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May 2008 Oahu real estate statistics
2008-06-07 12:39:00
As numbers for another month become available, there is good information for Buyers and Sellers to take note of. The numbers of unit sales is down considerably but prices are remaining fairly stable. For sellers, this means that homes are selling and for those that are priced well, days on market and list price to sale price ratios are favorable. Pricing and market exposure are more important than ever and the best of the best listings are selling but coming in 2nd or 3rd on a buyers choice is not good enough. The good news is that if you have a home to sell, the market is there and if you want to sell you probably can. As always, professional advice, a solid marketing plan and competitive pricing based on the competition in your area will dictate your success. For buyers, the reduction in units sold has made you Very Important People. You have the ability in this market to make your desires known and use your wide variety of choices to negotiate assertively. When you pres...
More About: Estate , Real Estate , Statistics , Real , Oahu

Ko Olina residential neighborhoods, pictures and information
2008-06-02 19:31:00
Ko Olina is sometimes overlooked as a place to not only vacation, but to live year round. There are currently 5 different neighborhoods sprinkled throughout the resort and each of them have a different look and feel to them. Settings, architecture, amenities and price range all create different choices depending on what a person is looking for. What they all share in common is being located in the beautiful Ko Olina resort and all 5 communities will allow you to be members of the Ocean Club with access to the pools, tennis courts, gym and to receive discounts within the area. Located within 3 miles of Kapolei, Ko Olina offers convenient access to shopping but the relaxed atmosphere of living within walking distance to 4 gorgeous lagoons and miles of walking trails. As you drive in, you know you've arrived to a special place, and it is easy to understand why Disney has selected Ko Olina to build their first offsite Hotel property.         ; ...
More About: Pictures , Information , Residential , Neighborhoods

Ko Olina & the Disney resort
2008-05-29 18:51:00
As the pages of the calendar fall to the floor, what seemed a distant event begins to appear closer. From the first time I heard the rumor, it was easy to believe and easy to imagine. Disney was going to build a hotel in Ko Olina. The Disney family is a pretty good family to have moving into our neighborhood! Not only for the investment and jobs that will be brought, but for the quality of the corporation and the people who are part of it.         ;Ihilani Hotel - Marriott     &nb sp;    Disney site    Beach Villas      Marriott Beach   &nbs p;      &nb sp;      &n bsp;      & nbsp;               ;      &nbs p;      &nb sp;  &...
More About: Resort

WolfgangsVault.com
2008-04-15 13:09:00
I was thinking the other day about our move to Oahu and I thought how much easier the move had been with the advent of all the modern miracles that surround us. When we told our friends of our intent, we were warned of "Island Fever", that claustrophobic feeling of being trapped on an Island, as well as countless other reasons to not move here, all of which I'm glad to say have yet to manifest themselves. In fact, after a little more than a year, I am only now starting to feel as though I am beginning to understand how vast Oahu is, let alone her sister Islands that we have yet to really explore at all. There was also the thought of isolation from all that we had known... friends, family, familiar places, all of which we have been able to stay in touch with and even had the pleasure of hosting in our new surroundings. That is the magic of the aforementioned modern miracles. I think the move would have been harder without email, without cable and cell phones and without ma...

Kapolei to have Hawaii's largest solar farm
2008-01-22 15:52:00
Tentative agreements have been reached for a 12 acre Solar farm to be built on 12 acres of James Campbell Co. land next to the Campbell Industrial Park. The energy production farm is to be built by a subsidiary of Hoku Scientific Inc., a Kapolei Company. Hoku Solar's 12-acre solar farm would rank among the U.S.'s largest. Courtesy of the James Campbell Co. 0 ) { document.write(''); document.write(''); document.write('RELATED NEWS FROM THE WEB'); document.write('Latest headlines by topic:'); document.write(''); for( i = 0; i ' + topixcats[i].name + ''); } document.write(''); document.write('Powered by Topix.net'); document.write(''); document.write(''); document.write(''); document.write(''); } //--> I hope this becomes a harbringer of the future! If we have one resource with unlimited supply in Kapolei, it is sunshine. According to reports, the farm would be capable of generating 1.5 megawatts...
More About: Farm , Largest

Hawaiian Slack Key
2008-01-20 14:02:00
In case you haven't noticed yet, I find it hard to list the ways that I love Hawaii and her people and culture. One of the experiences I've had the opportunity to be exposed to on a very personal level is Hawaiian Music. Robert, remember Robert... originally our boat broker, has also helped to expose us to the vast world of Hawaiian Music. For me, it is beautiful and so are the people who perform it. We've had the opportunity to meet musicians, and talk story with them as well as hear and watch as they perform. The one common thread seems to be the love they have for the music and it's heritage. Slack-key guitar is a fingerstyle genre of guitar music that originated in Hawai?i. Its name refers to its characteristic tuning: the English term is a translation of the Hawaiian k? h??alu, which means "loosen the [tuning] key". Most slack-key tunings can be achieved by starting with a classically-tuned guitar and detuning or "slacking" one or more of the string...

