SANTO DOMINGO - Although the Central Bank report does not offer a specific figure for the performance of the real estate sector between January and June, the disaggregated data for the first quarter show a year-on-year growth of 3.3%, in line with the general expansion of non-financial services.
This trend suggests that real estate activity, both in housing and in the rental of commercial spaces, has remained dynamic, driven by several specific factors, such as the increase in mortgage credit, incentive programs for formalization and the stability of interest rates, among others.
Unlike the construction sector, which continues to show losses in the first half of the year, the real estate market has shown resilience, with a constant evolution that makes it a silent axis of stability, without major leaps and without significant setbacks.
In a context where other sectors face greater volatility, the performance of the real estate market represents good news for investors, financial institutions, and developers.
Without haste and without pause
The document states that in the first half of 2025, the real estate and rental sector maintained a moderate and sustained pace, consolidating itself as one of the most stable branches within the broad services sector.
The main driver of real estate growth, according to the Central Bank, has been the increase in housing finance, which grew 14% year-on-year as of March 2025, according to data from the financial system, an expansion that has facilitated access to properties for a middle class captivated by the active residential supply.
The report also cites government initiatives such as "My Happy Home," "Formalize Yourself," and other mass titling plans, which have improved access to bank financing for thousands of families by formalizing property ownership with documents, impacting market formalization and boosting demand, especially outside traditional urban centers.
Although interest rates have been a restrictive factor in other sectors, in the real estate sector they have remained relatively stable, and the environment of controlled inflation and moderate economic growth (2.4% year-on-year) has favored long-term decisions such as buying or renting properties.
Urban demand and post-pandemic commercial reorganization also play a significant role in the stability of the real estate market, as evidenced by the boom in micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), local businesses, and new logistics platforms. These, in turn, have boosted the rental of commercial spaces and offices, particularly in mid-sized cities and metropolitan areas. The need to reorganize spaces post-pandemic has also led to a healthy turnover in the rental market.
According to the Central Bank report, formal employment grew by 66,000 new jobs (in the last quarter alone), and the middle class expanded, broadening the base of people with the capacity to buy or rent homes. This has strengthened domestic demand and generated a real estate market less dependent on high-profile buyers or foreign investment, although those segments still have their specific weight.
Outlook
If current conditions persist, the real estate sector is expected to continue growing between 3% and 4% year-on-year, although this growth will depend in part on maintaining policies that incentivize homeownership, access to credit, and the absence of shocks in interest rates.
The country does not face visible price bubbles or oversupply, which allows for an orderly and sustainable evolution of a sector driven by accessible financing, legal formalization, economic stability and an expanding middle class.
In an economy of disparate rhythms, the Dominican real estate market does not lead the statistics, but neither is it in decline, demonstrating that it is not always necessary to grow fast to grow well.
