Invest in South Lombok, where Bali was twenty years ago

Not as freehold. Indonesian freehold title (Hak Milik) is reserved for Indonesian citizens. Foreign buyers hold property through one of three registered structures: a long-term lease (Hak Sewa), a right of use in their own name (Hak Pakai, which requires a residence permit), or a right-to-build title held by their own Indonesian company (PT PMA).

Each of these is recognised and enforceable. Nominee arrangements, where a local holds freehold on your behalf, are not.

Payments are made by international bank transfer against a signed, notarised agreement. Prices are often quoted in US dollars, but payments in Indonesia are made in rupiah, so your transfer is converted on arrival. Money should go only to the notary's escrow or the account named in the deed, never to an intermediary.

Indonesia operates an open foreign-exchange regime, so legitimate income and sale proceeds can be transferred abroad once local taxes are paid. Keep your deeds, invoices and tax receipts: your bank will ask where the money came from.

In Indonesia first. For Indonesian tax residents, rent from land or buildings carries a final 10% tax on the gross amount (Government Regulation 34/2017); for non-resident owners, many advisers apply a 20% withholding tax instead. Villas run as a business through a PT PMA pay corporate income tax of 22% on profit, and guests pay a 10% regional tax on accommodation.

Australian and UK tax residents must also declare foreign income at home. Indonesia has a double tax agreement with both countries, which generally lets you offset Indonesian tax already paid. Check your own position with a tax adviser in each country.

You do not need a special visa to sign a lease, but you will need one to live here long-term or to hold Hak Pakai title. The usual routes are an investor KITAS linked to shareholding in a PT PMA, the second home visa for those who can show substantial funds, and, for over-55s, a retirement KITAS.

Thresholds and conditions change regularly, so we introduce you to a licensed immigration agent for current terms rather than quoting figures that may be out of date.

Yes, and most of our clients do. A local manager handles bookings, guests, staff, maintenance and payments, and sends you a monthly statement. Deeds can be signed in person during a visit or through a notarised power of attorney, so many owners come over only once or twice a year.

Allow roughly 12 to 18 months from land purchase to handover for a typical two- to four-bedroom villa: a few months for design and the building permit (PBG), then around 8 to 12 months on site, depending on size, finishes and the rainy season (roughly November to March).

You receive a written schedule with milestones before any work starts, and payments to the builder are tied to those milestones.