Whilst elsewhere, for example from Australia and the USA, we hear mid-year reports about falling property prices by about 8-15%, property values in Bali, supported by our own observations here in Ubud, will be in an upward trend by up to several years. Reasons: According to BI , Bank Indonesia, there is an ease and speed-up of local credit taking, due to lowest interest rates. Rising inflation rates on the other hand are supporting property ownership. We will not discuss the economical function here and why that is. Too complicated for a short newsletter. If interested, check out uncle Google. Fact: Inflation goes up – so do property prices. The Minister of Economy, Airlangga Hartanto, said during a press briefing, “The G20 meeting will encourage global investors with profitable partnerships to accelerate economic recovery.” With Bali moving into the limelight, some larger investment projects are likely to add fuel to local property price increases.

Trust - is there an alternative ? A real estate agent oversees the sale or purchase of a property from start to finish in order to represent the best interest of the client. That is the sum of it. Nothing more, nothing less. But can we trust that this is how it always works? Some time ago you decided to look at either selling, renting or purchasing a property in Ubud. You did chose UbudProperty to help you, and this is why you receive our thoughts and news relating to property in Ubud. Thank you again kindly for your trust. However, – is your trust in UbudProperty, or any other broker or property agent indeed justified? After all, they say, solicitors, professional gamblers, bankers, many politicians and many real estate agents should be collected in a big bag, and when you bash it with a solid piece of wood, you’d always hit the right one. There must be a reason for such sentiment.

You may have heard the words, some may even know their meaning, many do swear Feng Shui changed their lives, but most have no opinion. Same as I, until I started writing these lines and looked up some literature on this over 3000 year old practice, - and now I am even more confused, not a single step further. Let’s try to summarize the basics in a few paragraphs, which certainly is not an easy task. Same as if you poke your finger in the air and try to analyze air pressure, moisture content, temperature, wind speed and try to figure out the weather for next week. But at least, we know, that these things can indeed be accurately measured. Feng Shui, the mysterious metaphysic of the Han Chinese with a long history cannot.

Who does not like to hear this, if this more is something positive? After all, we are caught up in our social environment, in obligations, in traditions. Caught up in the need to provide for whoever we are responsible for, not excluding ourselves. Stuck in a society which we did not create, stuck with politics and economic governmental games with unpredictable outcome (not only the US), look at France, now Germany, England …, not always positive. Early in our life it was not possible to change course, because of parents, dependency, being below age. But the so called baby Boomers, (born during the post-world war II baby boom) had until today enough time to think about the value of the remaining time. Leave things the way they are, or go for a better future?

But, would you really want to sing this melody one day when looking at your personal investment portfolio? Watch out ! Inflation is coming after your money. You noticed, not much has changed since last month. The world-wide mask debate is still full on, travel restrictions dampen our desire to simply go away to somewhere, and it is still safer to stay at home than to mingle with the crowds. As result, the mind is forced to turn inside. To issues at home, the family or relations, and how to best cruise through the disastrous Covid time, which for many also involves scratching their head about money matters. What happened this week to me in that respect may be interesting: