Rich Dad Hawaii is a franchise of The Rich Dad Company based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is run by Lee Ann and Javier Del Carpio. This franchise has started Cashflow Clubs on Oahu and Maui, and in April, will begin clubs on Kauai and Molokai. While I don't recommend or speak against the organization, the concept is interesting and I'm just passing on the news. There will be a training event this month on Oahu, and others are planned in the future on Maui.
When Robert and Kim Kiyosaki retired in 1994, the Cashflow Game was designed to teach people how they did it. As Robert explains, "It's best to invest in your mind before you invest your money into the stock market - or any market for that matter - because ultimately it's your financial intelligence that makes you money." Lee Ann Del Carpio, a Honolulu-based business woman and real estate investor, and her husband Javier Del Carpio, founded the Rich Dad's Franchise Hawaii in late 2008, to bring Robert Kiyosaki's financial education to the islands.
Robert Kiyosaki's Cashflow game is about people teaching people how to invest, make smarter choices with their money, and develop a financial freedom plan to create additional income beyond their paycheck. Participants learn about the power of investing in real estate, good debt versus bad debt and how to avoid buying doodads like that big flat screen TV.
Rich Dad Hawaii's Cashflow Training Events include: 1. People Teaching People in a Fun, Safe Environment with monopoly money 2. A Community of Like-Minded people who can help each other in real life 3. Financial Education that increases confidence and long-term results
Here's a summation from their press release: "Since December 2008, nine new Official Cashflow Clubs have started on Oahu and Maui, where groups play Robert Kiyosaki's Cashflow Game which teaches lessons about money that were never taught in school. When the world is wondering what to do in this economy, these clubs are building an aloha support community for finances. This special event will feature Robert Kiyosaki's top trainer worldwide, Ron Salvador, who is coming home to Hawaii to share how the key financial concepts taught in the game can apply to real life."
The Star Bulletin last Friday ran a story with this headline, "The Big Island and Kauai posted declines in costs while condos increased on Maui." According to the Realtors Assn. of Maui, in February, condo prices rose even as the number of condo sales, and of single family home prices and sales, fell. On the Big Island and Kauai, median prices and numbers of sales both dropped.
Statistics from the Association showed that on Maui, the median price for condos rose 0.7 percent to $578,950 from $575,000 a year earlier but condo sales plunged 53.7 percent to 44 from 95. Single-family home prices on Maui slipped 6.9 percent to $581,250 from $624,391 while home sales nose-dived 60.5 percent to 30 from 76.
The new trend, Volunteering on Vacation, has been embraced and promoted by the Pacific Whale Foundation. Many travelers, seeing the decreased funding for environmental and social efforts, are volunteering their vacation time. With support from Hawaii Tourism Authority, the Pacific Whale Foundation has launched a new "Volunteering on Vacation" program. Sign on for three hours and you'll walk away with a free Volunteering on Vacation tote bag, plus the satisfaction of making a difference on behalf of Maui's environment.
Participants can peruse a calendar of weekly group activities such as clearing invasive weeds in Hosmer Grove in Haleakala National Park or restoring native plantings in Honokowai. Free admission is part of the deal; you also learn about the history and environment of the beautiful natural areas you visit. If the group events don't fit your schedule, you can pick up a kit to undertake a solo project. For example, the "Beach Clean-up" kit includes directions to a local beach, rubber gloves, trash bags and instructions on disposing of the litter you gather.
From their web site, here a some of the organized activities:
Ongoing, Saturdays Malama Honokawai With our partner Ed Lindsey you'll visit the beautiful and hidden Honokawai or Launiupoko Valley, areas closed off to the public. Among Hawaiian archeological sites, you'll learn about Hawaiian history and culture as you help to remove invasive weed plants and possibly plant native species. Meet at 9 a.m. in front of North Sugar Cane Train Station, Puukoli Road, Kaanapali. The program runs from 9:00 a.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m. Bring water, snacks, lunch, sunscreen and bug repellant and wear closed-toe shoes, pants and a t-shirt. Be sure to call 249-8811 in advance to sign up.
