GreatHawaiianHomes.com Blog

Oahu Bed and Breakfast

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:22:23 -0500

In an action this afternoon by the City Counsel of Honolulu, the moratorium on Bed and Breakfasts for Oahu has been lifted. It was decided in what was called a "Work In Progress" that those Bed & Breakfast operations on Oahu that were in operation on or prior to February 2008 would be eligible to apply for a Bed & Breakfast License to operate legally.

This is great news for those operators that need the income their home businesses produce. Another great feature of todays action is that it specifaclly says that "Neighborhood Vetos" will NOT be allowed. It is thought that because of the budget shortfalls of the City and County of Honolulu, that this is a first step in allowing these wonderful businesses on Oahu and that as the bill evolves, Bed & Breakfasts licenses will be allowed for anyone that would like to apply for one.

There are some neighborhoods on Oahu that have been Bed & Breakfast favorites, like Kailua with its white sandy beach and on the North Shore of Oahu. Investors that would like the income of a Bed & Breakfast business on Oahu should act quickly before investor purchases drive up Hawaii Real Estate prices.

To do a search for homes that might be a perfect fit for you and a Bed and Breakfast operation, simply click on the photo of Mike & Gayle and we wish you Happy House Hunting. If you would like more information about today's action by the Honolulu City Counsel or on Hawaii Real Estate, please call us anytime.

Warm Regards-

Mike & Gayle

Gayle Fujita Ramsey, RA 808*388*1485 Hawaii Realty Group

Mike Ramsey Fujita, RA 808*630*1828 Hawaii Realty Group

Tax Credit for First Time Home-Buyers...$8,000!!!

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:24:16 -0500

Aloha,

Mike and I hope you had a fantastic Labor Day weekend. There are 100,000 first time Home-Buyers looking for their Dream Homes right now and time is "Ticking Away" for them to take advantage of the gonvernment's $8,000 First Time Home-Buyer's Tax Credit!

We also wanted to let you know that if you haven't owned a home within the last three years you may qualify for the $8000 tax credit that is being offered for first time home buyers. This is a true credit which means if you owe $1500 in taxes next year when you file your 2009 Tax Returns and you qualify for the full amount of the tax credit you would actually receive $6500 back as a tax refund.

If you are thinking about getting a new home under this wonderful program and have not had the time to speak to a lender, we understand how busy we can get; however, if you don't want to miss this opportunity of the tax credit we implore you to make the time as soon as possible. We would hate for you to miss out on this credit being offered if you qualify.

The deadline to qualify is December 1, 2009. We must have recorded and title of the property must be in your name by this date, so plan on needing to be IN escrow by October 15, 2009 as it takes an average of 45 days to close, which would put you right up to the December 1st deadline. If you have any questions or need further assistance regarding this matter please feel free to give either Mike or myself a ring. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Gayle Fujita Ramsey, RA
808*388*1485

Mike Ramsey Fujita, RA-808*630*1828

Hawaii Real Estate, Leasehold vs. Fee Simple

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:30:24 -0500

Leasehold (LH) v. Fee Simple(FS) v. Fee Available (FA)

In the state of Hawaii we have land that is conveyed in a two types of tenures. There is Fee Simple which is what property in the mainland is conveyed in. This means that when you buy the home you also own the land or interest in the land if you are buying a condominium or town home.

Leasehold property means that you only own the improvement on the land, not the land. For example, if there is a single family dwelling on the land then you only own the home and the land is owned by someone else. This often means you have to pay an additional fee every month called the Lease Rent. Basically, you are renting the land from the land owner.

This lease rent can range from a very low amount to a very high amount. For instance there are lease rents below a hundred dollars a month, to a property in Kahala that is over a thousand dollars a month.

Leasehold was created at a time in Hawaii when property was too expensive for individuals to purchase and instead of selling off the land the land owners decided to rent out the land and sell the homes on them. This allowed the land owners to increase their land value. However, this system was created 40+ years ago and many of the leases are now terming out.

This means that there is often less than 30 years remaining on the lease and some are even expiring. The problem for buyers and sellers when the lease amount is less than 30 years is that mortgages are difficult to obtain and will only be giving for a certain term with a cushion. For example, say there is 20 years on the lease remaining. The mortgage company will give you a mortgage for 15 years. Different mortgage companies vary in the cushion they need so this number may vary. However, what it comes down to is that you can't obtain a 30 year mortgage on a property that is sold in leasehold with less than 30+2-5 years remaining.

The other hurdle to overcome is when the lease rent is going to be bumped up. Throughout the life of the lease rent there are step ups in the lease hold portion. This means that your lease rent maybe $200 a month but in three years it will possibly change. No one can tell you how much it will increase and banks will look at when the next step up is scheduled for when considering your mortgage. Generally the lease rent is set for a period of ten years.

What this all means is that if you are considering a leasehold property you will possibly have a shorter term mortgage, which means your monthly mortgage amount will be more than if it were amortized over 30 years. Also, that when calculating if you can afford to purchase the property, the lease rent amount will be calculated in and this will often mean less buying power.

The great thing about leasehold properties is that their sales prices are often much lower than fee simple properties and there are still a few situations that are great opportunities for a buyer. Word of caution though; make sure you really understand what you are getting into and the circumstances of the lease portion of the property.

Land is not conveyed in Fee Available (FA) but if you should see this under tenure on an MLS sheet provided to you by your Realtor, what this means is that the fee is available for purchase. If at all possible, we highly recommend purchasing this at the same time you purchase the property; by doing so you will be buying in Fee Simple which is the best tenure to buy in. You would want to add the Fee Purchase Price to the List Price of the property to be sure you are not thinking of Over Paying for that property. Compare the added amount to other properties that have sold over the last several months. If your price is high, lower the offer on the Condo or Home. The price of the Fee Portion of the purchase is most often not negotiable.

Should you have any questions regarding tenures in Hawaii please feel free to contact Mike at 808-630-1828 or Gayle at 808-388-1485. We have successfully negotiated the simultaneous closings of homes and the fee portion for the property. We will be happy to work for you.

What is Customer Service and How Do You Do It?

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 16:27:03 -0500

It is funny how situations come up that remind you of the proper way to do things. Gayle and I are Realtors in Hawaii, Oahu to be more specific. Being Realtors, we as all Realtors do, pride ourselves on our "Customer Service". The big question is what is "Customer Service"?

The flat out answer is that Customer Service is different to all people. Every client has their own, often-unique perception of what they think it is. In turn, every real estate professional has his or her own idea of what customer service is too. So how does one provide excellent "Customer Service" if it is different to all people?

Well, one has to start with a "Base Line" of customer service founded in professionalism. This means returning calls promptly, as well as emails, continually educating oneself about the market and technology, informing and educating your clients throughout the buying or selling process, listening to your client regarding what is important to them, and always putting your client's needs ahead of your own. That is the base line for good customer service.

Then we get into how we do our jobs and the position we take in providing excellent service. This afternoon, as we were leaving a signing downtown, an old friend who is a local attorney passed us in the lobby of the building and stopped to say, "Hi". As we were chatting, he could not hold in his frustration any longer. He needed to vent. He explained that he had been looking for a new home for some time and his best friend was his Realtor. They had finally found a home and wanted it so badly that he actually offered $10,000 over the list price. His agent wrote up his offer, suggesting the deposit amounts and so forth.

The offer went in and the seller accepted another offer for less money. It seems that the other interested party had offered to put more money into escrow as the initial deposit and a hefty additional deposit to boot which made the other buyer look more qualified. Our friend's agent never explained how larger deposits will impact the seller's decision when comparing offers. A great agent will educate his/her client all the way through the process so that client can make better, more informed decisions. This is a HUGE part of excellent customer service.

In today's market, you need...strike that...have to have a great agent. There are not many "Cookie Cutter" contracts or deals any more. We shake trees and WORK HARD for our clients and never assume they know the "Hows & Whys" of any part of the buying and selling process. We always work to maintain open communications with our clients. Successful transactions depends on educating and informing our clients regarding the real estate process and then allowing them to make the decision on what best fits their situation. Educate.

Mike Ramsey Fujita and Gayle Fujita Ramsey are Buyers and Sellers Real Estate Agents in Honolulu Hawaii. With 20 years of experiance between them, they have seen every nook and kranny of the Island as well as markets rise and fall. With the combination of high real property inventory levels and low interest rates, this is an excellent to purchase a home on Oahu. They would love to work for you, please call them at (808) 630-1828 today.

WANTED!!! Oahu Property of 5 Acres or More WITH a Home ON IT!

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:09:43 -0500

Calling All Interneters!

I know that there is a property on Oahu that is not on the market now (if it were, I would have found it already) with a property owner that thinks he or she might be willing to sell it. I have a client that needs a property with 5 acres or more where they can live, keep their horses, grow some veggies and raise their kids.

There are some properties that are vacant land without any kind of structure built on it, but in order for this transaction to work their has to be a structure on it and has to have been there for at least one year.

Water catchment systems are fine and we can run from a generator or run electrical into the structure...but there has to be a structure.

If you own such a property or a larger piece of land and would be willing to "Break a piece off" to sell, please call me ASAP. My number is (808) 630-1828. My email is Mike@GreatHawaiianHomes.com. If you want to know how we are, check us out at http://GreatHawaiianHomes.com.

