No matter where you are our United States of America…. it IS a BUYER’S market. That means buyers can negotiate for a better price, maybe a credit to go towards closing costs. Maybe they just transferred to Hawaii with the military and are staying in a hotel and need to close quickly.

It is NOT a seller’s market like it used to be. If sellers need to sell their home  or condo they need to change with the market in their local area. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it.

It IS a BUYER’S market.

The following points listed should give sellers a clue that it is more of a buyer’s market when listing their home for sale:

• You are getting fewer showings than you would have two to three years ago.  In fact, it is REAL slow today.  (one showing every couple of days is a far cry from 5-10 a day and four contracts overbidding) As time goes on the showings decrease even more.
• Your Realtor® showed you comps from six months ago up to the present and the prices have declined a little in that timeframe. (3% for Hawaii)
• The number of sales declined drastically over the past year because the financial institutions cracked down big time on lending criteria. GOOD!  (had to throw that in) Buyer’s are also being very cautious.
• Buyers have a BIG inventory of homes and condos to choose from. It’s literally Christmas every day for them!  They can have their pick and most certainly will choose one they do not have to upgrade and all they have to do is…..MOVE IN.

Healthy Boundaries are good for any individual to have but when a seller tries to protect themselves by putting up big barriers (conditions and demands) and burns bridges along the way it becomes a losing battle for not just the seller; but the Realtor® who has invested a lot of time, hard work and effort to market a property. 

This Realtor® spends countless hours to prepare your home for marketing:

• Research and pull up tax records, building permits and documents pertaining to the property.
• Prepare the listing agreement & profile sheet and go through all of the contract with you before signing.
• Prepare the Sellers Real Property Disclosure Statement and answer any questions you may have while you fill it out. (we have a four page detailed itemized questionnaire and it does take time to go through the whole thing and then answer any yes questions in detail on the last page)
• Creating a specialized flyer and property portfolio to display in your home for potential buyers during regular showings (with their Buyer’s Agent) or during Open Houses. This is no couple of minute job because it can take me up to an hour to get the flyer “just right” and the portfolio up to three hours!
• Take pictures of your home for the listing sites.
• Advise you on what you can do to get your home ready for showing (so please don’t take it personal like I’m criticizing your home…I’m doing my job!)
• Enter the listing into our MLS system and Century 21 site and add photos and make slide shows. (Lots of time)
• Creating specialized Real Estate Shows and burn them to printable cover cd’s. (this take some time!)
• Entering your listing on countless sites that I subscribe to and post your photos. (this takes LOTS of time) and enhance your listing on Realtor.com (this takes some more time) 

And this is JUST THE BEGINNING! I set up showing appointments, do Open Houses, refresh and update all the listings I submitted to sites as time goes by, I present all offers to you and advise you on your options. I give you sound advice and remind you of the market conditions and the current comps.  I go through the whole transaction with you, order condo docs, surveys and termite inspections. I accompany you to signing and help you with anything to do with the sale of your home.

The only thing I am unable to do is MAKE someone to buy your home.

There are contingencies in our contract that protect the buyer if they need to back out of the contract. It could be that the buyer lost their job. (they are NO LONGER qualified for a loan) Maybe they didn’t like something they saw in the home inspection. There are contingencies to protect the buyer to NOT buy your home. There are also contingencies to protect the seller but the bottom line is that if the buyer has a valid reason it does not automatically entitle you to their deposit. 

Remember, when you signed that Exclusive Right to Sell Listing Agreement? It specifically states that the “Seller agrees to consider all offers presented by the Brokerage Firm and to act in good faith to sell the property”.

