Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Indonesia Property Pack
Everything you need to know before buying real estate is included in our Indonesia Property Pack
Makassar in early 2026 feels like a real end-user city where people buy because they live and work there, not just to flip properties for quick profits.
That stability is good news, but it also means scams here look administrative and document-based rather than the obvious tourist-villa fraud you hear about in Bali.
We constantly update this blog post to reflect the latest risks and regulations affecting foreign property buyers in Makassar.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Makassar.
How risky is buying property in Makassar as a foreigner in 2026?
Can foreigners legally own properties in Makassar in 2026?
As of early 2026, foreigners cannot legally own freehold land (called Hak Milik or SHM) in Makassar or anywhere else in Indonesia, but they can hold property through specific legal pathways like Hak Pakai (Right to Use).
The main restrictions for foreigners buying residential property in Makassar include minimum price thresholds set by the government (which vary by region) and the requirement that you must have a valid visa or residency permit to qualify for property ownership.
When direct freehold ownership is not possible, foreigners in Makassar commonly use Hak Pakai over a house or land, or they purchase eligible apartment units under the post-2021 framework that permits foreign strata title ownership with conditions.
However, you should be extremely cautious if anyone offers to put SHM in your name through a nominee arrangement, because this structure can leave you with zero enforceable ownership when relationships turn sour.
What buyer rights do foreigners actually have in Makassar in 2026?
As of early 2026, foreigners who buy through legal pathways in Makassar have real protection that comes from correctly executed PPAT deeds and clean BPN registration, not from what the listing or agent promises verbally.
If a seller breaches a contract in Makassar, foreigners can legally pursue remedies through Indonesian courts, but enforcement is slower and more uncertain than in high rule-of-law countries like Singapore or Australia.
The most common buyer right that foreigners mistakenly assume they have in Makassar is full ownership through a nominee SHM arrangement, when in reality these private agreements are often unenforceable and can collapse entirely if the nominee dies, divorces, or simply decides the property is theirs.
How strong is contract enforcement in Makassar right now?
Contract enforcement for real estate transactions in Makassar is mid-tier internationally, meaning disputes can be resolved through the legal system but the process is slower and less predictable than in countries like Singapore, Germany, or Australia where Indonesia ranks 68th out of 142 countries on the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2025.
The main weakness foreigners should know about in Makassar is that enforcement often reacts after complaints rather than preventing problems upfront, so your strategy needs to focus on making disputes hard to start through tight due diligence and clean registration rather than relying on courts to fix things later.
By the way, we detail all the documents you need and what they mean in our property pack covering Makassar.
Buying real estate in Makassar can be risky
An increasing number of foreign investors are showing interest. However, 90% of them will make mistakes. Avoid the pitfalls with our comprehensive guide.
Which scams target foreign buyers in Makassar right now?
Are scams against foreigners common in Makassar right now?
Real estate scams targeting foreigners in Makassar are common enough that you should assume you will encounter at least one attempt during your property search, based on the fact that Indonesia treats land fraud as a major enforcement priority with hundreds of complaints reaching the national task force.
The type of property transaction most frequently targeted by scammers in Makassar involves landed houses and new development pre-sales where title chains and permit documentation can be easily obscured or manipulated.
The profile of foreign buyer most commonly targeted in Makassar is someone unfamiliar with Indonesian document hierarchy, uncomfortable saying no to social pressure, and eager to close a deal quickly without verifying each step through official channels.
The single biggest warning sign that a deal may be a scam in Makassar is when the seller or agent pushes urgency with claims like "another buyer is coming today" while simultaneously offering unusual payment arrangements like cash-heavy deals or offshore transfers.
What are the top three scams foreigners face in Makassar right now?
The top three scams foreigners face when buying property in Makassar are the "nominee SHM" trap where ownership is placed under an Indonesian name with a private side agreement, fake or dirty land titles packaged with convincing digital proof like WhatsApp PDFs or portal screenshots, and developer pre-sale schemes where you pay today but legal readiness (permits, titles, unit issuance) may never materialize.
The most common scam in Makassar typically unfolds when a local contact suggests putting freehold ownership under a trusted Indonesian nominee, you sign a private agreement believing you are protected, and then years later the nominee dies or decides the property is legally theirs, leaving you with no enforceable claim.
