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Honolulu, HI Real Estate News

Anyone familiar with the Kamilo Nui area of Hawaii Kai has probably purchased plants or flowers from the farmers at the head of the valley.  Upper Kamilo Nui is still zoned Ag and leased by farmers who have operated farms and nurseries there for more than 40 years.  This is some of the last undeveloped privately-owned land in Hawaii Kai. Originally, 23 parcels were divided out of the strip of land at the head of the valley.  Many who had farmed on the lush bottomland, converted by Henry Kaiser into Hawaii Kai in the 1960s, moved here.  Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate (KSBE) gave them a 55-year lease until 2025.  But in 2005, a mainland developer reached an agreement with the lessor to buy the 87 acres, including the fee simple ownership.   Precedent had been set for the developers of L...
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July 23rd, 2008 categories: Rants & Riffs One of the major knocks about living in Hawaii is the greater cost living. Hawaii will probably always be more expensive since almost every single thing here has had to be shipped here. What follows are five reasons the cost might not be as great as you think. 1. One Set of clothes to wear your round. My wife comes from an area that has all four seasons. Before we were married, I will visit my future in-laws and I noticed that as fall approached they would take out clothes appropriate to fall. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST.
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By Daniel Newbill
(Realty Executives Oahu)
OK so we have talked about the fact that there may Still  be units available at the Trump Tower Waikiki.  If you call me I may be able to help you find the unit you are looking for.  I keep in close contact with the phenomenal S&P sales team and correspond weekly to determine if there may be any new release of inventory.  Keep in mind that these units are not on the market and can only be found through the special relationship that I have built with the developers sales team. Also keep in mind that there are people out there that will promise they can achieve this and can not.  If you place an order for a Trump Tower unit, I will find it! What you might not know is that there are innumerable reasons to want to be in this area.  First, the beach is about 100-200 yards from your front doo...
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By Keahi Pelayo
(KU Realty)
July 22nd, 2008 categories: Honolulu Real Estate 101, Rants & Riffs Almost every day I speak with buyers from mainland markets that are experiencing significant downturns and a great deal of gloom and doom. Because their markets are hurting they believe there may be opportunities to buy properties in Honolulu at discounts comparable to their home markets. Our market is down some, but it is not off the 30- 50% that I am hearing some parts of the mainland are experiencing. Let me be clear, there are good values in our market as compared to our recent highs (2005 and 2006). However, it is unrealistic to believe that one is going to buy in core Honolulu at a 30-50% discount. As I have said in other posts, Honolulu proper does not have a significant way to increase the supply of houses and o...
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By Daniel Newbill
(Realty Executives Oahu)
This 5 star luxury building is still getting incredible interest and why not?  One of the Penthouse units recently sold for 9.5 million according to a good source.  This makes the Dollar/ Square foot 4300/square.  Don't spread your feet too wide when you stand in this unit or you will be occupying $8600 of space.  The crazy thing is that this isn't even the most expensive unit in the building.  Stay tuned to my Trump tower Blog for more info on this one. Aloha, Dan Dan The Trump Tower Man 
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By Daniel Newbill
(Realty Executives Oahu)
If you are looking for A Trump Tower Unit in Waikiki on the island of Oahu then call me ASAP!  I know of three units that are currently available.  When the developer releases units I know abt them.  My number is 808-228-8434.  This building is seconds from the ocean and has commanded incredible numbers for the Donald's first Hawaii project.  This property was touted as the single highest dollar volume first day sales event in the history of the world.  I look forward to getting you into this amazing investment hotel/condo opportunity today.  
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July 21st, 2008 categories: Rants & Riffs If you are planning on owning real estate past 2013, now maybe a good time to buy. A recent Honolulu Star Bulletin article regarding a visit to Honolulu by the National Association of Realtors Chief Economist stated the following. “In fact, by 2013, Honolulu homeowners are likely to have seen their investment grow another 30 percent, said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist and senior vice president of research, during a forecast to the Honolulu Board of Realtors Brokers Forum yesterday.” CLICK HERE TO READ THE STAR BULLETIN ARTICLE   CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST.
