Obtaining a property in Bali.
I have a woman friend in Bali. She owns a 150 sq meter block worth $60000 aud.
I have suggested that I provide the cost of building a single house for a similar sum ($60000)
and that we sell it and share the profit equally. The land is not somewhere a foreigner would
like to live. We could then find a project we could both be interested in.
1.- I know the risks regarding relationships.
2.- I know I cannot own land in Bali.
I'd be grateful for your thoughts but please avoid the obvious.
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To sell the land and start afresh was our (my) first thought.
But the land is there ready to be built on. She owns it freehold
(Hak Milik) I've seen the land and the title deeds. If all goes well
it should be completed and sold fairly quickly.
Why would you suggest there would be uncertainties of selling ?
No more or less than I would have thought for any property sale.
Almost certain cost overruns ? Is that true of all building projects ?
If I were standing in your place, this would be the advice I would give.
I don't know if the land is worth $60000 and I will have her obtain a couple
of written estimates.
How could you know how close a friend this person is ? Even I don't know
that, but it's a calculated risk and I'm happy to take it.
For a total of 1.2K invested she believes it might sell for 1.8K (She does know
about this stuff) I'd be happy with 1.5K and the knowledge that we can make
this thing work.
Do I know she will split the profits with me ? Absolutely not, but again, it's a
risk I'm prepared to take.
Obviously then she is Indonesian, and that鈥檚 fine.聽 I only mention that as confirmation that the Hak Milik is in her name.
You wrote in your first post, 鈥淭he land is not somewhere a foreigner would
like to live.鈥澛 And now you are asking, 鈥淲hy would you suggest there would be uncertainties of selling?鈥澛 Well, if the land is located somewhere that a foreigner would not 鈥渓ike to live鈥 then your market in selling it or leasing it will be very limited鈥.e., to locals only.
Moreover, 1.5 are is a very small plot of land to build a house.聽 You can forget about having a pool, or even a parking area for anything aside from a motorbike or two.聽 聽
鈥淎lmost certain cost overruns ? Is that true of all building projects?鈥
Obviously, by that question, you鈥檝e never been personally involved in a building project here on Bali.聽 Yes, these days you can count on any building project having cost over-runs.聽 You can also count on 鈥淢urphy鈥檚 Law鈥 (if it can go wrong, it will) having a part as well.聽 聽
鈥淏ut the land is there ready to be built on.鈥
That鈥檚 no reason for you to build on it when you have the more viable option of selling it as raw land and moving on to a project you 鈥渂oth could be interested in.鈥澛 聽
Anyway, you asked for thoughts鈥nd those are mine.
BillyTea wrote:Hi Hanson,
If I were standing in your place, this would be the advice I would give.
I don't know if the land is worth $60000 and I will have her obtain a couple
of written estimates.
How could you know how close a friend this person is ? Even I don't know
that, but it's a calculated risk and I'm happy to take it.
For a total of 1.2K invested she believes it might sell for 1.8K (She does know
about this stuff) I'd be happy with 1.5K and the knowledge that we can make
this thing work.
Do I know she will split the profits with me ? Absolutely not, but again, it's a
risk I'm prepared to take.
Hi Billy,
If you are happy with the conditions then just go for it. It will certainly be interesting whether it works out well or not. The question you asked Ubudian about over-runs, almost certainly there will be. I've never built on Bali but the same thing applies to other parts of Indonesia. Be aware that some building contractors quote low in order to get the contract and then keep adding things on. Anyway, it seems you are happy to proceed with it so good luck and enjoy. You will surely learn a lot from your first project.
To be honest I plan to keep out of any negotiations.
The builders will not know that a foreigner is involved.
This lady is no fool and I suspect it will be difficult for
them to take advantage of her. (but what do I know ?)
Sure they will.聽 This is Bali...there are NO secrets in Bali!聽
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!聽 聽

