Mikie Likes It!

Of course, you cannot speak of June without mention of King Kamehameha Day, June 11th, honoring Kamehameha, born in Kohala on the Big Island and credited with unifying all of the islands, becoming the first ruler of the Hawaiian kingdom in 1795. If you’ve never experienced the floral parade with beautiful Pau riders and the Ho’olaulea, you have to plan on it someday. It’s an experience you won’t forget.

Okay back to business here, I’m playing catch up after being on the East Coast for a family reunion and some V-time. The changes you see reflected here are actually over the last 60 days since I missed the May figures. So let’s see what if anything has really happened in Waimea, Waikoloa Village and Kohala during that time.

TODAY IN WAIMEA:

• 107 homes on the market (not much change there)
• 24 are less than or equal to $500,000 (and 11 of those are under $400,000!)
• The least expensive = $275,000
• The most expensive = $5,390,000
• The highest days on market (DOM)= 857

IN WAIKOLOA VILLAGE:

• 109 homes on the market (a big jump over 60 days ago when there were only 80 homes for sale)
• 61 are under $500,000 (23 more than just sixty days ago, and 16 of those are under $400,000!)
• The least expensive = $325,000
• The most expensive = $799,000
• The highest days on market (DOM)= 479

IN KOHALA:** NOTE** Kohala data includes the entire district of North Kohala, including the coast and residential resort properties
• 79 homes on the market (pretty much status quo)
• 15 are less than $500,000, one less than 60 days ago (only four are less than $400,000)
• The least expensive = $319,000
• The most expensive = $15,000,000
• The highest days on market (DOM)= 550

IN SUMMARY:
Prices still going South and inventory numbers are holding fairly steady with the exception of Waikoloa Village which had a fairly significant increase in listings. Those of you combing the listings diligently will find some good values and you should be prepared to move on them when you do! HINT: when you see repeated price decreases every couple weeks on a property (even little ones) something is happening and the seller is signalling they are ready to get out.

That’s it for now. Have fun and good luck in your real estate endeavors!

Aloha, “Mikie”

Mikie Likes It LLC
Realtor Referrals & Mortgage Freedom

Waikoloa, Hawaii
Phone: (808) 896-1943
eMail: Mike@MikeSells.com
website: MikeSells.com

No new building permits will be issued in Hawaii for single family homes without solar water heaters. This is great and long overdue! Where the sun shines even when it’s raining, this should have been done years ago all over the Aloha State. (I almost said “Sunshine State”, but that would be Florida!). But it’s true, Hawaii is the first state to mandate solar water heaters in new homes.

Governor Lingle has had a goal long before oil was $140 a barrel, in fact, this was initially introduced in the legislature five years ago when oil was around $40/barrel (OMG, just shows how efficient our legislature is) to make the State more energy efficient as we currently rely on imported fossil fuels more than any other state in the country. That simply does not make sense with so much sunshine.

It’s an uphill battle I can tell you from personal experience. I wanted to do a simple, little solar panel on the roof of our condo. No easy feat, condo associations being what they are. So next I started a campaign to get a photovoltaic system for all our common area energy needs like outside lighting, and the pool and spa heating (that’s right they want the pool heated!!) since our electricity costs (READ, HOAO dues) are only moving in one direction. I had an expert in the the alternate energy field who lives right here in Waikoloa, (John Crouch, the Western Senior Consultant for Sun Power Corp) make a presentation illustrating what could and could not be done with photovoltaic, the cost savings, break-even point and how the energy credits when signed over to the lenders would result in very manageable monthly payments that would eventually be-less than our current electric costs. Unfortunately I found the level of ignorance and resistance to change way too much to overcome. Oh well, maybe in another 5 years they’ll be more receptive! At least the State is getting on board!

Aloha, Mike
RE/MAX Pacific

My “Sell” Phone: 808-896-1943
MikeSells.com
WestHawaiiBlog.com
Mike@MikeSells.com

It’s something I never think of at home, but when I dare leave the islands and venture out to news climes and places there’s always a few things that come back like a ton of bricks.

“Oh yeah, this is why I don’ t live here.”

Mickey and I are in Massachusetts on a vacation (yes, I had to have help spelling that, but how many mainlanders can spell Waipunalei without help??).

“You left Hawaii to come here? What’s wrong with you?”

It all started with a family reunion on the East Coast centered around my niece’s high school graduation. My mother Lucky, was really sick a year or so ago and fortunately bounced back recently and is able to travel again, so my brothers and sisters all figured (5 of us in all; I’m number four in birth order and the youngest twin -no we’re not identical) we’d all better show up while we’re all able to. And with the recent state of air travel it’s a good thing we made reservations in January.

Anyway, we did the family thing. It’s good to leave when you still feel like it would be nice to have just a little more time, but before religion and politics draws sides and things get ugly. The reunion, by the way was on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. A really neat place -close to the ocean (though don’t even think about getting in the water -much too cold) with gobs of bike and hike trails and big beautiful trees. All kine mixed up; beautiful marshland with pines, oaks and the signature Palmetto palms thrown in the mix. AND ALLIGATORS -I’m not kidding!

“You left Hawaii to come here? What’s the matter with you?

But back to the toes. I woke up this morning and my toes were sore because I’m not used to sleeping with so many blankets on. It’s cold, at least for me with my thin blood and skinny bod. We’re staying with our friends in their finished basement (not your father’s basement, but a really nicely done up apartment). As basements go (I remember always responding with a “huh?” when clients would ask me if any of the houses in Hawaii have basements), it’s underground, so it’s cool. So when you stack a few blankets on top of you to sleep at night your toes get sore from the weight of the blankets pulling my toes down in an unfamiliar position all night.

At home I love the fact that I can sleep with all the windows open if I want. let the warm, fresh breezes flow in (or whip in as the case may be) and have just a lightweight blanket or duvet cover on top. So that’s it. My toes are sore, but I’m loving the travel, new foods to try and places to see. Yeah, I talk big, but I’m okay as long as I have a round-trip ticket anytime I leave Hawaii.

By the way, I took down my old website, MikeSells.com as I enter a new phase in my career and life. I’m starting a new company, MIKIE LIKES IT LLC and currently waiting for the DCCA to approve that name. I’ll write more later about what Mikie Likes -or you can just let your imagination run where it will, but for now you can comment here or email me where you always did.

Aloha, Mike
Mike@MikeSells.com