Aloha! Hawaii Real Estate & Relocation Blog

Why Did THIS Transaction Fall Out of Contract?????

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:36:57 -0600

Marketing the property well was a given. With internet presence galore, the MLS, Open Houses and a couple of ads it's no wonder my listing was in contract within a month. Even in a a slower market. I even helped my guy clean up and repair a couple of minor things so they signed off on the home inspection. Everything was going oh.....so too well. But... 'ship' happens.

So what exactly did happen?

Passed the Home Inspection and even met them a second time to go over the minor repairs the seller and I completed.
Addtional deposit was sent in to escrow after the completion/approval of the Home Inspection period.
Appraisal came in on the money...we didn't doubt that one.
All Association and Condominium Docs were signed and approved
Buyers had Loan Approval (just Termite Inspection to be done)
Seller already had an estimate for the movers and was to give his approval today.
The Seller already put in a request for retiring from his job.
The Selling agent was going to have a contractor paint for them.
The buyers were excited up until ...yesterday.

No explanation. Just a call to their agent and escrow saying "cancelling the purchase contract. Nothing. Zip. Zilch. Broken promises and lives disrupted. NO EXPLANATION. Even in their signed cancellation to escrow this morning. NO EXPLANATION. They even put in a stop payment for the additional deposit! My seller is VERY upset. Understandable.

Wow. The disregard these buyers had for the lives they disrupted.

Never a dull moment in real estate....pick up, move on.

Why?

No Explanation.

The Mystery & Beauty of The Waikiki Aquarium

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:22:58 -0600

With cameras and video in tow we headed down to Waikiki from Central Oahu to the Waikiki Aquarium. Long talked about for something fun to do we hopped in the car after talking about it last night. We did everything we needed to do early this morning so we could have a few hours of pleasure.

It was well worth the half an hour trip and after going from window to window at the Waikiki Aquarium's displays we came upon ......

NEMO! Okay, so we couldn't know for sure but it sure struck a chord when we saw this lovely little beauty.

After literally taking pictures and video of the whole aquarium and their wonderous creatures from the ocean we rushed outside in hopes that my most favorite creature of them all finally surfaced. The Hawaiian Monk Seal! Oh, and a show this one did give us! Posing from side to side and at times taunting and teasing us by turning around to have only the backside showing, this beautiful creature finally turned to gaze lazily at us so we could snap a few.

Hawaii is considered to be the "Endangered Species Capital of the World" with more than 317 plants and animal species that are endangered per sq. mile than anywhere else in the world. The most endangered mammal that is on the endangered species list is the HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL and every day there is something on our local news stations about these precious creatures. READ MORE HERE:

The Waikiki Aquarium is located next to the living reef and shoreline of Waikiki and founded in 1904. It is the third oldest public aquarium in the United States.

Location: Queen Kapiolani Park. 2777 Kalakaua Avenue at the end of Waikiki Beach
Hours - Daily 9:00 am to 4:30 pm; Closed Christmas Day; special hours on Thanksgiving and New Year's days. Admission
Rates: $9 for visitors; $6 for local residents, active duty military with ID, students with ID and senior citizens; $4 for Youths (13-17), and persons with disabilities; $2 for Juniors (5-12). Children 4 and under are free. Each paid admission includes an Audio Tour Wand.

Following is the video I took while the Hawaiian Monk Seal decided to grace us with a show. So please enjoy the show of gliding movements and the graceful display of this beautiful endangered species.

Tropical Fall Months in Honolulu County Hawaii

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:18:05 -0600

Well, we sure don't have the fall leaves changing colors and we don't have snow or seasonal pictures standing out in a crowd displaying the distinct months of the year. What we do have in Honolulu County is a warm tropical climate with blue skies that take your breath away day after day throughout the year.

During the month of November we still have the wonderful sunny skies with a little bit cooler temperature although it's still sun, fun, boating and surfing with the larger waves peaking on the North Shore of Oahu. In fact, the 2008 World Championship Tour with professional surfers and spectators worldwide have been enjoying the Surfing Championships along the North Shore since last Thursday.

For up to date news and video go to www.triplecrownofsurfing.com

Continue around the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and you'll end up in Laie. Truly a sea and country town, Laie proves to have more than just scenery. Plenty of beaches, fishing,hiking, snorkeling and lots of outdoor activities as well as the 42 acre Polynesian Cultural Center .