Thank you for your time, I understand this is an unusual way to find a property for my clients, but then these are unusual times we live in...

Cheers-

Mike

Kapolei Real Estate For Sale

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:20:07 -0500

Kapolei Real Estate and the Neighborhood

Single Family Homes & Condominiums & Land & Milti-Family Homes

The second city of Oahu is part of a long-range plan by The Estate of James Campbell for lands located on the western coast of the island of Oahu. It is a master-planned urban center in which people can live, work and play. The Kapolei region encompasses the state’s largest industrial park and second-busiest commercial harbor, a new business park and vacation resort area, residential developments, and telecommunications infrastructure. Kapolei’s new residential communities offer townhomes, and single-family start-up and move-up homes, to executive ocean-view and golf course homes with amenities such as marinas, golf courses, parks and community recreation centers. Private companies have developed the neighborhoods of Kapolei Knolls and Ocean Pointe and the community of Ewa by Gentry. The area also offers community large modern shopping centers, the Wet-n-Wild Adventure Park, public and Private schools, a private pre-school, marina, hospital and a megaplex. Kapolei is also the home of Oahu's first Target Store, a new Costco and the largest mall in the state of Hawaii. The University of Hawaii system is building it's West Oahu Campus in Kapolei as well.

The homes in Kaploei are larger than the traditional Island Style Homes. They have double wall construction and lovely amenities. The lots for these homes are on the smaller side, but due to their "Planned" nature, they live very nicely.

To do a search of all Oahu Real Estate, click here for a list by Area and Zip Codes, it is very easy to use!

Gayle and I would love to assist you in the search for your home. Please call upon us anytime and we will give you our 200% effort...because there are two of us...:-) :-)

Ewa Beach Real Estate For Sale

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:01:52 -0500

Ewa Beach Real Estate and the Neighborhood

Single Family Homes & Condominiums & Land & Milti-Family Homes

Originally a plantation town, the quaint buildings of the original town center are being preserved for future generations. Newer neighborhoods have been built at the entrance to the Ewa area. The Ewa-Gentry subdivision began development in 1988 with the Soda Creek single-family home project and will eventually have a total of 8,000 units of single and multi-family projects. Palm Villa and Palm Court subdivisions are townhouses, some with grassy courtyards, and others with decks. All have detached parking stalls for each unit. The Arbors subdivision has larger townhouses that include attached garages and an attractive recreational center with a swimming pool for each large group of townhouses. Sunrise is a 3-story condominium subdivision. Sun Terra project offers single-family homes with glass block windows and bay windows. Westloch is a master planned neighborhood with the emphasis on cul-de-sac streets to enhance neighborhood identity. Most houses are grouped in clusters around common courtyards and tot lots. The single-family homes were incorporated in 1988. Some of the homes were sponsored by the City to allow some families to purchase below the market price. Some of the houses border the West Loch golf course. Two of the projects in this neighborhood are West Loch Fairways and West Loch Estates.

Today there is a new marina going in to Ewa Beach. There is also one of the best kept secrets in Oahu's real estate market. It's not new, far from it, it's the original beach homes that line to coast line of Ewa Beach. Some are on rocky fronts and some are on beautiful white sand beaches with unbelievable views of Diamond Head off in the distance. There is also a lovely "Small Town Beachiness" to the community as well.

The biggest reason this area is almost forgotten about and prices are so good is due to the traffic that has become synonymous with the name Ewa Beach. There are lots of people traveling up and down Ft. Weaver Road and rush hour is pretty tough to take. There is finally a project underway to widen this major thoroughfare and also to connect the Kapolei Parkway which will also ease traffic to the H1. Add to this the Rail System that will be coming right through the area and we believe property values will be going in only one direction in the years to come...STRAIGHT UP!

To do a search of all Oahu Real Estate, click here for a list by Area and Zip Codes, it is very easy to use!

Gayle and I would love to assist you in the search for your home. Please call upon us anytime and we will give you our 200% effort...because there are two of us...:-) :-)

Kaneohe Real Estate

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:28:47 -0500

Kaneohe Real Estate and the Neighborhood

Single Family Homes & Condominiums & Land & Milti-Family Homes

They say if you like the beach you go to Kailua and if you like boats you go to Kaneohe. With Kaneohe and Kailua in such close proximity to each other; you can have both!! With the addition of the H-3 to the Pali Highway and Like Like Highways, access to downtown Honolulu, Pearl Harbor Naval Station, Hickam AFB and the airport area is much improved from the late 60s when these bedroom communities expanded to the suburbs they are today. From Marine Corps Base Hawai'i, Kaneohe, or Kailua to Pearl Harbor or the airport travel time is approximately 20 minutes.

Kaneohe is made up of several smaller subdivisions. From multi-million dollar homes to small condominiums, Kaneohe has a great deal to offer first time home buyers and seasoned veterans as well. Some of these areas are Haiku Plantations which is made up of 1 acre gentleman lots and homes from about $1,000,000 and up, although the occasional bargain can be found, Haiku Village, Mikiola, Mahinui, Bat View Estates, Halekauwila, Kapuna Hala, Kaneohe Town, Castle Hills, Pikoiloa, Lilipuna and Haiku Knolls just to name a few.

There are some newer homes in these areas but by in large, they are older Island Style Homes in well established neighborhoods. You will occasionally a home that is up to date, but again, most of these homes will allow you to really make them your own.

Water sports are the rage in Kaneohe. Sailing and boating on Kaneohe Bay, Fishing from wonderful old piers, day trips out to the sand bar with a small group of friends...on big holiday weekends your small group of friends will number in the THOUSANDS!

To do a search of all of Oahu Real Estate, click here for a list by Area and Zip Codes, it is very easy to use!

Gayle and I would love to assist you in the search for your home. Please call upon us anytime and we will give you our 200% effort...because there are two of us...:-) :-)

Kailua Real Estate

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:32:52 -0500

Kailua Real Estate and the Neighborhood

Single Family Homes & Condominiums & Land & Milti-Family Homes

Kailua is located in Windward Oahu in the judicial district and the ahupua'a named Ko'olaupoko. [ Ahupua'a are the land divisions of old Hawai'i from the mountain top to the sea. Just think of a Spoked Bicycle Wheel and you will have the right picture in mind.] It is located 12 miles northeast of Honolulu - over the Nu'uanu Pali, tallest mountain peak in the Ko'olau mountain range. The town is a typical suburb spawned by post-war development and improved highways bringing thousands home from their workplaces in Honolulu. Many small businesses and community organizations support this unique town with its beautiful, protected beaches, Kaiwanui Marsh, and Enchanted Lake. With the addition of the H-3 to the Pali Highwayand the Like Like, access to downtown Honolulu and the airport area is much improved.

Historians and researchers believe that it is possible that Kailua was home to Hawaiian families at least 1,500 years ago. The earliest settlers are thought to have lived fished and played on the slopes surrounding Kawainui Marsh. In the 16th century, Kailua attracted the ali'i giving birth to many rich Hawaiian legends. Many legends were born here including the menehune who were known for working at night in Kaiwainui Marsh and mo'o who took the shape of a large lizard that attracted fish. Kailua was densely populated before the arrival of Captain Cook and was the ancient capital of O'ahu's kings. The biggest event in Kailua and the entire Windward side was in 1795 when King Kamehameha I conquered O'ahu in his quest to unite the Hawaiian Islands. The King granted Kaiwainui Marsh and old Kailua, which included large freshwater fish ponds and saltwater ponds at Mokapu, to the warriors and chiefs that had helped him. The land was used in various forms for agriculture from sugarcane to rice to taro and eventually was used primarily for cattle raising.

Kailua was a sleepy town of barely 3,000 in the 1940s. However, the events of World War II changed the appearance of Kailua. Kaneohe Ranch sold portions of land to the government for expansion of the Navy base (now Marine Corps Base Hawaii) and the Army's Fort Hase. Finally in 1942, Kaneohe Ranch closed down its cattle raising operations entirely, freeing thousands of acres for post-war development. A new four-lane highway, tunneling through the Ko'olau Mountains, was completed in the late 1950s. In 1946, a small Liberty House (now Macy's) shop opened with three employees and upgraded to a full-line department store in 1953 with nearly 50 employees. The first bowling alley, a branch office of the telephone company, and the very first supermarket in Hawaii opened in Kailua in 1947.

By the end of the 1950s, Hawaii had become a state and Kailua became the official postal designation (previously known as Lanikai). Castle Hospital (now) opened in 1963. By 1960 the population was up to 24,400. The town has grown more than 100 percent since 1960 when its population was 24,402. It has a compact, easy-to-shop business district surrounded by mostly single-family homes. By 1992 50,000 residents encompassed a central urban core with surrounding residential areas. Kailua consists mainly of various neighborhoods of single family homes, although there are several condominiums in Kailua town and one upscale townhome complex in nearby Enchanted Lakes.

Natural Features abound and Kailua is a place of much natural beauty. The most significant features of Kailua are the bay, the mountains, and the wetlands. Kailua Bay is a magnificent place symbolizing the regional quality of the community. Kailua Beach and nearby Lanikai have been on the " Worlds Best Beach" lists by several publishers for many years. Ka Wai Nui (the big water) Marsh, a natural wetland, provides habitat for many species of wildlife. The marsh was a center of life for early Kailuans. A huge saltwater wetland, it's peacefulness can be enjoyed on the hiking/biking pathway that wraps around its edge. Mount Olomana towers over every neighborhood in Kailua. It's three peaks are it's significant feature and a challenge for the hardiest hikers.

