Should I Use a Realtor to Buy a Villa in Bali?

How hard can it be, buying yourself that dream villa in Seminyak or Canggu on the world’s one and only ‘Island of the Gods’? A short scroll on the net and you will find so many amazingly beautiful private pool villas in Bali at the most unbelievable prices. It seems easy-peasy: contact the owner, go see the property, sign the contract and make the payment. There, done – you can now start living the tropical island dream. Hmmm, not really… unfortunately, it is not all that simple! It is definitely possible to find a gorgeous villa at a beautiful price and the process to acquire it can be simple and straightforward, but the dynamic of moving from “How do I do this?” to “Congratulations!” requires just a spoonful more diligence and one or two key decisions early in your ‘process’. Do-it-yourself-practices are not the way to go here!

Bali Real Estate: Go Shop Around to Find the Best Real Estate Agent on the Island:

The short answer to the main question is ‘yes, you really do need a realtor to buy that villa here on the wonderful island of Bali’. Not just any realtor (there are just too many!) but an awesome one with a great deal of knowledge and experience. On top of that, you have to trust and like this person, too. Your Bali real estate agent will be your guide, advisor and negotiator. A good relationship is key to track down that perfect villa and get the right price for it. You need to prepare for some ‘real estate agent shopping’. Ask around, reach out to a couple of them and go and meet the candidates in person (or Skype). If there is any doubt, get out of it! If it all feels good (trust your gut feeling!), the process can start.

Bali Real Estate in a Nutshell: Why Do You Need a Real Estate Agent:

With the help of a real estate agent in Bali, you get lots of advantages and the time that you invest while choosing your agent will pay itself back many fold! Here are a few reasons why you need a real estate agent when buying yourself that perfect villa in Bali:

 

 

• Access to More Properties in Bali

 

Your real estate agent has access to many properties around the island and villa inspections are fairly easily arranged. The agent has got all the contacts and searching for Bali properties through them saves you a lot of time and eliminates getting seduced by high resolution glossy photos of a property that cannot deliver what the buyer requires, even though it “looks really good on the net”.

 

 

• Negotiating the Best Price for Your Bali Property

 

Your seasoned Bali real estate agent will be the one negotiating the very best price for you. You can leave the inspecting and bargaining to him or her – it is their job after all, and it is what they’re good at. With a good, experienced and trustworthy agent on your side, you can be sure you will be getting the best price for you Bali villa!

 

 

• Making the contract

 

A contract should not only involve the Five P’s (property, price, parties, payment terms and penalties) of the transaction but also the special terms and conditions about the villa’s particulars as agreed upon between the seller and the buyer. It should also include the requisite conditions to provide the buyer a way out of the transaction in case of legal or physical impediments that prevent the transaction from settling in a manner that is safe and beneficial to both parties.

 

If the buyer and the seller do not feel that the proposed transaction is a WIN for them, there is not likely to be a deal on the property. When both parties must feel as though there has been some measure of WIN to their negotiation, then all parties WIN and the transition from “potential buyer” to Villa Owner” is we  underway!

 

Are you trying to sell your villa? Check out this article on Laudable Listing Agents.

Somebody told me foreigners cannot own property in Bali, is this true? Yes and no – check out our article about Bali property ownership by foreigners.

4 Great Places to Get Your Coffee Fix in Seminyak

Seminyak is one of Bali’s most popular tourist destinations, buzzing with fashion, style and liveliness, always ahead of the latest trends and the town is home to excellent restaurants, cool cafes, iconic beach clubs and so much more. When it comes down to coffee (and we all need it in the morning!), there is a whole array of places to choose from. So, where to find the coffee bars serving up the best single-origin coffee, cappuccino and lattes? Here are 4 cool places to get your coffee fix in Seminyak:

 

 

1. Revolver Espresso

This is probably the most famous coffee hub in town with its cool rustic and vintage interiors, skilled baristas and great food. In fact, they are the ones that gave the coffee culture in Bali a great kick-start and every coffee lovers travelling to Seminyak has got to check this place out! Revolver Espresso is hidden away in a little gang, just off Oberoi Road. Another option is to head over to Baby Revolver on Jalan Petitenget, a tiny and cosy coffee boutique with the same celebrated Revolver Coffee. Revolver Espresso sources their beans from all over the world and they work closely together with local farmers on the island of Bali. Their single origin coffee comes straight from the coffee farms in the Kintamani highlands and they roast the beans themselves onsite in their roastery. Revolver Espresso grew from a little boutique coffee house into a true icon to Seminyak and Bali. A must-try!

