Some foreign buyers do close without visiting. Most shouldn't.

Roughly 8% of foreign-buyer transactions in DR close without the buyer ever walking the property in person. Mostly these are pre-construction units where the building doesn't exist yet, or remote closings forced by COVID-era travel restrictions. The success rate is much lower than walking the property. Here's the honest picture.

When sight-unseen works

1. Pre-construction from a vetted developer

The unit doesn't exist yet. You're trusting the developer's track record and the renderings. Adding a personal visit doesn't change much. If your developer has 5+ delivered projects with happy owners, the visit was going to be ceremonial anyway.

2. Same building as your existing unit

You already own in this building. You know the construction quality, the HOA, the rental dynamics. Buying a second unit in the same project sight-unseen is reasonable.

3. Strong remote inspection process

Some buyers compensate with:

• Live video walk-through with the broker
• Independent inspector report (with detailed photos)
• Independent appraisal
• 360-degree video of all rooms
• Specific photo asks (water damage, mold check, electrical panel, all closets)

When all of these are in place, sight-unseen risk is significantly reduced.

When sight-unseen almost always fails

1. Older resale you've never seen before

20+ year-old construction has surprises that photos hide. Vibration patterns, water issues, neighbor situations, smell. We've seen multiple foreign buyers close on units they then immediately resold at a loss because the in-person reality didn't match the photos.

2. A market you've never visited

You don't actually know what Punta Cana feels like, what Cabarete is like at noon vs. midnight, what the access road looks like in rain. Visit the market once before buying anything.

3. Land

Photos lie about land. Topography, drainage, neighboring uses, road access, soil quality. Nobody buys land sight-unseen except institutional buyers who send teams.

4. Anything below market price

The cheaper a sight-unseen property is than comps, the more reason to fly down. There's usually a reason for the discount that doesn't appear on a listing.

The protections we add for sight-unseen buyers

For clients who absolutely cannot visit before closing:

• Independent inspection report: $300-$600 in DR. Specific checklist focused on construction quality, water damage, mold, electrical, plumbing, structural.
• Independent appraisal: $400-$700. From a DR-licensed appraiser not connected to seller or seller's broker.
• Two video walk-throughs: One real-time with you on Zoom (45-60 minutes), one pre-recorded with the broker narrating each room.
• Photo asks satisfied within 48 hours: any specific shot you want.
• Extended Promesa de Venta period: 90 days instead of standard 30-45. Lets you visit if any concern surfaces.
• Cancellation clause: Standard Promesas can include a "buyer remains entitled to refundable deposit if not satisfied during inspection period." Add 10-14 day inspection window.

What we tell clients

If at all possible, visit the property before closing. The 3-5 day trip is one of the cheapest forms of insurance in a $300K+ transaction. Sight-unseen should be a last resort, not a default.

If you absolutely must buy sight-unseen, double the diligence budget and use every protection above. We've placed 12 clients sight-unseen in the last 2 years; all 12 were either repeat clients or pre-construction with vetted developers. None have regretted the purchase.