How did you start in the real estate business?

When I moved to Bali from Jakarta in 2004 I was not totally sure where to head in terms of business, I was using a Coldwell Banker office to do some work and ended up with a Japanese client wanting to do a magazine about Bali real estate market. With that I got to know everyone and a little further down the road I was into it full time.

Why did you decide to enter this industry?

A combination between above coincidence and the rather great potential Bali had and still have with in real estate. I started of in general management and have then since been involved in the ownership of a few companies.

What do you love about your job? What are some career highlights?

Going from general management and now also involved direct in sales I find it enhancing and exiting to guide people in the right way for their investments. I learned a lot from Ray White from our years with them as well as now with our close relationship with HVS. The launch of our new company now Seven Stones Indonesia being involved in a wider aspect of the real estate industry in Indonesia is definitely the peak of all of this.

What would you say are the biggest issues facing the Asian hotel industry at the moment? What do you think of Airbnb?

I say the biggest challenge for the hotel industry in Indonesia is an oversupply in the low end market. In general I think management companies into the future will struggle as clients are not that brand loyal but product loyal. So we see more and more independently managed hotels doing very well as they have a unique position in their markets suitable for the area. Marketing today is also a lot easier than in the past.

Airbnb is a concept that will continue to grow and other similar concepts will come, like now we see co-working space and how that impact how people also look at co-living. I do believe that in the end its what the market is demanding and they all will have a place. Hotels and hotel investors need to adjust to this and enhance their products accordingly.

What would you like to see done differently in the hotel industry?

I think hotel investors and management need to adapt faster to the enormous changes and needs of the market, learn from Airbnb experience and other concepts like that. More mixed usage facility I think would be better, as well as specific concepts for specific areas as no area is the same.

What’s your advice to a young person thinking of entering the real estate business?

Adaptive to the massive disturbance in any industry and need for changes. Today its all about who you are on social media not only as an agent but also your personality, values and interest. People get to know you online and do business as a natural process coming out of that relationship.

What is your favorite hotel and holiday destination?

I live in Bali which is buzzing with creativity and new concepts, but my all time high holiday and relaxation was Soneva resorts in the Maldives, totally of from the daily routine and amazing villas and a service that is hard to describe in words. Just perfect. I hope soon Indonesia can manage to do something like this in one of the many new paradises coming on the screen.

Similar to this:

Get to know Ian Crooks

Get to know Andrew Jolliffe