I have witnessed both the boom and bust of Hawaii’s real estate market over my 25 years of providing mortgage financing. The issues are always the same, and yet this time, there are a couple of new wrinkles. Hawaii’s real estate market is no different right now when compared to the mainland. There’s a frenzy… [Read More]

With Hawaii’s skyrocketing home prices, the question on everyone mind is if they will qualify for that higher loan amount. That’s why the question I am asked the most frequently is “How Much Do I Qualify For?” It always brings a smile to my face and a frown to my forehead when I get a… [Read More]

Is it just me or do you find that there’s always a certain product or service being advertised, where that company bombards radio and TV with countless ads – then disappear after their initial splash? From “buying” a star and naming after someone, extended car warranties, tuning up your PC, and identity theft, some commercials… [Read More]

Real life scenarios help with the topics I write about. Today’s topic happened not once, but twice in the past 10 days. While you may think today’s topic might not apply to you, read on, because even if you are a resident of Hawaii, you will want to make sure you have access to the… [Read More]

With home prices soaring and inventory of homes for sale at record lows, many families are looking inward to their existing home to see if revitalizing what they already have can be changed to suit their needs. The task of even thinking of ripping open your home may be too much for many. If you… [Read More]

All the reports on home prices use the term “median home price”. Even for those that know what the term means, do you know how that reading reflects the current trends in home prices? Today we’ll explore median vs. average, how it corelates to home prices, and even more important, appreciation. First let’s define the… [Read More]

Since the beginning of the year, I’ve written stories of how hot the real estate market has become. Sellers are receiving multiple offers on the first day of a listing – and most, if not all, above the listing price. There’s also a real scarcity of properties for sale. As we move through our 4th… [Read More]

I love answering questions from readers! Carol wrote: Can a Condominium Board affect a loan approval? Or does the Board have no say in the “type” of buyer: investor, owner occupant with a pet, or a buyer who uses a conventional loan but ends up not living in the condo? Does the lender even care… [Read More]

If you have any desire to buy a property in Hawaii right now you know how crazy it is. Local residents are competing against mainland and foreign buyers. We are now unfortunately seeing record low inventories of properties to buy coupled with higher than usual demand. Foreign buyers are coming into our market because the… [Read More]

Despite the recent rise in rates, homes are going into escrow quicker than I have ever seen in almost 25 years of mortgage lending. Also, those late to the refinance party are still trying to get it done before rates move any higher. What that means is that lenders are flooded with mortgage applications. If… [Read More]