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Honolulu, HI Real Estate News

By Kimo Stowell, REALTOR® RS-76763 - Honolulu Hawai'i
(HI Pro Realty LLC RB-21531 )
O‘ahu Home and Condo Sales Slip in September Year-to-date median prices show modest gains as third-quarter mortgage rates see gradual decline HONOLULU – According to resale figures released this week by the Honolulu Board of REALTORS®, O‘ahu’s housing market continued to see a slight softening in sales in September. Single-family home sales fell 6.5% year-over-year, dropping from 232 sales to 217, while condo sales experienced a modest 2.7% decrease, with 366 sales compared to 376.However, single-family home sales remain 5.8% ahead of last year’s pace year-to-date, while condo sales are tracking 5.6% lower than the same period in 2023. The third quarter also showed a similar pattern, with single-family home sales increasing by 4.4% over Q3 2023, while condo sales decreased by 5.2%. Usin...
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By David Buck, Realtor-Broker
(Harcourts Island Real Estate)
So often in my business (in real estate) you get asked "is it necessary to do a termite inspection on a high rise condo?" There's 2 stories I'm going to share with you today... Read More
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By David Buck, Realtor-Broker
(Harcourts Island Real Estate)
There's no question the market is "slower" than it has been.  However one segment that has recently picked up steam over the past week is high end real estate in Diamond Head.  On Thursday, August 28th, 3063 Diamond Head Road sold for $9.5 Million Cash! Just two days prior, 3944 Noela Place, which is asking $8.2 million went into escrow.  On top of that 3692 Diamond Head Circle closed for $9.7 Million on July 28th... Keep in mind, these are all "Trophy" properties, however only the Diamond Head Road sale had a sliver of the property that went down to the water.  As a whole, these are all non-oceanfront... Amazing! In my opinion, some better ones are still on market! I've been in all 3 of the homes mentioned.  If you're looking for your own "Trophy" property, you know who to call :) 3063...
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August 29th, 2008 categories: Rants & Riffs Sir John Templeton died on July 8, 2008. For the uninitiated, he was arguably one of the greatest stock investors of all time. According to the New York Times, “The flagship Templeton Growth Fund reported a 14.5 percent average annual return from 1954 to 1992; a $10,000 investment, with dividends reinvested, would have grown to $2 million.” Let’s assume he know something about risk. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE.
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By Keahi Pelayo
(KU Realty)
August 29th, 2008 categories: Rants & Riffs I am always looking for good news and yesterday’s report on durable goods orders was great to hear. A Honolulu Advertiser Article states the following.   CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST.
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By Keahi Pelayo
(KU Realty)
August 28th, 2008 categories: Honolulu Real Estate 101, Rants & Riffs I was surprised to read that the LA Times has done away with its Sunday Real Estate Section! I have heard that the Times has been bleeding red ink, but this was shocking. A recent Blog post by LA Realtors, Merrie Kung & Noelle Hettlinger, summarizes the shift away from newspapers in the marketing of real estate.   CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST.
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The Brooking Institution recently released the report, Shrinking the Carbon Footprint of Metropolitan America, ranking the carbon footprints of the nation's 100 largest metropolitan areas based on total metric tons of carbon emissions per capita in 2005.  And...Honolulu topped the list for the smallest footprint!  Factors contributing to Honolulu's #1 spot are high-density living, a well-used public transportation system, and the favorable weather.  According to the September issue of Sierra, residents of metropolitan areas have smaller carbon footprints than the average American.  Areas that ranked on the bottom of the Brookings list generally depend on cars for transportation and coal for energy.This is one more reason to move to healthy Hawaii!  Contact me for my extensive Relocation...
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By Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman, (RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE
(Liberty Homes)
                    Leeward Community College is located at 96-045 Ala Ike - Pearl City, HI 96782 in Honolulu County on the island of Oahu. Hawaii is so diverse in culture so you can expect the same on college campuses too. With a caring faculty and affordability Leeward Community College has given high quality education since 1968.   Leeward Community College sits on 49 acres with over 6,000 students regularly enrolled every semeter to make it the largest community college in the state of Hawaii. With liberal arts and career and technical educational programs offered on campus, at off-campus locations in the community, and through distance education courses it is no wonder that students flock from the Central Oahu area to attend the college. (Both my son and daughter are starting up a...
