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Punta Cana
§ For international buyers · exclusively Higüey · La Altagracia · Punta Cana

Buy, own, and pass on Dominican property with confidence.

Whether you're buying, already own, are resolving a dispute, or are inheriting property in the Dominican Republic, costly mistakes happen the same way: too late, in a system you don't fully understand. I help foreign buyers, investors, and families protect their property interests with local legal insight backed by real court data.
✓ Trained at the Dominican Republic's leading law firm ✓ 3,000+ court decisions analyzed ✓ English & Spanish ✓ Punta Cana · Bávaro · Cap Cana
The database
3,000 +
Court decisions mapped · La Altagracia
Jurisdiction Higüey civil courts
Tracked "Force majeure" outcomes
Pattern Which judges order delivery
Scope Foreign buyers only
Find your situation · § 02

Which situation describes you?

Buying, owning, or inheriting property in the Dominican Republic should feel exciting—not risky. Find your situation and see exactly how I can help.

I'm Buying Property

Due diligence · Title review · Contract review
You've found the property. Before you wire a dollar, you want confidence in the title, the developer, and the contract you're signing.
Learn More →

I Already Own Property

Ownership issues · Compliance · Title matters
You already own property in the Dominican Republic and want to keep it protected, compliant, and ready for the future.
Learn More →

My Developer Is Failing Me

Delays · Refunds · Force-majeure claims
The project isn't moving, deadlines keep shifting, and you're worried about your investment. You want answers, leverage, and a clear path forward.
Learn More →

I'm Inheriting Property

Succession · Probate · Estate planning
Inheriting Dominican property involves legal rules most foreign families never encounter at home. I help make the process clear, manageable, and efficient—even from abroad.
Learn More →
The Caribbean Counsel database · § 04

Most lawyers read your contract. I've studied how courts interpret it.

What we track
Why it matters to you
Delivery delays
Shows when the buyer gains the right to rescission or compensation.
Force majeure claims
Predicts whether your developer's excuse stands or collapses.
Contract disputes
Reveals which clauses local judges enforce and which they routinely reject.
Refund claims
Tracks deposit and payment recovery outcomes across La Altagracia courts.
Pricing disputes
Documents how courts handle unjustified price increases imposed after signing.
Years of studying real rulings have shown me which contracts, clauses, and situations tend to create problems. That's what I look for in yours—before there is ever a dispute to solve. Caribbean Counsel reads a Dominican purchase contract against the way La Altagracia judges have actually ruled, because a clause that looks standard on paper may carry very little weight once a court examines it.
Recent matters · § 05

Real examples. Real outcomes.

Due Diligence

Due Diligence That Prevented A Bad Purchase

During a title and contract review on a Cap Cana acquisition, I identified issues that would have left the buyer exposed to significant legal and financial risk.

The client chose not to proceed.

That was the win.
Developer Dispute

A Full Developer Refund Recovered

A Canadian buyer had waited more than two years for delivery of a Bávaro project.

Using local jurisprudence and a formal legal demand, I secured a complete contract rescission and full refund without litigation.
Estate & Succession

A Cross-Border Succession Completed Remotely

An international family needed to transfer inherited Dominican property without traveling to the country.

I coordinated the succession process from abroad through completion.
Details adjusted to protect client privacy.
Why local counsel · § 03

Foreign property ownership works differently here.

Under Dominican law, a dispute over real estate is generally decided by the courts that hold territorial jurisdiction over the property itself, and Caribbean Counsel represents foreign owners in the La Altagracia courts that cover Punta Cana, Bávaro, and Cap Cana.

Developer Contracts Aren't Written With Foreign Buyers In Mind

Many risks aren't obvious until a project is delayed, modified, or fails to deliver as promised. I review agreements with the benefit of seeing how these situations unfold in practice.

Local Courts Decide The Outcome

Property disputes are resolved under Dominican law, in Dominican courts—not under the laws of your home country. Understanding how local judges actually interpret these matters can make all the difference.

Inheritance Follows Different Rules

Dominican succession law can produce outcomes foreign families never expect. With proper planning, your own national law may be able to govern instead.
Esteban A. Sánchez · Counsel
Esteban A. Sánchez · Counsel
Meet Esteban · § 06

Local counsel. Direct access.

