Welcome to the forum Rose! I think in time you’ll find this is the right place to be, especially given your plans.
I’ll try to “tackle” (football playoffs on my mind) a few of your questions, but while waiting around for other replies, have a good look at the archives, and do a search, as there is a world of information already stored there. It’s kinda like going to a library when we were kids, asking the librarian about something and she pointed to the card catalogue files.
Your #1…finding the right spot of land. I think we will all agree that the best way to accomplish this, especially in the Ubud area, is to live here for a spell in a hotel, bungalow, homestay, or 5 star resort, whatever your pleasure, and spend some time looking about and networking. The best land deals in Ubud are always by word of mouth…always. Get to know the expat community, and form your own relationships with local Balinese. In time, the right parcel will show up. As a final word on this, you both being non Indonesian, consider long term leasing. Thirty year leases, renewable for another 30 years, are not uncommon. Foreign ownership of land in Indonesia can be problematical. Lease agreements, properly done (with a lawyer and not a notaris) will be upheld in court to the Tamu’s benefit.
Your #5…shipping your goods here. It can be done, but unless it’s something you can’t live without, say a family heirloom or something like that, the duty here can be upwards to 50% of the declared value, or more, if it’s determined that your declared value is well below reasonable. Furniture and home furnishings of all kinds are so easily available here, at prices so reasonable, it explains why Bali is such a big export center.
Your #4…safety issues. Over the past years, it seems there are more home burglaries than ever before…particularly in certain areas around Ubud. Your exposure to this reality will depend largely on where you live, and in what kind of environment you select as home. To the extent you want a remote environment, not in sight of neighbors or the village, the chances of security problems rise. If you crave that extent of remoteness, and freedom of neighbors, it’s no problem but you will have to certainly hire round the clock, full time security. Moreover, to assure your security, it is essential to get to know the village head in the village you move to, and demonstrate a willingness to contribute to banjar affairs, and temple ceremonies. Consider what you pay in property taxes right now where you live in the states…take 10% of that, and budget it annually for your village banjar, and trust me, the villagers will “look out for you” in ways you’ll never know.
Your #2…costs of domestic and security/driver help. We never use the word “servant” here in Bali. The right word for domestic help is Pembantu, and it is a respectful occupation for young unmarried women, and those who are aren’t so young, but still not married. Having great experience with Pembantus, I have made several posts in the past, as have others, with their own stories on this forum. A quick search will find you a wealth of information about this topic. A good Pembantu is worth her weight in gold…even if she’s fat. She becomes a “member” of the family, trusted, and in our case, always with our kid’s safety, welfare and happiness in mind. Monthly wages can run from as little as 300k Rp a month for simple house cleaning and laundry…say about 5 hours a day, to 600k Rp a month for round the clock running the house. A full time driver will depend on whether it’s your car or his. I’ve found that’s it’s better to have your own car (I prefer Kijangs) and add on a lot more than just driving to the job description….like gardening, fixing things, etc. I pay my guy 500k Rp per month, but his daily hours average only about 5 or so a day.
A final point I will leave you with is this…there are a million expatriate stories here on Bali. Far more fail than succeed at a good life here. I’ve been quoted often with my phrase, “expats, they ebb and flow like the tide.” Once understood that this IS Bali, and in no way will you or anyone else change things here, then it’s pretty amazing how one can acclimate to the magical, mystical, and totally satisfying world that is Bali.
