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Understanding Property Tax in the Dominican Republic: What Owners Need to Know

Understanding Property Tax in the Dominican Republic: What Owners Need to Know

If you’ve been considering moving to the Dominican Republic (DR) or buying an investment property on the island, you should understand the basics of the DR’s property tax. Luckily, Casa Linda is here to help! With decades of experience assisting expats in moving to the DR, we understand some of the questions and complexities our future residents may face when it comes to their villa’s property tax.

Below is a quick overview of the property tax in the Dominican Republic. Keep reading to find out more. 

Overview of Property Tax in the DR

Property tax in the Dominican Republic, or “Impuesto Sobre Bienes Inmuebles” (ISBI), is based on the value of your property, with the tax rate varying depending on the municipality. However, the tax rate in the DR is typically around 1% of your property’s value. Your property’s value is based solely on the building and land, not your furniture or equipment. 

When determining how much you’ll pay in property taxes, it’s important to note that the 1% is calculated only for values exceeding 6,858,885.00 DOP (about $150,000. This amount is adjusted annually for inflation). Anything under that amount is essentially free of charge. This means most Casa Linda villa owners only pay between $1-2K yearly in property taxes. 

In the Dominican Republic, real estate taxes are payable yearly on or before March 11. Still, even this is flexible as you also have the option to pay in two equal installments (50% on or before March 11. The remaining on or before September 11). However, these are a few circumstances in which property are exempt from paying real estate taxes. For instance, farm properties, homes whose owner is 65+ years old and has no other property in their name, and properties owned by companies (they pay a separate tax on company assets) are all exempt. 

If you have any questions regarding your potential property tax when moving to the Dominican Republic, Casa Linda can help you connect with a trustworthy and experienced accountant who can walk you through the details. 

Consequences of Non-Compliance

One thing to remember regarding property taxes in the Dominican Republic is that avoiding paying for them can result in steep penalties. A considerable amount of many residents’ property tax payments come from unpaid taxes. So, as an expat looking to invest in real estate in the DR, it is essential that you keep track of your taxes to avoid costly penalties or issues with the Dominican Republic tax authorities. And if you need assistance, working with a qualified accountant is always a good idea! 

Customizable Luxury Villas at Casa Linda

If you want to invest in a property to call home, Casa Linda’s luxury villas are an incredible option! Our villas are entirely customizable to your lifestyle, tastes, and needs. With our in-house design team, we can work with you to craft the luxury villa of your dreams. Our villas have a stunning view of the DR, a pool, terraces, large windows, and high ceilings. With options to add additional bedrooms or a guest house, Casa Linda’s villas are a beautiful home away from home! 

Making Your Dream Home a Reality

If you’ve been considering moving abroad and living a life of luxury in an island paradise, then the Dominican Republic is calling your name! Let Casa Linda help you design your dream home today! 

Contact Casa Linda today to find out more about our customizable villas!

Top 5 Customizations to Maximize Your Retirement Villa in Sosua, Dominican Republic

Top 5 Customizations to Maximize Your Retirement Villa in Sosua, Dominican Republic

Casa Linda is home to a large community of expat retirees who live full-time in the Dominican Republic! If you are packing up your whole life and moving to another country, your new home should be suited for full-time living rather than a vacation home.

Continue reading to learn about the top five villa customizations Casa Linda recommends to any retiree considering buying a villa in Sosua, Dominican Republic, for full-time living.

Walk-In Closet

For Casa Linda’s snowbird owners, a regular closet is okay because they are only on the island for the winter. However, if you and your partner consider permanently relocating to the Dominican Republic, you’ll want all the space you can get!

The first customization we highly recommend to our full-time owners is expanding the master bedroom’s closet into a walk-in closet. Your wardrobe will undoubtedly expand as you establish a life in the Dominican. It’s better to have more storage, even if you don’t need it right now. After all, when has extra storage space ever been a bad thing?

Kitchen Island

A universal truth is that the kitchen is the heart of the home. Whether that’s back in your home country or a new friend’s kitchen in the Dominican, the kitchen is a gathering place! Food is an integral part of Dominican culture, and that comes with the responsibility to host gatherings and barbecues where everyone comes together to eat, drink and be merry.

Trust us– you’ll want a kitchen island if you live full-time at Casa Linda! It adds extra seating, storage and counter space for meal preparation. Casa Linda’s team of in-house architects will guide you through the customization process. Whatever your specifications are, our team will do everything to make your vision come to life!

From the island’s layout to the countertop material, owners have complete stylistic control!

Additional Storage Room

Every Casa Linda floor plan includes a detached service building for the pool equipment and extra storage space. But, as we said earlier, additional storage is always good, especially for full-time residents and retirees. If you love decorating your home with the seasons, you will need a place to keep your decorations!

