realtor in hawaii: Aquaponics in Hawaii Part Two - BUGS!!! - 11/06/14 09:28 AM
 Water, water all around you’d think the likely invasion of bugs bothering your plants would be reduced.  But, no – I have an invasion of aphids and ants on my leafy plants.  Here in Maunawili,  Kailua on Oahu, I have had, for the last year or so, an above average amount of ants in and about my yard.  The bug guy (thanks, Troy of Terminix) comes by once a quarter and keeps all buggy pests under control. 
But when I planted my Lilikoi vine, I started having problems with the ants invading the flowers and breaking them off before any fruit was made.  So I started to … (0 comments)

realtor in hawaii: Fun Things To Do On OAhu - Botanical Parks (Part One) - 10/28/14 10:15 AM
Oahu Hawaii’s Botanical Gardens, part One  (There’s five you know!)
Ho`omaluhia Botanical Garden
45-680 Luluku Rd.
Kaneohe, HI  96744
Right down the street (ok, well really – down the highway from #Kailua to #Kaneohe on the #Windward side of #Oahu) Is one of Oahu’s fantastic and varied botanical gardens, a lovely mixture of local and other tropical area plants and trees.  
 
We walk from the Visitor Center to the end of the road and then back down around the fishpond and dam for an hour and a half.
 
You’ll see more if you walk and can check out the … (1 comments)

realtor in hawaii: I'm a Farmer and A Realtor in Hawaii - 10/27/14 11:13 AM
Going Green and Sustainable in Hawaii
I have a good friend who has chosen to move to Washington State where they can  have more for less.  It isn’t cheap to live in Hawaii and there are always concerns about supply in case of storms or other disasters that would disrupt our supply line from the mainland and elsewhere.  But my friend (and yes, I will be listing the home in Enchanted Lakes later this year – more on that later) had an aquaponic system he’d gotten from another friend when that friend choose to move.
Now it’s really advantageous to have … (1 comments)

realtor in hawaii: Hawaii Real Estate Appraised/Market Value Dips in August - 09/08/14 05:52 AM
The Honolulu Board of Realtors says that the market value of homes has dipped slightly last month (even with the pressure on prices due to low inventory) to a median of:
Single Family Home $683,500 Condominium $351,750 So what is Appraised/Market Value? It’s an objective opinion of value, but it’s not an exact science so appraisals may differ.  For buying and selling purposes, appraisals are usually based on market value—what the property could probably be sold for, given the immediate past  sales of properties similar to the subject property. Other types of value include insurance value, replacement value, and assessed value for property tax purposes. NOTE:  The amounts assessed by … (1 comments)

realtor in hawaii: Retiring in Hawaii - 07/02/14 08:01 AM
Everyone has dreams of what they'll do when they finally get to retire.  Retirement means different things to different people especially today's Boomers.  We may not be "working" at that steady job but we definately haven't given up doing the things we are passionate about; be it outdoor adventures, more volunteer work, arts, or entrpranurial adventures.
Many dream of retiring in Paradise to persue their dreams.  After all, we have indoor/outdoor living year round, lot's of free or reduced cost opportunities for continued learning, and amazing things to do and see in Hawaii.  However, we also have the highest cost of … (2 comments)

realtor in hawaii: Hidden Dual Agency – Your Agent Cannot Negotiate for You - 04/11/14 07:11 AM
What Do You Mean You’re Not Negotiating for Me? With newly clarified rules, some larger brokerages may find their buyers in dual agency situations more often than not.  What’s dual agency, you ask?  Remember that paper you signed or the discussion we had about agency when we first started working together?  Of course you don’t, as the language Realtors® deal in can be very “legal-eze” and we all tend to “skip” hearing things we don’t want to hear and get on with what we want to do – get a good deal on buying or selling property.
In a nutshell, when … (0 comments)

realtor in hawaii: Ten Things Your Hawaii Agent Won't Tell you, Part Two - 04/02/13 06:29 AM

 
Our Sunday newspaper has articles and excerpts from the Wall Street Journal.  One of those is an article on the 10 things a “blank” won’t tell you; fill in financial planner, resort, Disney, bank, etc.  So I thought I’d let you in the ten things your Hawaii Realtor® or Real Estate Agent won’t tell you.  Follow us this week as we look at them in depth. 

Part Two:
3. It ain’t rocket science but it is complicated.
If market knowledge is key, your Realtor® must be a member of the local market’s MLS.  In Hawaii, the Hawaii Association of … (3 comments)

realtor in hawaii: Did You Know The Recession Ended In 2009? - 01/25/13 03:15 AM
According to Hawaii economist, Paul Brewbaker, the recession ended in 2009. And even better, the Real Estate upward cycle began October 26, 2012.
We all can feel the effects of low inventory (especially since most of it is not the best housing), no new building, and pressure on prices.  It means that prices are inching up.  In fact, appreciation of a median single family home increased 10% last year and Mr. Brewbaker expects the median price of single family homes on Oahu to rise from $650,000 to $750,000 or higher; at minimum 15% this year.
But here's the caveat; the Feds … (2 comments)

realtor in hawaii: We Search for Homes in Hawaii By Neighborhood Not City-Here's Why - 09/28/12 01:08 PM
Hawaii, the State, is a small chain of islands in the middle of the Pacific (more on Hawaii).  Hawaii is also the island of Hawaii and the county of Hawaii, which includes the island of Hawaii (better known as the Big Island).  Maui is an island and a county, but the county of Maui also includes Lanai island - confused yet?  Oahu is an island, but it is in the county of Honolulu, which is also a city and is the capital of Hawaii (the state) and is located on the island of Oahu. Now I bet I've got your head … (1 comments)

realtor in hawaii: Number Two BIG First Time Homebuyer Mistake - 02/02/12 04:44 AM
#2  Not getting your own agent and committing to them. Preferably one that primarily represents buyers  or has been accredited as a Buyer's Agent.
There are two or three subtopics here.  First is the buyer who thinks they'll save money by just walking into the listing they are interested in and talking to the agent there to make an offer.  That agent represents the Seller.  Without getting too much into agency, the listing agreement signed by the Seller is with the Brokerage, so the listing agent and any other agent in that brokerage owes their fiduciary duty and full loyalty to … (0 comments)

realtor in hawaii: Summary - The Homebuying Process in Hawaii - 08/20/11 12:09 PM
Congratulations, homeownership can be the most rewarding financial decision you will ever make. Not only will your home provide you with a sense of identity; it will build your personal wealth, offer tax advantages, and after time, can be a valuable source of equity from which you can borrow from.
These are just a few of the reasons that make obtaining a home a rewarding and worthwhile experience. These same reasons also make the purchase of a home one of the largest, most important, financial decisions people will ever make. However, if you are not informed of options that are … (0 comments)