Honolulu Real Estate Home Improvement Cost vs. Value Report 2011-12

You may be wondering whether to improve your Oahu real estate before you sell.  Or you might be wondering what the return on your investment will be if you do a bath or kitchen remodel, or other improvements to your Oahu real estate.  Either way, you will probably be doing well.  Oahu is one of the few places where most improvements to your Oahu property will give you a great return on your investment. In fact, Oahu has probabaly the highest return for home improvements of any U.S. metropolitan area. 

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NEW Kailua Real Estate | Immaculate, Well-Designed Kaimalino Home

Today, at broker’s open, we saw a great new remodeled Kailua home for sale in Kaimalino, Kailua. And it’s no wonder that it had already had 4 offers and was in escrow. Great care had been taken with the interior decoration and remodel of this home. It features a remodeled kitchen and enlarged bedrooms. The backyard featured a pool, great landscape and views, and no neighbors behind, due to the conservation land/Marine Corps Base. Listed at $1,595,000. Take a look:

Hawaii Loa Ridge Honolulu Real Estate | Wordless Wednesday

BIA Hawaii Home Improvement Show at Blaisdell, January 25-27, 2013

If you are purchasing or already own Oahu real estate, chances are you may need to do some home improvements projects in the near future.  The Building Industry Association of Hawaii (BIA-Hawaii) Home Building & Remodeling Show 2013 might be a great place to look for ideas and inspiration, as well as to locate some great contractors for your Oahu real estate project. The Oahu home improvement show will be held at the Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall in Honolulu. The show starts Friday, January 25 from 5-9pm and goes through Saturday (10am to 9pm) and Sunday, January 27 (10am to 4pm).  Admission is $6.00 for one day, $8.00 for a 3-day pass, and $2.00 for Seniors, on Sunday. Kids 10 and under are FREE.  Coupons for $2.00 off a one day pass are in Hawaii Home & Remodeling Magazine. See you there!

Niihau Shell Lei - Hawaiian Luxury at its Best

Nai’a Ulumaimalu WatsonI was recently asked about Niihau shell leis. These are Hawaii’s own luxury jewelry. Hawaii’s most prized shells are from the island of Ni’ihau (nee - ee - how) and they are used to make Niihau shell leis and other fine jewelry. Niihau shells are tiny shells, and they come in colors ranging from whites and creams, to pinks, corals and greens.  The shells of Niihau has a certain unmistakable luster and they are harder and more durable than shells from other places. 

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JUST SOLD - Charming Historic Kapahulu Home in Honolulu

Home Shoppe Hawaii closed on this lovely property in Kapahulu today. Kapahulu is one of the most desired areas in Honolulu, for its relative affordability, kama’aina character, and great proximity to the beautiful Honolulu beaches of Waikiki. Kapahulu Honolulu real estate also affords its residents great views and recreational activities.

This home is 3 Bedrooms 1 Bath and 978 square feet. It is situated on a 4,625 square foot lot. The sale price was $745,000 Fee Simple.

For more information, please contact Yvonne Jaramillo Ahearn at 808-721-8088.

MORE ABOUT HONOLULU REAL ESTATE IN THE KAPAHULU NEIGHBORHOOD OF HONOLULU.

Kaneohe Bay Properties | Wordless Wednesday

Kaneohe Bay Properties Afford Lots of Recreational Opportunities, Kaneohe Bay Sandbar (c) Tomas del Amo.

Oahu Historic Homes Get Big Tax Breaks if Public Dedication Requirements are Met

Owners of historic homes in Honolulu and other areas of Oahu are fortunate, not only to own a piece of history, but to be eligible for a real property tax break, as well. The law in City & County of Honolulu (Oahu) currently allows owners of historic homes who apply for a Public Dedicaton Exemption to pay a flat $300 per year in property tax, often saving the homeowners thousands of dollars a year. The law that allowed reduction of the real property tax on these Honolulu historic homes was enacted in the 1980’s, under Mayor Frank Fasi, in an effort to enable owners of Oahu historic homes to have sufficient extra funds to help preserve and maintain the historic homes in the public interest. The public interest of this law is the ability of the public to view and appreciate such homes, memorializing history by providing a record of time, place and use, and to preserve the character and good repair of neighborhoods, protecting property values.

