By the time you reach closing day on a Casa de Campo property, the hard work — finding the home, negotiating the price, completing due diligence — is mostly done. The closing itself is the formal moment when ownership legally transfers from seller to buyer. It’s also a moment that catches first-time foreign buyers off-guard more than any other phase of the process, simply because the Dominican system is procedurally different from what U.S. or European buyers expect.
This guide walks you through what actually happens on closing day, who’s in the room, what you’ll sign, what to bring, and what can still go wrong even at this late stage.
Quick Refresher: Where Closing Day Fits
In a typical Casa de Campo transaction, closing day comes 45 to 90 days after the Promesa de Venta (promise of sale) is signed. By this point:
- Due diligence on the title is complete
- HOA clearance from the resort has been issued
- The seller has paid any outstanding IPI (property tax) and resort dues
- Your attorney has prepared the Contrato de Venta Definitivo (final deed of sale)
- The 3% transfer tax has been calculated and either paid in advance or scheduled for payment
- Your funds are sitting in your attorney’s escrow account, ready to release
If any of these aren’t done, closing doesn’t happen. Pushing through a closing with unresolved items is the most common preventable mistake we see.
Who Is in the Room
A typical Casa de Campo closing involves five or six people:
- You (the buyer) — or, if closing remotely, your attorney holding your power of attorney
- The seller — also possibly represented by their attorney via POA
- Your attorney — your primary advocate at the table
- The seller’s attorney
- The Notario Público — a state-authorized notary who authenticates the signatures and the document
- Translator (if the buyer isn’t fluent in Spanish — the deed is in Spanish, and the notary will read key sections aloud)
Real estate agents may attend in a supporting role. The notary is not a neutral facilitator — they are the legal authority on the validity of the signing. Their role is critical and worth understanding.
Where Closings Happen
Closings typically take place at the office of one of the attorneys involved, most commonly the seller’s attorney’s office, in either Santo Domingo or La Romana. Some closings happen at the notary’s office. A closing at Casa de Campo itself is rare but possible if all parties prefer.
For foreign buyers closing remotely via power of attorney, the closing happens in the Dominican Republic without your physical presence. Your attorney signs on your behalf using the POA you executed in your home country. You don’t need to fly in.
What You’ll Sign
Three core documents:
1. Contrato de Venta Definitivo (Final Deed of Sale)
This is the operative document. It transfers ownership. It includes:
- Identification of the seller and buyer (legal names, IDs, nationalities)
- Property identification by title number and deslinde (surveyed boundary)
- Purchase price and currency
- Acknowledgment that funds have been received
- Representations and warranties from the seller (clean title, no liens, etc.)
- Description of what’s included (furnishings, fixtures, appliances, club memberships)
- Signatures of both parties, witnessed and authenticated by the notary
2. Acta Notarial
The notarial certificate accompanying the deed. The notary attests to the identity of the parties and the authenticity of the signatures. Without this, the deed cannot be registered.
3. Receipt of Funds and Closing Statement
A separate document acknowledging the wire transfer or payment instruction that completes the financial side of the transaction. Your attorney will provide a written statement showing exactly where every dollar went — purchase price to seller, transfer tax to government, attorney fees, notary fees, registration costs, title insurance premium if applicable, and any remaining balance returned to you.
What to Bring (or Send in Advance)
For foreign buyers, most documents have been provided in advance during due diligence. On closing day itself, you (or your attorney via POA) will need:
- Original passport (or certified copy if using POA)
- Power of attorney (if not closing in person — already authenticated/apostilled)
- Proof of funds origin — the bank wire confirmation showing the source of the closing funds
- Marital status documentation — if relevant (some closings require a spouse’s consent or proof of single status)
- Translation services — if you don’t speak Spanish, arrange a translator in advance
Your attorney should send a complete document checklist 2 to 3 weeks before closing. If they haven’t, ask for one.
The Sequence of Events on Closing Day
A typical Casa de Campo closing runs 60 to 90 minutes from start to finish:
- Pre-signing review. Both attorneys review the final deed one last time. Any corrections (typos, last-minute changes to what’s included) are made before signing.
- Identity verification. The notary verifies passports and IDs of all signatories.
- Reading of the deed. The notary reads aloud the key sections of the deed in Spanish. If you’re a non-Spanish speaker present in person, this is when your translator is essential.
- Funds confirmation. Your attorney confirms the wire transfer or escrow release. The seller’s attorney confirms receipt. No deed is signed until funds are confirmed.
- Signatures. Both parties sign. The notary authenticates with their seal and signature.
- Key handover. The seller hands over keys, garage door openers, alarm codes, gate access cards, golf cart, and any documents related to the property (warranties, owner’s manuals, service records, HOA correspondence).
- Final accounting. Your attorney provides the closing statement and answers any final questions.
You are now the owner.
