Buying property in Punta Cana from the United States
For US buyers the Dominican Republic is legally an ordinary foreign purchase: no residency requirement, freehold title in your own name or a company, and the same registry process a Dominican buyer uses. What is genuinely different from a US closing is that there is no MLS and no escrow-by-default culture, so the independent lawyer you hire does the verification your title company would normally do at home. Flights from Miami, New York and Charlotte make a two or three-day viewing trip realistic, which is why most US buyers tour in person.
Typical goal from this market
Orientation, not a rule: US buyers most often arrive with a rental-income case first — a condo in the Bávaro–Los Corales belt or a golf-side unit in Cana Bay — followed by a second-home or eventual-retirement plan. East Coast buyers weight flight time heavily and often prefer the beach corridor; buyers already familiar with the Caribbean more often look at Cap Cana.
Flights and time on the ground
Punta Cana International (PUJ) has direct service from most large US East Coast hubs, with typical flight times of roughly 2–4 hours from Florida and the Northeast. PUJ sits inside the corridor, so transfers are short: Bávaro and Vista Cana are usually well under half an hour, Cap Cana a similar range. A viewing trip of two full days on the ground covers four to six zones comfortably.
Remote versus in-person
You can complete remotely with a power of attorney granted to your Dominican lawyer, and many off-plan reservations start that way. We still recommend at least one in-person trip before closing, because the honest distance to a beach, the noise at night and the state of a building's common areas do not photograph.
Where to read next
United States FAQs
- Can a US citizen own property in the Dominican Republic?
- Yes. Foreign nationals, including US citizens, can own freehold title in their own name with the same rights as Dominican buyers. There is no residency requirement to buy.
- Do I need to be in the country to close?
- No. A power of attorney to your independent Dominican lawyer allows a remote closing. Have the POA drafted by your lawyer, not by the seller's.
- What about US taxes on Dominican rental income?
- US persons generally report worldwide income, and the Dominican Republic taxes income sourced there. Treatment depends on your circumstances, so confirm with a cross-border tax adviser — we broker property, not tax advice.
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2026 orientation, not guarantees and not legal advice. No guaranteed ROI, no invented occupancy.