Adjustments can be made to the service building to increase the amount of storage space, like increasing the overall square footage and adding built-in shelving.

Jacuzzi

What paradise would be complete without a jacuzzi to soak in after a long day of surfing or hiking through the mountain trails? Jacuzzis are a very popular villa addition amongst our retirees, for a good reason! Retirement is all about kicking your feet up, being stress-free and living the good life.

Imagine going for a late-night soak in your jacuzzi: the jets massaging your aches and pains away, a cool tropical breeze blowing through your hair, the twinkling night sky, and an ice-cold cerveza in your hand. Life is good, especially at Casa Linda.

Your Villa, Your Way

Over the last 40 years, Casa Linda has been home to a growing community of expats from all over the world. Casa Linda’s gated community is located between the lovely beach towns of Sosúa and Cabarete on the north coast of the Dominican Republic.

You can choose between 15 different villa models that are customizable to your taste. Outside of your budget, the only limit is your imagination!

Ready to take the plunge? Contact Casa Linda today to learn more about buying a villa in Sosúa, Dominican Republic.

Moving to the Dominican Republic from Colombia? You Need to Know This!

Moving to the Dominican Republic from Colombia? You Need to Know This!

Are you considering moving to the Dominican Republic from Colombia? Let’s take a closer look at the similarities and differences between our two beautiful countries and why relocating to the Dominican is the right choice for you!

Over the last 40 years, Casa Linda has developed a thriving community of expats from all over the world, including Colombian-Americans! Continue reading to learn more about the similarities and differences between our two cultures.

Similar Cuisine with Unique Differences

Despite being separated by the Caribbean Sea, Colombia and the Dominican Republic share many similarities as they are both Latin cultures. However, there are tiny cultural differences a native Colombian will notice, like the food!

Our common ingredients are the same:

  • Meat or seafood
  • Grains like rice or wheat
  • Vegetables and legumes
  • Starchy vegetables like plantains, potatoes and yuca
  • Fresh tropical fruits

Don’t be surprised if you eat a dish you’re familiar with from Colombia that tastes totally different in the Dominican Republic, despite the similar ingredients.

Accessible Travel in the Dominican

One major highlight for Colombians moving to the DR is the size of the countries: Colombia is 23 times larger than the Dominican Republic!

Flying in and out of the Dominican is incredibly easy, as we have eight international airports around the island. The DR is the perfect location for globetrotters who want their home base in a tropical country.

Colombians are used to lengthy commutes to visit another side of the country. It’s often easier to book a flight than to drive for 12+ hours through underdeveloped mountain roads!

The beauty of the Dominican Republic is how close everything is; you don’t have to go far to find a beautiful site worth exploring. For example, driving inland from Casa Linda to the Cordillera Septentrional mountain range takes roughly 4 hours round trip.

If you’re looking for a home near the ocean, Casa Linda’s sister company, DR Connections, offers beautiful seaside condos.

Less Populated but Still Lively

Colombia has more than 50 million people, whereas the Dominican Republic has a population of 11 million; life certainly feels slower on the island! If you’re searching for a break from the hustle and bustle of Colombia’s main cities, the tranquilo lifestyle of the Dominican is just what you need.

If you are a leisure seeker looking for a relaxing, non-crowded community to settle down in, Casa Linda is the choice for you. Casa Linda’s gated community is located on the northern coast between the lovely towns of Sosúa and Cabarete.

The north is less touristy and densely populated than the south compared to the major cities of Puerto Plata or Santo Domingo.

Similar In The Ways That Matter

At the end of the day, Colombia and the Dominican Republic share many similarities. Our cultures share the same friendliness and love of community, food and fun. Life in the Dominican will be less crowded and more relaxed than the busy Colombian lifestyle. Experience the differences for yourself at Casa Linda!

Contact Casa Linda today to learn more about moving to the Dominican Republic from Colombia.

Meet Your New Expat Life in the Dominican Republic with Casa Linda

Meet Your New Expat Life in the Dominican Republic with Casa Linda

Have you decided that your future lies in living abroad? While embracing the expat life is a big decision with plenty to be excited about, it’s also important to be ready for the change of lifestyle that comes with living in a new country.

For nearly 30 years, Casa Linda has welcomed expats worldwide to the Dominican Republic’s (DR) stunning shores and helped them find the perfect villa to call home. Next, we will tell you about life in the Dominican Republic and how our gated communities can make you feel right at home. Keep reading to find out more!

