Tropical Homes
Nils Wetterlind
Why did I come to Bali? Well I was in need of a job. I had a successful business in London marketing overseas properties in places like Portugal and Spain where we would have 120 enquiries a week, but after 9/11 that went down to 2.
So I took stock of my situation and spent 6 months on a walk from Jerusalem to Mecca to raise money for Save The Children. One of my biggest sponsors was an old friend who told me that he needed someone with a public school accent who could talk to wealthy clients and help market his developments in Thailand and Bali, so here I am.
I consider myself something of an “Eco-Fascist”, I want people to be able to experience the quality and luxury of a super villa but in an environmentally responsible way. In the past 2 years we have had an uncanny knack of finding superb locations, mostly cliff or beach front on the Bukit. It’s funny in that these projects have sold before we have even cleared the site or finalised the plans. We find that at the price range we are marketing to buyers require a considerable element of individualism.
What I want to do is continue with these luxurious super villas but construct and manage in a responsible way, using only certified timber (you can’t buy uncertified wood in the west, so why should Bali be an exception, we have to set an example), sustainable water sources and waste management; we’ve just spent US$ 80,000 on a Solar system for one of these properties, because it is the right thing to do. Those who come here and rape the rain forest and say that it’s ok because they’ve just had a meditation class in Canggu, shouldn’t be allowed to develop. That’s just irresponsible.
Of course there is a movement within the market demanding eco properties to buy, but that is not why we do it; we genuinely want to do the right thing. One of the unique elements of the Bali property market is that it is not a pure investment market, we believe our buyers are motivated to buy because they love Bali. If you buy well, of course you will see capital appreciation, but I don’t think that is the overriding consideration.
I admire a number of other projects, in particular The Layar, as a development it is aesthetically pleasing, Biu Biu Karmala is in a fantastic location and Karma, especially for Di Mare restaurant (from which I am sadly banned) which for a resort eatery is fantastic.
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