Hiking along the mountainous terrain and deep valleys with lush green foilage we grab a piece of history that unfolds through every step we take. Preservation and Conservation land is highly respected here and many natural scenic views along with botanical gardens are seen everywhere. (Wahiawa Botanical Gardens Pictured above)

I myself make my own magic on my back porch with my orchid garden.

Floral delight abounds!

Even at 7am......

And awaiting the full bloom of my poinsettia's ....knowing our Hawaiian Style Christmas is right around the corner :)

Nothing is EVER Perfect

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:43:11 -0600

Nothing is ever perfect is it? I walked outside on Wednesday to hop in my car and drive to the swap meet. (Yes, more orchid plants for $5 each) I sat in the drivers seat and reached over to close the door but something got in the way.

A picture perfect cloudless sky.

Too lazy to get out of the car to get a picture perfect view for the snapshot, I sat right there and took the picture to find that the bark on the palm was peeling off.

As we always say in Real Estate, "There are no two transactions that are ever alike". We cross bridges galore and take care of the bumps and grinds behind the scenes so our client's home purchase or sale will be less stress free. And then we say, "What a smooth transaction we had".

There are just things that we seem to get accustomed to or work through and try not o sweat the small stuff. We evern learn to not sweat the big stuff because it's usually things that we cannot control.

No matter what....we work through it and deal with it.

I looked at this picture for the last two days and realized that it is as good as it gets. It will depend on the mind frame, time and space I'm in for any situation to take it's course and for any result to happen in a positive or negative manner.

I'm choosing to look at this picture as a positive as I do with everything in life.

There are ALWAYS learning lessons.

It's not 'picture perfect' but it's good enough for me.

Why stay stuck when I can just move on?

Have a great weekend!

TGIF.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Can You See The REAL Me?

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:27:52 -0600

We as Real Estate Professionals strive to be all we can be online. We write about our industry, our local areas, joke around and give information from Real Estate to Mortgage Programs, Staging, Home Inspections, Blogging, Social Networking and so on and so on.

There is a fine line between being transparent and letting it all hang out though isn't there?

We give a little of ourselves, our personalities, our expert advice, tips and tricks and all sorts of things while writing online. But when it comes to displaying inappropriate behavior online I really start writing.....A lot. I'm being transparent with my feelings on unprofessional behavior online. I will always speak up so that others may see that they are contributing to the highest form of negative and unprofessional behavior that does nothing good for our network, our industry and THEIR business. Not to mention the bad reputation that they can attribute to their ‘letting it all hang out' as being in the lower sense of ...transparency.

Get real and have a little class with that professional attitude.

What being transparent on a REAL Estate Network means to me is that:

I am fully aware of the fact that what I write may affect others. I choose to have a particular influence or inspire others in a positive manner through my writing.
I am aware that my professional opinions differ from personal opinion. As a professional I have to hold myself in the highest esteem and regard paying particular attention to my real estate profession.
That my values, morals and beliefs stretch beyond our Code of Ethics. I live my life offline as I do online and transparency does NOT mean to say my opinion at the expense of hurting another person.
This is a professional network and respect comes first and foremost above everything. A place to mingle with my peers while learning and educating as well as networking for referrals and references too.
I give some information about my local area as if they are walking right along side of me. Transparency is not just throwing out words. It's giving every reader the chance to get to know me

Those that believe transparency means to shout all over this network with their judgments yet in the next sentence claiming to be so self righteous can be construed as hypocritical.

But yes! It is transparent to the core. BUT...... not at its finest.

I am over half a century old now and surely enjoying the finer things in life. Those days of being a rebel and degenerate are LONG past (if ever I was to begin with) and I have the ability to step into the other persons shoes to see their perspective of thinking.

Yup. I have stepped into thousands of those shoes and KNOW that what the negative side is seeing is not what I choose to live by. I'll step into my own shoes and hang with the positive souls who are content with self and not discontent with everything outside of themselves.

So you keep on being oh- so- transparent and let it ALL hang out.

The rest of us will be the ones to get the readers, leads, the clients and make friends with all those that YOU turned off.

Good News! October Statistics for Oahu's Housing Market!

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:41:01 -0600

Yes, we all are experiencing some difficult times as the rest of the nation but you, the buyer, need to be informed properly so when you are looking to purchase that Home in Hawaii you will know that KILLER NEGOTIATING WILL CAUSE YOU TO LOSE THE HOME YOU LOVE!

