Mikie Likes It!

From all my dealings with Buyers in the market today (yes, there are a few) I can say with absolute certainty – SELLERS, THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT!

First a few observations. Prices are slowly coming down; inventory is generally being absorbed, albeit at a snail’s pace and; the economic outlook is NOT brightening. On the latter point, consider the dollar’s dismal value (Canadian dollar for the first time I can ever remember is now just about on par with the greenback and a Euro costs us around $1.50 each), oil hovering around $100/barrel, housing numbers repeatedly setting record lows nationwide, and a government repeatedly printing money in the dark of night and also quite satisfied to throw our nation’s sovereignty to the wind.

REMEMBER YOU HAVE TO SELL YOUR PROPERTY THREE TIMES!

1. Once to the other agents who you want to enthusiastically show it (amid heaps of competition).
2. Next to the buyer (who must really like it and feel they are getting a bargain); and
3. Lastly, to the appraiser (who must factor in falling prices and new lower comps everyday).

Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention the underwriter who will pick apart your buyer’s loan after it has already been approved and has the power and inclination to yank that approval for the least little ole reason they can find.

SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LISTEN TO YOUR REALTOR and remember that he or she is the expert that you hired to do the job. After all, everyone agrees it’s a tough market. The advise they give you is purely with the goal of selling your property-in the shortest time, for the highest price with the least aggravation to you.

That’s my Tip of the Day and I’m sticking to it!

Aloha, Mike
RE/MAX Pacific

On Island: 885-5557
Toll Free: 800-500-4895
My “Sell” Phone: 808-896-1943
MikeSells.com
WestHawaiiBlog.com
Mike@MikeSells.com

Every month I struggle how to make this listing report a little more interesting since the meat of it is in the numbers (ho-hum). So I have decided to throw in some Hawaiian language by using the Hawaiian name for the particular month of the report. If I have a chance to do it elsewhere in the blog post I’ll do that too -maybe even some pidgin too!

TODAY IN WAIMEA:

• 111 homes on the market (14 more than last month! HINT: this is good for buyers ;o)
• 37 are less than or equal to $500,000
• The least expensive = $318,000
• The most expensive = $5,590,000
• The highest days on market (DOM)= 698

IN WAIKOLOA:

• 94 homes on the market
• 20 are less than or equal to $500,000
• The least expensive = $409,900
• The most expensive = $894,000
• The highest days on market (DOM)= 822

IN KOHALA:

** NOTE** Kohala data pertains to the entire district of North Kohala, including the coast and resort properties
• 72 homes on the market
• 12 are less than or equal to $500,000
• The least expensive = $329,000
• The most expensive = $15,000,000
• The highest days on market (DOM)= 830

IN SUMMARY: prices are still inching down and inventories in all areas are climbing. Good pickin’ for Buyers and tough on Sellers. BUT SOME SELLERS REALLY NEED TO GET A CLUE! I mean, if your home is taking the prize for the highest days on market (we have sellers approaching or EXCEEDING 700 DAYS ON THE MARKET in the above data) it’s time to give it a rest. Get a grip already!!

Aloha, Mike
RE/MAX Pacific

On Island: 885-5557
Toll Free: 800-500-4895
My “Sell” Phone: 808-896-1943
MikeSells.com
WestHawaiiBlog.com
Mike@MikeSells.com

We have friends here from the mainland and they lucked being here during a full moon, not only because a FULL MOON RISING OVER A SERENE TROPICAL SEA is one of the most beautiful sights one can ever experience, but also because of Mauna Lani Resort’s strong commitment to the perpetuation of the Hawaiian culture.

Every month on the Saturday closest to full moon, they put on a wonderfully enchanting evening of music, song and culture wrapped into one chicken-skin event (da kine goose bumps) right there on the Resort’s oceanfront lawn of the Eva Wood’s Cottage next to the ancient Hawaiian fish ponds. It’s free, everyone is invited and bringing food and drink is encouraged in the Hawaiian style of taste, pass, share. Bus-out the blankets, kick off the slippahs and sit back for some fabulous music and a great sunset and moonrise over the bay at Mauna Lani.

Every month they keep it a surprise as to who the special invited guest entertainer may be, but it’s always someone noteworthy and you never go away disappointed. Saturday’s guests were none other than Cecilio & Company of the old CECILIO & KAPONO!! -wow, what a treat! For a more information on these lunar happenings, and the dates of future events so you don’t miss your chance next time you’re on island, check it out here: Twilight at Kalahuipua’a -Evenings Under a Hula Moon.

That’s my Tip of the Day and I’m sticking to it!

Aloha, Mike
RE/MAX Pacific

On Island: 885-5557
Toll Free: 800-500-4895
My “Sell” Phone: 808-896-1943
MikeSells.com
WestHawaiiBlog.com
Mike@MikeSells.com

It’s cold, is all I can say! Okay, maybe that’s a matter of relativity, and maybe I think it’s cold because I’ve lived in Hawaii over 40 years. But yesterday morning when I got up to go to the farmer’s market like I do every Saturday, THE THEMOMETER IN MY CAR READ 58 DEGREES! I’d dressed warm because I could feel getting out of bed it was cold. It was very clear and there was no wind which ususally means cool mornings because there were no clouds to hold in the earth’s heat. Of course dressed warm is relative too. I wore a sweatshirt, but only slippahs on my feet (kinda like the Warrior fans in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl). But man, my neck was still cold so I took another sweatshirt I always carry in the back of my car for those rides to Waimea from the somewhat warmer climes of Waikoloa and Kohala, and wrapped it around my neck.