Oahu and Kapolei Gasoline prices
2008-01-19 12:59:00
For those of you without the advantage of being able to drive by the local service station to see the prices of gasoline here, I thought the latest information on costs per gallon would be informative. As you can tell, while higher than the national average, the rate of increase is significantly less than the national average. A good news/bad news type of report. The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in Hawaii costs about one-fifth more than it was a year ago, according to data from the American Automobile Association. The AAA's Fuel Gauge Report Web site shows Hawaii's statewide average rose to $3.481 from $2.909 a year earlier, a gain of about 20 percent. The national average increased at a faster pace during the year, rising to $3.033 from $2.209. That was 37 percent higher than a year earlier. For those of you moving to Oahu , our island's average is less than Hawaii, and for reference purposes, I purchased gasoline in Kapolei for $3.37 in Kap...
More About: Gasoline , Prices

Using Multiple Listing Service (MLS) to your full ability
2008-01-13 17:25:00
Looking back over the last 20 years in the real estate industry, I was remembering the "Old days". The excitement as the new book came out every two weeks with the "new" listings that ranged from 4 weeks old to 1 week old. Fax machines and overnight express which allowed us to be within days of our out of state clients versus a week or two depending on the mail. Land lines went to car phones and then to cell phones, until today we can carry our contracts, listing inventory, computers and phones in our top pocket. 2,800 baud modems which morphed to 28.8K, 56K and then DSL and cable. I actually attended the NAR meeting in Boston in the mid 90's as a representative from our Board in Topeka, Kansas when NAR rolled out REALTOR.com and spoke of the future of Real Estate on the internet. Webstreaming, virtual tours, IDX and so many other technological advancements, bring us to where we are today.  The one thing that is as important, if not even more so now, is knowing about...
More About: Service , Listing , Full

YTD Real Estate Market Report Oahu-Hawaii
2008-01-10 13:03:00
The end of the year numbers are in and I give my thanks to Board of REALTORS for the outstanding job they do of compiling the data and giving us members such a great tool to view the market and the trends.Here is a portion of the report that highlights three key components of the Market . Median sale price, Unit sales based on a rolling 12 month average and Months of inventory based on current sales, DOM and current listing inventory. To be honest, the broad market is comparatively good analytically compared to how it seems to "feel" sometimes. The most dramatic change in the last 12 months in my opinion is the unit drop, but that is offset by the nearly static sale price over the same time period. The inventory report shows a lengthening of time required to deplete the inventory. Overall, most markets and price ranges reflect an increase of 1 month +/- which is significant increase as a percentage. Most of all what the chart tells me is that the homes that a...
More About: Estate , Real Estate , Real Estate Market , Hawaii

Those pesky termites
2008-01-04 18:18:00
I am in awe of the insect world. In my past life in Kansas, termites, termite inspections and the occasional termite repair were transactional inconveniences which were most commonly a call to the seller with the bad news. A mud run on the foundation or an infested fence post near the house. Occasionally there might be damage to a porch stoop, but I can't remember ever having repairs that couldn't be completed for $500. Meanwhile, back in Hawaii... I will be marketing a REO property which recently came under my tutelage. I had the opportunity to spend some time at the property today with the Pest Control company, and while we surveyed the damage, he told me tales of the Formosa Subterranean Termite. Again... we're not in Kansas anymore! As the bids are being prepared, the portion of the bids directly attributable to the damage by this wily Queen and her average 3 million loyal subjects looks to be in the area of $25,000 to $30,000. That will be to repair the best g...
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The Leeward side
2007-12-29 12:32:00
I'm a child of the 60's and have always felt fortunate to have spent my formative years in Southern California. I remember going to Newport, Huntington and Laguna beach as a child in the early 60's and as a teen in the late 60's. When I go back there now, they have changed so much. The Leeward coast of Oahu from Kapolei to the end of 93 north of Makaha reminds me so much of the Pacific Coast Highway way back then. For me, it is like going back in time to a simpler time and place. Beautiful coastlines, sprawling beaches that are uncrowded in the busiest of times and almost deserted most times, it is a special place for me. The community along the highway is a wonderfully diverse blend of native, local and tourist and Aloha can be found waiting for you behind every door. Surfers share their beaches easily and it is a great place to escape to if you are in the mood to slow things down a bit. Makaha Valley, north of Waianae is a beautiful place with several golf courses de...
More About: Side