The single most effective way to protect yourself from each of these three scams in Makassar is to stay inside legal foreigner pathways for ownership, only trust verification done through the official PPAT and BPN workflow (never accept forwarded screenshots), and for pre-sales always verify the land title, permits, and zoning alignment through Makassar's RTRW spatial plan before paying anything.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Indonesia versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
How do I verify the seller and ownership in Makassar without getting fooled?
How do I confirm the seller is the real owner in Makassar?
The standard verification process in Makassar requires you to match the seller's identity card to the name on the land certificate (or legal holder entity), cross-check with local tax identifiers like PBB documents, and use a PPAT (land deed official) that you choose independently rather than one the seller recommends.
The official document foreigners should check to verify ownership in Makassar is the land certificate registered with ATR/BPN, but this must be verified through the official PPAT and BPN workflow rather than accepting scanned copies or screenshots.
The most common trick fake sellers use to appear legitimate in Makassar is showing convincing digital artifacts like WhatsApp PDFs or portal screenshots that resemble official ATR/BPN outputs, and this practice is common enough that you should treat any scan as "marketing only" until verified through official channels.
Where do I check liens or mortgages on a property in Makassar?
The official pathway for checking liens or mortgages on a property in Makassar is through the ATR/BPN electronic mortgage service (HT-el) system, but access to certain verification services is limited to PPAT officials and financial institutions, which is actually good because it reduces the risk of random public spoofing.
When checking for liens in Makassar, you should request verification of any Hak Tanggungan (mortgage or security right) registered against the property and ensure the seller can produce a clean, consistent paper trail showing no outstanding encumbrances.
The type of encumbrance most commonly missed by foreign buyers in Makassar is informal debt arrangements or disputes that may not be registered but create practical problems, which is why you should have your PPAT check both formal records and ask probing questions about the property's history.
It's one of the aspects we cover in our our pack about the real estate market in Makassar.
How do I spot forged documents in Makassar right now?
The most common type of forged document used in property scams in Makassar is a fake or manipulated land certificate, and this sometimes happens, with officials publicly warning about sophisticated forgeries that imitate official stamps and now include digital-looking artifacts designed to fool buyers relying on screenshots.
Specific red flags that indicate a document may be forged in Makassar include inconsistencies between the certificate number and official records, pressure to accept scanned copies instead of originals, reluctance to allow independent PPAT verification, and any "online check" results that come as forwarded images rather than through the official workflow.
The official verification method you should use to authenticate documents in Makassar is to have your independently chosen PPAT coordinate verification directly through ATR/BPN services, because high-quality forgeries cannot be reliably spotted by eye in 2026 and your process must be designed so forgeries do not matter.
Get the full checklist for your due diligence in Makassar
Don't repeat the same mistakes others have made before you. Make sure everything is in order before signing your sales contract.
What "grey-area" practices should I watch for in Makassar?
What hidden costs surprise foreigners when buying a property in Makassar?
The three most common hidden costs foreigners overlook in Makassar are BPHTB (land and building acquisition duty) at around 5% of the tax base (roughly 80 million IDR or 5,000 USD or 4,600 EUR on a typical mid-range property), seller income tax at 2.5% that may be passed to you in negotiation, and PPAT or notary fees capped at around 1% but often negotiated separately.
The hidden cost most often deliberately concealed by sellers or agents in Makassar is the gap between the declared NJOP (tax value) and the actual market price, which sometimes happens when they propose under-declaring the price to reduce your BPHTB, but this creates legal risk and can undermine your position in any future dispute.
If you want to go into more details, we also have a blog article detailing all the property taxes and fees in Makassar.
Are "cash under the table" requests common in Makassar right now?
Requests for undeclared cash payments in Makassar property transactions are common enough that you should expect to be asked at least once, usually framed as "to reduce tax," "to speed things up," or "this is how everyone does it here."
The typical reason sellers give for requesting undeclared cash payments in Makassar is to minimize the tax burden by declaring a lower transaction price, which they present as a mutual benefit that "everyone does."
The legal risks foreigners face if they agree to undeclared cash payments in Makassar include having their declared price used against them in future disputes ("you only paid this much"), triggering bank or AML scrutiny from PPATK (Indonesia's financial intelligence unit), and potential complications if FATF-monitored compliance systems flag the transaction.
Are side agreements used to bypass rules in Makassar right now?
Side agreements to bypass official rules in Makassar property transactions are common, especially around foreign ownership constraints, minimum price thresholds, and tax declarations where buyers and sellers try to structure deals outside what the formal documents show.