If you REALLY want to sell your home:

• You make your home appealing to the buyer who is coming in to view your home
• You allow your Realtor® to do their job and give you their expert advice. You don’t take their suggestions as a personal attack on you but letting the Realtor® do what they are trained to do.
• You realize that when a Realtor® is working for you it involves giving you advice. Working for you does not mean you are telling the Realtor® to do it YOUR way even though the market, circumstances and comps say otherwise.
• You don’t assume your home is the best on the market and therefore should be priced as high as the others…… if you did NOT upgrade anything at all.
• You keep an open mind and allow your Realtor® to go through the CURRENT market conditions and current comparables in your immediate area and trust that they are NOT lying to you.
• Be willing to negotiate with the buyer to sell your home when it IS a buyer’s market. Maybe you could make demands a couple of years ago but the market has changed in favor of the buyer. There are MANY other homes and condos on the market to choose from.  (this does not mean give it away by all means. But fighting over a couple thousand will cost you more when months down the line your home is still sitting on the market.)
• That you, the seller, do not hold a Real Estate license and it is advisable to LISTEN to the direction, advice and opinions of your Realtor®.  A seasoned agent KNOWS what they’re talking about and is thinking in your best interests to get you a fair market price and get your home SOLD.

This Realtor® is going to tell you the truth and will NOT tell you just what YOU want to hear.

If you choose not to listen to your  Realtor® it could cost you the sale of your home.

© 2009 Celeste “Sally” Cheeseman, All rights reserved 

So….you are Relocating to Hawaii with the Military, a Job Transfer or just want to Retire here in our islands …… well, you came to the right place for information galore to help you adjust in your move….across the ocean to Paradise.

Your Relocation to Hawaii and Purchasing Your New Home. The following information is basic but pertinent information to go over before you even pack for your transfer and before considering purchasing your Honolulu County (Oahu) home. Moving across the Pacific Ocean to a totally different and diverse culture may be of a shock and you may want to brush up on a few tips to make your transition a smooth one.

• *Across the Ocean to Paradise: Military Relocations Hawaii* Don’t be shocked when you arrive…get the scoop on the environment, jobs, house hunting, BAH current rates and more!
• The Art of Hawaii Relocations Expect smaller, different and of course paradise.
• A Honolulu Hawaii Relocation: Getting Ready With Your “To Do” List Great information to get ready and be proactive in planning your relocation and move to Hawaii!
• VA Loans & Hawaii Military Relocations: This Realtors® Process Know the process for your VA benefits and the VA loan process.
• Honolulu-Hawaii Pet Quarantine: Prepare For Your Hawaii Move! Hawaii is Rabies Free so our laws are strict with incoming pets.
• Oahu and Surrounding Neighborhood Search: Relocations Hawaii A look into how I set you up to receive automatic listings with your own personal webpage to fine tune your criteria for your home purchase
• What’s in Your Wallet? This online relocation packet may be informational but I always send out printed booklets as well. It’s just …well….more personal.
• Visitor and Newcomer Safety Tips for Hawaii! Take heed to some safety tips as it will surely make you one proactive person….and it could save you and your family from harm.
• 10 Simple Things for BUYING YOUR HAWAII HOME For one, you will have your own agent (known as a Buyer’s Agent) to represent your best interests. Another, leave the work to us and not your friend, family or yourself. It’s like having an operation performed by a school teacher. Doesn’t work like that.
• HAWAII OPEN HOUSES (RULES WHILE ATTENDING) Sometimes, buyers are under the impression that they are better negotiators and will be able to get a better deal. Read tips for Open Houses because the agent holding the Open House is thinking in the best interests of the seller…not you.

Land Use and other Zoning Laws It is without a doubt that our Hawaiian Islands have little buildable land so it is detrimental to keep all of our zoning and land use laws intact. The majority of our land is Preservation and Conservation land and the following will give you insight

• Preservation & Conservation: Military Land Use on Oahu Hawaii’s West Coast The Military’s presence and their role with helping to understand the importance of preservation of the land.
• Hawaii (Oahu) Zoning, Special Use and Building Permits Zoning laws, land use and maps of Oahu.
• Hawaii Coastal Land: *Ponder Before Purchasing* Important facts to consider when considering a purchase of Coastal Land.
• Purchasing Hawaii Vacant Land? Ancient Hawaiian Burial Sites and Laws A few ‘must knows’ when it comes when you come across ancient burial sites.