All or the various areas on Oahu are available to search. To do a search of Oahu Real Estate click here for a list by Area and Zip Codes, it is very easy to use!

Gayle and I would love to assist you in the search for your home. Please call upon us anytime and we will give you our 200% effort...because there are two of us...:-) :-)

Real Estate in Oahu Neighborhoods, Honolulu

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:10:21 -0500

Area 1 Ala Moana / Kakaako District

Ala Moana is at the edge of the Waikiki district and therefore attracts a large number of visitors. Luxury and high-end apartments are found here, many with spectacular ocean, park, and city views. Residents can enjoy the walking convenience to Ala Moana Center Oahu’s largest regional shopping center; Ala Moana Beach Park, a boat harbor, restaurants and megaplexes. Surrounding communities are Kapiolani, Ward/Kinau. There are a few pockets of older single-family homes here and some of these are simply breath taking. However, there are far more condos in this area down on the lower-flat part of the map. These residences are primarily low rise and high-rise condominiums. Kakaako, close to Downtown Honolulu, was mostly industrial, however in recent years the re-development of Kakaako with planned parks, the new medical school and bio-medical center, condominiums and multi-use living projects well underway.

(Area 2) Makiki / Manoa District

Makiki is another popular choice for those wanting a short commute to downtown Honolulu, Waikiki, and the University of Hawaii. The low land area of Makiki is predominately condominium with a few single family homes mixed in. Choices of condominium styles (walk-up, low rise, high rise) abound and so does the price range. The hillside neighborhoods of Makiki Heights and Tantalus have single-family homes in the higher price range. Quite a few public and private schools, two hospitals and churches are found in the area. Part of Manoa’s appeal is its tree-lined streets with traditional and New England style architecture. Manoa extends deep into the lush valley from which emerges another desirable neighborhood, Woodlawn. As its name implies, this section is woodsy and the homes are often set amidst green lawns. This area is home to several restaurants, grocers and neighborhood shopping centers. The University of Hawaii is in the lower section of Manoa, but it too gets frequent Manoa shower mists that come, even under sunny skies.

Area 2 Waikiki District

This world famous beach resort is only 2 miles long but it is the center of the state’s billion-dollar tourist industry. There is a high concentration of movie theaters, nightlife, restaurants and hotels. It is a densely populated condominium area but many of the residential type buildings are as pleasant and quiet as you’ll find elsewhere. There are also a smattering of single family homes in this area as well. The busier condominiums are those in which hotel operations or short-term rentals are permitted. This is the one district where rentals can be obtained fully furnished, down to the plates and linen. A quieter end of Waikiki is near Kapiolani Park and the slopes of Diamond Head crater, a tree-lined area often referred to as the Gold Coast. Oceanfront or ocean view apartments are at a premium here. A number of the buildings are cooperatives rather than condominiums.

Area 3 Kaimuki District

Kaimuki, located mainly on the slopes of Diamond Head, is an older established area particularly appealing to residents whose families have lived there for generations. Its residential and business community is over 100 years old. The majority of single-family properties are at least 5,000 sq. ft with some properties subdivided into areas as small as 2,400 sq. ft. Chaminade University (private), neighborhood shopping centers, restaurants, private and public schools, parks and grocers service the needs of the population. There are also some condominiums in this area. Although the elevation is high in these hillsides they are generally sunny and dry. Nearby in the arid neighborhoods of St. Louis Heights, Wilhelmina Rise and Maunalani Heights you’ll find a mixed style of older and newer homes, many with city and ocean views.

Area 3 Waialae / Kahala District

Kahala takes on the look of a nicely defined suburb with regional shopping center Kahala Mall and the Kahala Mandarin Hotel (formerly the Kahala Hilton). The lots in Waialae average 7,000 to 8,000 sq. ft. Many of the 10,000 sq. ft. and larger lot homes in the area have swimming pools, wider streets, deeper front lawns and have consistently been on the higher end of Oahu’s price scale. The beachfront properties of Kahala, Diamond Head, and Black Point are some of the most expensive in the nation. For those desiring more view, there is the hillside neighborhood of executive homes called Waialae Iki. Other options are the golf course homes in the Kai Nani area and the homes on a peninsula called Wailupe. Other residential alternatives for the area are two high-rise condominiums and four nearby townhouse projects.

Area 3 Hawaii Loa Ridge District

Hawaii Loa Ridge is an exclusive, gated hillside community of large homes offering buyers a community clubhouse and tennis courts. Many have spectacular views of the ocean, Diamond Head crater to the west or Koko Head crater in the east because the developer established protected view corridors for the lots. All the custom homes must first obtain the approval of the developer’s review board and meet their minimum requirements. Within this gated community is another newer gated community, The Pointe. These are premier view lots on the west slope and residents have part ownership of the elegant Pointe Club clubhouse.

(Area 3) Hawaii Kai / Portlock District

Hawaii Kai itself is a master planned community begun in the 1960s by the renowned American industrialist, Henry J. Kaiser. Once regarded as a “country area” for farmers, Hawaii Kai has become one of the premier suburbs of Oahu. The variety of housing styles and price ranges appeals to a diverse group of residents. It’s about 12 miles from downtown Honolulu with easy access to the H-1 Freeway. It is close to Kahala and Kaimuki neighborhoods on one end and to Waimanalo and Kailua on the other end. The Hawaii Kai community enjoys a good variety of beaches, golf courses, tennis courts, movie theaters and restaurants. In fact, other popular community-based businesses and services such as supermarkets, fitness centers, playgrounds, medical facilities and dry cleaners are located in Hawaii Kai so residents do not have to go far for their day-to-day needs. For recreation, the many wide streets encourage biking and jogging. Nearby is Sandy Beach for experienced body surfers; Hanauma Bay, a nature preserve; and Maunaloa Bay for water skiing, boating, or canoe paddling. The single-family homes are in a variety of price ranges but generally begin above the affordable range for Oahu. The Hawaii Kai high-rise condominiums have commanded higher prices than condominiums in other Oahu regions. The Portlock district offers premium luxury beachfront homes.

Areas 4-12 are coming soon! To do a search of Oahu Real Estate in the mean time, click here for a list by Area and Zip Codes, it is very easy to use!

Gayle and I would love to assist you in the search for your home. Please call upon us anytime and we will give you our 200% effort...because there are two of us...:-) :-)

Oahu Real Estate and Neighborhood Report

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:06:45 -0500

OAHU, The Gathering Place, is the third largest Hawaiian island and home to Honolulu, the state capitol. Honolulu was proclaimed the state capitol by King Kamehameha III in 1850 and began operating in 1905 as the County of Oahu before being renamed the City and County of Honolulu in 1907. It is the only American city founded by a monarch or ruler and is the site of the only palace in the United States.

The city and county of Honolulu encompasses all of Oahu and is governed by an elected mayor and nine city council members each representing a specific geographic district on the island. These districts are grouped together under larger regions commonly referred to as: Honolulu, East Oahu, Windward, North Shore, Leeward and Central. Within these regions are various towns, communities and neighborhoods each with their own distinctive characteristics.

According to the 2000 census Oahu had a population of 876,156, which at the time represented approximately 72 percent of the people of the state. The 2000 census also shows there was a total of 460,542 housing units in the state. Today, Honolulu’s median resale value for a single family home is $569,000 and $310,000 for a condominium.

When planning a trip around the island it can be useful to know that the local residents have a special language for indicating direction. For example, mauka [m-ow-ka] is toward the mountains, makai [ma-k-aye] is toward the sea, Ewa [w is usually pronounced as "v"] is in the direction of Ewa town, Diamond Head is toward that famous Waikiki landmark, and Koko Head is toward the location of that crater which is location out next to Hanauma Bay.

There are two mountain ranges that divide the island, the Koolau and Waianae mountain ranges. The highest peak of the Koolaus is the Pali. The Pali lookout offers wonderful views of Kailua, Kaneohe and the Windward coast. Take the Pali highway from Honolulu and watch for the signs.

There are truly wonderful homes in all of these areas. If you are thinking that a Condominium would be better suited for your needs, there are also hundreds that will make fabulous homes for you all around Oahu.

Has the Real Estate Market Hit the Bottom???

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:12:01 -0500

Have we found the bottom of the Housing Market? Well for the third month in a row, sales of new homes have increased. Last month sales were up 11% and as many “economy watchers” look on, the news is a welcomed sign of things to come. We have to stop here to mention that each area of the country is different and National Numbers often hold little clout in regional sales figures, but never the less, this is great news.

Here in Honolulu, the real estate market has been a “mixed bag” for some time. Some areas of Oahu have been in what’s known as a buyer’s market for and other areas like Kailua, Hawaii Kai and Manoa have been in a Seller’s market.

How do you know the difference? It is basic supply and demand. If the supply of available homes goes up or out paces the sales of the homes in the area, it will be a buyer’s market. If the supply of available homes goes down or the sales of homes in a given area out pace the addition of supply, then it is most likely a sellers market.