In Killer Negotiating & Losing the Hawaii Home You Love! I started with how our market differs locally and not nationally. The media has depicted a dreary look for the NATION...not for every market and especially different neighborhoods. But Hawaii has prevailed with only a small portion of subprime loans during the booming months. It was a conscious decision that kept our banks solid here but also saved many Oahu Homeowners from losing their homes.

On Oahu our neighborhoods are very dense and the market can differ from neighborhood to neighborhood. That IS a fact.

NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS!

Oahu's housing market statistics (from our Honolulu Board of Realtors) show that our sales prices rose from the month of September and they clearly show the strength in our Oahu Housing Market for the month of October. Though median prices do not depict a clear neighborhood picture it gives an overall birds eye view of how our small island differs from month to month as well with median sales prices.

Condominium/Townhouses sales prices rose from $296,000 for the month of September to $325,000 for the month of October and shows a 9.8% increase. Single Family homes sales prices rose from $590,000 to $625,000 and shows an increase of 5.9% from September to October. I'd say that was impressive even with the slower number of sales. Prices are holding steady here on Oahu and it shows a steady market.

Both buyers and seller really need to STOP LISTENING TO THE MEDIA and the advice of your 'expert' family about those "NATIONWIDE" statistics!

Both buyers and sellers need to listen to their REALTORS® expert advice for local housing market statistics and advice.

Killer Negotiating & Losing the Hawaii Home You Love!

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:54:34 -0600

Buyers who are relocating to Hawaii hop on the airplane and bring along with them the mindset that all housing markets are the same nationwide. The media has given the consumer a NATIONWIDE view of the housing market and it's not factual information after crossing the Pacific Ocean. The media has given the consumer wrong information because each and every neighborhood presents a different LOCAL market. Each city has different statistics for their housing market and goes right down to each state has their own statistics for their economy and the reasons why.

Get an experienced Realtor® and stop listening to your friends, cousins, aunties and uncles on the mainland to give you great marketing advice.
When your Realtor® gives you comps on surrounding complexes make sure you are including the fenced in courtyard that tax records show.
When you get rejected know that your offer insulted the seller and that your killer negotiating tactics didn't work.
When you come back with an acceptable offer and submit an As Is Addendum that does not mean to come back with nit picky items to fix under C-51 (the Home Inspection) Why did you submit one if you're going to do that??

In our Sunday Honolulu Advertiser Homes Section this past Sunday there was a story titled "Local Banks Remain Solid Dilberately. Anti Subprime Sentiment Saves Homes, Banks". Wow! What a wonderful story to show that in Hawaii we still have one of the lowest foreclosure rates in the country. ONE in every 842 households in Hawaii compared to ONE in every 189 in California and one in every 82 in Nevada is a very impressive number. What would keep our Hawaii Homes Market at a lower foreclosure rate than other parts of the country?

The reason being is that our local banks INTENTIONALLY stayed away from subprime loans. It was a conscious decision that kept our banks solid here but also saved many Oahu Homeowners from losing their homes. The Local Lenders in Hawaii have an interest in to serve the communities and provide mortgage products that meet our unique community's needs. This explanation from Linda Nakamura, vice president of mortgage servicing at First Hawaiian Bank is the best one I've seen to explain our local housing market and the reasons that we have survived a declining market "nationwide".

This is not to say that some neighborhoods are experiencing a "slightly" declining market but this is nothing compared to what I've seen in blogs and articles online on ActiveRain Real Estate Network. This is not to say that we are not experiencing a slower market either because we are.

Bottom line is that it all depends on the circumstances of both the buyer and the seller.

Example: If the seller does not HAVE to sell but wanting to make a life change and the buyer really loves the home, why would a buyer try and be a killer negotiater and take a chance on losing the home they love?

There is little buildable land here in Hawaii compared to the rest of the country and much of our land is Preservation, Conservation, Agricultural and Country zoned. Local residents and Relocating Military to Hawaii chose to buy their own homes when the market boomed due to rising rental costs. Why rent when we can buy? And they did so with the majority taking out Conventional and VA loans at 30 year fixed rates.

The same holds true for today. Yes, there is a LITTLE room for negotiating and under certain circumtances there may be more room to negotiate in other neighborhoods where it is SLIGHTLY declining. But don't presume that flying Across the Ocean to Paradise will bring a BIG discount when purchasing your Hawaii Home.

Bottom line is that the housing market in Hawaii has slowed but not dead.

