Due diligence for a Lombok property — the 24-point checklist

Most failed Lombok deals fail not at signing but at due diligence — usually because someone skipped a step. This is the checklist we run on every acquisition, organised by phase.

Phase 1 — Pre-visit research (1 week, remote)

1. Pull the BPN cadastral search for the parcel. Your local agent or notary can request this for €40–60. Confirms the legal owner, title type, encumbrances.
2. Verify the seller's identity. Indonesian KTP (national ID) and family card. Confirm the seller is the same person whose name appears on the BPN search.
3. Run a Google Earth historical view of the parcel. Look for: encroachments, neighbouring development changes, road/track presence, vegetation that suggests waterlogging.
4. Check the regency's RTRW spatial plan online. Confirm the parcel is zoned for your intended use.
5. Identify the village head (kepala desa). Their endorsement makes everything easier; their objection makes everything impossible.

Phase 2 — Site visit (2–4 days, in person)

6. Walk the four corners of the parcel. Confirm boundary markers (ideally concrete pegs registered with BPN; sometimes physical features). Check for boundary disputes with neighbours.
7. Test the access road. Drive in and out. Note width, surface, drainage, and gradient. A road that's fine in dry season may flood in wet season.
8. Talk to two neighbours. They will tell you everything: boundary history, water issues, planning rumours, the seller's reputation.
9. Verify utilities on the ground. Look for the PLN pole, the water source, fibre/4G signal. A 5-minute test on a phone tells you more than any agent's assurance.
10. Check the local mosque distance. This sounds odd — but the call to prayer is 5 times per day, including pre-dawn. Verify whether the volume from the nearest mosque is acceptable for your future guests.
11. Walk to the nearest beach access. Time it. Note footwear required, terrain, whether it's public or contested.
12. Visit during wet season if possible. Drainage issues, mosquito patterns, road accessibility — all become visible only in the rain.

Phase 3 — Legal due diligence (3–4 weeks, with notary)

13. BPN clearance certificate. Reconfirm at the time of signing — titles can change between initial search and closing.
14. Tax (PBB) currency. Last 3 years of receipts.
15. No pending litigation. Notary search of regional court records.
16. No outstanding mortgage. Sometimes overlooked; the BPN search shows liens but ad-hoc village-level loans don't always register.
17. Adat (customary) land status. Especially important for inland South Lombok.
18. Access easement. Registered, not gentleman's agreement.
19. Construction permit history. If the property is built, confirm IMB (building permit) was issued. If not, request the seller obtains it before closing — retroactive permits cost ~€2K.

Phase 4 — Operational due diligence (1 week)

20. PLN capacity check. Confirm available capacity (in VA) and whether an upgrade is needed for your intended use.
21. Water source assessment. Well depth, water table seasonality, quality testing.
22. Internet provider availability. Telkom fibre, IndiHome, or Starlink if remote. Test speeds on site.
23. Distance to grocery, health, banking. Quality-of-life metrics that affect rental ratings.
24. Local labour availability. Pool maintenance, gardening, housekeeping — confirm a 5-minute radius supply.

Red flags that should kill the deal

• Seller refuses to show original title certificate
• Title is in a name other than the seller's, even with a "power of attorney"
• BPN search reveals encumbrances the agent didn't disclose
• Access road has no registered easement and crosses third-party land
• Adat claim is unresolved
• Significant cash component requested in addition to the bank-payable portion (a tax-evasion structure that exposes the buyer to liability)
• Pressure to close in less than 4 weeks

The cost

A full due-diligence run on a single parcel: €600–1,200 in fees (BPN, notary search, court check, surveyor). Trivial compared to the cost of getting it wrong.