oahu: Selecting a Realtor Or Real Estate Agent Online - 11/18/14 05:42 AM
Lots of sites, online property search sites, open houses and local advertising promote easy links to agents wanting to represent you.  Often sites are reselling your information to random agents who pay to have you sent to them.  Then there are Sellers agents and Buyers agents – Make sure you are the one selecting your agent and that agent is actually representing you.  
Signing up on sites such as Trulia or even Realtor.com means your information is being captured and randomly sold to agents who provided the information that attracted you to the site in the first place.  The agent listing the property is … (0 comments)

oahu: 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)

oahu: In Hawaii, You Buy Only The House, Right? - 04/16/13 05:58 AM
What is Leasehold Land Tenure?
Part One
       Buying and Leasehold in Hawaii A mainland client told me recently that she understood that you could only buy the houses in Hawaii, not the land underneath them.  I explained that she was talking about leasehold property.  The majority of residential leasehold has been converted to fee simple years ago.  So what is leasehold or holding title to a leasehold property mean?  You can get the legal description form the legal beagles, but here’s what it means as far as buying (or selling) real estate in Hawai‘i.
Way back after World … (1 comments)

oahu: Hawaii's Amended Foreclosure Law - 05/01/12 09:16 AM
Many people are wondering what happened with Hawaii's non-judicial foreclosure law Act48?  The short answer is NOTHING! It is unfortunate that a year has passed and there is still no headway.  However, there still is hope. According to the Star Advertiser in today's paper, there is a new bill to be voted on, HB 1875.  In a nut shell, this bill would make the mediation program a permanent thing.  The only question here is will the lenders be willing to participate or will they just stand in line with everyone else and just go the judicial route?  My thoughts are that … (0 comments)

oahu: Hot Events in Kailua This Weekend - 04/19/12 11:05 AM
Food Trucks Arise!!  After the lawmakers finally adjusted the law the food trucks are back without fear of fines that would put them out of business, the  Eat Out Kailua is back.  It will be held in Enchanted Lake Elementary's parking lot this Saturday from 4 to 8pm.  Foodies can enjoy street eats from Soul Patrol, Chicago Eatz, Cooking Fresh for You, and Shogunai Tacos.  Eat Out Kailua happens on the third Saturday each month.
It's time again for the 'I Love Kailua' town party sponsored by the Lanikai Outdoor Circle, starts at 11am on Sunday and ends around 4pm.  It's … (0 comments)

oahu: More Craft Beers in Hawaii - 04/18/12 11:16 AM
Attention Beer lovers; two craft breweries are expanding and two new breweries are coming to town.  Maui Brewing is set to open a new brewpub in central or south Maui and Kona Brewing will add to it's Hawaii Kai, Oahu and Kona, Hawaii plans to open two new restaurants in Hawaii.  Currently it has breweries in Kona on the Big Island and inPortland OR, and two other mainland cities.
New breweries, Aloha Beer Co. and Kauai Island Brewery and Grill are coming into the market.  Aloha Beer will be taking over Sam Choy's Big Aloha Brewery and opening a new brewpub … (2 comments)

oahu: Things to Do For FREE in Honolulu and Hawaii - 01/31/12 10:57 AM
Do you know how many cool things there are to do for FREE in Honolulu, Hawaii?  It's amazing how people come here and think they need to spend so much money on entertainment when the real good stuff is absolutely FREE!
Tonight I went rollerblading with my husband while he rode his mountain bike just outside of Waikiki.  We rode up to Diamond Head and watched the surfers and the beautiful sunset.  There we so many people out running, biking and just taking in the ocean air.  Things like surfing, hiking, biking, and playing in the sand at the beach are all part of the … (0 comments)

oahu: Is Facebook(and other Social Media) Wasting Your Time? - 11/21/11 05:07 AM
I have five blogs, two Facebook accounts ( for business http://facebook.com/Kate.Braden.Pb ), one Facebook business page (http://facebook.com/hawaiirealestateonline ), one business Twitter  account (http://twitter.com/katebraden1 ), and three hosted websites and multiple other domain pointing sites.  My main web page that includes lead capture and management has a built in blog with a requirement for each agent to post six blogs a month at minimum to drive traffic to the site. (http://kate.hawaiirealestateonline.com) I have an informational site with IDXsearches where I post blog articles and compile various items into a monthly newsletter. (http://oahuhawaiirealestateonline.com) And I’m also the Principal Broker and Business Manager for … (2 comments)

oahu: I Give a Heck About APEC - Aloha Delegates!! - 11/07/11 07:25 AM
The meeting of international, multicultural representatives to talk trade in Hawaii is not just a one time event of importance.  That the meeting is being held in Honolulu, gives Oahuans and Hawaii the opportunity to once again present ourselves as the crossroads of the Pacific and the mediator in cultural differences in an ever expanding global world.
The East-West Center, supposedly the mecca for international diplomacy and the center for efforts as the crossroads of the Pacific, has unfortunately become a political pawn and it's effectiveness relegated to back-door ivory tower acadamia.  But in a few short days, we, the 99%, get … (0 comments)

oahu: Arts & Crafts, Fairs & Expos September 2011 on Oahu - 09/21/11 03:32 PM
Found a few Arts &  Crafts Festivals and Expos that are happening thru the end of September.  More crafts and arts and fun fairs will be listed for October next week....Please comment if you have an event to share - only 95 days till Christmas - better start hitting the arts and craft fairs for goodies for the keiki (children)  More information about Honolulu, Waikiki, Lanikai, Kailua and other areas can be found on my Neighborhood page. (Disclaimer: THese are current postings from the promoters, I can't be responsible for any changes or cancellations - so google the events to double … (0 comments)