Wait…Is This REALLY The Punta Cana Condo I Ordered?
Jamie Gruber
9,037 views
I bought a condo in Punta Cana before it was built, and in this final walkthrough I show you the before and after, what I actually got, and how I'm renting it for $1,500 a month guaranteed. This is Maple Suites in Cortecito, about a block from the beach, and I'm roughly 30 days from taking delivery.
🌴 Join the DR Inner Circle, my community of people living in, moving to, and investing in the Dominican Republic: https://www.jamiegruber.com
📬 Get The Daily DR, my daily newsletter on Dominican Republic news for real estate buyers and investors: https://www.jamiegruber.com/newsletter
RESOURCES
Want to connect with Boardwalk Developments or any of my trusted partners (attorneys, inspectors, realtors, insurance, mortgage)? Start here: https://www.jamiegruber.com/referrals
DISCLAIMER
I have a referral arrangement with Boardwalk Developments and may be compensated if you buy through my introduction. The same goes for many partners I recommend. Nothing in this video is financial, legal, or tax advice. Prices, rental rates, and occupancy numbers are approximate, based on my own experience and conversations with owners and hosts, and they change. Do your own due diligence and work with a qualified local attorney before buying property in the Dominican Republic.
ABOUT THIS VIDEO
Buying pre-construction in Punta Cana is one of the most common ways Americans and Canadians invest in the Dominican Republic, and one of the most nerve-wracking. You're wiring money for something that doesn't exist yet. So I've been documenting my condo at Maple Suites from bare concrete to almost done, and this is the walkthrough right before delivery.
Here's what I cover:
Did I get what I paid for? The unit looks great so far, but I found a couple of balcony railings that feel wobblier than I'd like. I'm hiring a local home inspector at delivery and I'll share whatever she finds, good or bad.
Was it delivered on time? No. It's roughly 1.5 to 2 years behind the original timeline. That's common across the DR right now, and if you need to move in by a specific date, it matters a lot. For me as an investor, it didn't change the deal.
Has the value gone up? When I first looked, units here were around $170K. The last remaining units are now closer to $220K to $230K.
Why Cortecito? I'm honest about the downsides: seasonal sargassum, beach erosion, rough roads, and drainage problems. I see those as value-add issues in a high-demand location between Los Corales and the resort zone, and some of them are already being fixed. I explain my full reasoning in the video.
What it really costs to furnish. In the DR, new condos often don't include appliances, AC split units, or light fixtures. I walk through how we're handling it.
The rental plan. Airbnb rates and occupancy in Cortecito are among the strongest I've seen in Punta Cana, but instead of Airbnb, I'm renting it back to the developer through her Where Veterans Are VIP program, tied to the Veterans Care International clinic in the building. That's $1,500 a month guaranteed for two to three years, and I explain what I expect to net. This program is only available to owners in Boardwalk's own buildings.
If you're thinking about buying pre-construction in Punta Cana for rental income, this video gives you the real picture, including the parts nobody puts in the brochure.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Buying a Pre-Construction Condo in Punta Cana: Final Walkthrough
0:21 Maple Suites Cortecito Construction: Before and After
1:05 Veterans Clinic and Pool Area Progress
1:35 My Punta Cana Condo Before and After: Kitchen, Bath, Bedroom
2:54 Balcony Railing Issue and Choosing a Quiet Unit Location
5:00 Tour of a Finished Unit With Upgraded Finishes
6:12 How Much Punta Cana Condo Prices Have Gone Up
6:55 Did the Developer Deliver What Was Promised? Home Inspection Plan
8:13 Construction Delays in the Dominican Republic
9:08 Why I Bought in Cortecito: Sargassum, Roads, Drainage and Erosion
11:31 My Relationship With the Developer (Full Disclosure)
12:11 Furnishing a Condo in the DR: Appliances and AC Not Included
13:07 Airbnb Rates and Occupancy in Cortecito, Punta Cana
14:03 $1,500 a Month Guaranteed Rent: Where Veterans Are VIP
16:30 Buying Property in the DR Is Different: Build Your Investment Thesis
16 Comments
Some condos are offered with A/C in the bedroom and installation ready for the living room…or any other appliances. Before the closing date, I visited the property and I saw an A/C unit in the living room already installed, dishwasher, washer/dryer. I asked why because I didn’t order it. I don’t remember the whole excuse why but they said if you don’t want it we will take it out.
At the time of closing they were adamant about me paying it. I decided to leave the appliances to avoid the nuances of going to the store and installation.
Two months later after the closing the A/C and washer/dryer had issues that required service and buying parts. Guess, it was out of warranty because it was installed months before without me having to order or authorised.