There is still the wild card...”Distressed Properties”. A distressed property is one that is in Foreclosure, a Short Sale or even a Lender Sale-REO-Bank Owned Property. When one of these properties sells in a specific area, it will affect all of the homes or properties in that area because the value of a home is found in the sales price of other similar homes in the same area. Realtors and sellers can always make excuses as to why that sales price should not affect the value of the home they are selling, but the simple fact is that it does in one way or another.

If you are looking for a new home, or thinking that it may be time, home prices and interest rate are both near their lows. Now is an excellent time to buy the home you have been thinking of. FHA and VA buyers will have added benefits like 0 to 3.5% down and programs where the lender will give you the money to renovate the property along with 6 months of mortgage payments and loan amounts based on the after renovation value of the property.

Yes, it is an excellent time to purchase a new home and we would like to assist you in doing so. Please call upon us anytime and we will share with you all of the homes and programs that will perfectly fit your needs. If you would like to search for homes that might interest you, go to http://gayle.hawaiirealtygroup.info and use our award winning search tool.

Have a great week!

Cheers-

Mike & Gayle

Hawaii Realty Group Lower Sales Price vs. Intrest Rates

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:39:56 -0500

Everyone Wants a Lower Price, But What About the Impact of Interest Rates?

When shopping for a home, the natural tendency of any buyer is to want to pay the lowest price possible. It's important to keep in mind, however, that the sales price is not the only factor that determines what the monthly payment will be. In fact, the impact of higher interest rates can easily nullify any benefit of waiting for a lower price.

Why Should I Rush to Buy?

While you may have heard discussions in the media about the decline of property values in many markets, the rate of decline appears to be stabilizing, and the rate of decline in Honolulu's Real Estate Market is far less than many areas of the Mainland United States.

That being said, it would not be unreasonable for buyers to want to hold out for an additional decline of 10%, hoping to capture the best possible price. However, as property values have declined in many areas to 2003 levels or lower, waiting longer to pull the trigger could be a mistake. Many Hawaii communities are reporting that lower property values have been bringing out investors and the result has been multiple offers on many properties. Properties priced correctly are not declining and, in fact, are creating a lot of interest.

Remember to think of any specific community in Hawaii's Real Estate market as a giant funnel. The flow out the bottom are the properties that have sold, Just listed properties go into the top. Watch the Level Inside The Funnel! If it is going up, then that area is a Buyers Market. If the level is Going Down, meaning the properties are selling faster than new properties are being listed, then that community is a Buyers Market.

Interest Rate Complacency

The problem is that many home buyers have been lulled into a sense of complacency because of extremely low interest rates. Since the Federal Reserve initiated its program of buying mortgage-backed securities, which control the rates people pay for their home loans, rates had been range bound, bouncing between 4.50% to 5.00% for a 30-year fixed-rate loan.

But buyers shouldn't be confused by this. These rates are artificially low! Historically, interest rates have been above 6.00%. And any rate obtained below this number is a great deal, especially on homes with price tags from 2003!

Markets are Unforgiving

The last two weeks of May showed just how unforgiving the markets can be for people who choose to procrastinate. In just five days, interest rates from many lenders increased anywhere from .50% to 1.00% as fixed-income investors demanded more for their money.

For anyone who was waiting for prices to drop even more, a 1.00% increase in interest rate would bring a higher monthly principal and interest payment on a home, even if the price of that same home had fallen an additional 10% in value.

If you are waiting for Hawaii Real Estate Prices to fall even lower, be aware that while holding out for a lower price may help you win the battle, you could lose the war in terms of monthly payments and overall affordability. With the Federal Reserve scheduled to end its buying of mortgage-backed securities this year, rates only stand to go higher for those that wait. In fact, interest rates are already on the rise and could go higher from here.

Clock is Ticking on Free Money

If you are planning on purchasing your first home this year, be sure to remember that you will need to take possession before 12/01/2009 to be eligible for a tax credit of up to $8,000. In a survey conducted in March by Move.com, nearly 50% of home buyers are currently unaware that this free money exists in the marketplace. And since over 50% of all buyers are first-timers in today's market, this will impact a lot of home buyers.

About Us...

Hawaii Realty Group is based on Oahu, the most populated island in the Hawaiian chain. Honolulu is the state's largest city and Honolulu County makes up entire Island of Oahu. Like any large city, Honolulu is made up of smaller towns and sub divisions.

Here is a list of most of the communities you will find on Oahu. We can help you buy or sell single family homes or condominiums anywhere in the state but these are the areas we specialize in.

Transactions in: Honolulu, Waikiki, Windward, Leeward, Honolulu Metro, Diamond Head, Hawaii Kai, Kailua, Kaneohe, North Shore, Central Oahu, Pearl City, Waipahu, Makakilo, Ewa, Leeward Coast, Maui, Big Island, Kauai Neighborhood Transactions in: Ag/indl/navy, Ag/preserve, Ahuimanu Area, Ahuimanu Hills, Ahuimanu Knolls, Aiea Area, Aiea Heights, Aikahi Park, Aina Haina Area, Aina Haina Beach, Ala Moana, Alewa Heights, Aliamanu, Alii Bluffs, Alii Shores, Anchorage, Bay View Garden, Bay View Golf Course, Beach Parks, Beachside, Black Point, Bluestone, Campbell Industrial Park, Castle Hill, Chinatown, Club View Estate, Country Club Knoll, Coconut Grove, Country Club, Crestview, Diamond Head, Dillingham, Downtown, Dowsett, Enchanted Lake, Ewa, Ewa Beach, Ewa Gen, Ewa Gen Alii Court, Ewa Gen Alii Cove, Ewa Gen Carriages, Ewa Gen Cortebella, Ewa Gen Cypress Point, Ewa Gen Fiesta/del Verde, Ewa Gen Haleakea, Ewa Gen Haleakea Ii, Ewa Gen Kula Lei, Ewa Gen Las Brisas, Ewa Gen Latitudes, Ewa Gen Lofts, Ewa Gen Lombard Way, Ewa Gen Meridian, Ewa Gen Montecito/Tuscany, Ewa Gen Prescott, Ewa Gen Soda Creek, Ewa Gen Sonoma, Ewa Gen Summerhill, Ewa Gen Sun Terra, Ewa Gen Sun Terra On The Park, Ewa Gen Sun Terra South, Ewa Gen Terrazza, Ewa Gen Tiburon, Ewa Gen Trovare, Ewa Gen Tuscany Ii, Ewa Gen, Woodbridge, Ewa Villages, Foster Village, Government, Govt/ag, Hahaione-lower, Hahaione-upper, Haiku Knolls, Haiku Park, Haiku Plantation, Haiku Village, Hakipuu, Halawa, Halawa Heights, Hale Kou, Hale Lumi, Haleiwa, Halekauwila, Halepuu, Harbor View, Hauula, Hauula, Hawaii Loa Ridge, Heeia View, Hillcrest, Hoakalei-ka Makana, Holiday Mart, Huelani, Judd Hllside, Kaaawa, Kaalaea, Kahala Area, Kahala Kua, Kahaluu Town, Kahanahou, Kahuhipa Indstrl, Kahuku, Kailua Bluffs, Kailua Estates, Kailua Town, Kaimalino, Kaimuki, Kakaako, Kalaheo Hillside, Kalama Tract, Kalama Valley, Kalama/Coconut Grove, Kalani Iki, Kalihi Area, Kalihi Uka, Kalihi Valley, Kalihi-lower, Kalihi-upper, Kam Heights, Kam Hwy Makai, Kamehame Ridge, Kamilo Nui, Kamiloiki, Kamooalii, Kaneohe Bay, Kaneohe Town, Kaopa, Kapahulu, Kapalama, Kapio/kinau/ward, Kapiolani, Kapolei, Kapolei Knolls, Kapolei-Aeloa, Kapolei-Iwalani, Kapolei-Kai, Kapolei-Kekuilani, Kapolei-Malanai, Kapuna Hala, Kawailoa, Kawela Bay, Keaahala, Kealaula Kai, Keapuka, Keolu Hills, Ko Olina, Koko Head Terrace, Koko Kai, Koko Villas, Kokokahi, Koolaupoku, Kuakini, Kualoa Beach, Kuilima, Kukanono, Kukilakila, Kuliouou, Kuulei Tract, Laie, Lanikai, Laulima, Leeward Estates, Liliha, Lilipuna, Lualualei, Lulani Ocean, Luna Kai, Mahalani, Mahinui, Maili, Makaha, Makakilo-anuhea, Makakilo-highlands, Makakilo-highpointe, Makakilo-kumulani, Makakilo-lower, Makakilo-palehua Hgts, Makakilo-royal Ridge, Makakilo-starsedge, Makakilo-upper, Makakilo-wai Kaloi, Makakilo-west Hills, Makiki, Makiki Area, Makiki Heights, Malaekahana, Manana, Manoa Area, Manoa-lower, Manoa-upper, Marina West, Mariners Cove, Mariners Ridge, Mariners Valley, Matson Point, Maunalani Heights, Maunawili, Mccully, Metcalf Acres, Mikiola, Mililani Area, Mililani Mauka, Military, Miomio, Moanalua Gardens, Moanalua Valley, Moiliili, Mokuleia, Momilani, Nanakai Gardens, Nanakuli, Napali Haweo, Napua Point, Navy/federal, Newtown, Niu Beach, Niu Valley, Nuuanu Area, Nuuanu-lower, Ocean Pointe, Old Pali, Olomana, Paalaakai, Pacific Heights, Pacific Palisades, Paiko Lagoon, Palama, Palolo, Parkway, Pauoa Valley, Pawaa, Pearl City-lower, Pearl City-upper, Pearlridge, Pikoiloa, Pohakupu, Portlock, Preserve, Punahou, Punaluu, Punchbowl Area, Punchbowl-lower, Puohala Village, Pupukea, Puualii, Puunui, Puupanini, Queens Gate, Renaissance, Robinson Heights, Royal Kunia, Royal Summit, Salt Lake, Sand Island, School, Seaview, Spinnaker Isle, St. Louis Heights, Sunset Area, Sunset/velzy, Temple Valley, Triangle, Ualakaa, University, Valley Estates, Village Park, Wahiawa Area, Wahiawa Heights, Waialae G/c, Waialae Iki, Waialae Nui Rdge, Waialae Nui Vly, Waialae Nui-lwr, Waialua, Waianae, Waiau, Waihee, Waihole, Waikalua, Waikele, Waikiki, Wailuna, Wailupe Area, Waimalu, Waimanalo, Waimea, Waipahu Estates, Waipahu Gardens, Waipahu Triangle, Waipahu-lower, Waipio Gentry, West Marina, Westloch Estates, Westloch Fairway, Whitmore Village, Wilhelmina Rise, Wilikina, Windward Estates, Windward Mall and Woodlawn.

