Lombok investment is soaring as the Indonesian government increasingly throws its weight behind Lombok. The new Lombok International Airport (“BIL”), hundreds of millions of $USD in capital improvements already invested in the island with many more millions $USD slated, the Mandalika Resort mega project in Kuta coming of age, many infrastructure improvements completed and more planned are just a few of the reasons. White sand beaches, unspoiled natural beauty and a short 20 minute plane flight from Bali also herald ripe territory for Lombok investors – especially in the Kuta and the south of the island.
Date: May 5, 2016
Source: HauteResidence.com
Lombok investement news: Affordable land, a rapidly growing infrastructure and an exploding tourism market have put Lombok on the radar for Lombok land investors.
Just a few years ago, exploring the Indonesian island of Lombok, Bali’s eastern neighbor, took a lot of time and patience. You could travel by boat several hours across the Lombok Straits, and there were also a limited number of flights––a quick 25 minutes in the air and often half a day of travel with airport delays, traffic, and potholed roads that taxis shared with horse-drawn carts, goats, and the occasional wedding procession.
But things have changed. The Indonesian government has thrown its weight behind Lombok, building a new international airport and investing $200 million in infrastructure. And with more of the island now accessible to visitors, developers have set their sights on Lombok’s south coast, where affordable land and increasing tourism offer promising investment potential.
Virgin white-sand beaches, land prices only a fraction of Bali’s, and the new Madalika Resorts mega project are just the tip of the iceberg diving investors from the crowded and competitive Bali market to nearby Lombok – a stone’s throw to the east. Investors are waking up to Lombok’s investment potential and making fistfuls of cash in the process.
“Right now land prices are a fraction of Bali’s,” says Tobi Doeringer, co-founder of Hong Kong-based development company Private Sanctuary who is developing home sites in Lombok. “On a prime plot of land, you can buy and build a villa for $400,000. In Bali, you pay over $1.5 million.”
While the market’s formative years were characterized by speculative land banking of uncertified hillsides and to a lesser extent, beachfront land, today, reputable developers in Lombok ensure the clearing of land titles and conduct a thorough pre-purchase review. They are also likely to know about the government’s latest plans for infrastructure development, the timeline for a new road, or the extension of fiber optic cables.
The first region to benefit from the new airport and new highway has been the area around Kuta, a village on the southern coast known for its powdery white sand beaches, mountain ranges, and surfing. Previously difficult for visitors to access, Kuta is now reached in 30 minutes via a new highway from the airport. Developments currently under construction include The Mandalika Resort––a large-scale, master-planned resort being developed by the Bali Tourism Development Corporation and the Indonesian government––a Club Med, a Pullman, and a Novotel.
And while prices remain well below Bali’s, they are rising steadily. In 2015, prices across the board were up 10 to 20 percent year-on-year and 300 percent over the four-year period from 2011, says Stewart Strong, managing director at Elite Havens property agency in Lombok. “As the market matures, sizes are coming down, and prices are going up,” he says.
So far, Strong says growth has been focused in certain pockets where localized infrastructure and developments are being constructed. The Mandalika Resort, for example, served as a catalyst for overall market growth in Kuta. Now, other catalyst projects are paving the way for further development, including Selong Selo, a luxury villa project in Selong Belanak.
