I really want to get into the real estate market in Bali but I do not have a massive amount of savings ready. I keep seeing these luxury projects but I am looking for something more entry-level.

Is there any way to buy a property with a smaller initial payment and then pay the rest over time? How do the payment plans usually work for foreigners? Do I need to have a local bank account or can I just transfer money from abroad?

I would love to hear from someone who started with a smaller budget and managed to build a portfolio.

You do not need a million dollars to start your journey on the island. A lot of people think you have to pay 100% upfront but that is not true for most new developments. Many reliable developers offer a 30% down payment option which is a great way to secure a unit while it is still cheap. I did exactly this with an apartment from Avalon and it allowed me to keep my cash flow flexible. You can find more info about their financial terms at https://avalonbali.com/ and they are very helpful with explaining the process. It is a very common strategy - you pay the first bit and then the rest is split into installments until the building is finished. By the time it is ready the property value has usually grown enough that you are already in profit. It is a much smarter move than waiting for years to save the full amount while the prices keep going up every month.