If you are thinking of buying a home in any of these areas and would like to receive Concierge Level Service from professionals that know what service means, give us a call at (808) 630-1828. AND if you are thinking of a transaction in an area that is not on our list, PLEASE drop me a line at Mike@GreatHawaiianHomes.com. We pride ourselves on knowing every nook and cranny of this island!

Warm Regards-

Mike

Hawaii Real Estate and the Hawaii Realty Group

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:05:31 -0500

Hawaii Realty Group is based on Oahu, the most populated island in the Hawaiian chain. Honolulu is the state's largest city and Honolulu County is the entire Island of Oahu. Like any large city, Honolulu is made up of smaller towns and sub divisions. Here is a list of most of what you will find on Oahu. We can help you buy or sell single family homes or condominiums anywhere in the state but these are the areas we specialize in.

Neighborhood Transactions in: Ag/indl/navy, Ag/preserve, Ahuimanu Area, Ahuimanu Hills, Ahuimanu Knolls, Aiea Area, Aiea Heights, Aikahi Park, Aina Haina Area, Aina Haina Beach, Ala Moana, Alewa Heights, Aliamanu, Alii Bluffs, Alii Shores, Anchorage, Bay View Garden, Bay View Golf Course, Beach Parks, Beachside, Black Point, Bluestone, Campbell Industrial Park, Castle Hill, Chinatown, Club View Estate, Country Club Knoll, Coconut Grove, Country Club, Crestview, Diamond Head, Dillingham, Downtown, Dowsett, Enchanted Lake, Ewa, Ewa Beach, Ewa Gen, Ewa Gen Alii Court, Ewa Gen Alii Cove, Ewa Gen Carriages, Ewa Gen Cortebella, Ewa Gen Cypress Point, Ewa Gen Fiesta/del Verde, Ewa Gen Haleakea, Ewa Gen Haleakea Ii, Ewa Gen Kula Lei, Ewa Gen Las Brisas, Ewa Gen Latitudes, Ewa Gen Lofts, Ewa Gen Lombard Way, Ewa Gen Meridian, Ewa Gen Montecito/Tuscany, Ewa Gen Prescott, Ewa Gen Soda Creek, Ewa Gen Sonoma, Ewa Gen Summerhill, Ewa Gen Sun Terra, Ewa Gen Sun Terra On The Park, Ewa Gen Sun Terra South, Ewa Gen Terrazza, Ewa Gen Tiburon, Ewa Gen Trovare, Ewa Gen Tuscany Ii, Ewa Gen, Woodbridge, Ewa Villages, Foster Village, Government, Govt/ag, Hahaione-lower, Hahaione-upper, Haiku Knolls, Haiku Park, Haiku Plantation, Haiku Village, Hakipuu, Halawa, Halawa Heights, Hale Kou, Hale Lumi, Haleiwa, Halekauwila, Halepuu, Harbor View, Hauula, Hauula, Hawaii Loa Ridge, Heeia View, Hillcrest, Hoakalei-ka Makana, Holiday Mart, Huelani, Judd Hllside, Kaaawa, Kaalaea, Kahala Area, Kahala Kua, Kahaluu Town, Kahanahou, Kahuhipa Indstrl, Kahuku, Kailua Bluffs, Kailua Estates, Kailua Town, Kaimalino, Kaimuki, Kakaako, Kalaheo Hillside, Kalama Tract, Kalama Valley, Kalama/Coconut Grove, Kalani Iki, Kalihi Area, Kalihi Uka, Kalihi Valley, Kalihi-lower, Kalihi-upper, Kam Heights, Kam Hwy Makai, Kamehame Ridge, Kamilo Nui, Kamiloiki, Kamooalii, Kaneohe Bay, Kaneohe Town, Kaopa, Kapahulu, Kapalama, Kapio/kinau/ward, Kapiolani, Kapolei, Kapolei Knolls, Kapolei-Aeloa, Kapolei-Iwalani, Kapolei-Kai, Kapolei-Kekuilani, Kapolei-Malanai, Kapuna Hala, Kawailoa, Kawela Bay, Keaahala, Kealaula Kai, Keapuka, Keolu Hills, Ko Olina, Koko Head Terrace, Koko Kai, Koko Villas, Kokokahi, Koolaupoku, Kuakini, Kualoa Beach, Kuilima, Kukanono, Kukilakila, Kuliouou, Kuulei Tract, Laie, Lanikai, Laulima, Leeward Estates, Liliha, Lilipuna, Lualualei, Lulani Ocean, Luna Kai, Mahalani, Mahinui, Maili, Makaha, Makakilo-anuhea, Makakilo-highlands, Makakilo-highpointe, Makakilo-kumulani, Makakilo-lower, Makakilo-palehua Hgts, Makakilo-royal Ridge, Makakilo-starsedge, Makakilo-upper, Makakilo-wai Kaloi, Makakilo-west Hills, Makiki, Makiki Area, Makiki Heights, Malaekahana, Manana, Manoa Area, Manoa-lower, Manoa-upper, Marina West, Mariners Cove, Mariners Ridge, Mariners Valley, Matson Point, Maunalani Heights, Maunawili, Mccully, Metcalf Acres, Mikiola, Mililani Area, Mililani Mauka, Military, Miomio, Moanalua Gardens, Moanalua Valley, Moiliili, Mokuleia, Momilani, Nanakai Gardens, Nanakuli, Napali Haweo, Napua Point, Navy/federal, Newtown, Niu Beach, Niu Valley, Nuuanu Area, Nuuanu-lower, Ocean Pointe, Old Pali, Olomana, Paalaakai, Pacific Heights, Pacific Palisades, Paiko Lagoon, Palama, Palolo, Parkway, Pauoa Valley, Pawaa, Pearl City-lower, Pearl City-upper, Pearlridge, Pikoiloa, Pohakupu, Portlock, Preserve, Punahou, Punaluu, Punchbowl Area, Punchbowl-lower, Puohala Village, Pupukea, Puualii, Puunui, Puupanini, Queens Gate, Renaissance, Robinson Heights, Royal Kunia, Royal Summit, Salt Lake, Sand Island, School, Seaview, Spinnaker Isle, St. Louis Heights, Sunset Area, Sunset/velzy, Temple Valley, Triangle, Ualakaa, University, Valley Estates, Village Park, Wahiawa Area, Wahiawa Heights, Waialae G/c, Waialae Iki, Waialae Nui Rdge, Waialae Nui Vly, Waialae Nui-lwr, Waialua, Waianae, Waiau, Waihee, Waihole, Waikalua, Waikele, Waikiki, Wailuna, Wailupe Area, Waimalu, Waimanalo, Waimea, Waipahu Estates, Waipahu Gardens, Waipahu Triangle, Waipahu-lower, Waipio Gentry, West Marina, Westloch Estates, Westloch Fairway, Whitmore Village, Wilhelmina Rise, Wilikina, Windward Estates, Windward Mall and Woodlawn.

If you are thinking of buying a home in any of these areas and would like to expect to receive Concierge Level Service from professionals that know what service means, give us a call at (808) 630-1828. AND if you are thinking of a transaction in an area that is not on our list, PLEASE drop me a line at Mike@GreatHawaiianHomes.com. We pride ourselves on knowing every knoock and cranny of this island!

Hawaii Realty Group and Great Hawaiian Homes

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 16:20:37 -0500

Hawaii Realty Group, Hawaii's largest privately own real estate company is where we now call home. Hawaii Realty Group's state of the art systems and management offer an unbelievable value to our clients and it is for this reason we have made the move.

In today's real estate market in Hawaii, finding the right real estate agent representation is critical. With real estate expertise for both home buyers and sellers on Oahu, you've found the right source for all of your real estate needs.

