This monthly letter comes usually out in the middle of the month. I think it is still not too late to wish everyone a Happy and fulfilled 2019, or what is left of it today. Unpredictable as life is, for some this year may not bring much joy. I just received email from Germany. A friend of mine sadly lost his wife after 45 years of marriage on January 2. He wrote to me from a hospital, where he is treated for colon cancer. ’Happy New Year?’ Before I risk getting lost talking about things which you know anyway, at this point I want to quickly add that this is just a friendly letter to point out some basics in life and naturally, because written by a real estate bloke, throwing some simple advice in so that maybe reading to the end is worth your while. All based on the assumption that you looked up UbudProperty for a reason today. Recently I got fun out of a paragraph in Scott Pape’s clever book ’The barefoot investor’. He says: ’Bank managers, financial planners, real estate agents and mortgage brokers are salespeople, not educators. The more you know, the less they get’. Spot on! Just that his book is from 2004. Since we had 15 years of google education and wisdom. It came so far that today we should not try to count the people who have a hand phone with access to oodles of information, it is easier to count the ones who have not.

Thanks for opening this! If you read on, I promise, you will end up at least with some interesting discussion material and at best with an idea about how to conveniently make good money Straight into today’s subject: You may or may not know about a new tool in google’s range of services, called Google Trends. This is a website which gives information when and by how many people certain research topics have been visited. An example:

This was when the 2008 financial crisis hit. Today we look at global statistical data and see that economic growth worldwide seems stable, even increasing to more than ever before. Why then should we be reminded of this seemingly old and bad history? You see, before I come to the actual point of this letter you should know that I am just back from a most interesting tour through Europe – And now, upon arrival back at home I have to admit life in Bali is as good as it gets, compared to most other places I know. I could be asking myself why on earth did I subject my dear family to stepping into an aluminum tube for transport, breathing re-processed other people’s exhaust air and once arrived there living uncomfortably out of the suitcase?

Last week I was invited for an interview regarding Real estate in Ubud and possible connection to sustainable business. There were three main questions: Do Bali Real Estate Agents have an effect on tourism and business? Although the Indonesian Govt. does not allow foreigners to own property outright, there are several legal methods to purchase special land titles and still become an officially registered property owner in Bali. The widely used practise to use a local nominee as official owner has been used for decades as well. Together with the increasingly frequent used option to long-term lease a property, tourists and future expats are encouraged to acquire a residence in Bali. Real Estate Agents are usually their first source of information about the legal options. Once built or purchased, many such villas are available for rent and usually very attractive. Often they present a mix of Balinese culture with modern western amenities with tastefully arranged tropical gardens. Compared to other Countries, rental rates are reasonable, in part because of the low wages of house staff, maintenance or repair services.

From a scientist’s view, a person’s value can be assessed by evaluating all chemicals in the body. I remember having read that the chemical industry could extract several thousand Dollars worth of valuable trace elements out of any adult human. But thanks, no, this is not on today’s agenda. Double-shot Crowley, a mass murderer who was eventually killed by Police in Manhattan, also had value. Ask the New York Newspaper editors. For two weeks after they sold record numbers of their papers. It seems that a person’s value really is a matter of perspective, right? To humanity as a whole, which may be blessed with great inventions or Einstein-ian insights, our value can be absolutely immeasurable.