Your thoughts and ideas are much appreciated and very welcome.
Yes she is Indonesian, actually Balinese, and the Hak Malik is in her name.
Yes we believe we will be selling to locals, but "very limited " ?
Surely 90% of property sales in Bali will be by and to Balinese or Indonesians.
Although I believe that 40% of the luxury market is held by foreigners.
Yes 1.5 are is small. I believe it is 8mtr frontage running back 19mtrs or so
We were thinking of a 2 storey house with 2 bedrooms, but that is only
a rough idea.
No I've never been involved with a building project on Bali.
My questions regarding cost over-runs "Is that true of all building projects ?"
was meant to point out that if such things are common on Bali, the no matter
where we build, we'll have the same problem.
With the project costing in total $120k or so, I doubt we could do better,
and to cash up and look for something else for the same money might not
gain us anything.
Your thoughts again please.
I'll just try to be incognito.I'm here to learn. So far you're doing a good job, and I really do appreciate your input.
As it is, I鈥檓 married to a Balinese and together with her and her family (famous for their alang alang roofs) we have done quite a number of building projects here on Bali over many past years, including off of Bali as well鈥iz, Sir Richard鈥檚 Necker Island.聽 聽
At this point you haven鈥檛 mentioned where this land is located, so further comments on my part would likely be more useful if you mentioned that detail.聽 Surely you know the golden rule when it comes to real estate鈥ocation, location, location.聽
In any event, as your 鈥減artner to be鈥 is Balinese, surely she has told you that the vast majority of Balinese live in their family compounds鈥nd not in houses on 1.5 are plots.聽 The truth is, 1.5 are is barely enough for the family temples in a typical Balinese compound.聽
The only Balinese I could envision being slightly interested in whatever type of home you might build on 1.5 are would be someone interested in it as an investment鈥o lease out.聽 Typically the kind of structure that would be built on your size property would be a kost or two or three鈥nd it (they) would be rented out鈥ost typically to other than Balinese Indonesians who are here temporarily for work.聽 Of course there are some Balinese temporarily displaced due to college or work that might be interested as well鈥ut not to buy鈥nly to lease.聽
Once you build whatever it is you plan to build on that plot, you are limiting your market drastically鈥s you already said the location isn鈥檛 suitable or desirable for foreigners.聽 In my opinion you are far better off selling the land raw, and let the new owner decide what, if anything, they want to build鈥hich for all you know might be a warung, a laundry, a shop鈥hatever鈥his again of course depending on location.
PS...an incognito bule on Bali?聽 聽
Cheers, and once again, good luck!
Funnily enough the land was bought a little over a year ago and it was bought with
the idea of building a kost. She has the architects plans for the project. Her father
was to be her financial partner but became too ill to be involved. I imagine that it
would be one long building with several living units. I haven't seen the plans. The
idea was that she would manage the kost and that it would support her family. She
is divorced and has 3 kids. She also lost her well paid job this year.
The land is in Tabanan on the way to Tanah Lot.
We did consider building the kost together but the income from such a place would
be useless between the two of us, though I guess she could borrow money on the
equity for our next project.聽
Ok so she sells it. Then she has $60000 and I have $60000. Suggestions ???
I wait with baited breath oh wise one.

She takes her 60k and invests it in one year certificates at her family鈥檚 village community bank where she can earn 12%...and you do the same with your money鈥anking or investing it in OZ.
If her land is saleable for what you say it is, then at 12% that works out to roughly 6 million IDR a month in interest.聽 Moving back to her family compound with her three kids, that is more than a reasonable amount to contribute to monthly compound expenses, and her kids are where they belong鈥ith their ancestors and their living family.聽
This personal stuff is none of my business, but, you asked.
pass on the information you've given me.
Once again thank you.
I don't expect to hear back until she's absorbed it.
Maybe tomorrow.
I do have one last question which will probably be
hypothetical now. That is, what is the best way to
send a substantial sum to Indonesia.
When I was there last week I tried to open an account
with ANZ in Denpasar. That's who I'm with here in Perth.
They tell me I have to deposit $2000 and they need
my passport and tax file number (which I didn't have)
I don't know that that's the best way anyway. Perhaps
there is a better ?
If a residency visa is not appropriate for you, leave your money in OZ and when needed for a large expenditure here, simply have your bank in OZ wire the funds to the appropriate bank account of whom you are paying here.聽 And, you can also keep in mind that whenever coming to Bali from OZ you can bring up to $10K (USD) with you without making a declaration.
Really?聽 I'd love to see some photos of those houses.
Last I heard my friend is checking out builders.
She knows a couple, though they've never worked for her.
The idea is that she looks at what they've built and if she
sees something she likes asks how much ?
Do I read that correctly ? You're telling me a house in Tabanan
can be bought for $15000 to $25000 aud ? Hak Malik, complete ?
You're kidding, right ?
Ask to see photos...as I did.聽 聽

Not to the point of 15 to 25K for a complete house.聽 Not yet anyway.聽 聽
BTW, that house I linked to above...did you note the size of the plot?聽
But hey, if you find a decent house on 1.5 are of land anywhere in Tabanan for 15 to 25K AUD, by all means please let me know.聽 We always have our eyes open for give away bargains!聽 聽

and agents name. I'll have her take a look and get the price.
(unless she's gone off the whole idea)
The cheapest one is 650 million (an old house).聽 Do you seriously think it could be had for 15 to 25K AUD?聽 That would be between 150 to 250 million.聽 I don't think so.
But, I'm happy to be proven wrong...which is something you have yet do.
I'm wondering...those posters you say you've seen...I'm betting they were the down payment with seller financing.
But hey, if you're a believer I've got this old bridge I left behind in New York when I moved here many moons ago.聽 I'd sell it cheap!聽 聽
Cheers!
Well, bugger me ! I've always wanted an old New York bridge.
How much do you want for it ???
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