Housing demand continues to grow, mortgage lending has increased by 86% since 2019, and banks are seeking to attract the diaspora with concrete offers because they see it as a key player in the real estate business.
SANTO DOMINGO. – Brenda R. is 50 years old and has lived in New Jersey for three decades. Like most Dominicans, her dream is to own her own home so she can retire peacefully in her homeland. “This cold is getting worse and worse, and I’m tired of working 16 hours a day. Enough is enough,” she says, staring blankly ahead, her eyes wide and her heart in the yard of her childhood home.
Their plan is clear and perfectly normal within the community: tobuy a home in Santo Domingo. But inevitable questions arise: Is it safe to invest from abroad? What do Dominican banks offer? What resources are available to them as part of the diaspora?
A market awaits them.
Dominicans living abroad are one of the mainstays of the Dominican real estate sector. The Central Bank reports that between January and August 2025, the country received more than US$7.921 billion in remittances, over 80% of which came from the United States— a flow of money that not only fuels consumption but also drives home purchases.
There are no exact figures on how many homes Dominicans buy abroad, but there are clear signs: more and more financial institutions are organizing real estate fairs in New York and Lawrence. Banreservas alone has generated applications for over RD$8.5 billion for some 1,800 properties , and the message is clear: the banking sector knows there are people abroad who want to invest in the country.
Opening doors
Banreservas is the bank that has been most aggressive in its efforts to win over the diaspora. It began its fairs in the United States in 2024 and held a second edition in 2025. Its real estate fairs in the U.S. offer direct access to developers and financing.
At ExpoHogar 2025, it approved loans for RD$7 billion for more than 1,300 homes , and although it does not specify how many correspond to Dominicans abroad, it is evident that this group is the main target audience.
Banco BHD has been participating in real estate fairs in New York since 2023 and continued with annual events in 2024 and 2025. These fairs in New York have positioned the bank as a valuable resource for Dominicans residing there, offering mortgages, advisory services, and financing options to facilitate home purchases without requiring travel to the Dominican Republic. These activities aim to alleviate mistrust and provide a secure channel for those buying from abroad.
For its part, Banco Popular participates in trade shows and supports events for developers. It offers a mortgage product in dollars, designed for clients with income in that currency, which aligns with the diaspora in the U.S. In 2024, its mortgage portfolio reached RD$62 billion, more than 3,500 clients, and its presence in the real estate market is solid.
Brenda seeks security.
Doubts took hold of Brenda when she seriously considered investing: “When you live abroad, you just think, ‘What if I get scammed… it happened to so-and-so?’” In a way, she's learning from others' mistakes.
But it turns out that Brenda has access to the Guide to Safely Acquiring a Home, prepared by the Ministry of Housing, Habitat, and Buildings (MIVHED), designed to guide Dominicans abroad. She also has the Single Consular Power of Attorney implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which allows her to delegate legal procedures to a representative in the Dominican Republic, eliminating the need for travel or dealing with multiple notary processes.
Furthermore, there's the Happy Family, which recognizes the diaspora as beneficiaries: in one round of applications, up to 40% of applicants purchased homes to secure their families in the Dominican Republic, and nearly half planned to return to the country upon retirement.
Investment climate?
The outlook for Brenda and every Dominican looking to buy property in the country is as follows: housing demand continues to grow,mortgage lending has increased by 86% since 2019 , and banks are seeking to attract the diaspora with concrete offers.
There are no official figures that accurately report how many mortgages are granted to Dominicans abroad, but trade fairs, products priced in dollars, and public programs are signs that the groundwork is laid. For Brenda, the context is encouraging, as she has the following advantages:
– Fairs and banking programs that put her in direct contact with real estate projects.
– Legal and security tools (such as the Single Consular Power of Attorney) for risk-free purchases.
– Financing options in pesos or dollars tailored to your U.S. income.
Clearly, the banking sector has its sights set on the diaspora and sees it as a key player in the real estate business. What's lacking are clear statistics on how many Dominicans residing in the United States have already taken the step. The number of applications and the attention the banks are giving to the issue speak for themselves.
Now, Brenda has a wider range of options than she imagined, along with greater clarity and security than her sister, who tried ten years earlier and was scammed. The challenge will be choosing the bank, the interest rate, and the property that best suit her plans.
It is likely that for the first time, she will feel that the country is also waiting for her with open arms.
Back and forth, and from there to here
| Bank | Event | Date | Reported requests | Sales / approved financing |
| Banreservas | NY/Lawrence Real Estate Fair (1st ed.) | March 2024 | >RD$8.5 billion (≈1,800 properties requested) | Initial approvals >RD$5 billion; availability of RD$7 billion |
| Banreservas | NY/Lawrence Real Estate Fair (2nd ed.) | May 2025 | RD$8.5 billion | RD$3,106 million (partial data only) |
| Banreservas | Madrid Real Estate Fair | March 2025 | RD$1.35 billion | RD$3.7 billion approved for developers (direct sales to buyers not yet detailed) |
| BHD | NY Real Estate Fair (3rd ed.) | 2025 | Figure not provided | Figure not provided |
| BHD | NY Real Estate Fair (2nd ed.) | 2024 | Figure not provided | Figure not provided |
| BHD | NY Real Estate Fair (1st ed.) | 2023 | Figure not provided | Figure not provided |
Looking at Spain
Although more tentatively, banks are also eyeing Dominicans living in Spain. In March 2025, Banreservas held its first Real Estate Fair in Madrid, in collaboration with the Dominican Republic Consulate in Spain. There, it offered buyers fixed interest rates of 10% for seven years and developers preferential rates for one year.
The event drew over 3,200 attendees during its three-day run, generating RD$1.35 billion for home purchases in the Dominican Republic. Additionally, Banreservas approved RD$3.7 billion in financing for real estate developers, aiming to strengthen the range of housing projects that the Dominican diaspora was able to explore firsthand in the Spanish capital.
Teresa, a cousin of Brenda who lives in the Vallecas neighborhood of Madrid, already has her mortgage which she acquired at the fair last March; she was the one who called her, reassured her and excited her.