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By Keahi Pelayo
(KU Realty)
August 21st, 2008 categories: Honolulu Real Estate 101, Rants & Riffs Find your courage. If you are a long-term investor, now may be one of the best times to buy real estate. A recent Wall Street Journal article talked about an investment bank in San Diego that sees opportunity amidst the town’s slow real estate market.   CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST.
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By Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman, (RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE
(Liberty Homes)
Last Wednesday we met our clients at Kahala - Title Guaranty Escrow to sign documents for the Honolulu Condo we had listed. I entered the listing into our MLS on July 6th and by that evening I already had an offer in hand. By Tuesday morning we were in contract and opened escrow. IN CONTRACT IN TWO DAYS! Can't beat that! On August 1st, I closed the listing in Mililani that had a few bumps along the way but in the end it all worked out. (torn down unpermitted back storage and all) From contract to keys it closed in 38 days!  Mililani Single Family Home (4 bdrm/2 bath) SOLD AT $520,000! On August 14th I closed a sale with another agent in my office for a Hawaii Home Buyer that relocated here from Germany. We opened escrow after two days of showings and closed within 50 days.  Mililani Si...
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August 20th, 2008 categories: Honolulu Real Estate 101 Hip-hip-hooray! The Honolulu Board of Realtors has finally adopted a lockbox system that is consistent with the technological age in which we find ourselves.   CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST.
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By Kimo Stowell, REALTOR® RS-76763 - Honolulu Hawai'i
(HI Pro Realty LLC RB-21531 )
Tips for Staging a Studio: defining a small space  When it comes to staging a studio defining a livable area within a limited space can be a challenge. Empty studios often seem smaller and hard to define, leaving potential buyers with an unsettling feeling that there just isn't enough room. Occupied studios can feel cramped and cluttered. Maximizing functional square footage should be a priority. Defining basic living areas that are typically found in larger homes is essential to show buyers how the studio space can function for them.    Aside from being cluttered and disheveled this studio lacks clear definition making it difficult for buyers to picture themselves living in the space.Maximize Functionality. There are four basic living areas in most homes: living, eating, working, sleep...
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By Barbara Abe
(East Oahu Realty)
Those of us who live in Honolulu have always known this is a healthy place to live - the air is clean, water good, life expectancy longer.  The latest issue of AARP confirms the benefits, placing Honolulu #2 in the list of Healthiest Hometowns in the country. The weather makes outdoor exercise easy, and the scenery of beautiful Hawaii adds motivation (ever seen the sunset over Diamond Head?).  In fact, AARP said "residents of Honolulu spend more time exercising than people in almost any other city surveyed."   Any where you go on the island, you'll find folks walking, jogging, swimming, surfing, biking, or just enjoying the many parks along the water.  Oahu has a wide range of recreational facilities from Haunauma Bay to North Shore.  Honolulu County is committed to preserving the beaut...
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By Kelly Mitchell, TheWineSiren.com Food | Wine | Fab *Napa Valley
(The Wine Siren & Agent Caffeine)
I've always tried to live a healthier way of life, both for my family and for the environment.  Unfortunately, the novelty of making my son's organic baby food wore off after 3 months. It was time consuming and tideous and he would usually end up screaming by the time this working mother could get food grinder out.   I retreated to purchasing organic baby food from the grocery store because I wanted the best for him.  The  environmental issues we are faced with have never been more significant and making changes can be overwhelming.  Remember everything you put in a drain, whether it be in the tub, the toilet or the sink ends up one day in the ocean and ultimately in our drinking water.  We have to reduce the amount of toxins we are putting in our water.     My first venture began with ...
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By Kimo Stowell, REALTOR® RS-76763 - Honolulu Hawai'i
(HI Pro Realty LLC RB-21531 )
Downtown Honolulu has many architectural styles indicative of the many cultural influences that have helped shape  modern Hawaii. Honolulu, during the early part of the 20th century, had adopted many of the architectural styles that were en vogue on the mainland in the sunny Pacific Southwest. One such style trend is Spanish Colonial Revival. Influenced by both California and the Philippines this tropic friendly design features stucco siding, ceramic tile roofs, and old world details. Many public buildings built in the late 20's and 30's here in Honolulu were constructed in this Mediterranean influenced design style. Here are some of my favorite examples.  This is the Old Bethal St. Police department or Gibson Building with its large ornate lintal moldings and coffered bronze doorway.  ...
