The New Direction Of Real Estate Brokerage In The Dominican Republic

The real estate offer today is everywhere: social networks, billboards, digital newspapers, off-plan projects, tourist villas, short-term rentals and holiday homes. In this context, the Senate recently approved a bill that seeks to regulate real estate brokerage and misleading advertising in the Dominican Republic, an initiative that was sent to the Chamber of Deputies and that could introduce new rules for brokers, agencies, developers and real estate developers.

The discussion comes at a time of market growth. Foreign direct investment reached an all-time high of US$5,032.3 million in 2025, with a relevant participation of tourism and real estate; and, at the end of March 2026, the Central Bank reported US$1,536.7 million in FDI, with a significant presence of tourism and real estate development.

Until now, real estate agents were already subject to certain controls, but mainly from the prevention of money laundering. Law No. 155-17 includes them as non-financial obligated entities when they intervene in real estate sales, and DGII General Rule No. 03-2018 develops duties such as identifying the client, verifying the final beneficiary, knowing the origin of the funds, reporting suspicious transactions and keeping documentation.

The new project goes further: it does not look at the corridor only from the anti-money laundering perspective, but as a professional, commercial and consumer protection activity.

• One of the main novelties is the requirement of a license. If the law is approved, not only brokers and agencies must be authorized, but also promoters and developers who directly sell their own projects.

In addition, a public and free registry is created, useful for any buyer to verify if the person offering them a property is authorized to carry out that activity.

The project also imposes specific duties: to inform the client about commitments and risks, to verify public information about the property, to act with transparency, to put the client’s interests first, to comply with tax obligations, and to ensure that the advertising is truthful, verifiable, clear and precise. It also requires that, before any operation, the agent or agency and its client sign a written document stating the contracted service and the agreed commission.

Another central point is misleading advertising. The project considers misleading any information, communication, message or commercial practice that may mislead about the characteristics, availability, price, conditions of sale, delivery or other relevant aspects of a property. In times of renderings, promises of profitability, promotional videos and aggressively advertised amenities, this may be one of the most important parts of the future law.

The proposal contemplates sanctions for minor, serious and very serious infractions, including written warning, fines, suspension of licenses, cancellation of registration and exclusion from the regulated market. Among the most sensitive behaviors are operating without a license, offering properties without written authorization from the owner, charging commissions not agreed in writing, carrying out fraudulent acts or proposing operations with legal or financial risks without warning the client.

However, the true scope of the reform will still depend on two key steps: its approval in the Chamber of Deputies and the subsequent issuance of the implementing regulations. This regulation will be decisive in clarifying processes that are not yet fully defined, especially the authorization procedure, the practical requirements to obtain licenses and the implementation of the General Directorate of Real Estate Registration, Control and Intermediation within the Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings. Attention should also be paid to the requirement of migratory residence for foreign agents, since in practice many Dominican projects, especially in tourist areas, are promoted and sold abroad by international agents who do not necessarily reside in the country. The key will be to find a middle ground: rules strong enough to order the market and protect the buyer, but not so strict or bureaucratic that they unnecessarily curb investment, employment and real estate development.

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