Whether you are looking for a new home in Honolulu or you are in the preliminary stages of Hawaii real estate search, we can help. With the introduction of the Internet, finding a home is easier than ever. Through our real estate web site, you have the ability to search virtually every home for sale on Oahu.

In addition to accessing homes and real estate for sale in Honolulu, Pearl City, Aiea, Kaneohe, Kailua, North Shore, Kahala, Waimanalo, Hawaii Kai, and other communities on Oahu, Hawaii this web site features comprehensive community information for these areas that will help guide you in selecting the right real estate or home for sale.

This web site features every real estate tool you need when looking at Oahu real estate for sale. You can browse our exclusive homes for sale, search virtually all area homes for sale through our property search, calculate mortgage payments on your next home with our real estate mortgage calculators, access home buying and home selling tips, get tremendous area information about Oahu, Hawaii. Furthermore, you can find out how much your home is worth, and access comprehensive information about us as your real estate buyers agent and your real estate sellers agent.

When you are considering your next real estate transaction or are looking for real estate representation, please remember we will do everything possible to make your real estate experience smooth and enjoyable. Selecting the right real estate agent can be a difficult decision, but with our real estate expertise associated with home buying and home selling you can be sure you are receiving the best representation possible.

Thanks again for visiting, and please note that you can access the real estate site map for quick links to real estate and homes for sale as well as to find everything you will need to know about real estate in Hawaii.

Tips for searching for Hawaii real estate on our web site In addition to finding property for sale in Honolulu, quick links to other areas of this real estate site will provide you with the information you are looking for. For information about Hawaii real estate and how it applies to our local real estate and home buying and home selling services you should view our Realtors Personal Info page, our Testimonial Realtors page, and our Honolulu Real Estate and Homes for Sale Real Estate Info Request page.

To learn about Honolulu and surrounding areas such as Honolulu, Pearl City, Kailua, North Shore, Kahala, Kaneohe, Hawaii Kai, Aiea, Kapolei, etc you should visit our Honolulu Real Estate and Homes for Sale Area Information section and our Community Real Estate and Homes for Sale page. For real estate searches for homes, commercial real estate, multi-unit properties, condos, rentals, and income properties you should access our Honolulu real estate and homes for sale Real Estate Search.

As far as contacting us with any and all of your real estate and home requests, please email us at Mike@GreatHawaiianHomes.com or use our Honolulu Real Estate Buyers Request Form which allows you to request homes for sale, our sellers Honolulu real estate and Honolulu homes for sale Real Estate Request Form, and our General Honolulu Realtor Request Form for general real estate requests related to single family residents, homes for sale, commercial listings, and automated real estate e-mail notification sign-up.

Our "What's Your Home Worth" Form is a great way for you to find out the value of your Honolulu home from a Realtor who specializes in the Honolulu real estate market. The Dream Home Real Estate Home Finder Form allows you to request your ideal home or other real estate.

We thank you again for your time and we look forward to assisting you with our fabulous Concierge Level Services.

Warm Regards-

Mike & Gayle

Hawaii Realty Group Hawaii Market

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:20:29 -0500

Welcome to Hawaii Realty Group and Market Chat.

I would like to start by welcoming you to Market Chat at the Hawaii Realty Group. Market chat pulls information from the Honolulu Board of Realtors and every day experiences from the Hawaii Real Estate Market.

This morning I was listening to the local news and the business report came on. The information they reported was so out to lunch, that I nearly choked on my Yogurt! (Brown Cow, Non Fat, Vanilla...) The facts were correct but the information was totally wrong. They reported that Hawaii's, more to the point Honolulu's, Single Family Home Prices were continuing to SLIP some 15-30% last month. Here is a link to the Honolulu Broad of Realtors charts.

http://hicentral.com/pdfs/ResaleCharts_May09.pdf

As you can plainly see, Single Family Home prices as well as Honolulu Condominium Prices have been working to be fairly stable for some time now. If you compare May 2009 to May 2008, yes it is true that prices have come down by double digits, but the fact is that this is NOT Relevant in today's Hawaii market.

Across the United States, there are areas that are prone to HUGE Seasonal weather changes. It makes sense to compare a day or month in the middle of winter to the same day or month of the last year because to compare a lovely Spring Day to a day two months ago when there was three feet of snow on the ground and people would tend NOT to go House Hunting would be silly and unfair. Here in Hawaii, Everyday is a lovely Spring Day.

To not report that Home Prices are and have been fairly stable is hurting the entire R

eal Estate Industry in Hawaii and is bringing a false perceptions or sence of value to both buyer's and seller's of Hawaii real estate. The simple fact is the only the Buyer and Seller of a property can determine the value of that piece of Hawaii Real Estate. All of the charts and theories are purely academic.

They best way to determine if it is a Buyer's Market or a Seller's Market is to look at the amount of homes that are for sale in a specific community. Then you look at the homes that have sold in that same area and then think of a large funnel. New homes that are going on the market are going into the funnel and homes that are selling are flowing out of the bottom of the funnel. If the level of home or properties in the funnel are going UP, then it is more a Buyer's Market, if the level is going down, then it is more a Seller's Market.

Hawaii Real Estate prices will come down a bit in Buyer's Markets and will hold steady or increase in Seller's Markets. In today's Real Estate Market in Hawaii, you will need to apply this rule to each area you are looking at to figure out which market you are in. Mike & Gayle from Hawaii Realty Group and Market Chat are here to help you do this.

Hawaii Realty Group

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:34:52 -0500

Hawaii Realty Group

Built With Our Customers In Mind

Hawaii Realty Group is the largest locally owned and operated real estate firm in Hawaii. Hawaii Realty Group has been built by Brandon and Stephanie Price, a family with long time Hawaii ties and shares the value of our people. Hawaii Realty Group is committed to our clients and because of this commitment, our company is full of agents who are highly qualified to assist you in every aspect of Hawaii real estate. Hawaii Realty Group has recently brought the high powered team of Mike Ramsey Fujita and Gayle Fujita Ramsey over from Realty Executives Oahu. Mike was their Vice President of Real Estate Sales and Marketing. They are also members of the Top 1% Club, Top Producers and even trained New Realtors with Gayle's Executive Training Program.

Mike and Gayle are Residential Property Specialists and are more than qualified to assist you with any and all of your Hawaii Real Estate needs. From Luxury Beach Front Homes and Condominiums to First Time Home Buyers and Investment properties, you can count on Mike & Gayle to give you the best service and provide you with counsel leading to one of the smartest investments you can ever make.

The mission of Hawaii Realty Group is to provide our clients and customers with the most honest, ethical and informative real estate service possible.

Hawaii Realty Group incorporates proven, professional state of-the-art techniques specializing in the marketing, listing and selling of new and resale homes, residential communities, condominiums, home sites, and undeveloped land.

Hawaii Realty Group is a creative, innovative and people-oriented organization and leads the pack with most up to date technologies which allow our staff the ability to provide unmatched service to our clients.

Hawaii Realty Group's Core Values

• Commitment to Our People

• Commitment to Servant Leadership

• Commitment to the Highest Standards

• Commitment to Good Citizenship

It is these principles that have allowed Hawaii Realty Group to be one of the fastest growing and most successful Real Estate Brokerages in the entire State of Hawaii. Through our excellent service to Hawaii Real Estate Buyers and Sellers, we have only increased our client satisfaction rate. We are always creative and will never stop finding better methods to assist our clients and customers.

If you are a Real Estate Agent and are thinking of a change, please feel free to give me a call and I will be happy to personally introduce you to Brandon and Stephine.

Warm Regards-

Mike

First Time Home Buyer's Tax Credit Gets EVEN Better!

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:29:21 -0500

Great News for Hawaii's First-Time Home Buyers!

HUD recently announced that qualified First-Time Home Buyers who want to take advantage of the available tax credit of up to $8,000 now have another option available to them to help them become homeowners. Please remember that there are a great many programs available to help you qualify and to be considered "Qualified". Phone a reputable Mortgage Broker or phone us and we can refer you to one. Tana Feeley is a Vice President at Central Pacific Homeloans and is a good place to start. Contact her at tfeeley@cp-homeloans.com. Another wonderful Mortgage Broker is Steven Penske, Branch Manager at Home Mortgage Resources in Honolulu, (808) 375-8422. Please let them know we referred you to them as they take EXCELLENT CARE of our clients.

It's clear that first-time home buyers have been having a major impact on the housing market this year.The National Association of Realtors announced that first-time buyers, who typically account for less than 40% of home sales each year, have been especially busy…in March, homes that were purchased by first-timers accounted for 53% of all sales, and this percentage is expected to hold true for all of 2009.

With home affordability higher than ever, available tax credits and some of the lowest interest rates ever recorded for home loans, who can blame them? Particularly as a first-time buyer, there may never be a better time to buy a home than right now.

However, the availability of a tax credit, while a great incentive, does not put the money in the hands of a buyer right away. HUD's announcement now allows for prospective and qualified home buyers to borrow the money from approved agencies and lenders.

While details of participating lenders and HUD-approved agencies are not yet available, this should greatly help prospective first time home buyers to get busy searching for their next home.

As further details become available, I will post them here for you, or you may contact me anytime. We are so excited that one more barrier to home ownership is being removed so the time to start shopping is now!