And....it all depends on the circumstances.

How bad do you want to buy that home & how bad do they need to sell that home?

Relief Comes Quick: After Curve Balls & All

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:46:15 -0600

Wow...amazing how I feel so relieved from just coloring those boxes in at the poll center in my neighborhood this morning! A misty kind of morning to fit well with the mystery of the anticipated outcome of our election process.

In the meantime, while all the hoo haaa was going on the last 21 months during the campaigning I was out there keeping the balance with my work and family life. In my mind, soul, heart and being I have come to learn that balance will always be key to my success in all areas of my life.

You see, I believe success starts from within and with that in mind I carried through this last year focusing on what I need to do to keep afloat in spirit and of course in my business. Last December we had curve balls flying from all directions. The year started with my family keeping a positive outlook. My husband kept telling me that we need not worry.

"Because good things happen to good people," he said. And he added, "And we're good people."

Let go of fear, worry, hypothetical situations and all that comes with the "what ifs" and just DO IT.

And we did.

My business started slow the first half of the year but was steady.
The last half a year has been grand and I am ending the year at a higher level than last year.
My son finally got his VA approval for school and he is comfortably settled in to studying after a long two year process of once again establishing his residency here and getting ready to start school.
My daughter is continuing at the same college after finally deciding that her dream is forensic science.
My husband was settled in his new job two months after his company closed this past January nationwide...and he's happy.
My dog Shadow is stable with her blood platelets at a normal level.
Blogging on brought me half of my clients this year from my blog and my website (which by the way..is directly linked to ActiveRain for all I've learned to MAKE my website findable)
My mom is going to be 81 years old come Januaryand 2008 at 80 years old was well spent! (still working, golfing, Las Vegas twice and more!)
We made it through the second year of no smoking. So what if we put on an extra 10 pounds and can't get rid of it, right? January 13th will make two years after 30+ of smoking.
I voted this morning and no matter what the outcome I will support our Mayor, our President and others that are chosen. Acceptance.

Don't you think that looking for all the positives around me helped?

Relief after the 'storm'.

YOUR Online Presence: The Aftermath

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 03:07:34 -0600

If there is one thing that I truly believe causes conflict with friendship and professional relationships is the behavior that comes with discussing and ranting about religious and political views. Okay, it's more than that. It's the trying to incite an online 'riot' of sorts.

Yup, we all have our opinions and when it starts getting mean, nasty and downright negative it's disrespectful to this platform as well as the intent of this network. A REAL Estate Network. Then to top it all off with the ulterior motive of trying to force ones opinion down another persons throat it is then that it becomes unprofessional and downright judgmental and prejudiced.

And that's just MY opinion.

I CHOOSE to detach from unhealthy (bashing and such) discussions on these particular subjects. We ALL have different opinions and transparency in my blog does NOT mean that I need to divulge my personal preferences for you...let alone even my close friends face to face.

It does NOT mean I let anyone run all over me either.

I will tell you all this. I have my own beliefs and my own views and I will not push them on you and I expect the same from you. Please DO NOT write in my comment section with your religious or politic views when it has nothing to do with what I'm writing about.

That IS just plain rude.

It is with a heavy heart of reading all the ranting, bashing, unprofesional and negative behavior that I write this:

Try and be mindful and respectful of the next person's opinion. If they don't believe in the same religious faith, your favorite color, why you believe your ideas are better than others or even your choice for president, mayor or whomever it does NOT give you the right to disrespect them. If you choose to believe in all the junk that you get in your emails or online about any subject that coincides with the Star Magazine or Enquirer (lol) then by all means...that's your choice.

It's not mine.

Remember, in two days there will be a winner and in life there will always be someone who doesn't agree with you about something....... but ActiveRain and all its members will still be here and the legacy you have left behind will still be here as well.

We ALL will remember.

They ALL will remember.

Halloween At the Office With Wizards & Fairies

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 20:09:56 -0500

Ghosts, goblins, wizards and witches. Little devils, angels and Kung Fu Panda too. I can't believe how many characters are around from the time I went trick or treating.

Halloween is surely the start of the holiday season to come....and right after it's over this hallowed eve....the Thanksgiving decorations will go up.

Well, today at Century 21 Liberty Homes there was a pumpkin, a wizard and yup.....a Fairy too.

We laughed and chuckled and took pictures but I'm the only one brave enough to post my pictures lol!

WooHoo Sally flew around the office today with her magic wand....hoping that by doing so all the work would go POOF!