Discover the Crown Jewel of the Caribbean

Often referred to as the “Crown Jewel of the Caribbean,” the Dominican Republic is a stunning tropical paradise that countless expats and tourists visit year after year. Beyond the miles and miles of tropical views and sandy beaches, the DR also boasts a strong and stable economy, infrastructure and state-of-the-art healthcare. As one of the most visited nations in the Caribbean, welcoming approximately 5 million visitors every year, the Dominican Republic is not only an incredible tourist destination but a great place to call home as an expat living abroad.

A Beach Lover’s Paradise

Whether you’re planning on spending your retirement years with your toes in the sand or you want to try your hand at something a bit more adventurous, like kite surfing, you’re in luck! The Dominican Republic is home to more than 200 beaches and over 800 miles of beautiful coastline just waiting for you to explore. With over 300 days of sunshine each year, living in the Dominican Republic is a beach lover’s paradise!

Currency and Language

One of the many perks of living in the Dominican Republic as an expat is that both the currency and language are reasonably accessible. What we mean by that is that the official currency of the Dominican Republic is Pesos. Still, US dollars are also commonly used. With a favourable exchange rate, your Canadian or American dollars can go further! Similarly, the official language of the DR is Spanish, but due to the island’s large expat community, English is ubiquitous as well.

Embrace Island Time

Life in the Dominican Republic differs from what you may expect coming from North America. This is because island time is a real thing! If you’re used to punctuality and the hustle and bustle of busy city living, you may need to adjust your expectations once you move abroad. Both locals and expats alike are notoriously easygoing and tend to work on their own time schedule at their own pace, which is much more laid back than you may think. All this is simply part of living the life tranquilo on a beautiful tropical island!

Your New Community of Fellow Expats

If you have any hesitations about living in the Dominican Republic because you’re worried you’ll feel out of place, don’t fret! At Casa Linda, our luxury villas are located on the island’s Northern end in our beautiful and welcoming gated communities. With plenty of fellow expats from all walks of life, community events, clubs, and other opportunities to meet new people, our team is sure you’ll have no problem making new friends. Our communities are built with our owners in mind because your happiness matters most to us here at Casa Linda!

Ready to Start Living Like a Local?

If you’re ready to start packing your bags for your new life in the Dominican Republic, now is the time to contact our team at Casa Linda! We are here to help you find the luxury villa of your dreams and welcome you into our thriving community. Together, we can help you take your first step to living in paradise!

Retiring in Paradise: Why Expats Choose Casa Linda’s Dominican Republic Luxury Villas

Retiring in Paradise: Why Expats Choose Casa Linda’s Dominican Republic Luxury Villas

It’s a significant decision to pack up your life and move to another country! At Casa Linda, we hear a lot from potential clients who have concerns about moving abroad to a very different country. For over 40 years, Casa Linda has developed a thriving community of expats from Canada, the United States, and Europe!

Casa Linda is a beloved and highly respected builder of modern luxury villas in the Dominican Republic! Below, we will discuss the top reasons why retired expats choose Casa Linda over any other DR community builder.

Steady & Rapidly Growing Economy

There is a common misconception that the Dominican Republic is a poor, struggling and underdeveloped country. That cannot be further from the truth. Our small island country might have been one of the poorest Latin American countries in the mid-1960s, but much has changed in the last 60 years.

In actuality, the Dominican Republic’s economy is the steadiest and fastest growing in Latin America. The Dominican’s standard of living is approximately one-third that of the United States. That’s a marked difference from other Latin countries, whose average standard of living is typically around one-quarter of the USA.

Risk-Free Property Investment

If the Dominican continues to grow at the same rate, it’s projected that in 40 years, the DR will have an advanced economy on par with other first-world countries. Investing in a Dominican Republic luxury villa through Casa Linda is a sound investment for your current lives in 2024 and your future as well!

Casa Linda has been in business for forty years, and our community has steadily grown. What originally started as a small community has grown into a massive neighbourhood with long-standing owners. We are one of the most trusted and respected builders in all of the Dominican.

Safe Location & Secure Gated Community

If you are concerned about natural disasters living on a tropical island, there is nothing to fear. Casa Linda is located on the north coast of the Dominican, in between the beach towns of Sosúa and Cabarete. There have been no recorded hurricanes to reach the north coast of the DR— ever! You don’t have to worry about the risk of losing your villa to a rogue storm.

Casa Linda takes the safety of our owners and their families very seriously. While our community is located in a safe part of the island, Casa Linda takes extra precautions to ensure the well-being of our residents. We are a gated community with 24/7 security, providing owners immense peace of mind— especially for those who only use their villas in the winter!

Live Life Luxuriously

Life at Casa Linda is like living full-time at an all-inclusive resort, except you get to enjoy the privacy of your own home. We are proud to have a tight-knit and welcoming community of expats worldwide who cannot wait to welcome you into our fold!

Get in touch with Casa Linda today to learn more about building a luxury villa in the Dominican Republic!