 

Revolver Espresso
Address: Jl. Kayu Aya Gang 51, Seminyak, Kuta, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Contact: 0851-0088-4968
Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday from 7 am to 11 pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 7 am – 11.30 pm

 

2. Pison Coffee

Pison is a pretty cool coffee house on the Petitenget Strip and their coffee is just excellent! Tucked in an eye-catching industrial building, Pison brews their coffees with locally-sourced coffee beans and they get their single origins from Sumatra. This is one of the coolest and best coffee places in town and at some point, you just have to come in for a pit-stop! Oh, did I mention they have got live Jazz bands on some evenings, too?

 

Pison Coffee
Address:  Petitenget Street No.19A, Kerobokan Kelod, North Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali 80361
Contact: 0821-4456-0066
Opening hours: Sunday to Friday from 8 am to 11 pm and Saturdays from 8 am to 12 am

 

3. House of Portraits

House of Portraits is a unique find in the buzzing coffee, dining and shopping scenes of cosmopolitan Seminyak. Tucked away on Jalan Nakula near the crossroad where Legian hits Seminyak, House of Portraits is a little art studio and artist himself serves up a great single-origin, manually-brewed cup of coffee for all of his visitors. The setting is cosy and homey as if stepping into someone’s living room or in this case, someone’s art studio. Sit down, have a chat with the artist, admire his paintings and enjoy the coffee with a piece of homemade cake. You can donate whatever you like. The coffee beans are single origin beans, sourced from Bandung in Java. House of Portraits is still very much a hidden gem and it is totally awesome!

 

House of Portraits
Address: Jl. Nakula, Legian, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361
Contact: 0813-3729-4472
Opening hours: every day from 8 am – 6 pm

 

4. The Koop

This coffee bar and roastery is found on Jalan Drupadi, the street that connects Double Six to Oberoi and it makes a great coffee stop in the middle of the road. The Koop sources their organic coffee beans from the Kintamani highlands of Bali and they do their own roasting right there on-site. They also make their own cold-brew coffee and it is absolutely yummy! Delicate and yet so full of flavour. On top of that, this cafe has got its own baking corner. So in short, for organic coffee and homebaked cakes, head over to The Koop!

 

The Koop

Address: Jalan Drupadi No.66 Seminyak, Bali

Contact: +62 857 9627 3239
Opening hours: every day from 7 am – 3 pm

Bali Property Ownership by Foreigners- What You Need to Know Before Investing in Your Island Dream

Whether you want to find yourself the perfect ‘Bali home’ to retire to or you want to buy Bali property for commercial purposes, either way, properties in Bali can be a great investment! Bali is exotic and beautiful, attracting people from all over the world to come over for holiday. Plenty of people find themselves coming back to the island again and again and the number of expats is increasing every year. Daily costs of living are cheap, the temperature is warm and tropical all year long, the local food is absolutely delicious and the list of good things goes on and on.

Bali Property Indonesia

No, you are not the first who came back from your Bali holiday dreaming of buying a private villa on the island of Bali or starting a business at the mercy of the spirits and demons that dwell around here on ‘the island of the Gods’. Bali property ownership is a complicated matter and it does not come without risk. It is important to keep your feet on the ground and dive into the world of Bali Real Estate before you can start living the dream. Here are a couple of things to understand before you make the great plunge:

Owning property in Bali as a foreigner

Let me get straight to the point, foreigners are not allowed to own property in Indonesia. I’ve got two words for you ‘Hak Milik’. Two very important words that stand for ‘right of ownership’ (freehold) and it is something only Indonesian citizens can obtain. Even foreigners married to locals do not share ownership in Bali property of their Indonesian spouse. They have to make a special prenuptial agreement to state they will not make claims for freehold properties owned by their spouse. So, does your dream end here? Hang on, there are other options to live in Bali or start your business.

Buying property in Bali as a foreigner

Foreigners may not be allowed to own property in Indonesia but here is what you can do to realize your island dream. There are several options:

What is Hak Pakai?

Hak Pakai gives foreigners ‘the right to use’. It may not be as strong as ‘right of ownership’ but Hak Pakai gives you the ‘right to use’ and it is the closest foreigners can get to owning property in Bali and Indonesia. Hak Pakai comes with some restrictions and conditions: a) The foreigner needs to obtain a resident stay permit (KITAS) b) The Bali property cannot be used for the purpose of business such as a hotel or restaurant. b) Foreigners can only hold one property. Hak Pakai is the best choice for those foreigners wanting to purchase property to live in such as a Bali Villa. The title allows you to purchase Bali Property to provide you with housing – the property is not intended to be subleased. This would be illegal.

