Long has Sanur been considered the quietest residential area of Bali.
For that reason, it is home to most consulates and many families seeking that laid-back island vibe.
It was Sanur that attracted those first tourists in the 1960s, offering the quintessential tropical dream, gently rocking boats, white sand, turquoise sea, palm trees, and beachside bliss unique to southern Bali. People here rise early to catch the sunrise, a superb start to any day.
Why Sanur?
This area is set to become quite the destination, especially with the US Mayo Clinic International hospital now under construction, set to open in 2024, where foreign doctors can practice and teach. President Jokowi has recognized that too many people leave Indonesia to seek professional medical help. These funds should remain in Indonesia, and Sanur is an ideal international retirement location. This hospital will form part of the Bali Special Economic Zone, located around the Grand Inna Bali Beach hotel, with a land space of about 42 hectares focusing on tourism and health. Indonesia would like to properly compete with Bangkok and Singapore for their medical, hotel, and MICE businesses.
Traffic can be chaotic in other parts of Bali, but Sanur is an easy 20-minute drive from the airport, over the Bali Mandara Toll Road, with no congestion. The Toll Road also gives easy traffic and free access to Nusa Dua and the Bukit regions with many 5-star Hotels, and world-class Golf courses. Very different from Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud where there is an overload of villas.
A vast Grand Lucky supermarket has opened close to all the action, which stocks everything, including high-quality fruit, veggies, fresh meat, seafood, and numerous unique overseas specialty products.
Inside the Sanur harbour, private boats and charters are anchored in protected waters, providing easy access to nearby Lembongan, Cenigan, and Penida islands. Here also tourists enjoy all water sports unavailable in most other parts of Bali.
Consider the 8km white sand beachfront walkway & bicycle track that circumnavigates Sanur town, ideal for social exercise while enjoying the aquamarine dappled sea, unlike the other black sand seaside towns and villages along the east or west coasts.
Beachfront walkways connect Sanur up past Ketewel. Finding a perfect jogging path free of traffic anywhere in Bali is rare, making this seaside pavement very special.
And the Icon shopping mall is under development, offering first-world shopping, dining, and cinema attractions similar to Beachwalk in Kuta.
Key Sanur locations
Beachside Sanur is preferential for tourists and residents alike, yet most properties are exclusive homes set back from the beach. Inland, on the other side of the highway, is a mishmash of upscale properties, Jakarta-style townhouse gated communities, and Denpasar-style living, with tiny ex-pat pockets dotted with cute cafes.
Further up the coast is the charming village of Ketewel, which has recently become popular due to its isolated location, easy access to everything Sanur offers, and more absolute beachfront land surrounded by paddy fields and palm trees.
Are there any must-have villa features for rentals and sales?
The larger the space, the better. All bedrooms should feature ensuite bathrooms, equipped kitchens with large fridges, with plenty of entertainment spaces. Ideally, there should be a children’s area, pool fence, and designated staff area – nothing worse than the team seen loitering outside the house.
The rental market is competitive, so designing the villa as a one-off is essential to garnering high rates, which includes better facilities: Nespresso machines, Bluetooth speakers, pool floaties, gym membership, etc.
Everything works best in Bali with proper supervision. Staff management is vital. Note that the team becomes ineffective and bored within a seldom-used residence.
If you do not have the time or energy to manage your property, consider Bali Realty Holiday Villas, our full-service villa management, marketing, and distribution company. At the very least, your asset will always remain in tip-top condition, with guests treated like royalty.
How much does it cost to buy a villa in Sanur?
Leasehold land is approximately IDR 12 million to 30 million per ara per year (1 ara = 100 sqm). Freehold land, on the other hand, is IDR 600 Million to 2 Billion per ara.
Properties with no gardens, lawns, or pools will always be the cheapest.
2- or 3-bedroom Sanur villas on a reasonable lease can cost $100,000 – $350,000 more for freehold, while a 4-bedroom villa on a 30+ year lease on 600 sqm might cost around $700,000 depending on location. A 4-bedroom freehold 1000 sqm villa near the beach will likely start at about $1,500,000. Absolute beachfront villas in Sanur are very scarce, considering the wealth of most owners.
Beachside apartments in Sanur start at USD 340,000, which have become fashionable since the law changed, allowing freehold purchases. Unlike villas, an apartment enables its owner to lock and leave it. Many apartment complexes are now under development, which will be ideal for retirement when the Mayo Clinic international hospital opens.
High-quality properties further up the coast, specifically beachfront, can solicit up to USD 7,000,000.
Many presume that Sanur must be a cheap option due to its reserved status; however, as a predominantly residential area, quality properties for sale and rent only stay on the market for a short time. And, so few villas near the beach are available on the rental market; those that do, yield high occupancy and produce a lucrative profit.
View our range of Sanur Villas for sale.
How to buy a villa in Sanur?
Leasehold purchases are the most popular amongst foreigners due primarily to a more straightforward buying process. A non-Indonesian individual cannot purchase a freehold, but it is achievable through a PT PMA company.
The land titles to recognize are:
Hak Sewa – The Right to Lease (land or buildings);
Hak Pakai – The Right to Use;
Hak Guna Bangunan (HGB) – The Right to Build; and
Hak Milik – The Right to Own.
Through a PT PMA, you can buy HGB-titled land valid for 30 years, extended for 20 years, and renewed for a further 30 years, giving the company an 80-year lease. This HGB title allows for that land to be transferred in the future, which, when sold to a local, can be converted from lease back to freehold, i.e., HGB to Hak Milik.
Years ago, people would circumnavigate the process by having a trusted local partner hold the Hak Milik license. Not only is this practice illegal, but if an accident befalls that person, the family owns the title and may not be so respectable, potentially taking possession of the property. Unfortunately, the nominee structure is common but reckless. The PT PMA route is legal and regulated.
Don’t be distracted by the online armchair real estate specialists who advise purchasing a property in Indonesia is fraught with danger! Yes, there are hoops to jump through, but absolutely worth it.
Our team at Bali Realty is on hand to guide you through the maze of laws and regulations.
How about budgeting post-build?
Remember to allocate funds for marketing. Quality photography is the most important – images from a phone won’t pass muster. Thereafter developing the brand through video, floor plans, website, and content is equally important. The best quality influences sales, bookings, and rental prices.
Buyer Beware!!
The legal safeguards you expect in your home country differ in Indonesia, so perform proper due diligence. There are abundant scams, so using a trustworthy agent as a real estate guide is safest.
Always use a skilled representative in Bali
We cannot stress enough the need for expert help to navigate the real estate laws and local customs in Indonesia and to have a legitimate partner to manage the sale process. Bali Realty has all the necessary legal relationships to facilitate any sale. In addition, through our villa management, marketing, and distribution sites, our team can share optimum locations, desirable services, facilities, style, and design so that clients’ rentals or future villa sales can demand premium rates.
This article was posted by Nathan Ryan who has had over a decade of experience in the Seminyak real estate market. If your thinking about buying, selling or investing in the Seminyak property market, Nathan is you’re ‘go-to’ guy. View some of Nathan’s best Seminyak properties for sale.