What Happens After Closing
Closing is the end of the negotiation phase but the beginning of the administrative phase:
- Days 1–14: Your attorney files the signed deed with the Registro de Títulos (Title Registry) and pays the 3% transfer tax if not already paid.
- Days 14–90: The registry processes the transfer. Six to twelve weeks is typical.
- End of day 90 (approximately): You receive the new Certificado de Título in your name, mailed to your attorney.
During this period, you legally own the property. You can move in, rent it, renovate it — anything an owner can do. The public record simply hasn’t caught up yet.
Things That Can Still Go Wrong at Closing
Most issues are caught in due diligence, but a few can surface on closing day. Forewarned is forearmed:
- Last-minute title encumbrances. A judicial annotation can be filed between the title search and closing day. Your attorney should pull the title one more time the morning of closing.
- Seller’s wire instructions changing. Wire fraud targeting real estate closings is a real risk. If wire instructions are sent or “updated” by email shortly before closing, your attorney should verify by phone with the seller’s attorney directly using a previously known number.
- HOA dues coming current at the last minute. Casa de Campo will not issue clearance if dues are outstanding. If the seller hasn’t paid, closing is delayed.
- Surprises in furniture/inclusions. If the Promesa de Venta lists specific items as included and they’re missing from the property on closing day, the deed should not be signed until the issue is resolved.
- Translator no-show. If you’re closing in person and your translator doesn’t appear, postpone. Don’t sign a Spanish-language deed you don’t fully understand.
The discipline at this stage is simple: if anything is wrong, postpone. A delayed closing is annoying. A bad closing is expensive.
Closing-Day Costs You’ll See on the Statement
By the time you close, you should already have a draft closing statement from your attorney. The line items typically include:
- Purchase price to seller (wired or released from escrow)
- 3% transfer tax to Dominican government (paid before registration)
- Attorney fees (1% to 1.5% of purchase price)
- Notary fees (0.25% to 0.5%)
- Registration and stamps (~0.25%)
- Title insurance premium if you elected coverage (0.5% to 1% one-time)
- HOA transfer fee (Casa de Campo’s one-time charge to the resort)
- Bank wire fees and currency conversion costs
Total: typically 4.5% to 6% of the purchase price in addition to the price itself.
How to Prepare in the Final Two Weeks
A short pre-closing checklist:
- Confirm with your attorney that all due diligence items have cleared
- Confirm HOA clearance has been issued by Casa de Campo
- Wire your funds to your attorney’s escrow account at least 5 business days before closing
- Confirm the closing date, time, location, and attendees in writing
- Confirm translation services if attending in person without Spanish fluency
- Re-read the Promesa de Venta and the draft deed — every line
- Have your attorney pull the title one more time the morning of closing
- Bring your passport. Bring it again. Bring two copies.
Why Working With an Experienced Buyer’s Agent Matters
The single biggest variable in how smoothly a closing goes is the quality of representation on the buyer’s side. An experienced buyer’s agent and an experienced Dominican real estate attorney working together will catch issues weeks before closing day. An inexperienced team or unrepresented buyer is the most common source of last-minute problems.
We’ve represented buyers across more than 200 closings inside Casa de Campo since 2008. Schedule a consultation or email info@caribbeanparadisehomes.com to discuss your transaction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be physically in the Dominican Republic for closing?
No. You can close remotely by granting power of attorney to your Dominican attorney. The POA is authenticated by a notary or apostille service in your home country, and your attorney signs on your behalf in front of the Dominican notary.
Can I bring my own attorney from my home country?
You can have your home-country attorney advise you, but the closing must be conducted under Dominican law by a Dominican notary, using a deed prepared by a Dominican attorney. Foreign attorneys cannot execute the closing.
What if I want to walk through the property one last time before signing?
You should. A final walk-through 1 to 3 days before closing is standard and recommended. If anything is materially different from the Promesa de Venta (missing furniture, damage, etc.), raise it immediately.
What time does closing usually happen?
Late morning is most common. Allow 2 hours blocked off for the meeting itself, even though the actual signing usually takes 60 to 90 minutes.
Can I get a refund of my deposit if I back out at the last minute?
It depends on what the Promesa de Venta says. Typically the deposit is forfeit if the buyer backs out without a covered reason; if the seller backs out, the buyer recovers the deposit and may be entitled to damages. The contract language controls — read it carefully when you sign the Promesa de Venta, not when you’re trying to walk away.
How soon after closing can I move in or rent the property out?
Immediately. You take possession at closing. Many international buyers list their property for short-term rentals within days of closing, while the registered title is still being processed.
Caribbean Paradise Homes is a licensed real estate brokerage based in Casa de Campo, La Romana. We exclusively represent buyers and walk every client through the closing process step by step. For a consultation, contact us at info@caribbeanparadisehomes.com.
