When our children were small, my husband and I had always said that when they were grown, we would sail the Caribbean for a few years before easing into retirement. At that time, I didn't realize that I would be 103 and in a wheel chair before I was able to retire. Last May, my husband and I came to the Dominican Republic for the first time for a holiday. Little did I know that my excellent adventure was about to begin.



Tom and I settled in to a very nice all inclusive resort in Punta Cana. Over the years, we had visited many Caribbean islands but nothing prepared us for the beauty of Punta Cana and the inherent friendliness of the people living here.

Bavaro Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. You can walk for 20 miles on this palm tree studded beach without interruption. Here and there, you will find little beach bars where you can stop for a cold drink or a local meal served with a big smile.

We are quite adventurous and like to explore each area that we visit. It seemed to us that the entire Punta Cana area was exploding with new communities and golf courses. Wow, I thought. What's going on here?

I started talking to people and soon had some answers. I was told that in the last couple of years the government has been very pro-active in attracting quality investors. They are very busy improving the infra-structure of the area. For example, the new highway will be complete in the next year. When complete, the highway will bring Punta Cana 1 1/2 hours closer to the capitol, Santo Domingo. The government has also instituted a bill that calls for no property taxes on the first $150,000 of any property bought. Better yet, I thought, property here has been appreciating at 20-25% per year and the occupancy rate is at 86%.

The more I learned, the more excited I became. I knew that I wanted to be part of the vibrancy of Punta Cana.

So...........Tom and I had a "Prayer Session". I would leave my career in Atlanta and become one of the first America real estate agents in Punta Cana. Tom would stay behind and maintain his job until I got things up to speed here. This would be the "fall back" position to our old dream.

I moved here in July. Do I miss my family? Certainly!! Am I happy that I made the leap? With no doubt! Americans are just beginning to discover this beautiful island. I'm now lucky enough to be a part of a small real estate team whose values and goals are the same as mine.

I like to think that I'm now a welcoming committee of one to greet fellow Americans as they discover the Dominican Republic.

Come on down!!! I'll be waiting to meet you!