Gayle and I are also very pleased to share that we are now with Hawaii Realty Group. We are the LARGEST Privately Held Real Estate Company in Hawaii and we now have offices across the Island of Oahu. We will be happy to meet with you at any of our offices at Kapolei, Hawaii Kai, Waikiki or even at your favorite Starbucks!

Warm Regards-

Mike

Goldendoodles For Sale in Hawaii, The Honolulu Doodle Club (They will make your house a Home!)

Sun, 31 May 2009 05:36:38 -0500

It looks like many people are getting back to basics in many areas in their lives. We are not driving HUGE SUVs as much as we were a couple of years ago, vacations are not as extravagant as they were, we are not going to Costco and making the "Fun" purchases of stuff we just couldn't live without like we did and we seem to be doing more around the house like we did when we were kids.

A house can be made from brick, wood and even steel frames these days. It has walls, a roof, maybe some stairs and maybe even a yard for the kids to play in. The funny thing is that none of these things make a house a home. It takes love, some family and or friends and maybe some memories- both good and bad. These days, in addition to these things, another element that many people are bringing into their homes are pets. Now that we are home more and focused on creating a home, lots and lots of people are bringing puppies home. It may be the unconditional love, coming home to a furry friend that simply wants to be with you or perhaps the loving companionship. There are a zillion reasons that we are spending time and money bringing pets into our homes and being an animal lover, I could not be happier!

Gayle and I are not only animal lovers, are are breeders of Goldendoodles and Labradoodles here in Honolulu. While we are breeders, we actually look at each puppy as a member of our family. We have a litter of Gooldendoodle puppies right now that are 7 weeks and have have just had their first set of shots. They have also just had their vet check and are all happy and healthy and ready to go to their new homes. Three of the seven have already been adopted so we still have four puppies.

The mom of the Gooldendoodle Puppies is Missy, our Standard Poodle and the dad is Buddy, a gorgous Golden Retiever. These dogs are wonderful family dogs and we know Goldendoodles to be a Wonderful Family Breed.

We have 3 Black Females, 1 Black Male and 3 Creme Males. They range from 6 pounds to 8 pounds with 4 puppies right around the mid 7 pound range. Full grown, the males should be 65 to 80 pounds and the females from 55 to 75 pounds. If you would like to make a wonderful addition to your home and or family, please call Gayle at (808) 388-1485.

Here is some information about Doodles. It's pretty technical so if you would rather just love them, stop reading here. If you would like to know what goes into the making of one of our beloved Doodles, Heeeerrreeee you go!

What do all the Doodle breeding letters and numbers mean??? F1 = 1st generation puppy - 50% purebred-A and 50% purebred-B - for example, a Golden Retriever to Poodle cross, this is first generation, resulting in healthier offspring. In this particular Goldendoodle cross hair type can be smooth like a Lab or wirey look like a Irish wolfhound or Wavy/Shaggy, they can shed or not shed, pups in the same litter can vary. This is not the best cross for people with severe allergies. F1b = Backcross puppy - 25% purebred-A and 75% purebred-B. For example, an F1 Labradoodle and Poodle cross; this is Labradoodle bred back to Poodle, Wavy Curly shaggy look doodle very consistent in coat types. F1b is very likely to be non shedding and allergy friendly and is an easy coat to take care of. F2 = Second generation puppy - F1 hybrid crossed with an F1 hybrid - for example, an F1 Goldendoodle crossed with an F1 Goldendoodle. This combination you get the same percentage of purebred-A as purebred-B as you would an F1 hybrid. In the case of the Goldendoodle, they are more likely to shed. F2b/Multi-generation = second generation backcross puppy = F1 bred to a F1b (hybrid backcross). Coat types wavy to curly. Also MOST LIKELY to be Non-Shedding and allergy friendly. This is also the first generation of the multi-generation Goldendoodles.

If, by chance you need a new home to make a home for yourself and your new puppy, we can also help you there. For all matters Real Estate, have a look at our website at http://www.GreatHawaiianHomes.com.

Cheers-

Mike

Honolulu Condos For Sale

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:36:01 -0600

Several years ago, when homes prices started to skyrocket across the U.S. and here in Hawaii, there was suddenly a forest of new luxury condominium growth, that is to say, new buildings were sprouting up all over Honolulu proper. It seems like many of them have had brakes put on them after the market crash in October of 2008, however there are many that have been completed. The question was, among locals, "who was going to but the very expensive units?". Today we know the answer to that question. There is a nice mix of mainland buyers looking for a nice vacation home, local couples young and old alike as well as local families.

There are still many units available in these new buildings. Some are from the developers and some are from the original buyers. These prices range from the high Four Hundred Thousands for a one bedroom up into the mid Eight Hundred Thousands for a two bedroom unit. Buyers love being in the heart of town.

Gayle have recently had an alternative brought to our attention. There is a building that very rarely has units come on the market. The building is called the Royal Queen Emma and is just about on the line of Lower Nuuanu and Upper Downtown. We just took a listing in this building and started showing it on February 19, 2009. The response has been excellent. There are only 24 units in the Royal Queen Emma and as of today, is boosts an Owner Occupancy Percentage Rate of 80% which is very high.

Royal Queen Emma is at 222 Vineyard Street. #403 is available and has 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, 2 Secured Parking, Central A/C, 1,170 sf, Floor to Ceiling Windows, Washer & Dryer in the Unit, Close to Queens Hospital, Close to Pali, Freeway, Downtown, Ala Moana, Restaurants and Shopping. MLS# 2902300 Offered at just $450,000 Fee Simple.

Honolulu Real Estate

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:28:42 -0600

A home in the islands, palm trees, kids playing outside, BBQs all the year round. Life in Hawaii is good and as we get ready to buy a home or sell our home and buy a bigger one or one closer to town or closer to mom's house or in a better location, we start to play the, "I want the most money for my house I can get and I want an Excellent Deal on the new house" game.

If the home values are going down in your area, it generally means that you could have got more money for your home if you sold it some months or years ago. If the housing market is going up, it means that you might get more for your home the longer you hold on to it, but then your new home will cost more as well.

What to do...Hmmm.....This is one of those questions that have puzzled people from the beginning of time. No no no, not the specific question of should I sell my home now or not, the question is how does one tell the bottom or top of the market so as to know when to jump in or out? Let's come back to this question in a minute.

Many people think of their home, the place they live and raise their children as an investment. Do You? What is an investment? I was trained that an investment was something that made me money and added to my monthly or annual income. This would be an Asset. Something that makes me money. What is a Liability? A Liability is the opposite of an Asset. It costs you money each month to have it or to buy it.

With this in mind, is a home that you live in an Asset or Investment? I'll wait....go ahead and think about it....Correct! It is not. A family's primary residence is most likely the biggest liability they will ever have. Mom and dad bought the family home when Jr. was just a kid and mom and dad raised their three children there and have long since paid off the mortgage. Today this 5 bedroom 3 Bath home in Kailua is worth $875,000. Do you think that they wish they waited to buy the home until it hit the bottom of the market way back then? I bet not.

The key here is not to buy just to buy. When you walk into a home that speaks to you and you know that this is the one, then GET IT! I see more and more people trying to get the proverbial "Best Deal" and while doing so, their dream home slips away. Let's get back to our original conversation.

Selling your home to "trade up" to a better one can be challenging financially. Well, I have some wonderful news for you. There is little doubt that the Real Estate market on Oahu or in Honolulu (they are the same thing) is going to soften over the next year or so. Moody's Economy.com thinks it will start to recover in 2011 and will drop another 30.9%. Just about everyone disagrees with them as far as the length of time and that the fall will be that far. But, here's the point, there is a great deal of supply on hand of properties for sale on Oahu. Prices are not going to start to move up until the supply goes down. If you want to sell your home to buy another one, DO IT NOW. Rent a place until you find the next home of your dreams or until you see the supply of homes on Oahu start to go down. This will tell you that prices are about to turn and go up. If by this time you still have not found the next "Home of your dreams" then you better start dreaming more or dreaming wider, because as sure as my name is Michael Ramsey Fujita, as prices go up, you might just get priced out of the market!

Michael Ramsey Fujita (RA) is the Vice President of Realty Executives Oahu in Honolulu. Gayle Fujita Ramsey (RA) is the Director of Training for Realty Executives Oahu. Mike and Gayle work as a team and have built their successful Real Estate business by providing "Small Town Service & 24/7 Availability For Their Clients". http://www.GreatHawaiianHomes.com (808) 630-1828 Mike@GreatHawaiianHomes.com or Gayle at (808) 388-1485

Short Sales in Hawaii

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:18:26 -0600

Short sales are a hot topic in the Hawaii Real Estate Market right now. If you are a buyer you are wondering how a Short Sale will affect you. If you are a Seller you are wondering if a Short Sale will help you. If you are a Realtor you are concerned about Hawaii's Act 137, or you should be. It is not a coincidence that short sales in Hawaii are on the decline and Lender Sales or the sales of Bank Owned Properties have increased in numbers through fall and winter. This is due to Act 137. Here's one of the act's new rules "The seller of a distressed property has the right to change his mind up to two weeks after the property has closed escrow when a distressed property consultant has been used in the transaction."...go figure...

