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I Need to Sell My House in Hawaii and Move to the States

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Back and forth. We see it all the time. People moving here from the states and people moving back again. There are numerous reasons for both and one major one is the fact that we are close to the military base so military families and moving and relocating from Mililani quite frequently.I Need to Sell My House in Hawaii and Move to the States

This can be a stressful time – selling in one state, much less overseas technically, and buying in another or the mainland – but having an agent and a brokerage that knows exactly how to do it makes all the difference in the world.

But how? How can one agent sell and buy in two different states?

This is why we do what we do. We have connections and even licenses in other states close to the coast to provide perfect care for our clients. We want to make sure that if you’re here or there, your transaction is being taken care of.

We help you price, manage, and sell your home here on Oahu while connecting you with the right agent on the other side to find and purchase a home on the mainland. It can be stressful doing this at the same time. Buying and selling simultaneously is stressful enough, but when you either have to leave your home in Hawaii before it sells or selling it here while trying to buy there, it almost the icing on the stress-cake. We want to make that easy for you.

Give us a call. Let’s talk about your need and your situation. Everyone’s deal is different so we want to offer advice and suggestions to make the entire process much easier. We want your move and relocation to be successful and stress-free. We have excellent communication with the agent on the other end and make sure everything falls together perfectly.

Let us make your next move an easy one. Call us or leave us a comment below and we’ll get in touch with you right away. Sometimes, time is of the essence and it’s important to get the ball moving quickly and not drop it. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

 

What’s the Best Time to Sell a House in Hawaii?

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I get this question a lot, especially specializing in real estate listings and selling properties on Oahu. Homeowners often ask when is the best time of year to sell a house?What's the Best Time to Sell a House in Hawaii?

There’s been numerous studies and research done on this exact thing and it’s important to know that selling in the Hawaiian Islands is completely different than the mainland. There are better times than others to sell depending on where you live in the country. Winter is probably not going to be the best time of year when you’re in the throes of snow and ice in Michigan and Wisconsin. However, winter is one of our best times to sell a house.

December, January, and February are some of the best times to sell a house in the Hawaiian Islands according to a Smart Zip research study by Inman Select. To narrow it down even further, the study suggested that January is actually the best time to sell a house.

Remember, this is completely different than the mainland where many study show that may and June are some of the best times to sell. However, tourism has started to pick up this time of year, kids are getting out of school and that just is not enough time to look for a house.
Another good reason to sell in January and February, even in non-Hawaiian areas, is the fact that there is less competition so when you do get a buyer, they are pretty serious and will usually make an offer.

Here are five other reasons to sell in January and February before spring really hits.

#1. The demand is strong. Buyers are still out in force and because many people visit the Hawaiian Islands during the winter season, you may get a lot of potential homebuyers from the mainland.

#2. There’s less competition. As we said before, housing inventory and supply drops under the six month supply needed for a normal housing market. This means that there are not enough homes for sale to satisfy the number of buyers in the market. This is great news for home prices and homeowners.

#3. Closing will typically be faster. One of the biggest challenges in the housing market has been the length of time from the offer to closing. Because there is less activity in the wintertime, banks, escrow and title companies will tend to work a little bit harder to get things closed faster.

#4. It’s a great time to move. Especially in the Hawaiian Islands, moving during the winter months means that there won’t be as much traffic or tourists around and you can easily get from one home to another.

#5. Prices are increasing so if you’re moving up now is the time to do it. Prices are projected to rise about 6% over the next year to two years. If you’re moving into a higher price home you can get more home now with a lower interest rate than you could a year from now.

So if you’re ready to buy or even sell, right now is an excellent time. Prices are good, rates are low, and buyers are making offers. Call us today to find out exactly how much your Oahu home is worth.

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What Hawaiian Buyers Are Looking For in a House

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What Hawaiian Buyers Are Looking For in a House

Selling a house in Hawaii? You probably have somewhat of an idea what buyers want, I mean, you bought the house for a reason, right? But maybe it’s been a while; maybe you forgot what buyers are really looking for, or maybe it’s just been too long and you haven’t got a clue. So where do you start?

Well, there are two types of buyers in Hawaii; those that are relocating from within the island (or other islands) and those relocating from the mainland. You have to stage and prepare the house differently for each, but how, when you want to potentially appeal to both types of buyers?

So let’s talk about today’s buyers in general.

Trends come and go and what buyers want in a home changes from year to year. There are certain features that appeal to buyers in general. The features that appeal to buyers now days include:

  • Laundry Room
  • Exterior Lighting
  • Energy Efficient Appliances and Windows
  • Outdoor Space (Patio, Balcony or Terrace)
  • Garage (Although not as important in Hawaii)
  • Spacious Kitchen (Possibly with Eat-In Option)

But again, things change. Does this mean you should go out and spend thousands on putting in new windows or upgrade appliances? Well, MAYBE…. if it means getting more offers and a higher price for your home.

Each home is different and while we can’t mention everything a home may need, your real estate broker certainly can. There are things that certain buyers are looking for in different cities in Oahu. For instance; those in Mililani maybe looking for a nice back yard, fruit trees, and a single story home for families. Those in Honolulu may be looking for a high rise condo with spacious balcony and a stunning view.  Those looking to buy up in the North Shore area around Kawela Bay may want a more secluded home with more land or even beachfront property.

Where the house is located is a big indicator of how to stage and attract buyers.