When I got to the market I was glad to hear I wasn’t the only one cold -EVERYONE WAS HOPPING UP AND DOWN AND TALKING OF NOTHING ELSE! Anyway, once the sun got up a little it heated up nicely and we ended up having a great day for golf – in shorts of course and with the usual tons of sunscreen (to avoid unnecessary trips to my dermatologist). But I have to confess, thinking winter is far from over I got online and ordered a new “hoodie” for the next time I have to face the elements! LUCKY YOU LIVE HAWAII? You’re darn tootin’!

PS – As of 9:15 AM this morning according to Big Island Hawaii Weather, the it was clear and 79 degrees!

Aloha, Mike
RE/MAX Pacific

On Island: 885-5557
Toll Free: 800-500-4895
My “Sell” Phone: 808-896-1943
MikeSells.com
WestHawaiiBlog.com
Mike@MikeSells.com

Auwe (shame) to whoever is responsible for JJ’s departure. Why does it always happen this way? June Jones has resigned from the University of Hawaii as head football coach after a PERFECT SEASON and winning a birth in the Sugar Bowl- much to the dismay of fans and supporters statewide.

I swear sometimes this State is so slow to react or do what’s obviously called for that you just can’t even believe it. I say this State, because the University receives it’s funding from the State Legislature and everybody knows they move at their own pace whether it’s approving funding for something that they’ve already studied to death or it’s releasing the dang funds once something is approved.

There’s a lot of finger pointing going on right now and I think HERMAN FRAZIER’S HEAD WILL BE THE FIRST TO ROLL. Frazier, athletic director of five years should have taken the hint over a year ago when star quarterback COLT BRENNAN derided the pitiful conditions of the UH athletic department where they had to beg even for toilet paper it seems.

Jones said it wasn’t about the money (though they did scramble to double his current salary of $800,000 trying to compete with SMU’s reputed $1.8 – $2Million dollar offer) he loved this place and didn’t want to leave. But according to Don Murphy, close friend of June Jones and past president of Na Koa Football Club,

“Now at least (at SMU) it won’t take 6 months to get knee braces for his offensive line if that’s what they need”.

Yes June Jones is loved and revered around here and would have stayed despite the salary disparity, but he just lost faith that things would ever change.

Remember back in 2001 when Jones nearly died in a 1-car accident when he fell asleep at the wheel resulting in a torn aorta among other life-threatening injuries? This place came undone with an outpouring of aloha and support like you’ve never seen before -and this was long before the team was what he turned it into this past season winning the WAC, but he had that kind of following.

University President David McClain and the governor jumped in, but way too late and now Coach Jones in gone having signed a 5-year contract with SMU. I just hope that the millions of dollars coming to the University as a result of his 12-0 season and winning the WAC, will be spent in the right places. They could start by upgrading the UH athletic facilities and increasing that pitiful recruiting budget.

Aloha, Mike
RE/MAX Pacific

On Island: 885-5557
Toll Free: 800-500-4895
My “Sell” Phone: 808-896-1943
MikeSells.com
WestHawaiiBlog.com
Mike@MikeSells.com

Over a year after the big shaker of October 15, 2006 the Big Island is still working to get things back in order.

Just recently it was reported in the news that two of the three reservoirs above Waimea town that provide drinking water to the area (still left unrepaired after the 2006 earthquake) will now cost considerably more to fix. Additional damage has been found and in typical County fashion, they continue to review proposed plans while the rest of us grow old! They do love to study and review those plans! THE CONCEPT OF EMERGENCY TOTALLY ESCAPES THEM!. Meanwhile the customers are on a 25% water usage restriction. Ironically, we have had plenty of rain recently but of course, if the reservoirs are faulty they won’t be able to hold the water collecting in them.

Bank of Hawaii finally caught up and I noticed them finishing up the last touches, laying the carpet, etc., at the in Kapaau about 2 weeks ago. No big deal you may think, until you realize it is the only bank in North Kohala!

The original building dates to around 1900 with the bank starting business there in 1922. I think everyone appreciates that they did not just nuke the damaged building and replace it with a new, modern looking bank. They retained the original charm and character. Nor did they re-build a BIGGER bank, they just restored the old one, though they did make it more green (I hesitate to use that already tired buzzword) by installing a photovoltaic system to defray energy costs.

The gymnasium in Kapaau is still out of commission and the community is struggling to get the historic Kohala Ditch running again. The depravation of water normally supplied from rains high in the Kohala Mountains has been devastating to local farmers who have used and relied on that water source for decades.

But maybe we can’t have it both ways; you know LIVING ON HAWAIIAN TIME when it suits us (laid back beach bums that we are), but getting all huhu (defined in the Hawaiian Pidgin Dictionary as “mad”) when it doesn’t -like in traffic or waiting for the County governement to do something!

Aloha, Mike
RE/MAX Pacific

On Island: 885-5557
Toll Free: 800-500-4895
My “Sell” Phone: 808-896-1943
MikeSells.com
WestHawaiiBlog.com
Mike@MikeSells.com