Property Management in Cabarete

What a Cabarete property manager actually handles

A full-service contract here covers much more than handing over keys. Expect a manager to:

• list the property, set prices and answer guests, often in several languages
• arrange cleaning, laundry and restocking between stays
• collect rent from long-stay tenants and keep records under a written contract
• pay the Edenorte bill, the internet and the cuota de mantenimiento
• coordinate pool, garden and air-conditioning technicians
• visit empty units regularly and report back with photos

Owners who spend part of the year in Cabarete often switch between modes: rental while they are away, home watch while family uses the place. Ask whether a company can do both under one agreement.

Wind, salt and sand: maintenance on the beach

The same steady trade winds that bring the kiters also carry salt deep into a building. Hinges, door handles, outdoor lights and air-conditioning condensers corrode faster than they would inland, and sand works its way into sliding door tracks. Good managers in Cabarete budget for this instead of reacting to it: regular cleaning and servicing of AC units, rust treatment on railings, checking window seals and replacing fittings before they fail. When you compare companies, ask to see a sample maintenance schedule and how repairs are approved and invoiced.

Property management fees in Cabarete

Fees vary by company, property and services, but the usual structures are:

• Vacation rentals: about 15–30% of booking revenue, with full-service packages (guest communication, check-in, cleaning coordination, linen, pricing) at the higher end. Cleaning is often charged to guests or billed separately.
• Long-term rentals: about 8–12% of the monthly rent, sometimes with a tenant-placement fee of around half to one month’s rent.
• Home watch: a flat monthly fee.

Quotes are commonly in US dollars, and ITBIS (18%) may be added. Read our guide to property management fees before comparing proposals line by line.

Short stays, long stays and the kite calendar

Cabarete has an unusually strong middle market: people who stay one to three months to kite, surf, learn Spanish or work remotely. That can suit owners who want fewer turnovers than nightly rentals without signing a year-long lease. Tourist or recreational stays of under 90 days fall outside Ley 85-25, the 2025 rental law, which covers ordinary housing leases with written contracts, deposits of up to two months’ rent and evictions only through the courts.

Furnished tourist rentals are generally subject to ITBIS, so the host is expected to register with the DGII and issue fiscal receipts. Check your condo’s reglamento as well, since some complexes set conditions on short stays. Our comparison of long-term vs vacation rentals in Sosúa and Cabarete works through the trade-offs.

Storm season on the north coast

Hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, and the busiest stretch is usually August to October. Beachfront properties need a clear plan: who closes the shutters, who brings furniture in from the terrace, who checks the generator or inverter batteries and fills the cistern. After heavy rain, someone should check ground-floor units for water entry. The hurricane season checklist is a useful starting point for that conversation.

Beaches, neighbourhoods and access

The main beach on Cabarete Bay runs along the town centre, with restaurants and condo buildings right on the sand. Kite Beach, just to the west, is the heart of the kiting scene, and Encuentro, a little further towards Sosúa, is known for its surf breaks. Gated communities stretch along the coast road between the two towns. Puerto Plata’s Gregorio Luperón airport (POP) is the nearest, usually well under an hour by car, which matters when a guest lands late at night.

Questions to ask before you sign

• How do you handle salt-air maintenance, and what does it usually cost?
• Can you price both nightly stays and monthly rentals?
• Who meets guests who arrive on late flights?
• How and how often do you share income, expenses and receipts?
• Are ITBIS and cleaning included in the fee you quoted?
• What is your storm plan for beachfront units?