Never happen.

But it was fun to watch people come in the office and do a double take and look back with a smile. In any case...I dressed up in the theme I love so much.....

There's a fairy in everyone I say.....and no matter what the market...or who is running for Mayor and President or what is going on.....spread a little fairy dust around and throw a bunch of positive into the universe.

Believe me....it'll come right back!

Happy Halloweenie!!!!

Honolulu County & Traffic Info

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:48:48 -0500

It's the hustle and bustle of early morning traffic coming from Central Oahu and heading in to Downtown Honolulu (in the distance are the tall buildings of the business district) We bear with it during these hours between 6-8 in the morning and bear with it between 4-6 or so in the evenings.

Peak hour traffic is nothing new for any of us here in the city or anywhere else in the nation.

The thing about Honolulu traffic is that there is just so many alternate routes and if the highway is jammed, so will the side streets be.

The positive side of all this is?

If you work on the Leeward, Central or West Side of Oahu and coming from Honolulu then you're missing traffic both ways.

And with a view like this....it makes life on the road just that much more bearable!

For Current FAST TRACK LOCAL TRAFFIC CONDITIONS

Are You REALLY Thinking in the Best Interests of YOUR BUYER???

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:18:13 -0500

When there are agents that are NOT thinking in the best interests of their clients and make decisions for them or steer them in the wrong direction, I really question what their agenda is. I represent both buyers or sellers and have been keeping my head above water because I question what I don't know and actually put myself in other people's shoes before flapping my lips.

Over the last week (amongst getting over strep throat) I have had a few instances where I just can't figure how these agents believe they are thinking in the best interests of their buyer let alone this industry.

1) Ringy Ding Ding! Hi! My client is going to put in an offer on your listing. VA loan and well qualified and I'll be meeting with him tomorrow noon. NO CALL by the next evening so I follow up. Oh, my client is still searching around for loan programs and doesn't want to jump into anything.

I actually chuckled and told her good luck.

2) Ringggg...... Hi Sally! My client wants to see your listing and no I don't have an Sentricard but I'll use my friends. (UH, I'll give you a one day code so you don't have your friends name show up on my log) He gets there and lets his clients roam around while he quizzes my seller on all his games and movies he's checking out in the living area.

Why aren't you viewing the property with your client?

3) Ring Ring Ring..... Hi! We're putting in an offer and just wanted to get any specifics, time lines etc. I did receive it a few hours later. It was an 'insulting my seller low ball offer' and knowing our property is priced way below another unit and lowest in that area. (very nice condition!) I ask why such a low offer. The agent says because they looked on the tax records and saw how much my seller paid for it.

I asked, "WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH MARKET VALUE???"

Okay folks. I'm having a real hard time with this one.

What would the agent have done if it were their own property on the market?
How about if they are representing a seller?
Tell the seller to accept the low ball even though properties are still selling in this area at reasonable market price?

Any Thoughts??????? How about suggestions for newer agents?

NOTE: Yes, I did check...all are newer unseasoned agents and only the numbers 1 and 3 had a couple of transactions....number 2 had none.

What a Week!

Sun, 26 Oct 2008 13:26:41 -0500

No matter what the situation or circumstance I have to be prepared to handle it. Life ALWAYS has curve balls thrown at us to test us and to give us grand learning lessons in this big game of games.....called LIFE.

We can either let it suck the energy out of us or deal with it. Always keep in mind that there IS something to be learned.

Needless to say, this has been one big week for me with many learning lessons.

Signing was tentatively set for Thursday morning but loan docs were not drawn yet.
Escrow from the closing the week before sent my clients refund check and closing documents to the wrong address.
Ear Infection? Went to the doctor Thursday afternoon only to find out.......
That I have strep throat and this topped everything off everything for a busy week.
Late Friday afternoon the loan docs came in but won't be ready for signing until Monday but client is unavailable due to military stuff.
Repairs finally completed and home is ready to do final walk through.
Scheduled Open House today and had to have another agent cover for me.
Yard man scheduled for mom's yard yesterday and I had to beg him to do 'something' in the drizzling rain until he finally gave up at noon to pouring rains. (mom's yard really needed work....again)

So what are my learning lessons?

