If you have been living in Bali for a while then you you know that life in Ubud is getting more and more expensive. Although it is still possible to eat a local meal for less than a dollar. By trial and error you probably found you best places to get your favorites at the best quality and price. Being here on a shorter term, or even holiday though is a bit different. Some people start to complain about the rising rental prices (the increasing prices are the natural consequence of demand and offer). But can we say that a holiday in Ubud, Bali for 2 adults and 2 kids is still very affordable? Erin and Josh Bender (Australia) say YES! The Benders are an Australian couple with two young kids who have visited Bali recently writing down their expenses as they enjoyed their stay in Ubud, Bali. This month we though we would share some of their insights with you. They said to have spent $1.990 excluding their flight tickets, that is a mere $250 per person for a WHOLE month, including their accommodation!

You may or may not be aware of a speech held recently in Bandung by the new Agrarian Minister in which he announced that his Department will "soon survey and inventory land owned by foreigners in Indonesia" with the aim to make sure that property is not held directly or indirectly by foreigners. His comments are now creating concerns by many who acquired property through a local nominee or name holder, to hold land for the foreigners use. These concerns range from "oh no,- not again", to "will I loose all my investment and eventually my good Bali lifestyle?". As always, it is essential to know as much as possible about any such proposed development and if needed, know how to react without instantly hitting the panic button. Negative news travel much faster than reports of positive developments, which explains part of the present hype over that report.

In 2013 an average of 95% of home buyers were using the internet to find their potential new home. This means that the photo that represents your house online is the first and maybe only impression it leaves! Make sure it is a good one and let the photo of your property do the talking for you! Why is it so important to have good photos of your property? 1. Professional photos receive more clicks than ‘DYI’ photos A Professional photographer knows how to take the shot from the right angle, and to shoot at the right time of day. Tidy up the sheets and having professional equipment to be able to catch the lighting in the right places. Naturally we are not suggesting to use photography to provide customers with false impressions.

When it comes to investments many people still believe Bali to be a third world island, and expect prices for real estate in Bali to be extremely low. Although they definitely are low, it is not uncommon for foreign property investors to buy a property in Bali mainly using a low sales price as a buying criterion. In reality though, Bali has a well running economy and the domestic market is strong. Properties in the prime areas are not that cheap anymore, but still do offer excellent and solid long-term investment potential. Like anywhere else in the world, location of a property is fundamental for making a good property investment. A property in Bali that enjoys a good location is guaranteed to produce stable rental incomes, and will also be easy to re-sell in the future. Due to lower land costs, a property in a less popular area might sell for 20-30% less, but most likely will be a bad investment as it will not generate any rental income and will be difficult to resell.

You do not have to be better than anyone else, just be a bit better again than you were yesterday. Among all of the notes that I wrote, the December issue has been my favorite. Because every December is a brooding edition, comparing achievement throughout the year with the targets I have set before in January. Often enough I regrett the set goals, think that I should have done better, be more diligent, more consistent, more this and that - and then I will make a commitment and set the new targets for the coming year (which would possibly result into blaiming myself again at the end of next year :) Lets see how you and I can do better: To be able to meet the targets or expectations relating to the property industry in the coming year, it is important to understand the current Indonesian macroeconomic condition and the anticipated developments in the coming year.