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By Keahi Pelayo
(KU Realty)
Haggling Honolulu REO Properties July 18th, 2008 categories: Honolulu Real Estate 101, Rants & Riffs Blogtherockies.com had a recent post that does a terrific job outlining many issues that may make your REO purchasing process easier. They say… 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 )
       Tamarind Squarefalls on the corner of King st and Bishop in the center of Honolulu's financial district. Facing the southern or Makai side of the square is the First Hawaiian Center, which is the tallest building in Honolulu and home to the auxillary gallery of the Contemporary Museum of Art and First Hawaiian Bank. It is an excellent example of the Hawaiian Modern Architecture with its native motifs and Hawaiian styled architectural imbelishments.     The Square itself is a peaceful oasis amoungst the towering skyscrapers that define the downtown area. Most of Tamarind Square is occupied by a beautiful terraced water feature that adds to the tranquility of the space despite the hustle and bustle that surrounds it.    During the Holiday season this area is brightly lit with color...
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By Keahi Pelayo
(KU Realty)
July 17th, 2008 categories: Honolulu Real Estate 101, Rants & Riffs The Honolulu advertiser announced that it will layoff 54 full and part-time employees. Many people believe that this is a result of the lagging economy and, thus, lower advertising revenues. I believe there may be some relation to these factors, however, the bigger culprit is a shift away from printed news sources toward internet-based models. “As you know, the newspaper industry faces significant challenges right now,” Webber said in his note. “The Advertiser is not immune from them. Advertising revenues were already lagging behind for the media when the downturn in the local and national economies began to materialize. We must cut operating costs to reflect these conditions.”     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)
Standing at Kewalo Basin I look out to Waikiki and the ever so famous Diamond Head (volcano crater) on the southeast coast of Oahu overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Honolulu, Hawaii. Overlooking an object in the water I choose to shoot the scene to 'possibility' depicting that the object is from some long ago sunken ship that wrecked on the reef. Whatever it was it was beautiful. Diamond Head is towards east Honolulu and past Waikiki Beach. This monstrous crater is an extinct volcano from 300,000 thousand years ago and is 3,520 feet in diameter with a 760 ft. summit. This is the history of how the creation of Oahu and this crater was formed: 3 million years ago two shield volcanoes erupted. The very eroded remants of these volconoes are The Koolau Mountain Range- A Dormant Volcano on Oa...
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By Keahi Pelayo
(KU Realty)
July 16th, 2008 categories: Honolulu Real Estate 101, Rants & Riffs In 1903, Hawaii adopted an alternative land recordation system, which is referred to as the Hawaii Torrens Land system-or more commonly referred to as “land Court”. Believe it or not, it was modeled after a system for registering ships. “Hypothetically” the government provides a guarantee for the title to a home, condo or piece of land. The key word in the last sentence is “hypothetically”, please don’t believe that the government will protect your title. As with all real property purchases, be sure to obtain title insurance (whether or not the property is in land court). I am not going to go into all of the nuances and challenges that one can face with property registered at the land Court, however, my purpose is to wa...
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By Kimo Stowell, REALTOR® RS-76763 - Honolulu Hawai'i
(HI Pro Realty LLC RB-21531 )
  Historic Site: Last seat of Hawaiian Sovereignty 'IOLANI PALACE Honolulu, HI     `Iolani Palace is considered the finest example of American Florentine or Italianate architecture in the world. Artisans were brought from Europe and the US to complete it's neoroccoco details and stylings.        `Iolani Palace was the official residence of the Hawaiian Kingdom's monarchy and is considered the seat of the Hawaiian Sovereignty movement today. Built by King Kalakaua and completed in 1882, The palace featured the very latest in technological advances for it's time including electricity and telephones (even before the White House). The palace was the center of social and political activity in the Kingdom of Hawai`i until the kingdom was illegally overthrown in 1893 by a cabal of American bus...
