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TOP 10 Priorities to Consider When Selling Your Hawaii Home

By
Real Estate Agent with Liberty Homes RS-#62825

Ewa Gentry Terrazza Tiburon Community

 

The Hawaii Home Seller will need to be aware that there are TOP PRIORITIES for selling your home and  getting the best representation for that job!  It's not just about marketing your home, selling your home at market value or expecting that everyone else has the same sentiments that you do with your home.

A Home Seller HAS to have an open mind with an abundance of concerns that need to be considered and addressed in the process of Selling Your Hawaii Home. Another thing to consider is that there is just only so much buildable land on Oahu.  The home located on a nice piece of land (say 5,000-10,000 sq/ft) in say Mililani, is worth more than the home itself!

1. The interior/ land square footage is important.  You may have an excellent condition home but 700 sq/ft interior vs. 2,500 interior sq/ft interior is a HUGE difference in under the roof size and will HAVE to be priced right. Same with the land sq/ft. Listen to your Realtor® when they are presenting comparable properties on the market.

2. The Year Built is important.  The year your home was built is a huge difference if it were built in 1920 vs. 2015!  Some older homes in Hawaii are single wall construction, have aluminum wiring and the plumbing (if not done previously) will need serious updating. Single wall construction may be harder to get homeowners insurance.

3. Selling Your Hawaii Home in "As Is" Condition Will Raise Eyebrows.  If you have a home that has structural, electrical, plumbing or hazardous issues; not to mention termites.  You'd be better off getting an independent home inspection and making the necessary repairs.

4. Market Value of Your Home Does Matter!  I keep hearing many who insist that appraisers do not use short sales  and foreclosures for comps in their appraisals. Gee, wonder how prices went down in certain neighborhoods compared to others? Then why do appraisers give a summary of "this neighborhood is in a declining market" in their report?

5. Neighborhoods Do Matter!  There are some Oahu neighborhoods that were in severely declining markets with MANY short sales and foreclosures.  Your Realtor® should know your neighborhood and give you sound advice on the housing market in your neighborhood.

6. Loan programs available do matter!  Most loans may not approve a loan if your home has unpermitted bedrooms, baths or additions. VA loans will not approve a loan for a home that is in disrepair as well.  Just because your home is in a high priced neighborhood does not automatically mean that you can sell it and a loan will be approved if you have serious conditions going on.

7.  Lower inventory may not matter if:  You have your home so overpriced that it will not appraise. Our inventory is seriously low in Mililani,  but it does not mean you can overprice by 100k and people will grab it!  You need to be realistic and listen to your Realtor®.

8. Marketing Your Home Does Matter!  Approximately 90% of all home buying/selling consumers are online looking at the values of Hawaii Homes. Your Realtor® should have an extensive marketing plan geared online for selling your Hawaii Home and also do Open Houses (which by the way do work here) to expose your home to many advertising possibilities.

9.  Allowing for Showings of Your Home DO Matter!  If you demand to be there for all showings or only allow showings during certain times you will definitely cut the amount of exposure for your home. Make sure your agent uses electronic lockboxes that register all agents who are showing their clients.

10. It Does Matters Which Realtor® Represents You!  You may want to interview a few Realtors® to make sure that you will be represented well.  Experience, knowledge, personality, detailed, organized, prompt, keeps you informed, marketing techniques, laws/contracts are just a few of the traits to look for.  

You may be relocating, upgrading to a larger home or downgrading because of personal reasons. Whatever your reasons are for Selling Your Hawaii Home these points above are REALLY something to consider. You do want to be a happy and successful Hawaii Home Seller, right?

 

 

 

Posted by

                                                       

 

Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman  is a Realtor-Associate® and Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs  she serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocations, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents, Home Buyers and Sellers.

 

 © 2007-2015 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's

Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog.

All rights reserved.

     

 


 

 

Comments(15)

Kathleen Luiten
Resort and Second-Home Specialist - Princeville, HI
Kauai Luxury Ocean Home Sales

Sally, you are so right about what DOES matter when selling a home here on the islands. I'd add waste water system to the list with the state's nw ruling about cesspools near rivers and ocean. Our homes with single wall construction always surprise my mainland clients. In Hawaii you really need an island-savvy Realtor!

Feb 11, 2015 02:12 AM
Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman
Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI
(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE

Hey Katheen SO RIGHT!  These are the comments for a post that make it all worthwhile. The connecting and adding to the conversation. Thanks!

 

Feb 11, 2015 02:25 AM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

This is great information Sally. You discuss some touchy subjects but we know that sellers need to be told how it really is. Have a fine day.

Feb 11, 2015 02:45 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman 

You did an excellent job here. There are so many factors that can impact pricing, and having the local knowledge, as you do, provides an added bonus for Mililani sellers, who need to be told the truth, not just what they hope or want to hear. From pricing, to condition, to availability for showings - proper preparation is key!

Great job

Jeff

Feb 11, 2015 02:56 AM
Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Just think. 

If listing agents followed the 10 point guide in your post, they wouldn't have to call the listing agent for details not included in the MLS report.

We can wish.

Feb 11, 2015 03:03 AM
Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman
Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI
(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE

Thanks All. Having a hard time. No energy left. Took it all in the post lol ...can we say FLU?

Feb 11, 2015 03:18 AM
Mike Belobradic
Johnston & Daniel Oakville - Oakville, ON
Your Trusted Advisor in Oakville Real Estate

This is great information. Occasionally we have clients who look to buy vacation homes, so from that perspective I found it very useful (and also the ability to dream a little bit that I worked in that market!).

Feb 11, 2015 04:28 AM
Susan Jacobsen
The Alliance Group Realty - Hilton Head Island, SC
20 Years Providing WOW Real Estate Service

Sally - really good points and are both local hints - the market values and neighborhoods information is also important - always a touchy issue and a time when I pull out the actual statistics but you are right about all the other things and this is really a great list of considerations!

Feb 11, 2015 10:20 AM
Marla Yost
The Yost Team- Keller Williams Realty - Arlington, TX
The Yost Team

Your absolutely right it does matter. Great list !

Feb 11, 2015 11:22 AM
Joan Whitebook
BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH
Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

Sally - this is important information for home sellers.  This definately is a great list of things for sellers to consider.

Feb 11, 2015 11:52 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

It's always a blessing to be able to sell a home in Hawaii—that means you were in Hawaii! Good things and blessings!

Feb 11, 2015 12:23 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Joan, I'm betting that this is one of the better lists on AR right now among the others. I hope you're well as well! Joan Whitebook

Feb 11, 2015 12:25 PM
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Burlington, MA
Metro Boston Homes For Sale

Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman - makes sense! Showing the homes, neighborhood, interior, exterior and everything else matters for selling any home!

Feb 11, 2015 01:54 PM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Ah, so you had the flu, too. Understandable. I know how you feel, ick. I got a call today from an agent on a withdrawn listing, wanting to show. I told her the home was overpriced by $150K, needed work, no kitchen updates, likely pest infestation, awful bathroom wallpaper, and the sellers want it contingent on buying yet their buyer's agent says due to their specific requirements and neighborhood parameters, there is nothing for sale, and I have absolutely no desire to relist this home, so go knock yourself out. Then the buyer's agent says: So can we see it? People, they don't listen.

Feb 20, 2015 02:48 AM
Eileen Hsu
Douglas Elliman Real Estate - Manhattan, NY
LICENSED REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON

Great top 10 priority list. Today's seller should definitely understand showing access is very important and as well as working with an experienced and seasoned agent to represent them in selling!

Jul 11, 2015 01:42 AM