Real Estate in Bali – #2 Is There An Oversupply?

Bali real estate oversupply
Bali real estate oversupply
Image by Jonny Forsey on Unsplash.

This is the second in a series of six posts that looks at issues raised a year ago by Terje H. Nilsen, Co-Founder of Seven Stones Indonesia, in a blog entitled “What’s Wrong With Real Estate in Bali?”

The second issue we’re looking at today is about oversupply.

What Terje said last year was ‘yes‘ – in general Bali was suffering from an oversupply of property. But, he suggested, this was going to be temporary. He also compared Bali to Australia’s Gold Coast, which also suffered from oversupply and resulted in a property price drop.

The impact of this was to slow down developers but interestingly demand didn’t decrease. In fact, after the price adjustments in 2015/16, the opposite happened and demand rose, especially from foreign markets. We can see this in the statistics of foreign investments in Bali, which are now higher than ever.

Terje predicted the same would happen in Bali and there would be a slow down but savvy Indonesian investors would be the ones picking up whatever they could in anticipation of a resurgence.

So, did that happen in Bali?

Not exactly.

Prices didn’t drop, they just didn’t continue to spiral out-of-control. It was getting crazy for a while and it certainly wasn’t sustainable or based on a growing demand.

But just like on the Gold Coast, the larger developers have slowed down with the small to medium guys following suit.

What we’re seeing now is a stronger and stricter enforcement of zoning regulations, which Terje believes is also a contributing factor to the slow down.

Why?

Because now a developer/investor has to clearly define what their property is going to be used for. Gone are the days of building a tourist facility in a residential or commercial area. And gone are the days of getting the legal permits to operate it.

This is a good thing for all concerned. If this is a contributor to the oversupply issue and if it slows down an uncontrolled spread of development, we applaud it.

Today’s investors in Bali need to be much clearer and more transparent about what it is they’re looking to achieve. Again, this is a welcome move as it will put a stop to the chaos that exists in some popular parts of the island. This too, will impact infrastructural needs and environmental concerns.

Terje notes that this has forced some tourist based properties into the long term rental market as they can’t get permits to continue as before. At the same time the demand for long term rental seems to be growing.

This is an interesting dynamic as prices and demand have driven prices for the long term lease option up in places like Canggu. In general, however, it would be fair to say that with the adjustment in the market as well as regulations being enforced, demand is returning.

Terje and the team at Seven Stones Indonesia anticipate this to escalate because clearer regulations and stronger enforcement can only help to bolster sentiment and strengthen prospects. In addition, it’s worth noting that tourism arrival numbers are breaking records as we speak and that can only mean increased opportunities.

The challenge in moving forward is sustainability and the ability to cope with higher numbers of everything. This is where the focus needs to be because it’s unrealistic to expect the government to close its eyes to growth and prosperity. If anything they will embrace it, which puts the onus on developers and investors alike to rise to the challenge of making sure Bali can cope and prosper without destroying the very things that make it so attractive in the first place.

Many thanks for your time Terje and I look forward to posting the third installment of our series on Market Forces in Bali Real Estate.

If you’d like more insights into the opportunities in Bali’s real estate market. send us an email through hello@sevenstonesindonesia.com

 

 

Latest Article
Indonesia Enters Peak Rainy Season, BMKG Warns Possible Floods
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has announced that many regions across...
Foreign Tourist Visits to Indonesia Surge by 22 Percent
Indonesia welcomed 1,193,867 foreign tourists in October 2024, marking a 22.01% year-on-year (YoY) increase...
Christmas and New Year Holidays, KAI Prepares 44.7 Million Tickets
PT Kereta Api Indonesia Group has allocated 44,754,280 train tickets to accommodate the surge in passengers...
Ministry Urges Tourism Collaboration for Year-end Holidays
Antara News is reporting that Indonesia’s Tourism Minister, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, has called for...
AirAsia to Reduce Ticket Prices for Christmas and New Year
In a written statement released on Sunday (1/12/24,) AirAsia’s CEO, Veranita Yosephine announced...

Andrzej Barski

Director of Seven Stones Indonesia

Andrzej is Co-owner/ Founder and Director of Seven Stones Indonesia. He was born in the UK to Polish parents and has been living in Indonesia for more than 33-years. He is a skilled writer, trainer and marketer with a deep understanding of Indonesia and its many cultures after spending many years travelling across the archipelago from North Sumatra to Irian Jaya.