Neighborhoods in Honolulu County and Market Report too! An insight into the different neighborhoods and what they have to offer. You will also get current market statistics in each community for which I wrote for that period.

• The Market DEPENDS on the Circumstances Doesn’t It? Every individual has different needs, circumstances and criteria for purchasing or selling their home. An overview of reasons as well as OAHU (Honolulu County) market report for the island.
• Be Part of the Solution For Your Market; Because “Shift” Always Happens All neighborhoods tell a different story when it comes to current market statistics so in my opinion there is NO nationwide statistics to compare to our Hawaii Market. This article was written last summer although with the other articles you will read you will find out that our market has stabilized. Some may have gone up, down or just remained at level sales prices.
• Relocating to Hawaii? Ewa Gentry & Ocean Pointe Communities Get more bang for your buck in these areas. Ocean Pointe is a newer community (and still growing) with energy efficient homes and central air conditioning and Ewa Gentry is a little older but still have some nicely upgraded and central air in some communities.
• Royal Palm @ Waipio Gentry: Hawaii Relocations Centrally located but still in the North Leeward district this community has stopped building although if you are looking for townhouses there are some reasonably priced ones as well. Across from the Patsy Mink Central Oahu Regional Park this community has an industrial area as well as residential (including Costco!)
• Oahu, Hawaii Relocations: The Waipio Gentry Community, Oahu, Hawaii is another article in this area that will give you an overall view of the Waipio Gentry Community and statistics on single family and townhomes.
• Hawaii Relocations: The Mililani Community on Oahu, Hawaii Central Oahu and a 30 year and growing Master Planned Community with 7 recreation centers, 3 shopping centers, elementary schools, intermediate and high school too. Two sides divide Mililani with the H-2 freeway. Mililani Town and Mililani Mauka. Schofield and Wheeler Bases are 5 to 10 minutes north of Mililani.
• Waikele Community – Homes, Condos & Market – Honolulu County Hawaii 12 townhome communities and 9 single family communities you have it all here in Waikele with the wonderful
• Ko Olina Resort & Marina: Can’t Get Any Better Than This! Resort style living by the ocean with its own yacht club too. Check it out if you want luxury living.
• Hawaii Relocation & Move? The Royal Summit & Newtown Communities in Aiea Hawaii The Royal Summit community have all custom built homes that were built to the owners delight. They are all zoned for ONE residential home on each lot and have been building from the 1980’s.
• A Bit Above in Wailuna Community – Honolulu Hawaii Relocation Wailuna community on Kaahumanu Street – on the Waiau Ridge.

Honolulu County (Oahu) Weather and Traffic - It is a given that with an island so small and a population of almost one million that we do have peak traffic hours as in any other part of the country. For a look at Oahu’s traffic click on the following TRAFFIC CAM to view during peak hours.

• Torrential Rains, Thunder, Lightning, Floods……… and Snow? Only in Hawaii! Though the majority of the time we have our blue sunny skies and tropical atmosphere there are times we get rainy weather and …..yes, snow on the other island

Things to Do, History & Places to See - A three part series for a brief, condensed Points of Interest series to learn a little about our island and our so diverse and full of different cultures and ways of life.

• ActiveRain Guide to Oahu: Points of Interest (Part III)
• ActiveRain Guide to Oahu: Points of Interest (Part I)
• ActiveRain Guide to Oahu: Points of Interest (Part II)
• Our Adventure: The Star of Honolulu Sunset Dinner Cruise

Condo or Townhouse Living: Rules to Follow and Steps to Protect: If you are contemplating downsizing then condo / townhouse living may be an option. With maintenance fees for most associations taking care of the bulk of your homeowner’s insurance (common elements), and repairs to the outside, roof, grounds and water/trash and sewere this may just be an option.

• Hawaii Townhouse Living… Responsible Homeowners Take Steps to Protect Owners have responsibilities to fix or report leaks etc. Being proactive to reduce further damage is a must!
• Hawaii Condominium Associations: Rules To Follow! A few pointers to follow your Condo/Townhouse Association Rules. It does make for a nice community.