Esteban A. Sánchez · Real Estate Counsel
For ten years I have practised Dominican real estate and litigation at the Dominican Republic's leading law firm, helping foreign buyers, investors, and families with transactions, developer disputes, and succession matters. I am based in Punta Cana, where most foreign purchases in the Dominican Republic are made. I trained in negotiation under Carlos Jordana, professor at ESADE, and through the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, and my work draws on a private research corpus of roughly 99,000 Dominican court decisions. When you work with me, you work directly with me. Not a call center. Not a rotating associate. Not a case manager. Caribbean Counsel represents buyers, owners, and heirs only, and never the developer, the seller, or the agent on the other side of the same transaction.
Read My Story →
Frequently asked · § 08

Common questions

Do I need a lawyer to buy property in Punta Cana? +
Strongly recommended. A Dominican property purchase involves title investigation, contract review, government registries, tax considerations, and multiple legal steps before ownership is fully secured.
Can foreigners own property in the Dominican Republic? +
Yes. Foreign buyers enjoy the same ownership rights as Dominican citizens for most residential and investment properties.
How much does due diligence cost? +
It depends on the transaction, but it is typically a small fraction of the purchase price and often the most cost-effective protection available.
Can I recover my deposit from a developer? +
Often, yes. The answer depends on your contract, the facts of the case, and the remedies available under Dominican law.
What happens if I inherit property in the Dominican Republic? +
Dominican succession rules apply by default, and the transfer must go through a legal process before ownership can be updated and transferred to heirs.
How long does probate take? +
Most cross-border successions take several months, depending on documentation, apostilles, and registry requirements. Many aspects can be handled remotely.
Does Caribbean Counsel work with developers? +
No. Caribbean Counsel represents buyers, owners, and heirs only, and does not accept work from developers, sellers, or listing agents in the same transaction. That single restriction removes the conflict of interest that arises when the person reviewing a contract also depends on the developer for future business. Foreign buyers get advice written for their side alone.
Can everything be handled remotely? +
In most cases, yes. A foreign client can sign a Dominican power of attorney abroad, have it apostilled, and authorize Caribbean Counsel to handle registry filings, tax steps, and closing formalities locally. Document review, due diligence findings, and dispute strategy are discussed by video or phone, so travel to the Dominican Republic is usually optional rather than required.
How are fees structured? +
Caribbean Counsel quotes fees in writing before any work starts, and the structure depends on the matter. Transactional work such as due diligence and closing is usually scoped as a defined engagement, while disputes are typically handled on an agreed retainer or hourly basis. Clients are told what is included and what is not before they commit.
How fast do they respond? +
Caribbean Counsel answers new inquiries directly, without a call center or intake team in between. The office works Monday through Friday, 09:00 to 18:00 Atlantic Standard Time, and messages sent through WhatsApp or email are reviewed in that window. Clients with an active matter reach the same attorney who handled their file from the start.
Free self-assessment · 2 minutes
Is your developer in breach? Find out where you stand.
A few quick questions. A preliminary read on your position under Dominican law.
Developer dispute assessment A few questions · instant result
This is a preliminary assessment, not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
The next step · § 09

Protect your investment before problems become expensive.

The best time to involve a lawyer is before you sign—not after. One informed decision today can save you what's hardest to recover tomorrow: your money, your time, and your peace of mind.
Book a Property Review → WhatsApp +1 809 484 8889
Verified Google reviews

What real clients say about working with Esteban.

5.0 · 5 reviews on Google

If you are looking for the best attorneys in Punta Cana, give Esteban and team a call at Guzman Ariza. We've used them multiple times for various real estate related issues and we could not have asked for a better outcomes. If we ever need an attorney in the DR again, it will definitely be with Esteban!

Jeffrey Hill · Google review

Esteban Sanchez was a great help to my case regarding a lease issue in Vista Cana. If you're looking for someone who has great communication and a great work ethic I would definitely recommend Esteban as your lawyer in Punta Cana.

Jaay Bond · Google review

I had a really great experience with attorney Esteban Sanchez and the rest of the staff at Guzman Ariza! I needed some documents in a rush for the sale of a property back home and they got everything done perfectly and expeditiously! I highly recommend Esteban and the rest of the staff at Guzman Ariza!

Rodney Montoya · Google review

Estaban is great, communicative and attentive lawyer. He had our best interest at heart and we were pleased with the overall experience.

Tianna Ashley · Google review

Absolutely amazing! Such a professional and well rounded Attorney. So many talents from law to personal connection that helped so much! In good hands with this man!

Albert Riibe · Google review
Read all on Google