Ongoing, every 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month Haleakala National Park In the company of a Pacific Whale Foundation group leader, you'll gain free entrance to beautiful Haleakala National Park and learn about the history of this spectacular wilderness area. At the park, you'll help remove invasive plants from the National Park. Free transportation is provided, from Pacific Whale Foundation's Ocean Store in Ma'alaea (meet at 7:30 a.m.) and the Tavares Community Center in Pukalani (meet at 8:15 a.m.). The program takes place from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and includes three hours of work, plus time for a short hike and picnic. Bring water, snacks, lunch and sunscreen and wear closed-toe shoes, pants and warm clothes. Be sure to call 249-8811 in advance to sign up!
Ongoing, every Friday Maui Coastal Land Trust With our partner, Maui Coastal Land Trust and group leader Scott Fisher, you'll visit a remarkable coastal area that's rich in Hawaiian history and bird watching - and it's home to some of Maui's last sand dunes. You'll help to remove invasive species, clear brush and weed. Meet at 7:15 a.m in front of Maui Coastal Land Trust Offices, located at 2371 W Vineyard St Wailuku, adjacent to the Iao Valley Church. The program takes place from 8:00 a.m. to noon and includes four hours of work. Bring water, snacks, lunch, and sunscreen, and wear closed-toe shoes, pants and hat/sun protection. Be sure to call 249-8811 in advance to sign up!
To protect our beautiful island and the wild species that call it home, give some time to the Pacific Whale Foundation. For more information about Volunteering on Vacation and to sign up, contact Pacific Whale Foundation's Reservations department at (808) 249-8811. From the U.S. Mainland, please call 1-800-WHALE-11 and ask about Volunteering on Vacation.
There are many beautiful condos on Maui which - because of our economic downturn - have great deals available for buyers! Visit my Hawaii State Condo Guide for details on any of the complexes here on Maui.
Featured this week is the Grand Champions Villas, 155 Wailea Ike Place, Kihei, HI 96753. There are 188 units in Grand Champions Villas, which was built in 1989 as an oceanview complex in Kihei. 22 buildings, each with 3 floors, take up 12.21 acres. Both vacation and long-term rentals are allowed; owner occupancy is 51%; units are sold in fee simple. No pets are allowed. Management company is Destination Resorts Hawaii.
Amenities include: BBQ area Pool Hot tub/spa Recreation area Cabana/Club house Tennis court Beach/Beach access Golf Gated community Security Guard Air Conditioning Association pays cable Storage
Apartment Furnishings: Dishwasher Refrigerator Range/Oven Microwave Washer/Dryer Water heater
Interior sq ft runs from 908 for a 1 bedroom/2 bath home to 1383 sq ft for a 2 bedroom/2 bath. 4 units sold in 2008: a 1-bedroom of 908 sq ft for $425,000; 2 2-bedroom of 1056 sq ft for $575,000 and $745,000; a 3 bedroom of 1383 sq ft with ocean view for $750,000.
President Obama has often mentioned the importance of charter schools in his overall plan to improve education in the nation, and Maui will now the one in Kihei will be larger and improved. A nightclub and restaurant space will be converted into the new campus for the Kihei Charter Middle School.
"We're gaining more space and we're decreasing our costs," Kihei Charter Executive Director Mark Christiano explained recently as he toured the space once used by Hapa's nightclub, a Mexican restaurant and the current Title Guaranty Escrow & Title Services offices on Lipoa Street.
Currently, middle school students at the only public charter school on Maui are split in two locations - a Science Technology Engineering and Math Academy in the Maui Research & Technology Park, and an Arts Academy at the Maui Academy of Performing Arts on Market Street in Wailuku.
The opportunity to consolidate into one campus came up during the charter school's attempts to find one site for all of its programs.
There are 72 students in the Science Technology Engineering and Math middle school program, and about 51 in the Arts Academy. All together, Kihei Charter School projects a student population of 460 students.
Meanwhile, the state Department of Education is pursuing the negotiation of nearly 77 acres of property just south of the Kihei Commercial Center to build a more traditional high school.
Read the entire article about the charter school's new look at Maui News.
