Aloha, Eh?

Circus in town!

Elaine — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:05:07 +0000

Last week I was showing properties to clients who came on a real estate journey from Vancouver Island to find a second home for their lovely family (2 young kids, 8 and 4). Since we searched hard and cruised the Kohala Coast and North Kohala for a couple of days I suggested them to take a break on Labor Day and to have some fun by joining me and my kids to the Circus!

Yes, the Hiccup Circus with stiltwalkers, clowns, jugglers, unicyclists, face painting, free cotton candy and popcorn and party bouncers were part of the great fun Big Island residents and visitors enjoyed during the Labor Day Weekend Celebration of the Grand Opening of the Queens‘ MarketPlace in Waikoloa Beach Resort!

Wish you were here!

Warmest Aloha,

Catherine Klug, R(S), ABR

Canadians have cash!

Elaine — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 01:25:08 +0000

About 25 years ago, my friend and Principal Broker, Elaine Christianson, came from Canada to visit the Big Island which became her favored destination until she decided to stay for good! At that time it was not that often that we could see Canadian buyers around…

Now, it is a different story! We are dealing with the very best of times for the Canada visitor market, which saw arrivals rocket beginning of this year and in 2007 posted its highest market share in a decade in Hawaii. The buying power of their dollar begun to spur demand for Hawaii second home and resort properties. Canadians are even paying cash for their properties!

The multiple listing data shows so far that 13 properties have been purchased on the Big Island of Hawaii in 2008 and 12 out of 13 were CASH transactions (from US $7,500 to $2,995,000). This explains why Elaine and her Hawaii Palm Properties sales team are so active with the Canadian market, even traveling to Canada when necessary to meeting with referring Brokers there.

No doubt that Canada is currently a strong partner to the Aloha State.

A tres bientot pour un nouveau blog,

Catherine Klug, R(S), ABR

Hawaii Palm Properties, Inc.

Hawaii Magazine Writes about Hawi

Elaine — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 23:27:20 +0000

My dear friend and local author Sophie Schweitzer sent me a link to the photos left over from a recent Hawaii Magazine feature article she co-wrote about our corner of Paradise. The article was called “Hidden Hawaii–Hawi and Beyond”. They write “The little plantation towns of the peninsula—Hawi and Kapaau—almost disappeared two decades ago. Their buildings were shuttered and decaying, but they have come most colorfully back to life, filled with galleries, shops, eateries you will find no place else.” That’s the transformation I’ve seen in the 2-1/2 decades I’ve called Hawi home, and it is so rewarding to have been a part of it!

Aloha, eh?

Elaine Christianson, D.R.
(full-time real estate agent since 1987)

Please visit our website: www.hawaiipalmproperties.com

Hawaii Palm Properties, Inc.
P.O. Box 1199, Kapaau HI. 96755
Ph: 808-889-1295; Fax: 808-889-1296

“We know this market by heart.”

Kung Hee Fat Choy!

Elaine — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 02:40:23 +0000

Although the official start of the Lunar New Year was at the New Moon on February 7th, the celebrations continue officially for 15 days and here in Kohala we celebrate over at least two weekends. You’ll see on the Hawaii Palm Properties homepage this is one of my favorite events of the year, especially if the dragon comes to visit and bless our office in Hawi.

Canadians probably know that Vancouver has the second largest Chinatown in North America. Here in North Kohala we can boast of one of the oldest Chinese temples in the Hawaiian Islands, and notably one of the best preserved anywhere. The Tong Wo Society building dates from 1886, and was a political and social gathering point for Chinese immigrants. Last Sunday the entire community turned out for lion dancers, food, and “talk story”.
Kohala is community that values its diversity, so it was only logical that there would be Hawaiian music and hula. That’s me wearing glasses.

And doesn’t that hula dancer’s outfit look an awful lot like the dragon’s legs?

This was an impromptu performance by the awarded-winning Lim family, who borrowed our ukuleles.

On Saturday the dragon will once again pass from Kapa’au town down the road to our office in Hawi. See you there!

Aloha,

Mumu

Hello world!

Elaine — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 06:53:13 +0000

Aloha and welcome to my new blog, part of the Aloha Living Blog Network. As a transplant from Canada to the Big Island, I look forward to sharing with you both a professional and personal perspective on real estate in my favorite corner of paradise. Stay tuned!

Elaine “Mumu” Christianson