History of schools and links to Hawaii’s Education System A brief look at the history of Hawaii and its school system as well as researching schools and neighborhoods suitable for your family and their Relocation to Hawaii.

• The History of Education and Schools in Hawaii
• Other Links for Education: Department of Education in Hawaii-Hawaii Public Schools has loads of information, forms, reports, technology, special interests, jobs, public libraries and so much more on this site!!
• Military bases with schools and also a map with locations.

Myths, Legends and Superstitions: Every place has it’s history as well as their “stories”….come join me in revisiting some old tales of Hawaii. It is a given that there are certain things to respect on the islands. Not only do we have Ancient Burial Site laws that protect our land…we also have certain sites that still have remnants of ancient temples that are not to be disturbed.

• Hawaiian Legends – Nightmarchers, Menehune, and the Tiki Gods The legends continue…..
• HAWAIIAN Spirits and Superstitions Just a few of the stories and tales from the elders passed on….

And a special Hawaii Military Relocation Story:

LIVE on VIDEO: A Hawaii Military Relocation Story Comes to Life

Bottom line is this.

It’s not easy moving across the Pacific Ocean let alone to a totally different “world” of people,

but you can do it with a little effort, motivation and a great Realtor®!

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If you’re Relocating to Hawaii (regardless if it’s near future or just wanting to be proactive for the future) contact me to get started with your search for Hawaii Homes for Sale.

Celeste “Sally” Cheeseman, RA, e-PRO / Century 21 Liberty Homes, Mililani, Hawaii

All branches of the military occupy a large portion of Oahu and I recently put together a Hawaii Military Relocation Package – Schofield Barracks & Wheeler Army Air Field for the Military Relocating & Transferring to Honolulu County Hawaii .

Many military personnel have not been to Hawaii before so they obviously do not know what neighborhood is closest to the Honolulu County Hawaii Military Base they will be stationed. So it is without question they do not know which neighborhood they should look for their next Hawaii Home purchase.

This map details just about all of the Military Bases on Oahu in Honolulu County (the island of Oahu IS Honolulu County) This map should prove very beneficial to start your search for your new home purchase in relation to the your next tranfer station at one of our Honolulu County Hawaii Military Bases.

The H-1 freeway extends from South Oahu to the Leeward side of Oahu, the H-2 freeway extends from the Pearl City cutoff to Wahiawa and the H-3 freeway extends from the Aiea cutoff to the Windward side of Oahu (Kailua/Kaneohe).

More info on Relocating to Hawaii, the VA Loan process for purchasing your Hawaii Home and a special Video and story on a Hawaii Military Relocation and Hawaii Home Purchase come true:

