Moving to Bali, Lovina

I'm sorry to say this, but when I read a post like yours I just shake my head back and forth in utter amazement. 

Even more shocking is the all too often occasion of running into a brand new expat from one foreign country or another who just arrived in Bali actually believing that they have just moved to Bali…without ever once being here before!

What is it with some folks who think that they can just pack up (wherever they are in the world), fly on over to Bali, move in and start a new pub or restaurant or find a job? 

Hey, has someone put up a statue of Miss Liberty in Benoa harbor recently which reads, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.  Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" 

Lolla, it may well be that you've done a whole lot of homework already, and also have been to Bali spending some time looking around, getting a feel for the place, meeting other expats and picking their brain…and if so, I apologize completely.  But if you haven't done all these things…please, please begin now and WAY before you and your hubby take the big plunge of moving here.

You can start by reading this thread:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=292919

Hello, Thanks a lot for your response, I really fed up of all what people keep saying about that bali is a paradise and it's easy as a piece of cake to live there. My husband is really addicted to Bali, thats why we have decided to move to Lovina, Bali OR Lombok. I did many research about Lombok and Lovina, and I found housing in Lovina much more expensive that its in Lombok.

My husband wants to open a british pub/bar over there, and i asked many people about that but still don't know the real cost of it.
In spite of all the negative issues you've written, what are the positive things that makes a person like you to live in Bali 15 years?

Thank you

Hello again Roy, something else; how much do you think will cost me to rent a house and to do my business
(small bar)?

Thank you

Hi Reem,

First off, I don't live in Lovina, but I've lived down the road in Singaraja for several decades, and many years ago, I did live in the general Lovina area.

Second, and this can't be said enough although I know that people considering moving here don't like hearing it. Do your homework on the ground. The internet is only good for a general introduction. You need to be here, talk to people from established businesses, do the desa to desa legwork looking at houses. I've seen some ridiculous prices on the internet.

Third, there is no real price. This is Bali. The real price is what the seller can get for it. A somewhat outdated example, but nevertheless valid. I rented a nice house in a kampung not far from my house in Singaraja. I decided that I really liked the house and made an offer to buy it. It was verbally accepted. While I was getting money transferred here, another foreigner bought a house with his Indonesian wife just a hundred meters from the house that I wanted. He paid twice what I had agreed on. My deal was suddenly canceled and the price not to surprisingly doubled. My wife had a few words with the owner, but he was definitely not going to "lose money" as he put it by selling us the house for a ridiculously low price. We passed on the house and a few weeks later another foreigner bought it for the new, higher price. So, no real price.

Fourth, businesses in Lovina are tricky. This is the poor cousin of Kuta, Legian, Seminyak and Ubud. Tourist numbers are nowhere near those other places. Another example, a bar/restaurant that an acquaintance owned was bought and sold five times in five years as the new, and somewhat clueless, owners found that the customer base was not what they thought it was. On the other hand, I know of a number of foreign run businesses that are doing quite well, but they had the cash to get them through the time needed to build a reputation, and they had a pre-built client base already to visit based on their years of living in Bali on a part-time basis.

Conclusion. Come stay for a month or two, travel around the area, talk to people, get a feel for which villages are foreign friendly and which aren't - surprise, some Balinese don't want foreigners moving into the neighbourhood. In the end, you'll be glad you took the slow, steady and cautious path.

Hello drbruce,

Thank you so much for your information, we needed that actually.
After reading your message and the others, my husband and I are decided to go and stay in Bali for couple of months to know everything we need.

Thanks once again, i appreciate it.

Good move on your part.

Also, be sure to read this post (on another forum) by "Doc" and order his free "e-book." 

http://www.homeinbali.com/forum/topic/6 … k-on-bali/

Hi Reem,

You're welcome. Best of luck in your search.

Regards,

Bruce

hello lolla, I live in lombok.feel free if you have any question about lombok.

cheers

OK, so what does Lombok have to do with Lovina, Bali?  They are night and day and worlds apart.

Seems very unsafe for the foreigners to invest in bali,  u know, it is not protected by indonesian law to own a house by foreigner.

Foreigners can use a legal and long term lease arrangement called a Hak Pakai. 

And just so you know, foreign investment in Bali is much greater these days than ever.

While you personally may think it's unsafe, thousands upon thousands of foreigners (too many IMHO) are heavily invested in Bali real estate.

[Moderated : please post in housing section ]

A bit sad to know that more pubs will open in Bali, especially in places such as Lovina. Loved Bali back in the early 80's when it was still very natural. Also, if you do it be sure to keep good relationship with the Balinese. I remember a few years ago when an Australian guy (looked like Colonel Sanders) opened a Gloria Jeans coffee shop at Kuta Square, but he was very arrogant and did not treat Balinese very nicely. His staff were also not very pleasant. Finally business suffered and he was forced to sell his business.

"Finally business suffered and he was forced to sell his business." 

That's a nice way of putting it!   

The US Marines call it "payback" and Balinese priests call it "Kharma" but either way, it's effective!   

Hey.. Need help call me ***

Hi Karim,

As an Egyptian expat living in Bali, what specific help can you offer?

karim badr wrote:

Hey.. Need help call me ***

More information and an introduction please so that members can perhaps offer information and advice.

Hmmm, I read his post as offering help as opposed to asking for help.  You might well be right that he's asking for help Stumpy.

jjjd wrote:

Seems very unsafe for the foreigners to invest in bali,  u know, it is not protected by indonesian law to own a house by foreigner.

Bali just like Moscow, London, New York..all you need are cautious looking, thorough review, and make sure everything is on paper, not just gentleman agreement, so you'll have a nice and fruitfully live.

Hi, how are you? I recently bought land in Lovina and have started the design process. I  v`e been back and forth to Lovina for over 20 years. Contact me if you have any questions. Not many on this forum attached to that area of Bali, so it`s good to have a group chat for the north of Bali. Let me know if you need any advice and hopefully I can help.

Hi jakidass,

I would like to know the average price for a land or home over there and what type of business I can start with small capital.

I am looking seriously to move and start my own business.

Thanks
Mamdouh

mmounir wrote:

Hi jakidass,

I would like to know the average price for a land or home over there and what type of business I can start with small capital.

I am looking seriously to move and start my own business.

Thanks
Mamdouh

It would be illegal for you to buy land and it's impossible for a foreigner to open a small business legally.

Sorry to burst your bubble.

Thanks Fred,

What about all foreigners living their, what do they do for living and where they live?

They live in rented or leased properties (With some exceptions if they're married to Indonesians) unless they've taken up a dodgy scheme that puts the land in someone else's name - extremely stupid as you can lose the lot easily and there's no legal comeback as you can't go to court to complain you were ripped off while doing something illegal.

Working is possible if you have a skill unavailable from an Indonesian, have income from outside Indonesia, or work online. The latter really needs a work permit but let immigration decide that for you.
As long as you aren't taking work from an Indonesian or doing any actual work in Indonesia, they're very likely not to hear you tell them.

Thanks a lot for your clarification.

Well, if Fred advise you to lease land from other local or foreigner,  you can lease land from the government. Local land office will issue land certificate under title "Hak Pakai".

If you lease from people, more risk to bear,  because any time they may sell it or their heirs may have different perspective later on...