The fact is that we can help you with a short sale, both on the buyer's side and on the seller's side. There are simply very specific rules we must follow to protect all parties involved.

The most often asked question is what is a short sale? Basically, it is when the amount owed on the home is more than what the home can currently sell for.

If you are looking at property as a buyer and you notice that it is a short sale, what this means is the home is listed at less than what is owed to the lender or lenders. The process of a short sale can be difficult and frustrating; however, if a buyer is patient he or she might be able to obtain a property for a great price. We have to stop here for a moment. There is a huge difference between a short sale and a short sale of a distressed property. If a homeowner is able to pay the lender the difference between the sales price and what is owed, chances are that it is not a distressed property. The lender would not be involved any more than a normal sale. If the lender is asked to forgive the difference of what is owed and the sales price or put off a foreclosure or in many cases both, then it would be considered a distressed property and the lender or lenders will be very involved in the sales process.

Some banks will give approval for the seller to move forward with a short sale prior to receiving an offer. Other banks will not even consider a short sale until offers are received. Obtaining approval from a bank can sometimes take months depending on the lender. This is where patience comes into play. However, once approval is received the bank can sometimes be impatient to get the property to close. With that in mind, when dealing with a short sale once you receive approval move quickly to ensure you close by the deadline issued by the lender.

If you are a homeowner and need to sell your home now and can't wait for the market to change so you will be able to cover what is owed, you will fall within the short sale category. Unless, you are fortunate enough to be able to pay the difference that is owed after the sale, you will have to deal with your lender. Some homeowners prefer to pay the difference because they do not want their credit ratings to be affected. For those unable to pay the difference there are steps you should take immediately.

•1. Call your lender and let them know that you will need to request a loan modification or short sale approval. Your Lender will ask for specific documentation and you will need to get these to them in order for them to review your request and grant it.

•2. If you had 100% financing you probably have a 2^nd mortgage, or if you have a Home Equity Line, you will need to contact the lender and ask what their procedures are for a short sale and what documents they need in order to consider granting your request. Please be aware that having a second mortgage will most likely cause delays in moving forward with a short sale. If you are lucky enough to have both loans with the same company you will be much luckier in moving forward.

•3. Contact a Realtor who is familiar with Short Sales and Act 137. They will be best able to help you with the process. Act 137 is an act that binds our hands as your Realtor and really doesn't help you as the homeowner. Although written by our Hawaii legislature and signed into law last June by Governor Lingle in order to protect the consumer, i.e. the homeowner in financial distress, in the long run it doesn't. Realtors are advised by legal counsel not to contact lenders of their clients for anything. Clients need to do it themselves or hire an attorney or hire a "Distressed Property Consultant". We understand that this is nuts and we want to help; however, our hands are tied. Sometimes we have been able to obtain assistance from a Buyer's Lender once in contract to assist us since Attorneys and Mortgage Officers are exempt from the law.

Once you have a hired a Realtor, submitted the documents requested by your lender and received approval to move forward with the short sale, your Realtor will aggressively try to sell your property for you. When a contract is accepted by your mortgage company the transaction will move forward like any other, with exception to documents at closing being forwarded to your mortgage company along with all proceeds. Occasionally at closing you will be required to pay a sum. This varies depending on your situation.

When you are going to pick a Realtor to help you, we hope you will pick us, Mike Ramsey Fujita RA, Vice President of Realty Executives Oahu and Gayle Fujita Ramsey RA Director of Training, Realty Executives Oahu (808) 630-1828 Mike@GreatHawaiianHomes.com http://www.GreatHawaiianHomes.com

Government Assistance for Homeowners Headed into Foreclosure.?.?.

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 18:07:58 -0600

Hi Everyone- It's nice to be back! The last several months have been Crazy-Nuts! We have closed all of the properties we had planned to close with one more to close just before the end on November. I thank all higher powers for their assistance for them doing so!

Through this period, I, like most of you, have been watching our "Political Circus" doing what it do. I've laughed out loud, cried, scratched my head and said, "Huh?" and even shouted at the TV a couple of time (Because it really needed it!) in response to the silliness coming out of someone's mouth. A realtor outwardly sharing his political views is as about as proper and wanted as a Waiter in a Restaurant sharing with you that you look heavier or balder since he saw you last. These scenarios do not usually end well.

Party politics aside, the response from congress over their THREE plans/programs that have ALREADY BEEN PUT IN PLACE and their SURPRISE at the LACK of homeowners facing foreclosure taking advantage of these programs to improve their situations, was for me, a scratch my head followed by a shake and a "what in the HECK are they thinking???!!!" moment.

1. In just about the best case scenario, an organized, articulate and very intelligent homeowner face to face with a foreclosure is being barraged by phone calls from every debt collector they have ever heard of, are highly stressed out and probably pretty freaked out at and their being in the position of being close to losing their home. Then there are all of the secondary stress' of how they will deal with and live without credit, public shame and so on.

2. In the worst-case scenario, the homeowner is NOT an organized person. Is not sure what happened to make his mortgage payments go up so high or his personal income drop. His head is spinning just like the homeowner above, however, in this case, it is highly unlikely that even on a good day, he would be able to locate, apply, follow through and jump through the government's hoops (requests for personal financial information) to help himself to take advantage of one of the government's new homeowner assistance programs.

Please do not misunderstand me. Perhaps the problem up to now is that the politicians putting these programs together have never been through a foreclosure while trying to care for their families with small children. If this is the case, it's sort of like a person creating a self healing program for Cancer Patients' Emotional Sides without the writer ever having had Cancer and not knowing what feelings and thoughts these people are feeling or at what level of comprehension a victim could be reasonably expected to have.

The ART of Promotion (Asking a Nation of Homeowners in Trouble to Step Up and Embrace one of three programs to help themselves to save their homes, is actually NON-PROMOTION!) involves planning, execution and follow up to reassess weather the plan reached it's target and if you realized your desired results. These plans to help homeowners in trouble are going to be a very big part of what has to be fixed to get our economy moving in the right direction. Every American Homeowner In Trouble Should Have Heard So Much About Them, That Calling the 1 (800) Number To Start The Process Of Relief Should Have Been Second Nature! Once again, these important programs as well as future programs are what is going to CURE our DYEING ECONOMY. There is almost NOTHING more important for our Nation and Government to focus on right now.

On a side note, I am REALLY excited about the mandated switch to Digital for our TV's! All we have to do is call the government's 1 (800) Number on the Television Advertisements and they will send us a coupon for a discount on the converter box so we don't have to miss any of our favorite weekly TV Shows! How cool is that!

OH PLEASE! All of us knowing about the switch to Digital but having no clue how to, who to or where to call to take advantage of d different one of the government's programs which will save family's homes in the face of the WORST Financial Crisis in the history of our country? Where did we go so wrong???? Can someone help me understand?

Mike Ramsey Fujita RA, Vice President Realty Executives Oahu,

Mike@GreatHawaiianHomes.com (808) 630-1828.

Honolulu Mass Transit?

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:19:22 -0500

I have been a big supporter of Honolulu's Lite-Rail project from way back when. It has taken so long to get this system going, I now have to wonder why we are not simply putting in more freeways? Our transportation department drilled a hole through the mountain that runs down the center of the island (Oahu), three times and each time they did they connected it to the only freeway we had, which is H1. They widened the road from Hawaii Kai and also connected it to H1. A newer (H2 twenty+ years old) freeway comes down the mountain from central Oahu and guess which highway they connected it to? Yup...H1.

Needless to say H1 is a mess from 5 AM to 10 AM, anytime around lunchtime, and then from 2 PM to 6:30 or 7 PM.

I guess my question is, how much will a rail system help our traffic? Doesn't it make sense to to build a new freeway system, one where you can get from one freeway to the other without simply being dumped into an already snarled traffic situation on the only existing cross town freeway?

We can call the AR Express. It sould start downtown and end downtown and go all the way around the entire island. This will cut traffic congestion by 50% as long as it has four lanes in both directions.

Has rail worked to cut congestion in your city?

Cheers-

Mike

...sent via iphone, sitting in traffic...

Oahu Real Estate and Mortgage Rates

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:48:50 -0500

The Real Estate Market on Oahu has been fairly stable. As residential mortgage interest rates have moved up, home prices have dipped a bit. The US Government took over Mortgage Giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac two days ago in an effort to stabilize the country's real estate market. What took many of us by surprise was that they lowered mortgage interest rate by nearly a 1/2 point!

For homebuyers with good credit, with FICO scores in the 700's, 30 year Fixed Rate Mortgages are available again at 6% with 0 points! Combine this with the large amount of homes on the market and you have a winning combination!

My favorite mortgage broker called me with the great news yesterday afternoon and I wanted to pass it along. Tana Feeley is a VP at Central Pacific HomeLoans and she is one of the best Mortgage Brokers I have ever worked with, and I have worked with many of them. She is the only person I know that might be able to actually return phone calls Faster than me!

The main thing, when you are shopping for a mortgage is that you are comfortable with whomever you are

working with. It is always a good thing to shop around to be sure you are getting the best deal. Compare money out of pocket at closing and monthly payments. Don't look too hard at the Interest Rate because many companies stick in various charges and fees that will actually increase your monthly payments.

Have a great day.

Cheers- Mike