VA Loans & Hawaii Military Relocations: This Realtors® Process Know the process for your VA benefits and the VA loan process.
*Across the Ocean to Paradise: Military Relocations Hawaii* Don’t be shocked when you arrive…get the scoop on the environment, jobs, house hunting, BAH current rates and more!
Military Transfers & Relocations to Hawaii: A Geographical Shock How do I know? As a former military dependent I moved many times over the years from childhood and later on in adult life. Later on my son joined the military as well…..but moving to Hawaii can be more than just a transfer. Read on!
LIVE on VIDEO: A Hawaii Military Relocation Story Comes to Life Contacted by the fiance of an Active Duty Officer in the Army and subsequently relocating and purchasing their first home before getting married… this is a fairy tale come true of how they met this Realtor-Associate® on the internet.
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It’s not easy moving across the Pacific Ocean and purchasing your Hawaii Home;
let alone to a totally different “world” of people.
But you can do it with a little effort, motivation and a great Realtor®!

~~~~~
*All pictures, content, map and information are the property of Celeste “Sally Cheeseman.

Diamond Head

The National News surely depicts an overall picture (so does NAR) of the housing market that is unrealistic.

Why? How can anyone believe that this nationwide report will be the same for every state, county, city and neighborhood? It is unrealistic to report that ‘nationwide’ it is a beautiful market to buy or sell just as it is unrealistic to report that ‘nationwide’ it is a bad time to buy or sell. It depends on a wide variety of points doesn’t it?

How about this?

• Your Realtor ® will give you a clearer picture of the current market conditions in your specific area. Bad choice to have your loan officer, friends and family pretending they are the Realtor®. Might as well just watch the news right?
• It depends on your circumstances if you are considering selling your home. Relocation to another state? Downsizing? Tragedy in the family?
• It depends on your circumstances if you are considering buying a home. Relocation to Hawaii? Benefits of ownership vs. renting? Retiring? Downsizing?
• It depends on the county, the city & the neighborhood for better market conditions to sell. Your Realtor ® will provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis for these specifics.
• It depends on the county, the city & the neighborhood for room for negotiations for the buyer. Your Realtor® can give you a breakdown of the areas that you are considering.

As of February of 2008 the Oahu Housing Market has slowed down 40% in NUMBER of sales.The Oahu Housing Market has increased in prices since last year BUT ARE NOW STABLE. The table below will show you an increase/decrease in sales and prices to give you a better idea of our market on our Island of Oahu in HONOLULU COUNTY.  (These statistics DO NOT include new home sales)

Our inventory on OAHU is still modest due to fewer homes/condos being listed on the market.  For this reason it gives us a positive outlook because the inventory has NOT ballooned as in previous post-boom periods.

Just keep in mind that this too is an overall picture of our market in Honolulu County. (Which is the island of Oahu) and neighborhoods differ as well. For example, the prices for homes/condos in Mililani are stable whereas the prices in Ewa Beach have decreased a little and have a higher inventory overall. The number of Short Sales in Ewa are high whereas there are very few in Mililani. Newer, Older, Sq. Ft., Land Area and so forth are also to be considered.

                                                                                             IT JUST DEPENDS.

FYI:  Honolulu Board of REALTORS® was established in 1922 and is one of the largest of 1,600 boards of REALTORS®.  With over 6,000 members on our island alone the Honolulu Board of Realtors ® is the largest trade organization on Oahu. The above statistics are from the Honolulu Board of Realtors ® and are taken from our Multiple Listing Service site.

© 2008 Celeste “Sally” Cheeseman’s Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog. All rights reserved.

My belief is that ALL housing markets differ and the circumstances are going to depend on the housing markets in each of the states &  local cities; and right down to each neighborhood which will show a significant difference in number of sales and of course the sales prices too.

I also believe that it is up to everyone in the Real Estate Industry to keep the market moving. With our professional attitudes shining through in all communication and contact with our clients and peers and being thorough in our process through each and every transaction are just a few points to always be aware of.

How well we all perform will determine the level of service “they” will rate us as well.

The most important factor to consider regarding our housing market in the United States is that it is truly NOT a NATIONWIDE bunch of statistics to clump all in one percentage or sales price to air on the national news every night like it is the ‘written word’. Nope. I rely on what I SEE going on in each neighborhood of Honolulu County and the surrounding neighborhoods.