Hawaii conservationists are warning that many important Maui efforts may be severely curtailed because of state revenue shortfalls. Environmental programs like miconia eradication, coqui frog control and watershed fencing could see major setbacks.
According to Maui News, the state's Natural Area Reserve Fund, which supports watershed partnerships, invasive species committees and Natural Area Reserves throughout the state, anticipates having only $6 million available for grants in the fiscal year that starts July 1. That's down 46 percent from the $11.2 million the fund had available this year.
"It's huge," said Jordan Jokiel, project manager for East Maui Watershed Partnership. "We've got to start thinking about damage control and laying people off. And the thing is, we've had these successes with invasive species. We lose those gains." He's planning for a cut of 40% in his total overall budget.
The Natural Area Reserve Fund revenue comes from the state conveyance tax, paid on real estate sales, and that source has dropped dramatically. Teya Penniman, manager of Maui Invasive Species Committee, said the budget cuts mean conservationists likely won't be able to keep up the gains they've made against invasive species and other environmental challenges in the past several years, especially with the coqui frog.
Read the list of threatened programs and likely budget cuts in the full Maui News article. To imagine the consequences, Jokiel compared the loss of funding and programs to "Letting your yard go for a couple of years."
After 6 years of rebuilding an abandoned coffee plantation, MauiGrown Coffee, Inc. announced a harvest 4 times that of previous years. Owner James "Kimo" Falconer stated he got 225,000 pounds of green coffee beans in the season ended last month, up from about 50,000 pounds in the prior season. Yield was really good," Falconer said, adding that his challenge now is to find new customers for the pricey coffee in tough economic times."
Located in the West Maui Mountains near Lahaina, MauiGrown started in 2003 in Ka'anapali on land formerly owned by Amfac Hawai'i subsidiary Pioneer Mill. The company had created a 600-acre coffee farm on former sugar land, but in 2001 closed and the coffee trees grew wild. Falconer was a Pioneer Mill executive, and arranged to lease many of the acres from the company. He now has a 325-acre farm, and attributes the increased yield to help from Amfac successor Ka'anapali Land LLC, which added new irrigation and fertilizer. They grow several varieties of Arabica coffees.
Ka'anapali Land will integrate coffee farming and million-dollar residential lots, which keeps the ag lands in production and supports the real estate development. With increased production, Falconer plans to focus on exports to the mainland and possibly Europe. Close to half of MauiGrown's coffee is sold in Hawai'i. Prices for most MauiGrown varieties sell for $4.50 to $5 a pound, though some sells for as much as $9 a pound. (Read the full article on Honolulu Advertiser.)
A recent article in USA Today online said tourist numbers have declined by 50% not just on Maui, but all the islands, "Symbols of the global financial meltdown are ubiquitous in the Aloha State, from shuttered shops along Lahaina's main drag, Front Street, to empty tables at popular restaurants on Kauai's South Shore, to the foreclosure of Honolulu's landmark Ilikai Hotel.
"Hit early by the California subprime mortgage debacle, last spring's back-to-back bankruptcies of Aloha and ATA airlines and the May pullout of the second of three Norwegian Cruise Lines' Hawaii-based ships, the state's tourism industry has been taking it in the boardshorts ever since. Last year, visitor arrivals dropped 10.8% from 2007, to 6.8 million. Spending fell by 9.9%, and statewide hotel occupancy slipped 4.7%, to 70.4%. December was even worse, with hotels emptier than they'd been since just after 9/11."
For tourists who do come, there are unprecedented discounts available in some of the country's most luxurious accommodations, from Wailea to Paia. The whales are back and the island is as beautiful as ever, so come visit and take advantage of great tourist "deals." Businesses from shops to restaurants have lowered prices and want your patronage!
There are many real estate opportunities on Maui too, so while you are here, give me a call and I'll discuss what "deals" are available for real estate buyers.
On Feb. 15, the 25-member Maui General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) reviwed the draft of the subcommittee's Maui Island Plan. The deadline for presentation of the long-term master plan is March 1. Then the committee has six months to review and forward to the Maui County Council for final approval.