Mainland buyers

Those buying from the mainland are probably doing so simply because it’s “Hawaii”! They are looking for as much ‘island charm’ as possible so a home with tropical plants, fruit trees, gardens and a place to really enjoy the outdoors is a popular choice. For homes that fit this design, it’s important to showcase this by providing a great outdoor living space and staging the outdoors just as much as the inside.

We also have a lot of military personnel that move here and are stationed at the Wheeler Army  Air Field and Schofield Barracks. These are typically families and young people. Townhouses and homes that supply their basic needs are very popular. They are not looking for the most expensive but a home that offers what they need on a daily basis; easy access to schools, markets, parks, etc.. and homes that provide as much ‘normalcy’ as they can get. Many of these homes are in smaller neighborhoods in Mililani and Wahiawa.

Island Hoppers

Those that move within the islands or from one house to another are a completely different breed. You never know what their interests are going to be so staging for the masses is really the best option. Keep the house as clean and neat as possible and have a good blend of island decor mixed with practical living materials.

The biggest advice I can offer is talk to your agent. Our agents know the areas and the buyers and can easily help you identify your target buyer and stage and prepare the home specifically for that type of buyer.

Call us today to learn more.

 

How Much are Homes in Central Oahu?

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It’s no secret that homes and condominiums in Honolulu and Waikiki or especially those in the highest touristy areas of Oahu would be the most expensive. The same can be true for those around the outer edge of the island with waterfront views and oceanfront access. However, in the center of the island lights several smaller towns such as Mililani close to the Schofield Barracks and the Wheeler Army Airfield that are a little more affordable.How Much are Homes in Central Oahu?

Mililani sits just inside between the valleys accessible on Highway H2. There are numerous homes for sale priced anywhere from $300,000-$900,000, quite different than the million dollar waterfront properties in Ewa Beach, Honolulu and the North Shore. The average home price for a home in this area is about $600,000. There are primarily single-family homes, one and two story designs built between the 1970s and 2000.

At the publishing of this post there about 100 homes for sale priced from $155,000 for a small studio single-family home up to about $1.1 million. The median house price is about $700,000 with a variety of homes mainly between $400,000 and $800,000. In this price range you can find the majority of homes with 3 to 4 bedrooms, 2 to 3 bathrooms in sizes from 1500 ft.² to about 3000 ft.².

A little farther up Highway H2 is a small community of Whitmore Village and Wahiawa.  homes in this area are priced even less starting about $250,000-$650,000. Whitmore Village has anywhere from 5 to 10 homes for sale found along the Kamehameha Hwy priced from $400,000-$550,000.

Both of these locations have a variety of amenities such as markets, thanks, shops and restaurants and the Leilehua  golf course is also located between Mililani and Wahiawa.  There’s a variety of parks, great schools and of course easy access to the north or south side of the island. Several military families choose to buy in this area and the Wahiawa community has more duplexes and town homes for sale then Mililani.

It’s true that if you want to live out by the water or in some of the major metropolitan cities of Honolulu and Waikiki, prices will generally be higher but you also have the traffic, hustle and bustle and tourists at these locations. Finding a centrally located home on Oahu means to have a little bit  more privacy and of course a lower-priced home. Start your online search here for all homes in central Oahu or contact me at any time for a customized list of properties that meet your search criteria and price anywhere on the island.

 

Single-family Drop in Price on Oahu

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Single-Family and Condo Median Drop in Price on OahuSingle-family Drop in Price on Oahu

According to a recent article by the Honolulu Board Of Realtors this last week shows that the median price of a single-family home on Oahu has dropped since February compared to just a year ago. There’s been an increase in the number of sales but those figures also show that the median price of condominiums as well as single-family homes have drop substantially in February. The medium home prices currently $648,000 compared to $679,000 in February 2014. This equates to a nearly 5% drop. There have been more homes sold February 2015 then February 2014 with the increase of 6% this year. Condominiums dropped a little over 9% from $359,000-$326,000. There’s been a drop of 2% of condominiums purchased last year than this year which is not a significant number.

The Board of Realtors also stated that single-family homes were on the market for an average of 25 days and condos about 29 days. February is usually one of the slowest months of the year so this isn’t surprising that numbers are a little skewed from the more popular months out of the year.

So what is all this mean? Home buyers should be encouraged that if they’ve been on the fence about buying, now would be a great time. Because there is an increase in inventory with a lower median price, homebuyers should be able to get a better deal with a choice of more options.

What is this mean for sellers? Well, there is quite a bit of inventory out there so if you plan on selling but couldn’t wait another month, it might actually getting you more profit. You might consider holding off Intel April or May when school starts to wrap up and more homebuyers are considering buying or selling. Yes, there will be more inventory out there but you might be able to get a better price for your condominium or house.

If you’re interested in purchasing a home or condominium anywhere on the island, please give me a call. I want to stay up-to-date with the current market trends, local inventory, and provide you with the best possible real estate service out there. Give our agents or our office a call today.

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About Hawaii Realty Pro

Hawaii Real Estate SpecialistsOahu real estate agent Maureen Fukumoto

Maureen and her team assists sellers and buyers in coming together over the right home and right price. With up to date listings, current market conditions and local information we are your full service source for all Oahu real estate.

For decades I have been assisting home owners sell their property quickly at economically. With licensed agents and brokers we can provide the same top quality service you would get from a fully commissioned Realtor or agent. We provide access to all the marketing and advertising tools needed to list and sell your Oahu Property.