The market changed. And so did the investors .
Ten or fifteen years ago, most of the inquiries I received were from individual business owners or families who wanted to acquire a property "to own it and/or rent it out and live off the income." Today, the key players are different: investment funds, family offices, and multinational companies that understand that the value of a property lies not only in its walls, but also in its cash flow, stability, and efficiency.
They're no longer simply looking for a retail space, office, plaza, or warehouse.
They're looking for strategic assets with sustainable rents, stable contracts, and prime locations.
The change is structural. The Dominican market has ceased to be a mere asset class and has become a financial asset class, comparable to a diversified investment portfolio.
From traditional owner to institutional investor
We are entering a new phase in the commercial and industrial market. Investors are buying with a long-term vision. They evaluate the location, the tenant profile, the type of contract, management, maintenance, and even the building's carbon footprint.
Today, operating costs per square meter, energy efficiency, and the impact of space on team productivity carry more weight than the lobby's appearance or design.
That's maturity. That's business acumen.
Real-life example: when performance isn't just about percentages
I recently accompanied an institutional fund that was evaluating an investment in a Class A building in Santo Domingo. The annual return was lower than the market average, but the tenant's profile—a multinational company with a ten-year lease—guaranteed stability and future appreciation. They chose security over immediacy. And they gained in solidity.
This type of decision reflects a change in mindset: new investors do not compete on price, but on stability and efficiency.
From emotions to strategy: the professionalization of the market
Previously, many real estate decisions were made based on intuition. Today, they are based on data, metrics, and regional comparisons.
In every negotiation, it is common to bring together finance, operations, technology, human resources and legal at the same table, because occupancy decisions are no longer delegated: they are planned corporately.
I recall an experience with a multinational BPO company. We visited over 20 properties before finalizing our selection. We narrowed it down from 10 options to three. The chosen property wasn't the most modern or the cheapest, but rather the one that could grow with them. Five years later, that same company contacted me again to open their third location. That's the true return: trust, expansion, and long-term commitment.
What investors are looking for today:
1. Sustainable profitability, 10% + annually in USD.
2. Solid corporate tenants and medium- to long-term leases.
3. Locations with growth potential in logistics corridors and financial districts.
4. Efficient and sustainable assets with low operating costs.
5. Expert advisory support throughout the entire cycle: from technical evaluation to after-sales management.
The focus is no longer on "buying cheap." The new mantra is buying smart.
Market thermometer and regional comparison
The Dominican market is showing above-average dynamism for the Caribbean.
Today, the inventory of Class A and B office space exceeds 300,000 m² in Santo Domingo, with occupancy rates close to 95%, and rapid expansion in industrial warehouses and logistics parks in Santiago and Punta Cana.
While markets like Panama or Costa Rica offer returns between 6% and 7%, the Dominican Republic offers higher returns and more competitive entry costs, in addition to a key geostrategic location for nearshoring.
The country is consolidating its position as a logistics and corporate hub in the Caribbean, driven by the growth of free trade zones, BPOs, and regional shared services centers.
The new role of the corporate broker
In this environment, our role has also evolved. We are no longer mere intermediaries.
We are architects of strategic decisions. We analyze financial flows, legal structures, operational efficiency, and growth strategies. We speak the language of the CFO and COO, but we also understand the needs of the architect and the team that will occupy the space.
Our work isn't about showcasing properties. It's about creating sustainable value for businesses and investors through the right space.
The change is already happening in the Dominican Republic
Investment funds, SAFIs (Specialized Investment Funds), and institutional investors have transformed the market in the last five years. Projects that were previously considered unattractive have become star assets due to their stability, cash flow, and expansion potential.
Santo Domingo, Santiago, and Punta Cana are leading this evolution with more sophisticated business ecosystems, greater demand for Class A space, and a long-term vision. The country is moving from the concept of "ownership" to that of "portfolio." And that completely redefines the rules of the game.
Final reflection
Investors used to buy square footage; today they buy strategy. And the broker who understands that difference will set the standard in the coming years. Because true value lies not in the property itself, but in the vision behind it.
