Economic times always seem fickle. When the economy is going up, you hear murmurs of the inevitable bubble bursting. When times are down, it's just a matter of finding those who are profiting and painting a target on their back. Rarely is everything good across the board - or not so good. As such, the nationwide housing market continues to appear quite robust. Many calling for the inevitable … [Read more...]
Neighbors and Other Complications
One of the joys of life is the pleasure of company. When we live in nice communities, we make friends with neighbors, local shop vendors and others who fill in the fabric of our little microcosm of society. Some of us are more extroverts and social than others, but we all interact with our communities in one way or another. Hawaii, as well all know, is very much a community-based society. Think … [Read more...]
Happy Holidays in Hawaii
Aloha! Today is Christmas Day, 2014. Whether you actually celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah or any holiday or none at all, this is traditionally a very happy time of the year for all of us. It's a time to be with family and friends. It's also a time to look back and reflect on what was hopefully a very joyous 2014. Perhaps you bought a new home and have decorated it, making it your own for years … [Read more...]
Due Diligence When Buying a House in Hawaii
There are few things more exciting than buying a house - especially in beautiful Hawaii. If it's your first home, then there's that extra dose of anticipation of creating your own home as you visualize it. If it's a second home or an investment property, well, that's exciting as well but more from a financial perspective. No matter your reason for buying a house in Hawaii, there are definitely … [Read more...]
Selling Your House in Hawaii Privately
It's safe to say that a majority of homes for sale in Hawaii are put on the MLS and offered to the local real estate market. This is the normal way to sell a house. The sequence goes something like this: Homeowner decides the time is right to sell their house They contact a local Hawaii real estate broker or agent Property is listed at an agreed price Agent holds one or more open … [Read more...]
Keeping Up with Mortgage Payments
Keeping up with mortgage payments can be one of the biggest financial responsibilities you take on, aside from keeping food on the table. In the up, down and rebound of the real estate industry over the past 10 years or so, many people have bought homes in Hawaii. And a portion of those are actually happy they did. Those homeowners who unfortunately bought when the market was high (pre-crash) … [Read more...]
Flipping Houses in Hawaii
When I moved to Honolulu from Washington DC in the summer of 2006, it wasn't because of anything related to real estate. I was actually entering the doctoral program of the geography department at The University of Hawaii. Flipping houses was about the furthest thing from my mind; it wasn't even on the radar. I was moving here to study maps, satellite images and coastal regions. Seven years … [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...]
Mortgage Rates Rising – Still Time to Buy a House?
Aloha, friend. The latest news in the world of real estate is that suddenly mortgage rates are rising. Well, at least they've risen in the past month, now creeping over 4%-4.25% on average. Mortgages rates nationwide have been at historic lows for quite some time and even now, interest rates are still extremely attractive. Many home shoppers in Hawaii have taken advantage of these low rates to … [Read more...]
Creating Wealth with Hawaii Real Estate – Part 2
In the previous post, we talked about why people may not get started yet investing in real estate even with all the amazing opportunities in today's market, especially the Hawaii real estate market. After all, real estate has one heck of a track record, especially when compared to other investment options like risky stocks and bonds. But many people think that jumping into real estate is beyond … [Read more...]
