Our Weekly Newsletter – Now in its 18th year of publication

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Buy vs. Rent – Kauai SFR

Mortgage rates are going up. Home prices continue to rise. For those that think they missed the boat, you are sorely wrong. If you are renting, you are paying someone else’s mortgage payment. With a projected shortage of homes in Hawaii for the next two decades, home prices will only continue to rise. Yes, we…

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VA Renovation Loans

Everyone’s heard about VA loans for those that have served our country. The “crown jewel” of all mortgage loan products, it allows for 100% financing at the best rates available, and with no mortgage insurance. But there’s always been one issue that has ruined the hopes of some wishing to utilize this amazing benefit. Every…

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Buy vs. Rent – Maui Condo Study

With Hawaii’s tight rental market, here more than any other place in the country, it makes sense to buy a home instead of renting. If you are currently renting, parents of kids that are currently renting, or in real estate, please share this information. Hands down, buying is significantly better – period. All of the…

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Buying vs. Renting

Mortgage rates are going up. Home prices continue to rise. For those that think they missed the boat, you are sorely wrong. If you are renting, you are paying someone else’s mortgage payment. With a projected shortage of homes in Hawaii for the next two decades, home prices will only continue to rise. Yes, we…

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How Lava Affects Property Values

We are all fascinated with incredible images coming from the Big Island. In a recent news report, Hawaii County officials were saying that due to the loss of property taxes from the affected area, they will need to do some budget changes. That story got me thinking of property taxes, ownership of your property, and…

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Pele’s Affect on Big Island Home Prices

How will the ongoing volcanic activity on Hawaii Island impact property values and transactions? The answer is surprising and varied. This picture is the VOG concentration map for Friday May 18, 2018. At first look, one might say “who would ever want to live there?” It’s easy to make quick assumptions that with the VOG,…

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Volcano Affecting Hawaii Island Escrows

When the first signs of lava appeared in Leilani Estates subdivision on May 3rd, it wasn’t just the residents of that area that were affected. Insurance companies that write Homeowner’s policies in Lava Zones 1 & 2 immediately put in place a moratorium on writing any new policies. The moratorium is also in effect for…

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Funds Placed in Escrow

There’s a lot of confusion these days on how to get your required funds to escrow, and what form of funds they will require. Here’s a quick guide to help make your transaction flow without any issues. Initial Deposit on Sales Contracts: These funds can be in the form of a personal check. They must…

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Property Tax Lag – Why?

Most people are aware that the counties either charge different rates or offer credits if you live in your home versus owning it as an investment. What surprises almost everyone is how long it takes for the county to implement those changes when you purchase a home. In most other states, when you purchase a…

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Learn from Other’s Past Failures

A very common situation being seen more today in our every tight housing market, are offers being accepted in a backup position. Talk to any real estate agent, and they will tell you of the transaction that fell out of escrow – meaning the deal didn’t go through. This makes sense in a tight market…

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