A 3D design visualisation of a custom tropical villa

A buyers agent in Bali who's independent. And on your side.

We get the same fee from every developer, so it makes no difference to us who builds your villa.

Book a call 30 minutes, free, no obligation. We'll show you how we'd handle it, and what the next step looks like.
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Architectural inspiration, not a property listing

Not a developer. Not an agent. That's why we're fully independent.

We don't sell you a house. We find or build yours.

To your vision, with the feeling you have about it.

Not to whatever needs selling.

We bring the network.

Vetted architects, builders, lawyers, notaries, inspectors.

Chosen for you, not by the developer.

We build your safety net.

Every step checked by someone who didn't do the work.

Money only moves against verified progress.

We manage everything, on the ground.

You decide, we're in Bali and get it done.

Be there for every step, or let it all run even from home.

The 7 mistakes you don't make with someone on your side

We've seen every one of these here. None of the buyers were stupid. Nobody told them beforehand.

  1. Trusting the developer instead of checking independently.

    He earns more by saving where you don't look.

    You see it after the first rainy season, and then you pay twice.

  2. Using an agent who isn't on your side.

    He works for the seller, so everything sounds fine.

    His job is done when you sign.

    Yours starts after.

  3. Paying everything at once.

    Buyers have lost tens of thousands to "sellers" who never owned the land.

    Money moves in stages, against checked papers, for what's actually built.

  4. Letting the seller do the checking.

    Zoning, rental licence, remaining lease, permits.

    He has an answer to everything, and every answer serves him.

    Nobody checks independently.

  5. Judging quality from photos.

    What lasts in the tropics is invisible.

    Without someone on the ground to judge it, you're buying blind.

  6. Taking what happens to be for sale.

    Because nobody tells you that you can build.

    Then you pay full price for someone else's compromise.

  7. Buying in a local's name.

    They're on the title, you pay.

    Dispute, divorce, debt or death, and you have nothing.

A tropical villa with a pool at twilight
Architectural inspiration, not a property listing

That's the job. Independent, on your side, every step checked, and the right villa found or built for you.

Book a call

The 9 questions we ask before anyone signs

Ask every seller these questions. The answers tell you who you're dealing with in ten minutes.

Law and ownership

Zoning and rentals

Build and contract

The questions are the start. Checking the answers is the work.

Every seller has an answer to all nine.

Whether it's true you only find out on the ground: at the BPN, on the zoning map, on the site, in the Indonesian contract.

That's what we do for you, and what comes after:

  1. Find the right propertyor get it built
  2. Negotiate
  3. Bring in lawyers and notariesfrom our network who work for you only
  4. Tie every paymentto verified progress
  5. Stay until the keysare in your hand

You make the decisions. We take care of everything else.

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Kate Jones, founder of Grace Estates

Who we are, and why we're on your side only

I'm Kate.

I live in Bali and help people find or build the right house in Bali and Lombok.

I've seen how buying here goes for most:

  • an agent on the seller's side,
  • a contract nobody explains,
  • questions that come up after signing.

Grace Estates exists so it goes differently for you.

  • You hire us, not the developer.

    We're independent and on your side.

    So we'll tell you when something isn't good.

  • Every step is checked by someone who didn't do the work.

    Contract, zoning, licences, build quality, numbers.

    With lawyers, notaries and building inspectors from our network who work for you only.

  • One person, from the first call to long after the keys.

    You talk to me.

    Not a hotline, not a different person every time.

I'd rather tell you the whole truth than close a deal.

If a property isn't right, you'll hear it from me before it becomes your problem.

Book a call

More about us at graceestatesbali.com

Let's talk. 30 minutes, free, no obligation. Not a sales call.

You'll talk to Kate. English, by video, at a time that suits you.

The guide: How buying in Bali and Lombok really works

Everything on this page, in full, to keep. Free, straight to your inbox.

  • Leasehold, right of use or your own company: which fits which goal
  • Renting legally: zoning, licences, taxes
  • Buy or build: how to make the call
  • The real numbers: gross, net, and what disappears in between
  • How to spot quality that lasts in the tropics
  • Bali or Lombok: which island suits whom
The guide: How buying in Bali and Lombok really works

No newsletter. Just the guide.

FAQ

How do you get paid?

Two ways, and both keep us on your side.

We work with a selected group of developers and receive the same fee from every one of them, so it makes no difference to us who builds your villa.

And you pay us for the work we do for you.

There is no incentive for us to push one property over another, and our reputation is worth more than any single sale.

What exactly do you check before I sign?

The title at the land office, the zoning at the planning office, the rental licence, the remaining lease and its extension terms, the developer's track record and permits, the build quality beneath the surface, the contract clauses on payment stages, delays and defects, and the real numbers after costs and taxes.

Every point with people who didn't do the work.

Can a foreigner actually own a house in Bali?

Yes, ownership just works differently here. Many hear "leasehold" and assume it's worth less because you don't "really" own it.

Understandable from a European angle, wrong from an Indonesian one: it's a different system, not a worse one, and there are several legal routes depending on whether you want to live, rent out, or both.

On the call we'll show you which one fits you.

Leasehold vs freehold?

Freehold is full ownership of the land and only possible for Indonesians.

Leasehold is the right to use land and house for an agreed number of years, often 25 to 30, usually with an extension option, and it loses value every year.

That's why the remaining term matters, not just the price. There are also structures that let you hold a house for up to 80 years.

Which one makes sense for you is something we work out together on the call.

Can I rent it out when I'm not there?

Only if the plot has the right zoning and the rental licence is in place. A villa being on Airbnb today proves nothing. We check both before the first payment.

Can I do all this from home?

Yes, and you can be here for as much of it as you like. We're on the ground, you don't have to be.

Viewings, authorities, notary, building site: we handle it and keep you updated with photos, documents and video calls.

You come when you want to, not because you have to.

Bali or Lombok?

Bali has the demand, the infrastructure and the prices. Lombok is an hour away, emptier, cheaper and earlier in its development.

For some, Lombok is the better answer, for others clearly not. We'll tell you honestly which island fits your goal.

How long does a purchase take?

For an existing house with clean papers, a few weeks to a few months from first call to contract. A new build takes longer, the construction sets the pace.

What takes time is the checking up front. We never skip it.

Your house in Bali. Without the mistakes others pay for.

Found or built, legally safe, in a quality that lasts. And someone on the ground who works for you only.