“Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know”. – Ernest Hemingway Was he just trying to humour us? Too late to ask.

A research into happiness has shown that if you take the happiness of your blood, its serotonin level as your starting point, then there are relatively few external factors that can either reduce or increase that level. You can lose a leg, you can find out you are infertile, your house can burn down.

Your serotonin level sinks at first, but six months later you are pretty much as happy or unhappy as you were to start with.

Does this remind you of this always cheerful person you know, or the one who is mainly depressed?

So, if there is not really much changing your personal happiness in the long-term, even if you buy a retirement home in Bali or the most expensive car in the neighbourhood,

why then bother?

Best to stay where you are? Ignoring available life style choices so that you do not risk leaving the emotional level you are used to?

You may find it strange that on a property brokers report you find notes about the psychology of happiness. But coming to think about it, there is a logical connection.

Over the years our staff at UbudProperty has met many of our customers ‘before and after’. Meaning, before purchasing their Ubud property or home here, and later on, after having settled in.

Cross my heart and hope to die – I cannot think of anyone, who said they did not enjoy their new life.

Fort the lucky ones of you, being right now in Bali-

take as example Andre’, the owner of a warehouse full of exclusive and stylish Balinese furniture and home accessories.

I bought some colourful blankets there, because in front of his warehouse near the Delta Supermarket in Andong is a large sign: EVERYTHING MUST GO. SALE !! SALE !!

Andre’ said that he is forced to sell out, because the landlord has drastically increased the rent and, of course, Covid hammered the final nail into the coffin of his business.

“Will you now go back to Paris?”

“Why would I? Life here is as good as it comes”.

Go to see him and get it from the horse’s mouth.

“Life here is as good as it comes”.

It needs to be said that Andre’ is a good looking young cosmopolitan guy, who would have a top life in any capital city. Go, chat with him. Tell him I recommended his super sale, to have an entry point for a discussion. You will like it.

Anyway, for our office team the encounters with relaxed and friendly clients is also like getting each time the happy pill. No way would they ever chose to change the job and work at the complaints department of Telkom, even for double wages.

Naturally, and most important, we made sure to select positive personalities for our crew. This fact and our friendly and happy customers are the reason that our office is said to have a cheerful atmosphere. Happiness travels both ways, you may have seen this many times before.

On this occasion, a sincere THANK YOU goes out to our clients for their valuable contribution to our happy state of mind and, naturally, the business given.

As if you wouldn’t know already, the science of happiness confirms -

1. Happiness is linked to lower heart rate and blood pressure, as well as healthier heart rate variability.

2. Happiness can also act as a barrier between you and germs – A happy mind will obviously help to fight the covid-monster.

3. People who are happier enjoy greater protection against stress and release less of the stress hormone cortisol.

4. Happy people tend to experience fewer aches and pains, including dizziness, muscle strain, and heartburn.

5. Those who are happiest tend to live significantly longer than those who are not. The only disadvantage here: Your heirs have to wait longer for reaping the benefits whilst you are happily spending their heritage.

Well, can we try to lie to ourselves and pretend to be always happy?

Won’t work. Make the test and bite on a pencil. You smile. For a moment this feels funny and indeed makes us feel good. Put the pencil back on the table – after 30 seconds all is the same as before.

Now, instead of such short lived exercise, imagine you plan on a change in environment.

A myriad of issues is coming up. Most are positive, exciting and add to hope and food for dreams of a pleasant future.

Consequently, when searching for a residence for your personal use, isn't making an emotional connection a requirement if that home is to serve you well? I would argue that engaging the emotional right side of your brain is an essential state of mind if you are looking to buy a Home rather than just a House. To achieve the ‘my home, my castle feeling’, the heart should be entitled to prevail over - although not entirely eclipse - the head.

I believe the happiest home buyers have the capacity to dial into the importance of making an emotional connection to their future home, even if it supersedes some of the pragmatism of logic. To what extent is this a good thing? And should it matter in present changing market conditions?

Buying a home is intensely emotional for anyone in any market, because of the psychological attachment. When you add pressure to that emotional connection, because the market is moving unpredictable, based on the ever changing expectation when the global covid-situation may be over, this emotional connection also can produce fear.

In this case, it is Fear Of Missing Out, of not being able to get in at the attractive pricing again, and that sense that your housing or investment ship may have sailed forever unless you secure your spot today. Fear evokes a visceral reaction, which focuses entirely on the moment. FOMO has incredible strength and ability to separate people from their logical assessment of a property. Things like budget, property inspection and even the concept of debt are pushed directly to the side as the homebuyer or investor focuses on the task at hand and is willing to do what it takes to secure a purchase, when logic and emotion pull in the same direction.

You may turn to Buddha, Zen, Tao, spend time in meditation.

However, would it not be of immediate help, if a proven and trusted professional takes you by the hand and helps sorting through the issues which are settled in your brains emotional ‘right side’?

Creating a balance between logic and imagination.

And what if there is absolute nothing to pay for such service?

Is there any reason to say: “No, thank you, but don’t want not”.

You are even welcome to grab our hand via email or WA only. Fire away with your questions about purchasing options and -procedure and other issues, which are not visible at first, such as expected contributions to the local village, neighborhood issues or – planned developments in the area and much more.

Our clients and our crew, we are sitting in the same boat. We are paddling in the same direction, because should buyers be happy and feel safe when moving towards a rewarding

purchase, we also have achieved what we are here for.

In the following you will find a few examples of what we believe to be interesting picks from the present market. Any questions you’d like to ask on your favorite? Just shoot.

 Looking forward to meeting you here next month, when things hopefully look a little bit happier again… 

Yours truly,

Ray

for the team of UbudProperty