The big difference with the Housing Market in Hawaii is the fact that we have just so little buildable and usable land.  Our land is valuable and there are areas that you will see a newer home in Central Oahu that has about 1500 sq. ft. interior on 3,000 sq. ft. of land. And you ask, “What is an approximate price for a home on such a small lot?”  Upper $600,000’s ….easy.  And what might a home like this be priced at when it is closer to the Honolulu city area? You’re looking at OLDER and HIGHER priced homes priced at about $700,000 up …in ‘good’ condition.  One thing that I make sure and let my Hawaii Home Buying and Relocation clients know is: DO NOT EXPECT the same sq/ft interior and land area homes like you had back in the Continental United States. 

There are a few neighborhoods on Oahu where they are experiencing a “slightly declining market” such as the Ewa. Diamond Head, Hawaii Kai, Waipahu and West Oahu areas. Even Central Oahu is fluctuating up and down. The whole housing market in Honolulu County has shifted to the point where I will let the Hawaii Home Buyer know that there is a little room for ‘negotiating’ for either a little reduction in price or closing costs credit from the seller to buyer. I let the Hawaii Home Seller know that THIS is how the market is NOW.

So…Is the Honolulu, Hawaii Housing Market Still Shifting?  Look at the following statistics from the Honolulu Board of Realtors® and you decide:

Single Family:   Median Sales Price   

• 2003-    $380,000                                
• 2004-    $460,000
• 2005-    $590,000
• 2006-    $630,000
• 2007-    $625,300
• 2008-     $620,000 (first quarter)

Condos:    Median Sales Price   

• 2003-    $175,000                              
• 2004-    $180,000
• 2005-    $269,000
• 2006-    $310,000
• 2007-    $320,000
• 2008-     $330,000 (first quarter)

For those of you who believe that we make a difference for our Real Estate Industry then keep on striving to be the best you can be; ALWAYS support each other and work as a team and ALWAYS think in the best interests of your clients.

And if you need current and up to date information on statistics, a Hawaii Relocations packet or you just have questions please don’t hesitate to contact Celeste “Sally” Cheeseman, Realtor Associate ® , Century 21 Liberty Homes, Mililani, HI @ (808) 375-1404.

Alive in Honolulu County, Oahu, Hawaii!

© 2008 Celeste “Sally” Cheeseman’s Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog. All rights reserved.

By:  Celeste “Sally” Cheeseman, (RA), e-PRO

Open Houses in Hawaii are a given.  We market the property through advertising in the newspaper for our Open Houses and everyone (from buyer’s to neighbors  to people who are thinking of selling their home in the same area) attend these Sunday events! Yup…Sunday events!

Buyer’s can use Open House’s as part of their home search (along with the private appointments your realtor sets up) so following are some guidelines (I call these the lucky seven) for buyer’s while at an Open House:

1) Look at properties in your price range! Make sure you are pre-qualified with a local lender (your agent most likely already made sure you have) and look at properties 10 -20 % above and below your price range. Looking at properties way above your price range (that you can’t live without) will no doubt stick in your mind forever so be realistic. (or keep reading those Fine Homes and Estates magazines)

2) Remember, the agent who is holding the Open House has the Seller’s best interests at heart.  A lot of home buyer’s “believe” that they are going to “get a better deal” if they deal with the seller’s agent directly.  The truth is that you are best represented by having your own agent (buyer’s representative or buyer’s agent) and the agent who is hosting the Open House has one thing in mind.  To get the best terms and deal for the seller…..NOT YOU.

3) Remove your shoes!  Wear slip on/off shoes. We all remove our shoes before entering a home here anyway but for those of you who just came from the Continental U.S. who are not used to this please have the courtesy to remove your shoes.  The seller may have already had their carpet professionally cleaned and would like to keep it clean for not only this first open house but for future ones as well. (and we may have just had a rainy season and they may not want mud tracks throughout their home)

4) Keep ahold of your children. Instruct them to not touch anything or wander around the yard by themselves. And all real estate agents tie up unruley kids (just kidding)

5) Register in the guest book. But give your agent’s card, phone number and email address. Otherwise, you will have every agent in the world calling and clogging up your email (unless you like a bunch of spam)

6)  Make a list of wants and needs.  And then compare it to the property.  Make notes! You’ll know when you walk into “your” home if you use your head (needs) and heart (wants).

7) Call your own realtor if you see a property you like and want to put in an offer!  Your agent will be able to speak to the seller’s agent and get any special terms and addendums before writing up the offer. Resist the urge to talk to the seller’s realtor and worse yet…the owner! Your own agent is the most valuable negotiating tool and bargaining power for your transaction.

8) Loan Officers on site. Though there are “honest” loan officers/lenders that are “helping” with any questions regarding loans at an Open House, remember that the Open House is so you can view and get more information on the property and “feel” if this is the right home for you. If you already have a realtor then you most likely were already pre-qualified or pre-approved. If you tell the agent and loan officer you already have an agent and loan officer and they become pushy this is a red flag.

If you are Relocating to Hawaii go to this website:  

www.hawaiirelocation.blogspot.com for your free Online Hawaii Relocation Package.