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By Daniel Newbill
(Realty Executives Oahu)
  The Watermark Condominium is Waikiki's newest 37 story Luxury Building.                   This building features the following ammenities making it one of the best on island:   Library and media room featuring mahogany-bladed ceiling fans, cabinets and bookshelves of rich tropical woods overlooking the gardens and pool.  · Private gardens, walking/jogging paths · Pool, whirlpool and fitness center · Outdoor barbecue and picnic area · Private library/media room with pool view · Wireless Internet access in common areas  · Guest parking      
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By Kimo Stowell, REALTOR® RS-76763 - Honolulu Hawai'i
(HI Pro Realty LLC RB-21531 )
Manu-o-Ku, Fairy, or White Terns (Gygis alba) are found only on Oahu, with regards to the main Islands of Hawaii but are common in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands and other parts of Polynesia.  Manu-o-Ku are listed as a threatened species by the State of Hawaii.     They do not build nests but rather lay their eggs in craggy ledges and tree knots. Their diet consists almost entirely of flying and goat fish and both parents take turns caring and feeding their young.  The female does not leave the incubating egg until it hatches and the male will keep his mate amply fed while she keeps vigil.   Breeding pairs will sometimes produce three broods a year and nest either in solitude or in small groups preferring to nest in the same place year after year.  They are very social birds noted by...
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By Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman, (RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE
(Liberty Homes)
We decided to start doing more to make our townhouse more energy efficient. Well, there's just so much you can do for a small townhouse so we started with the lightbulbs and an air conditioner a couple of years ago. Then, a couple of weeks ago we went to Costco and we found TWO 52" Hunter ceiling fans with lights and on the box it had a sticker "Energy Star". Why did we start getting to be energy efficient wise guys? Our Hawaiian Electric bill was almost one hundred eighty dollars And....our electric bill will KEEP climbing We needed to reduce our energy consumption. We also found that we were leaving lights on unnecessarily Our old ceiling fans were cheapy small ones that were really doing a bunch of nothing. (and the new ones sure pump out some wind and look pretty too) We changed the...
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By Barbara Abe
(East Oahu Realty)
The Hawaii Kai real estate market is a little softer than 2007, but not significantly.  Sellers are paying more concessions, but prices are generally holding at earlier levels. Hawaii Kai Single Family Market 16 homes sold in July, compared to 22 last year.  Median sales price was $820,000 compared to $878,800 in 2007. Year-to-date, 103 homes have sold, with a median sales price of $868,000, compared to 136 for last year, and $875,000 median price. Hawaii Kai Condo Market 16 condos sold in July, compared to 23 last year.  Median sales price was $498,000, compared to $509,000 in 2007. Year-to-date, 120 condos have sold, with a median sales price of $540,000, compared to 159 for last year, and $543,000 median price. While the months fluctuate more broadly, the trend is easier to see in th...
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The Hawaii Kai condo market had 16 sales in July, 2008, ranging from $380,000 for a one bedroom unit in the Esplanade, to $805,000 for a four bedroom home in Kuapa Isle.Average Days on Market for the month was 62, average price $517,000.  Complexes with sold units included the Commodore, Esplanade, Kaimala Marina, Kalele Kai, Koko Isle, Kuapa Isle, Lalea, Marina Palms, Mariners Village 3, Mawaena Kai, Moorings, Naniwa Gardens, and Plaza Hawaii Kai.These figures compare with June statistics of 13 sales, average Days on Market of 49, and average sales price of $625,000.  The small numbers make fluctuations look large, but one or two big sales can significantly impact the average sales price.  In June, the low sale was $453,000, a two bedroom unit in the Esplanade, and high sale was $800,0...
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By Keahi Pelayo
(KU Realty)
August 6th, 2008 categories: Honolulu Real Estate 101, Rants & Riffs There is an old saying that goes something like this, “The time to buy is when the blood is in the streets!”  The blood is not necessarily in the streets in Honolulu, but values are down some, selection is up some and there are opportunities to get more value.
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By Keahi Pelayo
(KU Realty)
August 5th, 2008 categories: Rants & Riffs Hooray for Alaska. Alaska is suing the Department of Interior in an attempt to have it reverse its recent decision to list the polar bear as a threatened species. They are not threatened! The decision was based on a projection that they might become threatened and therefore action should be taken now. The reality of decision like this is not a desire to protect an animal or plant, but it is a back door way for environmentalists to control land. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST
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