Buying property in Lombok – what are the options?

We talk to lots of buyers and investors assessing their buying options in Lombok. It can be difficult to figure out which property is the right option. Whether to buy land to develop later, or purchase a ready made villa in Lombok. In order to help with the buying decision, we’ve put together what we believe are the main purchasing options in Lombok and what you need to consider when buying property in Lombok.

We hope you enjoy the read and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

Your purchasing options generally will be made up of:

1. Raw Land
2. Serviced Land
3. Completed and Independent Villas
4. Villas in a Managed Estate

Raw Land

When purchasing raw land there are certain things you should consider, even if you are ‘landbanking’ with an eye to future capital gain, these factors will influence the resale value of your land:

– Does the site have clear road access?

– Does the site have access to water?

– Does the site have access to electricity? If not, what are the costs involved to bring it to site

– Does the topography of the land lend itself to future development, generally the more valuable land will be flatter.

Serviced Land

Purchasing a serviced site is often the popular way to go if you plan on building on your site in the near future, things to consider include:

– Is the site part of a subdivision that has a management agreement or covenants in place? This can be a positive or a negative depending on the management of the estate

– Are there requirements to build within a certain time frame?

– As above, have the services actually already been provided to site, and if not, whose responsibility is it to bring the services to site?

Completed and Independent Villas

Purchasing a completed villa in Lombok can be a quick way to benefit from strong rental returns and use the property for your own use without the hassle of handling a construction project, things to consider;

– Does the villa have a rental history and staff in place to handle bookings and guests

– Does the villa have a good maintenance team that can be relied upon?

– If the villa is a rental, what are the previous reviews like and how has it performed in terms of occupancy and nightly rates?

Villas in a Managed Estate

Purchasing in a managed estate can be one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to invest in property in Lombok if you partner with the right team, things to consider include:

– Managed villas are often purchased ‘off the plan’ in Lombok, so you want to consider if the developer or the builder have a track record in Lombok or elsewhere

– Very important is who will manage the property once it is complete as these will be the people looking after your property and delivering you a return

– What management or construction agreements must be signed and do the terms of the agreement strike the right balance