No need to fret, worry, nag, rant or rave. There are things that happen that are NOT in my control and I need to just accept that.
What I do have control over is MYSELF. And I have no energy to waste anyway lol.
I can reschedule, get help and continue on with transactions & open houses.
My body says rest. Needless to day, I literally HAD to and though feeling crappy it feels good to ....blog.
My husband can take care of me (wait on me) and listen to my whining "I don't like being sick". That got old quick :)
That it's time to get off the pc....because I just used the little energy I had to write this :)

Have a good Sunday and a wonderful upcoming week!

Finally.....The Real Estate Market Is Normal!!!

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:51:09 -0500

Broker Bryant always has a positive outlook and incorporates new ideas into his business model....take a look on how he is changing the course of the way he's done business.

Wonderful!

Hey Seth Godin!!!! Come over and review Margaret Rome's new book"

Via Bryant Tutas Broker/REALTOR(R) Tutas Towne Realty, Inc:

Hi folks, it seems like just yesterday that my business consisted mostly of listing properties for Mr. and Mrs. Regular Seller. I spent a lot of my time preparing print ads, brochures, virtual tours and making sure I got the properties disseminated throughout the Internet. When I wasn't doing these things I was busy arranging showings, negotiating deals, talking with my Sellers and fielding Buyer calls. Life was good. I was busy helping folks move up or move on. It felt good to help and everyone I had contact with seemed to be in good cheer.

Now those times are just a memory. The market has changed and so has my way of doing business. I jest with TLW in the mornings saying "I'm heading off to work to try and pull some money out of my &*%!"

But, I have to say..... I LOVE this new market! It has taken me a while to find my groove and I have had a couple of setbacks BUT things are really starting to come together. My entire focus has shifted. My new focus is now Short Sales, REOs(Bank Owned), Buyers and expanding my business.

Poinciana Florida Real Estate distressed Sellers and distressed properties make up over 80% of the closed transactions each month. To spend time and money looking for the very few Sellers that have equity and are able to sell makes no sense.

In fact, let's do the math, for the last 3 months there were 185 sales in Poinciana Florida. All but 36 were either REOs or Short Sales.

How could I possibly stay in business if my focus was getting a part of those 36 closings? Let me put a little more perspective on this. There are approximately 20,500 homes in Poinciana. Mr. and Mrs. Average Seller are accounting for 12 sales a month. Finding one of these Sellers to work with is literally like finding a needle in a haystack. It ain't happening.

Now on the other hand, depending on who you listen to, from 10% to 15% of the properties in Poinciana are in some stage of mortgage delinquency!!! Even if I used the 10% figure that means that 2,050 homes in Poinciana Florida will probably be either a REO or Short Sale in the near future.

Folks, I would have to be a fool to not concentrate my efforts on this part of the market. Short Sales may be frustrating and REOs may be difficult to get BUT, unless I want to spend my days driving Buyers around looking at $80,000 properties, I best become an expert in these areas. And I will.

So........over the next few months and for several years to come I plan on having tons of distressed property listings. Which also means......I'm going to have to expand my business by hiring REALTORS® to handle all of the Buyers these listings will generate. I've conveniently placed a link down there if you are interested.

My plan is in motion and the stage has been set for a GREAT 2009!!!

OK, I wrote this post just to show you my thought process and to hopefully get you thinking about your market conditions and your future. If you are just waiting for the market to get back to "normal" you will fail. The old market is gone. What we are experiencing now is.......NORMAL! What say you?

POINCIANA FLORIDA REAL ESTATE SHORT SALE INFORMATION

POINCIANA FLORIDA REAL ESTATE MARKET REPORTS

CENTRAL FLORIDA REALTOR(r) OPPORTUNITIES

MORE INFO FROM BROKER BRYANT... THE SOURCE FOR POINCIANA REAL ESTATE

Copyright © 2008 http://www.brokerbryant.com/ | All Rights Reserved

Ride the Wild Surf! Sunset Beach, North Shore of Oahu

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:18:54 -0500

Sunset Beach, North Shore of Oahu Hawaii

Okay, we got there a little late for the big surf but there were still a few surfers out catching the baby waves that were left over from the morning swell. Sunset Beach on Oahu's North Shore is one of the longest sandy beaches on the island. Running two miles long and 300 feet wide it makes for a great way to spend the day.....sunbathing, snorkeling or during winter swells...just standing back and watching the surfers.

Every winter there are surfing competitions all along the North Shore but Sunset Beach is one of the most famous. During the summer months the glassy water is a wonderful contrast to the tropical blue skies but don't let those calm waters fool you because it is notorious for riptide currents at Sunset Beach.