According to Maui News, one of the projects that the subcommittee wanted scaled back was Maui Land & Pineapple Co.'s Pulelehua near the Kapalua-West Maui Airport. Because of concerns about its proximity to the airport, a gulch and Hawaiian homelands, the subcommittee recommended cutting Pulelehua from 1,100 housing units to 696. The subcommittee also made a request to scale back Makila Land Co.'s Launiupoko on the Hill 200-lot subdivision above Honoapiilani Highway.
GPAC Vice Chairman Dick Mayer explained that the subcommittee considered 3 main factors for siting future growth: projected population growth, current unbuilt housing units, and public opinion on urban sprawl. The subcommittee divvied up the island into six community plan areas: west, south, central, Upcountry, north and east. Based on existing County Council project approvals or entitlements, some of which are decades old, the subcommittee determined what the future housing unit supply and demand should be for each area.
Read the entire article about the plan and which developments were included or rejected, or scaled back at Maui News.com.
Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. (NYSE:MLP) announced that it concluded a financing agreement to complete construction of its joint venture project, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences at Kapalua Bay. Robert Webber, President & CEO of MLP, said, "We continue to be encouraged by construction progress, and the project is on schedule to open in June. We believe Kapalua Bay will offer purchasers the most stunning ocean-front luxury experience in the state of Hawai`i. Moreover, because many other luxury projects in the state have recently been abandoned, we believe the project is well-positioned for the eventual economic recovery."
The Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences at Kapalua Bay offer 84 private ownership residences and 62 residences sold in deeded, one-twelfth fractional ownership interests, along with an abundance of amenities on a 24-acre oceanfront site, complemented by dramatic mountain and ocean views overlooking one of Maui's most spectacular beaches.
The wholly-owned Residences at Kapalua Bay feature upscale, island-influenced contemporary homes with panoramic ocean and sunset views and spacious three and four bedroom floor plans, ranging in size from 3,000 square feet to 4,200 square feet, including media rooms, private lanai and den options. Fractional owners may select two or three bedroom units, including gourmet kitchens, designer bathrooms and state-of-the-art entertainment systems.
All residents enjoy membership in the Kapalua Club, which includes tee time privileges on Kapalua's Plantation and Bay golf courses, preferred access to the 30,000 square foot Kapalua Spa, membership at the Kapalua Bay Beach Club, offering an ocean-side bar and beach recreation activities and 8,500 square foot lagoon-shaped pool with indoor/outdoor grill and bar.
Read the complete press release at BusinessWire, Feb. 11.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
The new trend, Volunteering on Vacation, has been embraced and promoted by the Pacific Whale Foundation. Many travelers, seeing the decreased funding for environmental and social efforts, are volunteering their vacation time. With support from Hawaii Tourism Authority, the Pacific Whale Foundation has launched a new "Volunteering on Vacation" program. Sign on for three hours and you'll walk away with a free Volunteering on Vacation tote bag, plus the satisfaction of making a difference on behalf of Maui's environment.
Interior sq ft runs from 908 for a 1 bedroom/2 bath home to 1383 sq ft for a 2 bedroom/2 bath. 4 units sold in 2008: a 1-bedroom of 908 sq ft for $425,000; 2 2-bedroom of 1056 sq ft for $575,000 and $745,000; a 3 bedroom of 1383 sq ft with ocean view for $750,000.
President Obama has often mentioned the importance of charter schools in his overall plan to improve education in the nation, and Maui will now the one in Kihei will be larger and improved. A nightclub and restaurant space will be converted into the new campus for the Kihei Charter Middle School. 
A recent article in 
Maui Land & Pineapple Company, Inc. (NYSE:MLP) announced that it concluded a financing agreement to complete construction of its joint venture project, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences at Kapalua Bay. Robert Webber, President & CEO of MLP, said, "We continue to be encouraged by construction progress, and the project is on schedule to open in June. We believe Kapalua Bay will offer purchasers the most stunning ocean-front luxury experience in the state of Hawai`i. Moreover, because many other luxury projects in the state have recently been abandoned, we believe the project is well-positioned for the eventual economic recovery."
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