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By Keahi Pelayo
(KU Realty)
July 15th, 2008 categories: Honolulu Real Estate 101, Rants & Riffs Honolulu as a type of apartment, which is a throwback to by gone days. Before condominiums, the only way to own an apartment was through the purchase of a cooperative (Co-op). I am told that cooperatives are legally real estate (if leasehold, the lease must be greater than 30 years). Even though they are considered real estate, these apartments can have unusual rules. Before completing the purchase of cooperative, be sure to carefully read all of the documents pertaining to living in the building and the governance of the Association. The following are a few of the more unusual rules that I have run into (note that not every Co-op has all of these rules). CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST.
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By Keahi Pelayo
(KU Realty)
July 15th, 2008 categories: Rants & Riffs I don’t know how the measured “sexiest”, but according to Concierge.com Honolulu and Oahu are right up there!   CLICK HERE TO READ THE POST.
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By Barbara Abe
(East Oahu Realty)
The grand opening of the Hawaii Kai Dog Park June 29 was fantastic! I was there at 8:00 to set up for opening and left at 10:45, then went back at 12:30 and was amazed at how many people and their dogs were there - and they were all thanking us - they were so happy - it is working! The story of the creation of the park is a real lesson in community public and private partnerships.  Hawaii Kai dog walk started 4 years ago to raise people's awareness of what we were trying to do and to raise money for the park.  We became a 501c(3) corporation as soon as we could so that we could get donations.  In total we raised $58,500 which includes a $10,000 donation from Stanford Carr (Peninsula developer) $2,500 from D.R.Horton (Schuler Homes) $5,000 from a family foundation (we had to raise a matc...
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July 14th, 2008 categories: Honolulu Real Estate 101, Rants & Riffs A Honolulu apartment owners association can positively or negatively affect the value of the units in a particular building. Here are four ways they impact your property. #1. Maintenance fees. We all know that it is desirable to have as low a maintenance fee as possible, however,     CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THE POST.
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By Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman, (RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE
(Liberty Homes)
Dedicated to Bob Stewart (who is attending the Hawaii Association of Realtors®  2008 Pacific Rim Conference & Expo on the Island of Hawaii on September 18 & 19th, 2008 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village )   Yes, Hawaii is a State that was admitted into the Union on August 21, 1959 and making it the 50th State. Now, for those that have never even stepped foot in Hawaii.... let's clear up a few things. First of all, it's widespread near and far that Hawaii is an island paradise. Right? Full of trade winds blowing through your hair and beautiful balmy sunny skies above. We have beautiful beaches and lush green valleys and wonderful hiking trails through our mountainous ridges. Oh, yes. Hawaii is all of that and then some. We do not live in grass shacks and sip Mai Tai's with little umbrellas a...
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By Barbara Abe
(East Oahu Realty)
Sunday, June 22, 2008 was a fun day for lots of folks and their dogs, as you'll see from the photos below.  We raised funds for the newly-created Hawaii Kai Dog Park and Hui 'Ilio Hawaii, the non-profit so instrumental in making the park a reality. This year we had 350+ walkers and a great variety of dogs and (some of us) had to be there at 5:00 am to start setting up - in the dark! Photos courtesy of Monica Schwartz, who advises, "Wag More, Bark Less!" My web site has a page devoted just to pets in Hawaii - be sure and visit if you are thinking of moving to our Paradise.  Contact me for real estate on Oahu, and especially Hawaii Kai. Barbara Abe, REALTORbarbara@barbarashawaii.comwww.movetohawaiikai.com808-226-2537
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By Keahi Pelayo
(KU Realty)
July 11th, 2008 categories: Rants & Riffs Real estate is a great business. As a Realtor, I have the opportunity to represent people in the sale or purchase of one of their most significant sets. As a result, I am required to have ongoing consulting and advisory conversations concerning various aspects of a transaction. I classify these conversations into to groups, easy and hard. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST
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