Hawaii State Government Ocean Safety site will give you loads of info to keep safe regardless if you are newcomers to the island or long time residents. Not only do we have to watch for ocean undertows but we also have times where there will be a swarm of jellyfish 8-10 days after a full moon on the west and south shores.

Click on the Hunger Site

PLEASE KOKUA - Everything Has Its Place

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:01:47 -0500

PLEASE KOKUA!

In Hawaiian "kokua" (Ko Koo Ah) means to help, cooperate, assist, support, care about one another and well....you get the meaning right? I do believe that courtesy may just be a part of this wonderful word that rolls off the tongue with sincerity and depth.

We had gone to Lowe's Home Improvement Store this morning to get a few needed things for our home. After we shopped we grabbed a Hot Dog from Woody's Hot Dog Stand outside of Lowe's. We took everything to the car and sat inside chowing down on our hot dogs, chips and root beer.

And then......I saw this lady dump her shopping cart on the little grassy area next to another who apparently was just as lazy to walk the few steps to the cart station. Now, I can understand if they don't have a cart station on every isle and expect you to take the cart all the way to the front of the store two blocks away. But take a look. The carts are hogging up a parking space and they are surely going to bang someones car if it 'happens' to roll off.

We ate, watched, snapped a shot of the carts. Then the guy two stalls down from us is just about to dump his super duper flat dolly next to us until.....he looks up to see both my husband and I with full mouths of hot dog glaring at him. He smiles, turns around and walks ten steps to the cart station.

The unarrestable crime is when we look in our rear view mirror for cops while going over the speed limit.

The shopping cart dilema occurs when no one is looking and we dump our carts and take off....knowing that cart may damage a car it bumps into. Or causes the next parker to turn halfway into a stall only to realize they have to jump out to move the cart.

Please kokua!

Take those extra steps to the shopping cart return center to burn off that hot dog you just ate.

Click on the Hunger Site

My First Bank Owned Property Transaction...... A Success

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:43:12 -0500

After such a great response from everyone for the list of tips on what to watch out for in Bank Owned properties I wanted to do a follow up. For one, it definitely is a given to look over those counter offers and addendums! There were so many comments for Acquiring The Golden Egg that said that bank owned properties leave the buyer without any rights. HUH?

That is not all true. For one, why would we show our clients any of these properties if we believed that to be true? I was amazed with the fact that many commented saying that they closed many of these deals and believed that the banks left the buyers open for heartache later on. If I believed that to be true then I most definitely would not even show them any of these homes.

So, there has to be clear guidelines for our buyers who are 'getting into a bank owned property' right? This was my first transaction with a bank owned property and it turned out great from the get go and wanted to share with you all what transpired.

My clients are military transferring to Honolulu County and they wanted to buy their first home for their family. (tired of living out of suitcases)
They asked about putting in an offer (bank owned) on a home that looked suitable for their family (great price, excellent condition) and I told them I usually advise clients to look at it first.
We submitted the offer and the next morning I went to the property to take pictures and show them the home from my view.
I called them from inside the home and I couldn't believe it...it was wonderful!

Though the bank had their 17 page counter the other agent put in a counter offer and addendums as well to protect us from certain things like the seller paying their assessments, liens and so forth.
We went through the counter offer and all addendums by phone for an hour and in the end it was accepted by both parties.
They insisted they would fly out immediately for the home inspection if they got an acceptance.

And they did:

Since this was a VA home loan and they needed certain things the bank would not provide I paid for the Association Documents and bought them a home warranty when it closed. Granted, not all bank owned properties will be in great condition and not have much going on but I sure know what to look out for on any others. My clients and I were all definitely on the same wave length so that made a big difference as well.

This was just one of those "freak" transactions that was just .....meant to be.

Acquiring The Golden Egg

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:10:59 -0500

Bank owned properties can be a great deal and bargain for your client but keep in mind that the best thing you can do for your client is getting them a credit for a lot of their closing costs. And you ask WHY? Pay close attention to those 17 page counter offers from the bank.

