Unless you've turned a blind eye to the world, you know that the American government entered into shutdown mode Tuesday after the two houses of Congress couldn't get together and pass a new spending bill for the new fiscal year. It's been roughly 18 years since the last time this happened and, if you've kept up with the media outlets, there doesn't seem to be any progress toward a resolution … [Read more...]
Does Hoarding Affect Your Property Value?
Hoarding - the very mention of the word conjures up images of struggling homeowners trapped behind stacks of boxes in their living rooms. At the very least, we envision carports overflowing with age-old trinkets and little breathing space inside. It's important to understand that hoarding in Hawaii or anywhere else is more than just the physical manifestation that we see from the street. It's … [Read more...]
Should You Liquidate an Inherited House?
If you've inherited a house in Hawaii through probate or other means, then you may have a big decision to make. The big question most homeowners in this situation ask is... Should you liquidate an inherited house? There are certainly pros and cons to selling the house versus keeping it for the long haul. Let's look at both... Reasons to Keep an Inherited House There are both financial and … [Read more...]
How Does Owner Financing Work?
If you're trying to buy a house in Hawaii, then you're probably aware of the buzz surrounding about every new house that hits the market. We put a house in Honolulu on the market just yesterday and there were already agents showing up after dark to get in before this morning's broker open! Today's home buyers need to do what they can to get the dream home or investment property they want. But … [Read more...]
Top 5 Tips for Selling Your Own House
It's an interesting time in the real estate market right now. Interest rates have climbed up a notch as we enter into the 2nd half of summer 2013. That means potential downward pressure on prices as homebuyers' purchasing power gets knocked down a bit. Of course, the devil's advocate also says that interest rates remain at super low prices. But -- trends are at least worth keeping an eye on. … [Read more...]
Should You Sell Your House If You’re Moving Off Island?
Aloha, friends. If you're relocating off island or away from Hawaii completely, should you sell your house or keep it? It can be a difficult decision. Case in point: We're buying a single family house in Honolulu at the end of the month from owners who are relocating away from Oahu and have decided they'd rather not keep the house and be landlords. They reached out to us and we agreed to buy … [Read more...]
Summer Real Estate Season
It's widely known that in most areas in the country, the peak of home buying season is in the summer months. It's not just the temperature that's hot in June through August months. While the Hawaii real estate scene does not suffer from winter storms and subzero temperatures that plague open houses, and home sellers, in much of the mainland, even Hawaii's market picks up in these times as well. If … [Read more...]
Preparing Your Home for Sale – 5 Key Tips
Thinking of selling your house? Inventory is shrinking in Hawaii and you may do well from the sale, depending on your circumstances and needs. Whether you're listing your house with a licensed agent or attempting to sell your house yourself, there are some things you must do to make the sale as efficient and effective for you as possible. Preparing your home for sale requires both plan and … [Read more...]
Hoarding – A Problem and Solution for Hawaii’s Troubled Homeowners
There's been a recent interest in "hoarding", the name given for amassing enough possessions in one's home to the extent that it becomes a challenge just to walk from the kitchen to the front door. A&E has a TV show now called, appropriately, "Hoarders". Just a couple days ago I read an article in which "hoarding disorder" was actually recognized as a separate diagnosis of psychological … [Read more...]
Should You Sell Your House Yourself? FSBO?
Is a 'For Sale By Owner' the Right Approach? Today's housing market is very tricky, including right here in Hawaii. There are lots of mixed signals out there. Is it going up with a shrinking inventory? Or is it going to stay flat or even go back down? It's hard say. Undoubtedly the winner of the 2012 Presidential Election will have some influence on that answer. However, no matter what the … [Read more...]