Two ways to take title

Every foreign buyer hits this question once they're past the offer stage: should I take title in my own name, or through a Dominican company? Here's the framework brokers use.

When individual ownership is better

For 80% of foreign buyers, simple is best. Take title in your name (or jointly with your spouse) if:

• The property is for personal use or a single rental
• You don't plan to buy a second DR property
• You want the simplest path to Fast-Track Residency (individual ownership qualifies directly)
• Annual income from the property will be under $50,000

Individual closing costs: standard 4.3-4.8% of purchase price.

When an SRL (Dominican LLC) makes sense

An SRL adds setup and annual costs but unlocks meaningful upside if:

• You're buying multiple properties
• You expect significant rental income that you'd rather keep in a separate entity
• You're planning to bring in partners
• You want liability protection beyond what individual insurance provides

SRL setup: roughly $1,200-$2,000 one-time. Annual maintenance (accountant + government fees): $1,500-$2,500. Worth it when revenue justifies it.

The hybrid most savvy investors use

Buy the first property individually. If you scale beyond it, transfer the second and third properties into an SRL. This delays SRL costs until you actually have the income to absorb them.

What the SRL does NOT do

• It does NOT exempt you from the 3% transfer tax
• It does NOT shield you from ITBIS on rentals
• It does NOT avoid CONFOTUR rules
• It does NOT speed up closing

Our default recommendation

If this is your first DR purchase, take title individually. We've never seen a first-time buyer regret simplicity. The moment you're considering a second property, that's the conversation to have with both a tax advisor and a DR real estate attorney.