The Bank (Seller) most likely will not pay for any repairs.
The Bank most likely will not pay for association or condo association docs (And VA loans NEED certain documents so your client will end up paying for the documents)
The Bank most likely will not pay for the Termite Inspection (And some lenders require a report)
The Bank most likely will not pay for a survey (And some lenders require a report)
The Bank most likely do not have all the keys for the home/unit (And your client will most likely pay for the mailbox key, pool key etc.)
The Bank most likely will only pay "up to" a certain amount for commission to the Realtor® representing the Buyer.
The Bank most likely will charge $100 per day for every day past the closing date deadline (after they have countered your closing date with a date two weeks earlier)

Also, you really want to make sure that the home/unit is in pretty good shape so that your client will not be making up that difference in 'great price' with a bunch of repairs as well. Make sure you get a Professional Home Inspection so you will have a detailed report on any items that you may need to remedy or repair.

So asking for a decent amount of credit to apply towards the buyers closing costs can be beneficial when it comes to:

Paying for those Association Documents (that can run up to $700 for both Association and Condominium Association Documents.) Remember, on a VA loan the lender needs the Budget, Minutes, RR105C and the Insurance Summary)
Paying for the Termite Inspection because you really want to be sure you aren't facing a colony of ground termites
Paying for those keys/garagae door openers and any other items associated with the home or recreation areas.
Paying for the survey Especially in an older neighborhood where neighbors John and Bob agreed to just putting up a wall not knowing where the boundary lines were.
Paying for a home warranty for things that may crop up later. And THAT is a good idea as it may save loads on any issues arising later on. You pay just a service fee for electrical, plumbing, appliances etc. If it breaks they may just replace the whole unit.

How did I learn all this?

I closed my first bank owned property transaction yesterday.

There are just some things we do (or pay for) to make it happen for our clients.

And they acquire that golden egg!

Click on the Hunger Site

Be Creative, Unique & REAL

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:44:55 -0500

For those of you that have not read Rich Jacobson's post on "Taking Advantage of a Good Thing" - AR Community Guidelines Re-Visited you may want to dive in and learn.

****The last part of our guidelines was stated in Rich's post:

"Do not attempt to selfishly manipulate search engine results through blackhat SEO techniques, such as Keyword Stuffing, or by posting endless copied sections of your local MLS. Violation of this guideline may result in an immediate termination of your ActiveRain account/profile."

We as Real Estate Industry Professionals respect each other & work as a team....so why is it so hard to follow the Community Guidelines here on ActiveRain?

Even better, read the ActiveRain Community Guidelines while you're at it.

****For those of you that believe ActiveRain and Localism are places to post your third party statistics you are WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. ******For those of you that believe everyone wants to see YOUR copied and pasted listings straight from the MLS or Information System you are WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.******For those of you who use photos, other peoples listings, poems, stories that are not yours you are WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. It's stealing. If you do not have permission from the source ...it's STEALING. No matter if you are giving credit to the source....if you do not have permission...you're stealing.

Maybe you just don't know any better. Maybe you didn't see that there are guidelines. Maybe you're new and need guidance. Or...you could be just being selfish and manipulating our networks for your own agenda. If we can see that...don't you think the consumer can see it too?

If you need some wonderful Localism Guidance .....Rich has dedicated much of his time to create posts to help everyone in our community so we can make Localism a valued network with QUALITY content about our local areas.

Want to learn more? The HELP/FAQ (Read 'Purpose Statement' Carefully!) is a group that will help you in navigating your way around the network and creating valued content for the consumer, the public and your peers:

Be creative. Be unique. Be REAL.

Give a Little.....Gain a Lot.

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:25:35 -0500

There have been many situations during the course of my life where I have had to give a little in order to gain a lot.

In relationships - It's definitely a give and take situation. Though I keep healthy boundaries it's still impertive that I give a little and I don't always have to win.
In business - It's also a give and take situation where I have contributed credits, items or repairs so the transaction works....runs smoothly.

A few months ago one of our trees by our bedroom was cut down because it was diseased. During high winds there were branches that broke and often landing so close and threatening to crash through our windows.

Understandable. But the afternoon sun has been beating harshly into our bedroom for these last few months.

Two weeks ago I put in a request to our resident manager and association. I would donate two palms (I have many in huge pots in my little fenced courtyard) if they would plant one in place of the dead tree.....so that maybe one day it would shade not just my bedroom, but the bedroom of our next door neighbor too.

They could have the other tree to plant around our community in place of another tree that they had to cut down (many were disposed of because they were diseased)

The palm is happy...it has room to grow and will shade our bedroom sooner or later. I mean...just look at her now!

The moral of the story is this. No matter what we do in life there will always be a situation where it will require us to give a little in order to gain much. Be stubborn and you're left with nothing.