Historic Charles Dickey Designed Home on Oahu

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Architect Designed Honolulu Home with Japanese Design and Ocean Views

This gorgeous, one-of-a-kind contemporary Japanese-style home, currently for sale on Oahu, is in the little-known Ualakaa neighborhood in Honolulu. Designed by architect Richard Bass, and built in 2006, this home won the BIA Grand Award and was featured in Honolulu Magazine. This Honolulu home features 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms in 3,296 square feet of living area. Situated on a 10,076 square foot lot, this Honolulu ocean view home has a stunning panomrama from Diamond Head, across downtown Honolulu, and to Punchbowl. The home has a gourmet kitchen with top of th line appliances and a dramatic curing staricase. It’s spectacular garden was designed by Crane & Sekimizu. This home is listed at $3,200,000. For more photos click below. 

Qualified buyers interested in viewing this ocean view Honolulu home, designed by Honolulu architect Richard Bass, please contact Yvonne Jaramillo Ahearn at 808-721-8088.

NEW Kailua Real Estate in Beachside, Immaculate Kailua Tropical Home with Pool

You’re driving down North Kalaheo Avenue in Kailua and you see a charming, tidy looking Kailua home, with a heavenly sea blue paint color and a lovely pergola walkway and beautiful landscape. You know the house. It’s 87 Kaiholu Street and it’s now for sale, listed at $1,695,000.

This Kailua beach home is a bright and cheery 3 bedroom and 3 bath tropical retreat. This Kailua real estate is special in that it is on an oversized, 13,988 square foot lot and it is just a short walk from the white sand and turquoise waters of Kailua Beach. If you are not in the mood for the beach, the backyard also, is lovely and private, and has a relaxing swimming pool and waterfall. 

The inside of this Kailua home for sale is as beautiful as the outside, with spacious living spaces and high ceilings. There is a great gourmet kitchen, with stainless steel appliances, and a lavishly tropical master suite. This home has some beautiful stained glass and a well-done beachy flair.  There is a 1 bedroom suite, with separate entrance, for guests or rental possibilities. This great Kailua property is in the beautiful Beachside neighborhood of Kailua.

See Photos Below

Qualified buyers please contact Yvonne Jaramillo Ahearn at 808-721-8088 for showings. Listing courtesy of CB Pacific Properties.

Diamond Head Oahu Luxury Home with Detailing of a Historic Hawaii Home

This is a fabulous, luxury Diamond Head home, built in 2007, with beautiful features at every turn. This Honolulu real estate on Noela Drive in one of Honolulu’s best neighborhoods is one of the most gorgeous homes I have ever seen on Oahu. I first visited this Diamond Head home when it was newly built and listed for sale in July of 2007. It was impressive then, and it is impressive now.  Only now, it is listed at a more attractive price of $9,000,000 versus the $11,900,000 price tag it originally had. I am told that the new price does not even cover the land and construction costs.

This Diamond Head home is ideally located: close to the beach, shopping and more, yet is a private Oasis. This 9,770 square foot Oahu luxury home sits on a huge tropically landscaped 28,962 square foot lot, featuring stunning views of the ocean and Waikiki coastline, including Kapiolani Park.  It has a wide front porch, bringing back the gracious feeling of Hawaii in days gone by, 5 spacious bedrooms and 7 and 1/2 bathrooms, multiple dining areas, a media room, and an elevator, among its many features. The exterior has period details and a marked, very charming craftsman bungalow historic style … in an updated sense, of course, as most real craftsman bungalows are not this large. Nor would they have so many splendid modern features. It is the best of both worlds with both the historic Oahu home style and new construction. Take a look …. 

Qualified buyers interested in viewing this gorgeous Oahu luxury home in Diamond Head Oahu, please contact Yvonne Jaramillo Ahearn at 808-721-8088. Listing courtesy of CB Pacific Properties.

North Shore Oahu Property | Wordless Wednesday

Sunsets are Grand with North Shore Oahu Real Estate

Schedule Some "Spa Days" for your Oahu Home in the New Year

Most people know that a decluttered and refreshed home for sale on Oahu will sell quicker and usually for a higher price than Oahu real estate that is not decluttered and staged. And basic staging is not that hard. It is usually well-worth the time and effort. There are numerous shows on HGTV that can show you how to stage Oahu real estate, and to do it on a budget.  I typically advise my clients who are selling Oahu real estate to at least de-clutter, and I help with staging if it is desired. 