H-1 Freeway Closure between Kapolei & Ewa Beach
2007-12-20 11:29:00
This is one of those articles that you read in December and think to yourself, "hmmm... bummer" and forget until it happens. Then, in June you lament daily when it happens and mark the calendar with a big red circle on the day it will be over. Apparently, the interstate that connects Ewa (pronounced eva) Beach and Kapolei is going to be completely closed on June 9th, 2008 for about 6 months. This will effect about 100,000 cars a day, rerouting them on a bypass while and old bridge is removed and a new one built to allow the construction of the new North-South road, which is planned on being completed in 2009. Drivers on the three lanes heading in each direction will be diverted to three newly built lanes along each side of the freeway for 4,500 feet and then get back on the freeway. Sounds simple enough. Here is the exercise. "The best attitude is gratitude." I don't spend a lot of time each day being grateful for the roads and hiways. Maybe I should. If yo...
More About: Freeway , Closure

If I knew then...
2007-12-19 12:22:00
I could just kick myself for not learning more about blogging earlier. I actually prefer the term journaling, but I suppose that goes to my age. In any event, it would have been a perfect way for me to have saved the thrill that we all felt as we arrived here in Oahu, suitcases in hand. I still remember the fragrance of the air as we left the airport. Our boat broker met us there and we each had lays, but the scent was more than the lay. If I could put that scent in a bottle, I'd name it Paradise. What an adventure it has been. There is something invigorating about embarking on a adventure that is unlike anything you've ever done before. I had alway envied Bilbo and his chance to take a quest. I like adventure when used as noun. I was even the same age as Bilbo as he had set off for the Misty mountains. Moving to a boat, living in Hawaii, knowing no one and loving every minute of it. It made us feel alive! I was about to have my own adventure.And the people! What wonderf...
More About: Then

New homes and jobs coming to Kapolei
2007-12-18 15:55:00
As Kapolei continues it's growth, an additional 3 new projects will add an additional 6,500 homes and over 7,000 jobs to the area. These represent some of the final pieces of the Kapolei Master plan, originally discussed in the mid 1950's, to develop a second urban area on Oahu. Or as is the common term for Kapolei, The second City. There is an estimated economic impact of 66 Billion dollars over the next 12 years and the latest plans were presented at the Makakilo/Kapolei/Honokai Hale Neighborhood Board meeting this month. About a dozen people testified in support of the projects. I like learning that the jobs created will exceed the homes built. To add another 6,500 homeowners in Kapolei to commute to Honolulu would fuel an already raging blaze of gridlock to H-1. Many of the residents who spoke at the meeting voiced similar opinions. It is comforting for me to know that there is a plan for the growth here and that an equal focus is being placed on the local economy and job crea...
More About: New Homes , Jobs , Homes

The Superferry
2007-12-17 13:05:00
Few stories have created as much "stir" in the Islands as the Hawaii Superferry, in fact, it is a real contender for the story of the year. After a 4 month delay, the Superferry resumed service to Maui last Thursday and is now facing another court challenge from Maui Tomorrow on the constitutionality of the recently passed legislation that cleared the Superferry from it's last Hawaii Supreme Court decision. Whether you are for or against the Superferry, it has provided interesting i nsights of the Hawaiian Islands and the diverse people who live here. Few  projects have elicited  such strong reactions from so many different interests groups on the Islands and the story continues to be both uniting and divisive simultaneously. Environmentalist, individual Islands, business, the travel and tourist industry, locals and native Hawaiians have all found this to be an issue that has struck some of their core beliefs. The Super ferry has been...

10 days until Christmas
2007-12-16 11:56:00
It's 81 degrees outside and there is the most pleasant wind blowing through the doors and windows. I am overcome with  gratitude for this new life I've been given. In another month our family will be having our first anniversary since our move from Kansas and it has gone by in the proverbial "wink of an eye". For those of you who are thinking of moving here from the Mainland, don't let the details overwhelm you. It may be a move like none you've had before but so will be the destination. You may find yourself conversing with oceanic shipping companies, looking at the "stuff" you've collected and wondering what to bring. A big one for us was wondering how we would ever manage to stay in touch with our friends and family and more importantly, see them. You may find, like we did, that the latter is the least of your concerns. We have had more visitors come to us in the last year than I think we had the entire 20 years we ...
More About: Christmas , Days

Kapolei - Oahu's second City
2007-12-14 15:32:00
I am struck by my tremendous luck at having settled in to live in the Kapolei Community. I wish I could say that after rigorous research and study, I had selected Ko Olina and Kapolei as the place I would call home... but alas, I cannot. My move from Kansas was completely emotional as compared to analytical. I don't think I've ever thrown myself into the wind to see where I would land more than I have this year, but the result has been better than had I studied and planned my move for years. In fact, I'm having so much trouble keeping track of all the things that are going on and coming soon to Kapolei, that I think that is what spurred me to make this blog. A place where I could easily store the upcoming events I find interesting and reference them later. For an overal glimpse of Kapolei, I think the best website around is www.Kapolei.com. This website is maintained by the company which is ostensibly the largest single factor which has made Kapolei possible, Kapolei Pr...
More About: City