Lesson: if the developers made business with the appliance’s distributor and then insist that you pay, before you give them your money request a warranty based on the date of the closing/you are receiving your condo. This for that.
See you November @ Inner Circle meet up 🫶🏼
Your Friendly Builder !
12k a year in net proceeds on a property that if you bought today cost 220k thats about 5.5% return. Plus 3-5% increase in value per year. Pretty solid.
I started at 220k since the value you get from buying early you could prob get as market returns as well investing those funds.
Wait…Is This REALLY The Punta Cana Condo I Ordered?
Jamie Gruber
9,037 views
I bought a condo in Punta Cana before it was built, and in this final walkthrough I show you the before and after, what I actually got, and how I'm renting it for $1,500 a month guaranteed. This is Maple Suites in Cortecito, about a block from the beach, and I'm roughly 30 days from taking delivery.
🌴 Join the DR Inner Circle, my community of people living in, moving to, and investing in the Dominican Republic: https://www.jamiegruber.com
📬 Get The Daily DR, my daily newsletter on Dominican Republic news for real estate buyers and investors: https://www.jamiegruber.com/newsletter
RESOURCES
Want to connect with Boardwalk Developments or any of my trusted partners (attorneys, inspectors, realtors, insurance, mortgage)? Start here: https://www.jamiegruber.com/referrals
DISCLAIMER
I have a referral arrangement with Boardwalk Developments and may be compensated if you buy through my introduction. The same goes for many partners I recommend. Nothing in this video is financial, legal, or tax advice. Prices, rental rates, and occupancy numbers are approximate, based on my own experience and conversations with owners and hosts, and they change. Do your own due diligence and work with a qualified local attorney before buying property in the Dominican Republic.
ABOUT THIS VIDEO
Buying pre-construction in Punta Cana is one of the most common ways Americans and Canadians invest in the Dominican Republic, and one of the most nerve-wracking. You're wiring money for something that doesn't exist yet. So I've been documenting my condo at Maple Suites from bare concrete to almost done, and this is the walkthrough right before delivery.
Here's what I cover:
Did I get what I paid for? The unit looks great so far, but I found a couple of balcony railings that feel wobblier than I'd like. I'm hiring a local home inspector at delivery and I'll share whatever she finds, good or bad.
Was it delivered on time? No. It's roughly 1.5 to 2 years behind the original timeline. That's common across the DR right now, and if you need to move in by a specific date, it matters a lot. For me as an investor, it didn't change the deal.
Has the value gone up? When I first looked, units here were around $170K. The last remaining units are now closer to $220K to $230K.
Why Cortecito? I'm honest about the downsides: seasonal sargassum, beach erosion, rough roads, and drainage problems. I see those as value-add issues in a high-demand location between Los Corales and the resort zone, and some of them are already being fixed. I explain my full reasoning in the video.
What it really costs to furnish. In the DR, new condos often don't include appliances, AC split units, or light fixtures. I walk through how we're handling it.
The rental plan. Airbnb rates and occupancy in Cortecito are among the strongest I've seen in Punta Cana, but instead of Airbnb, I'm renting it back to the developer through her Where Veterans Are VIP program, tied to the Veterans Care International clinic in the building. That's $1,500 a month guaranteed for two to three years, and I explain what I expect to net. This program is only available to owners in Boardwalk's own buildings.
If you're thinking about buying pre-construction in Punta Cana for rental income, this video gives you the real picture, including the parts nobody puts in the brochure.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Buying a Pre-Construction Condo in Punta Cana: Final Walkthrough
0:21 Maple Suites Cortecito Construction: Before and After
1:05 Veterans Clinic and Pool Area Progress
1:35 My Punta Cana Condo Before and After: Kitchen, Bath, Bedroom
2:54 Balcony Railing Issue and Choosing a Quiet Unit Location
5:00 Tour of a Finished Unit With Upgraded Finishes
6:12 How Much Punta Cana Condo Prices Have Gone Up
6:55 Did the Developer Deliver What Was Promised? Home Inspection Plan
8:13 Construction Delays in the Dominican Republic
9:08 Why I Bought in Cortecito: Sargassum, Roads, Drainage and Erosion
11:31 My Relationship With the Developer (Full Disclosure)
12:11 Furnishing a Condo in the DR: Appliances and AC Not Included
13:07 Airbnb Rates and Occupancy in Cortecito, Punta Cana
14:03 $1,500 a Month Guaranteed Rent: Where Veterans Are VIP
16:30 Buying Property in the DR Is Different: Build Your Investment Thesis