Bulletins – Hawaii Information Service

IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ!
 
 
Please be advised that there continues to be a threat to the real estate industry from scammers using Craigslist and other classified advertising websites. Crooks are scraping information from real listings and are posting them as fake rental properties, posing as an owner or management company.  Once someone responds, they attempt to get the person to send deposits and advance rent payments, usually to overseas addresses, promising delivery of keys after receiving the funds.
 
These scams are found nationwide, but they have been reported in Hawaii on several occasions, so please be cautious and aware.  If possible, you may want to periodically check Craigslist using the addresses of your listings or key phrases from your property details to ensure that they aren’t being misrepresented.
 
Here are a few helpful links to recent articles concerning this scam:

• KITV: Housing Scams Pop Up on Craigslist
• PBN: Hawaii BBB, Realtors warn of rental scams
• KPUA: Rental scam hits Hawaii
• New York Times: Rent in Haste, Repent at Leisure

Also, after sending out the above information, I received a response from one of our members with some first-hand advice about dealing with this very real problem:

“I have been continuously copied on my listings by scammers in Nigeria (I know this from talking to the people responding to the scammers!)
 
The best way to avoid having scammers copy your listing on Craigslist is to NOT put in address in the Craigslist ad!  This prevents  the scammers from directing people to the property for drive bys…and therefore, prevents them from pulling off the scam.”

We know how important your online marketing efforts are, which is why we’ve recently made a number of enhancements to our Gallery Ads!  More prominently placed and designed to match the new look and feel of the Hawaiiinformation.com website, the new and improved Gallery Ads have been designed to provide better exposure and more complete information.
 
 
What’s New?

• New and Improved Layout
• Linked Directly from the Front Page of Hawaiiinformation.com
• Rotation of Ads For Maximum Exposure
• Expanded, Detailed Profile Pages
• Direct Links to Your Twitter and Facebook Profiles

Showcase Your Social Networks

 
We know that there are more ways than ever for people to contact and connect with you. Now, we’re happy to include links to your Twitter and Facebook accounts on your new profile page.  If you would like us to add Twitter or Facebook icons to your Gallery Ad, please send Michael Torres at michael@alohaliving.com the link to one or both and we will get those set up for you.
 
 
Stay Up to Date!
 
With the unveiling of our new Gallery Ads, now is the perfect time to update yours with the latest information. We’d be happy to help you update your Gallery Ad photo, contact information, and agent bio. Simply e-mail anything you want changed to Michael Torres at michael@alohaliving.com.
 
 
 ________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
Here is what the new Gallery Ad pages, with rotating placement, will look like:
 

And the new profile pages…

Questions? Contact your account manager today!  

Colleen Yasuhara
Toll Free: 1-800-628-3121 ext. 151 | Direct: (808) 748-8751
E-Mail: colleen@alohaliving.com

 

Twitter:
Hawaii Information Service - http://twitter.com/HiInformation
AlohaLiving.com – http://twitter.com/AlohaLiving

Facebook:
Hawaii Information Service- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Honolulu-HI/Hawaii-Information-Service/70158269745
AlohaLiving.com – http://www.facebook.com/pages/AlohaLiving/96969488240

Questions?  I’d love to hear from you?  Please don’t hesitate to contact me via e-mail at erin@alohaliving.com or by phone at 808-748-8759.  Have a great rest of your week!

It’s official, we are now running WordPress version 2.8.2!  More polished and user friendly, you will find that the Dashboard and user interface have been significantly reorganized, but that all the basic features and functions are still there. As you use it, you should see an improvement in the performance of the blog post editor, allowing more control over formatting and image uploads and placement.

Happy Blogging!

Put Your Business On The Map With An Ad In

The Maui TMK Street & Condo Mapbook!

 
Don’t miss out on a chance to be one of three advertisers in the coveted Maui TMK Street & Condo Mapbook.  Like real estate, ad space is all about location, location location, which is why we’ve saved the best for you, our valued Maui customers.  Build your customer traffic by placing your ad on either the inside front cover, back cover, or inside back cover.  Reserve your space before Friday, August 7th for a 50% savings!
 
With a long-standing reputation for accuracy and thorough information, the Maui TMK Street & Condo Mapbook — distributed at retail stores island-wide — is the go-to map book for both locals and visitors alike.  Chock full of street and land maps, condo listings, points of interest and so much more, your ad is sure to catch the attention of users as they refer to this helpful guide over and over again.

Highlights:

• Space still available on: Back Cover, Inside Back Cover, & Inside Front Cover.
• Distributed island-wide in: Longs, 7-11, Costco, K-Mart and so much more.
• Initial run of 5,000 books
• Books with your ad in them are a great gift idea for new or existing clients!
• Secure your space before Friday, August 7th for a 50% savings!
   

Ad Specs: All Ads will need to meet the following standards

• 6″x9″ with 1″ bleed
• 300 dpi, cmyk
• Saved as a PDF

 
 
Questions?  Want more information on how to secure a spot in the Maui TMK Street & Condo Mapbook?
 
Contact Our Account Manager:
 
Colleen Yasuhara
Direct: (808) 748-8751
Toll Free: 1-800-628-3121 (ext. 151)
E-mail: Colleen@alohaliving.com