The most common type of side agreement used to circumvent regulations in Makassar is the nominee ownership arrangement, where property is registered under an Indonesian name with a private contract supposedly protecting the foreigner's "real" ownership.
The legal consequences foreigners face if a side agreement is discovered by authorities in Makassar include the agreement being declared unenforceable, loss of the property entirely, potential tax penalties, and in some cases being seen as complicit in tax evasion or document fraud with no legal recourse to recover your investment.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Indonesia compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
Can I trust real estate agents in Makassar in 2026?
Are real estate agents regulated in Makassar in 2026?
As of early 2026, real estate agents in Makassar are regulated, but not in the way many foreigners expect, because Indonesia's system focuses on licensing property intermediary companies rather than individual agents the way countries like the United States or Australia do.
A legitimate real estate agent in Makassar should be able to show they work for a registered brokerage company licensed under Kemendag (Ministry of Trade) regulations, and increasingly agents may hold BNSP (National Professional Certification Agency) certification as a quality signal.
Foreigners can verify whether an agent is properly licensed in Makassar by asking to see their company's trade license, checking for BNSP certification, and most importantly testing whether the agent will happily work with a PPAT of your choosing rather than insisting on their own contacts.
Please note that we have a list of contacts for you in our property pack about Makassar.
What agent fee percentage is normal in Makassar in 2026?
As of early 2026, real estate agent fees in Makassar typically sit in the low single-digit percentage range, commonly around 2% to 3%, though this can vary depending on whether the agent represents the seller, buyer, or both, and whether it is a primary developer sale or a secondary market transaction.
The typical range of agent fee percentages that covers most transactions in Makassar runs from 2% to 5%, with higher percentages sometimes seen in complex deals or when an agent provides additional services like document coordination.
In Makassar, the seller typically pays the agent fee, but in practice this cost often gets factored into the negotiated price, and you should always clarify in writing who is responsible before signing anything.
Get the full checklist for your due diligence in Makassar
Don't repeat the same mistakes others have made before you. Make sure everything is in order before signing your sales contract.
What due diligence actually prevents disasters in Makassar?
What structural inspection is standard in Makassar right now?
The standard structural inspection process for property purchases in Makassar relies more on basic walk-through inspections than deep engineering surveys, unless the buyer specifically demands and pays for a more thorough assessment.
A qualified inspector in Makassar should check the roof for water ingress (critical in a tropical climate with heavy monsoon rains), plumbing and drainage systems (especially in low-lying or rapidly developed zones), and foundation or wall cracks that might indicate uneven settlement.
The type of professional qualified to perform structural inspections in Makassar is typically a licensed civil engineer or architect, though many local buyers simply bring a trusted builder or contractor they know to assess the property informally.
The most common structural issues inspections reveal in Makassar properties include chronic damp and water damage from roof leaks, drainage problems in areas with poor infrastructure, and low-quality electrical wiring that may not meet safety standards.
How do I confirm exact boundaries in Makassar?
The standard process for confirming exact property boundaries in Makassar requires having your PPAT coordinate a boundary verification against registered data at ATR/BPN and cross-checking against the city's spatial plan (RTRW) to ensure what exists or what you plan to build is actually allowed.
The official document showing legal boundaries of a property in Makassar is the land certificate registered with ATR/BPN, which includes a site sketch (gambar situasi or surat ukur) showing the property's dimensions and coordinates.
The most common boundary dispute affecting foreign buyers in Makassar involves properties in rapidly developing areas where physical fences or walls do not match the registered boundaries, or where future road widening plans in the RTRW will affect the usable land.
The professional you should hire to physically verify boundaries on the ground in Makassar is a licensed surveyor who can compare the physical markers to the registered documents, and your PPAT can often recommend someone reputable.
What defects are commonly hidden in Makassar right now?
The top three defects sellers frequently conceal from buyers in Makassar are administrative issues like missing renovation permits or inconsistent address descriptions across documents (common), unpaid or messy local tax history (common), and chronic damp or drainage problems that get covered with fresh paint before viewings (sometimes happens).
The inspection technique that helps uncover hidden defects in Makassar involves checking all property documents for consistency (address, measurements, ownership chain), requesting proof of local tax payments for the past several years, and visiting the property during or right after heavy rain to see how drainage actually performs.
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in Indonesia. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.