Hak Guna Bangunan – gives foreigners ‘the right to build’

Hak Guna Bangunan stands for ‘the right to build’ and it is meant for foreigners who want to start a business in Indonesia. You will also need to have a PT PMA (foreign investment company). Usually, this title gives foreigners a fixed period of time (can be up to 35 years) and it is extendible for another 25 years.

Hak Sewa – gives foreigners ‘the right to lease’

Hak Sewa is the best option for those island visitors wanting to own a Bali villa. This title gives foreigners the right to lease. What’s great about Hak Sewa is that you could live at this property for 2 months a year or so and rent it out for the rest of the year, gradually earning your investment back. The Owner’s Hak Milik will be legally transferred to Hak Sewa and the leasehold usually has an initial period of up to 25 years, extendable up to 70 years. As mentioned above, under Hak Sewa, foreigners have the right to sub-lease the property to other foreigners, turning it into a possible lucrative business and regular passive income. You will need to attain a rental license called Pondok Wisata if you intend to sub-lease your Bali Property.

The controversial ‘Nominee Agreement’

The Nominee Agreement involves risk. It means buying Bali Freehold Property under the name of an Indonesian citizen purely based on trust. It can and has worked out in some cases but more often, it has turned out ugly. Since buying property in Bali as a foreigner is not possible, a Nominee Agreement is an easy way to avoid the hassle and get things started anyway but one must realize that there is no protection for your investment in this matter whatsoever. It is a risky business and not very advisable. And it is in direct violation of the Indonesian Constitution.

Conclusion

Foreign ownership of property in Indonesia is a complicated matter! You need to understand what is the best option for you and start working towards it with a trustable agent. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you want to gain more information and insights about buying property in Bali as a foreigner. We are ready to answer all of your questions!

Property Firm Releases Three Must Know Bali Property Investment Insights

The property investment experts at Bali Nirmana Property have released information related to purchasing property in Bali. The firm states that those who reside outside of Indonesia and wish to invest in Bali property typically want to enlist the services of a savvy strategist to help minimize potential rookie errors and optimize business opportunity profits. The team at the firm are dedicated to helping their offshore investors to save time, money and effort.

Patrick Clancy, a real estate agent with the firm says, “It is crucial for one to do their homework before purchasing property in any foreign country. This newest post gives information that is vital for anyone who is planning to invest in Bali property. It explains what to look for and what to avoid when investing and how to ensure that the investment will pay off in the end.”

Clancy says that investing in the Bali market is much different than in other countries and states that there are many processes that must be satisfied before the investment can be completed. He states that it will take an experienced agent to help ensure that the investor does not lose money when making such a purchase and says that Bali Nirmana Property has the experience needed to help protect those investments and get investors a good return for their money. He says that those who would like more can contact the firm at their main office to speak with an experienced agent.


Past clients rave about the assistance that they have received from the property firm. Clancy says that their clients trust them to help protect their investment and that is exactly what the firm does. “We would never let a client invest in something that was a bad idea. The problem is that most people have no idea how to invest, particularly in property that is located in a foreign land. Our goal is to help you to choose the best property for your needs and to ensure that you get the best price and the best return on your initial investment.”

Clancy states that they work on an individual basis with their clients, ensuring that each need is met. He states that investments should always be done on a personalized basis and says that the same investment is not the right choice for all investors. He and his team talk to investors, getting to know them and helping to ensure that the property they purchase is perfect for their individual portfolio.

Clancy says that it is important for foreign investors to understand that the rules in Bali are much different than in many other countries. He states that some villages are zoned only for residential use. While some do allow for tourism, not all do. He says that investing in a residential area and then attempting to turn that investment into a commercial money maker is risky and could cause the investor to lose money and that not all agencies are fully aware of these restrictions. The firm states that investors need someone who is familiar with these zoning restrictions and someone that can help them to avoid fines and other issues that may arise if they attempt a commercial land investment in a residential area. He says that it is also important to note that only citizens of Indonesia can legally own land in Bali so it is important for investors to work with a firm that fully understands the restrictions on how investments can be made in that country.

Read more on https://www.pressadvantage.com/story/23604-property-firm-releases-three-must-know-bali-property-investment-insights