His experience covers Marketing, Branding, Advertising, Publishing, Real Estate and Training for 5-Star Hotels and Resorts in Bali and Jakarta, which has given him a passion for the customer experience. He’s a published author and a regular contributor to local and regional publications. His interests include conservation, eco-conscious initiatives, spirituality and motorcycles. Andrzej speaks English and Indonesian.

Terje H. Nilsen

Director of Seven Stones Indonesia

Terje is from Norway and has been living in Indonesia for over 20-years. He first came to Indonesia as a child and after earning his degree in Business Administration from the University of Agder in Norway, he moved to Indonesia in 1993, where he has worked in leading positions in education and the fitness/ wellness industries all over Indonesia including Jakarta, Banjarmasin, Medan and Bali.

He was Co-owner and CEO of the Paradise Property Group for 10-years and led the company to great success. He is now Co-owner/ Founder and Director of Seven Stones Indonesia offering market entry services for foreign investors, legal advice, sourcing of investments and in particular real estate investments. He has a soft spot for eco-friendly and socially sustainable projects and investments, while his personal business strengths are in property law, tourism trends, macroeconomics, Indonesian government and regulations. His personal interests are in sport, adventure, history and spiritual experiences.

Terje’s leadership, drive and knowledge are recognised across many industries and his unrivalled network of high level contacts in government and business spans the globe. He believes you do good and do well but always in that order. Terje speaks English, Indonesian and Norwegian.

Contact Our Consultants

[wpforms id=”43785″]

Ridwan Jasin Zachrie

CFO of Seven Stones Indonesia, Jakarta

Ridwan is one of Indonesia’s top executives with a long and illustrious career in the financial world. He holds several professional certifications including being a Certified Business Valuer (CBV) issued by the Australian Academy of Finance and Management; Broker-Dealer Representative (WPPE); and The Directorship Certification for Directors and Commissioners, issued by the Indonesian Institute of Commissioners and Directors.

His experience includes being the Managing Director at one of the top investment banking groups in the region, the Recapital Group, the CFO at State-owned enterprises in fishery industry and the CEO at Tanri Abeng & Son Holding. He’s also been an Independent Commissioner in several Financial Service companies and on the Audit and Risk Committee at Bank BTPN Tbk, Berau Coal Energy Tbk, Aetra Air Jakarta as well as working for Citibank, Bank Mandiri and HSBC. His last position was as CFO at PT Citra Putra Mandiri – OSO Group.

Ridwan has won a number of prestigious awards including the Best CFO Awards 2019 (Institute of Certified Management Accountant Australia-Indonesia); Asia Pacific Young Business Leader awarded by Asia 21 Network New York USA (Tokyo 2008); UK Alumni Business Awards 2008 awarded by the British Council; and The Most Inspiring Human Resources Practitioners’ version of Human Capital Magazine 2010.

He’s a member of the Board of Trustees of the Alumni Association of the Faculty of Law, Trisakti University, Co-Founder of the Paramadina Public Policy Institute and actively writes books, publications and articles in the mass media. He co-authored “Korupsi Mengorupsi Indonesia” in 2009, which helps those with an interest in understanding governance in Indonesia and the critical issue of corruption. Ridwan speaks Indonesian and English.

Per Fredrik Ecker

Managing Director of Seven Stones Indonesia, Jakarta

Per is the Managing Director of the Seven Stones Indonesia (SSI) Jakarta office and has more than 25-years’ experience in Indonesia, China, and Western Europe. He previously worked in senior management positions with Q-Free ASA, Siemens AG, and other companies in the telecom sector. Over the last six years, he has been the Chairman of the Indonesia-Norway Business Council (INBC) and recently become elected to be on the board of EuroCham Indonesia.

His most recent experience is within Intelligent Transport Solutions (ITS), Telecom, and other sectors within the Indonesian market. He is today through his position in SSI and by representing Norway Connect, promoting Nordic and European companies that would like to explore business opportunities in the Indonesian market. He’s also playing an active role to help create the Nordic House concept in Jakarta that will provide an excellent platform for Nordic companies entering Indonesia, where they’ll find a community that can offer support with trusted information and affordable services to enter this market.