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Hawaii Modern Architecture | Experts at the Palace Series 2013

For people (like me) that love Hawaii architecture and design, this may be right up your alley.  The 27th Annual Experts at the Palace Lecture Series will be on the topic of  Hawai‘i Architectural Modernism  The free weekly lecture will run from January 31 – March 7, 2013 on Thursdays, from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. in the Kanaina (Old Archives) Building on ‘Iolani Palace Grounds.

 

• January 31st: Louis Fung, AIA (Fung Associates, Inc.): “The Foundation of the Modern Movement in Hawai‘i: Modernism in American Architecture”  

• February 7th: Don Hibbard, Ph.D.:  “Evaluating Mid-Century Low-Rise Apartments in Hawai‘i”

• February 14th: Kiersten Faulkner, AICP (Historic Hawaii Foundation): “The Unique Challenges, Threats and Opportunities Facing Modern Historic Resources”

• February 21st: Glenn Mason, AIA (Mason Architects, Inc.): “Technical Innovation and the Emergence of New Building Materials in Mid-20th Century Architecture”

• February 28th:  (Fung Associates, Inc.): “The Range of Modern Architectural Resources in Hawai‘i, 1939-1979”

• March 7th: Angie Westfall, AIA (State Historic Preservation Division):  “Surveying Hawai‘i’s Mid-Century Subdivisions”

The first and last sessions look most interesting to me. I hope I can make at least some of them. Maybe see you there? 

~Aloha~

Keeping Your Oahu Investment Property Secure with Home Shoppe Hawaii Oahu Property Management

Feel Secure with Home Shoppe Hawaii Oahu Property ManagementToday, I received a call from the Honolulu police. They contacted me after they Googled a particular Kailua rental property. When they used that address, my name popped up as an Oahu real estate broker who could help with the home.  I get calls like this a lot, because I subscribe to a buyer lead referral service, but usually not from the police. 

The Honolulu police were calling because the fire alarm on this particular Kailua home was going off. It appeared to be vacant and there was an old-style lock box on the property. Seemed to the officer like a Kailua rental property that wasn’t rented at the moment and perhaps, there was a property manager.  So he found me online, though this was not a Home Shoppe Hawaii managed or listed Kailua property. I was able to look up the owner name in the tax records but I could not help beyond that.

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Happy New Year from Home Shoppe Hawaii Oahu Real Estate

Home Shoppe Hawaii Oahu Real Estate wishes you and your family all the best in 2013! Please let us know how me can contribute to your happiness and prosperity in the new year by serving all your Oahu real estate needs!

~Aloha~

New Year’s Eve Fireworks in Waikiki 2012

Luxury Real Estate Oahu | Top 5 Most Expensive Homes Sold on Oahu in 2012

Luxury Oahu real estate sales in 2012 proved to be a pretty good.  Of the most expensive homes on Oahu that sold in 2012, all of these Oahu luxury homes were in East Oahu. Four of the five most expensive Oahu homes sold were in Honolulu and one was in Kailua. All of the most expensive Oahu homes sold were either waterfront or beachfront. We’ll cover these in ascending order:

#5. SOLD: $6,300,000 (list price $6,500,000)
3868 Pokapahu Place, Diamond Head, Honolulu, Oahu, 96816 

 

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Oahu Real Estate Broker Strategies for Buying Oahu Homes in a Seller's Market

It’s official!  Oahu real estate has fully recovered in 2012 and Oahu properties for sale are hotter than ever! It’s a bit hard to be a Buyer in the Oahu real estate market, when inventory is so low.  Sellers have all the leverage.  All the great properties are going fast, with multiple, often over asking price, offers. What is a Buyer of Oahu real estate to do?

First and most importantly, you can make sure you are working with a great Oahu real estate agent or Oahu real estate broker. Your Oahu real estate professional should be experienced in handling Buyers, in a Seller’s market, and should have multiple strategies to suggest, depending on the situation, that will enhance your ability to purchase some great Oahu real estate.

Here are just a few Oahu real estate buying strategies that you might consider:

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Oahu Real Estate | Wordless Wednesday

Christmas in Waikiki - Christmas Tree at Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center

Mele Kalikimaka!! From Home Shoppe Hawaii Oahu Real Estate

Home Shoppe Hawaii wishes you and your family, wherever and however you celebrate the season, Peace, Joy and Aloha!!