and instantly fall in love.

1. You contact the company and provide the needed information. Soon after, you select your villa and lot, ask for whatever adjustments you want to the basic floor plan, and make a down payment.

2. Shortly before construction begins, you make a second payment of 35% of the home’s value. Six weeks later, a payment of 30%, then 25% after another six weeks, then the final 10% at the very end. About 6-8 weeks after paying for your property, the attorneys involved in the process complete the transfer of ownership to your name. They charge about 1% of the property’s value for that service.

And that’s it: you’re a homeowner in the Dominican Republic!

Payment structures and steps may change over time at the discretion of the seller or the government, but the DR’s commitment to keeping its tourists and expats flocking in won’t be going anywhere soon! Don’t forget to check for available financing options if you don’t have cash on hand.

How Can I Open a Bank Account in the Dominican Republic?

As you might expect by this point, it’s not difficult, and you can do it even if you’re a foreigner! A letter of reference from your bank, a passport, and possibly a small deposit (depending on your bank) will earn you a Dominican bank account in pesos or US dollars. Fun fact for Canadians: Scotiabank has existed in the Dominican Republic for over 90 years and is an excellent choice for expats!

What About Residency?

While you can live, purchase property, and open a bank in the DR as a foreigner without issue, attaining residency status comes with considerable benefits.

You won’t have to worry about the restrictions of tourist cards or visas, you can attain a driver’s license, and you can stay for a whole year before worrying about renewing your residency. This also puts you in a more favorable tax structure and sets you up to obtain permanent residency or even citizenship!

Discover Life Tranquilo with Casa Linda

It’s time to take this new knowledge and put it to work! To hear about the buying experiences of other expats, check out our Owner Stories. Once you’re convinced, contact us at Casa Linda and get started on your dream villa!

Our experts have decades of experience and will handle any of your remaining questions so that you can make your dream life a reality!