What insider lessons do foreigners share after buying in Makassar?
What do foreigners say they did wrong in Makassar right now?
The most common mistake foreigners say they made when buying property in Makassar is optimizing for the deal price rather than the title chain, meaning they focused on negotiating a good price while skipping critical verification steps that would have revealed problems.
The top three regrets foreigners most frequently mention after buying in Makassar are letting the seller choose the PPAT or agent, accepting nominee or side-deal structures because "everyone does it," and relying on screenshots or scans instead of insisting on official verification through proper channels.
The single piece of advice experienced foreign buyers most often give to newcomers in Makassar is to choose your own PPAT independently and never sign or pay anything until that PPAT confirms the documents are clean through official BPN verification.
The mistake foreigners say cost them the most money or caused the most stress in Makassar was entering a nominee ownership arrangement that seemed safe at the time but left them with zero legal recourse when the relationship with the nominee broke down.
What do locals do differently when buying in Makassar right now?
The key difference in how locals approach buying property compared to foreigners in Makassar is that locals treat the PPAT as absolutely non-negotiable and will walk away from any deal if the PPAT they trust expresses discomfort, while foreigners often defer to whoever the seller recommends.
The verification step locals routinely take that foreigners often skip in Makassar is informal neighborhood research, where they ask the RT/RW (local community leaders), neighbors, and long-time residents about the property's history, previous owners, and any disputes before engaging in formal checks.
The local knowledge advantage that helps Makassar residents get better deals is their network of trusted contacts who can vouch for sellers, agents, and PPAT officials, plus their familiarity with which neighborhoods in Makassar have RTRW zoning issues or upcoming infrastructure changes that could affect value.
Don't buy the wrong property, in the wrong area of Makassar
Buying real estate is a significant investment. Don't rely solely on your intuition. Gather the right information to make the best decision.
What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Makassar, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can … and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why It's Authoritative | How We Used It |
|---|---|---|
| Government Regulation PP No. 18/2021 | Official binding Indonesian government regulation on land rights and foreign housing rules. | We used it to explain which ownership rights foreigners can and cannot hold in Makassar. We also referenced it for the legal framework around Hak Pakai and registration requirements. |
| World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2025 | Globally recognized rule-of-law index based on household and expert surveys. | We used it to set realistic expectations about contract enforcement and dispute resolution in Indonesia. We also cited Indonesia's global ranking to contextualize enforcement reliability. |
| Attorney General's Office Land-Mafia Updates | Official law-enforcement communication channel on land fraud enforcement. | We used it as evidence that land-mafia fraud is a real institutional priority with documented complaint volumes. We also referenced it to motivate specific verification steps foreigners should take. |
| Makassar Spatial Plan RTRW (Perda No. 7/2024) | The city's binding spatial and zoning plan affecting property legality and value. | We used it to explain the zoning trap foreigners often miss when buying in Makassar. We also built our boundary and zoning due-diligence checklist from this document. |
| ATR/BPN Regulation on Electronic Services (Permen No. 5/2020) | Official regulation defining how land services and mortgage registration work electronically. | We used it to describe how to verify titles and check liens through proper channels. We also used it to explain why PPAT-centered verification is essential. |
| PPATK Annual Report 2024 | Indonesia's financial intelligence unit tracking suspicious flows and enforcement. | We used it to explain why unusual payment routing is a red flag in property transactions. We also recommended safer payment structures based on AML compliance considerations. |
| Kemendag Regulation 51/2017 on Property Intermediaries | Official Ministry of Trade rulebook for property agent licensing. | We used it to explain what "regulated agent" actually means in Indonesia's framework. We built our agent verification checklist based on these requirements. |
| BPS Kota Makassar Dalam Angka 2025 | Official statistics agency publication providing baseline city-level data. | We used it to ground Makassar's context in real population and economic data. We avoided relying on marketing claims by checking against official statistics. |
| Indonesian Parliament Research Brief on Land-Mafia Handling | Official policy research note from within the Indonesian parliament system. | We used it to explain that enforcement often reacts after complaints, making prevention essential. We framed where the system is improving and where gaps remain. |
| Bank Indonesia South Sulawesi Economic Report | Central bank regional report providing high-quality macro economic data. | We used it to describe the broader economic backdrop around Makassar affecting property demand. We explained why some neighborhoods attract more end-user interest than others. |
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of Indonesia. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
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