National Mai Tai Day - AUGUST 30

Mai Tai’s could possibly be called the most famous and well-known drink of Hawaii.  And maybe one of the most delicious, after all, who doesn’t love a Mai Tai? Sweet and sensuous rum, mixed with golden glorious fruit juices and liquers, garnished with succulent pineapple. Mai Tais are great after a long, sunny day at the beach. Mai Tais are great with pupus, and great on their own.  Mai Tai’s are great to drink while (and perhaps even inspired by) watching the sun set.  Mai Tai’s are everyone’s favorite when on vacation.

Mai Tai on Lanikai Beach Kailua (c) Tomas del Amo.

“Maitai” in Tahitian means “good” and the Mai Tai has come to symbolize Tahitian-style, Tiki Bar and Hawaiian culture, reminiscent of the 1950’s and 1960’s.

In Honor of the Mai Tai, they’ve given the drink its own day … and that day is August 30. While there has been some dispute over the actual, official date of National Mai Tai Day, some say it is the 30th of August and others (notably “A History of Drinking Blog”) say it is June 30, I find the believers of the August 30 date to be the most convincing. In any event, there is no harm in celebrating Mai Tai Day on both days. 

For a little history on the drink, you should know that the Mai Tai was purportedly invented by Victor J. Bergeron is August 1944. Bergeron was the proprietor of Tader Vic’s in Oakland. There is some controversy here, too, because Don the Beachcomber, of Los Angeles, also claimed to have invented the drink, though he said he invented it years earlier, in 1933.  Both drinks taste different and have different recipes, and there seem to be many other different variations of the drink, as well.  But either way, this drink was not invented in Hawaii, but in California, though it is on just about every bar menu in the Hawaiian islands.

Since Mai Tai Day is coming up in less than a week, I thought I would share a few recipes:

Here is the old-time TRADER VIC’S 1944 MAI TAI RECIPE:

2 oz of 17-year old J. Wray & Nephew Rum over shaved ice
Add juice from one fresh lime
1/2 oz Holland DeKuyper Orange Curaçao
1/4 oz Trader Vic’s Rock Candy Syrup
1/2 oz French Garnier Orgeat Syrup
Shake vigorously.
Add a sprig of fresh mint

Here is a More MODERN MAI TAI RECIPE:

Fill a collins glass with ice.

Add:
¾ oz. Light Rum
¾ oz. Dark Rum
½ oz. Amaretto
½ oz. Triple Sec

Fill with:
½ Orange Juice
½ Pineapple Juice
Float ½ oz. of Grenadine on top

BOTH RECIPES ARE BEST ENJOYED WITH A SUNSET,
ON A HAWAIIAN BEACH.  ~ALOHA

Kailua Real Estate | Bluestone Sold Homes (First Half) 2013

Kailua Real Estate - Bluestone Neighborhood - 2013 Sold Homes

Sales in Bluestone Kailua condominiums were slow for a few years, but they’ve picked up quite a bit. Three townhomes have sold in Bluestone so far in 2013. All have sold in less than 30 days and one even sold for over $1M. This was a larger unit on the Kamahele side of Bluestone. The Kamahele side has features the Kaelepulu side of Bluestone does not have. For example, enclosed garages and unobstructed views. 

	Unit	IntSqFt	Bed/Ba	Sale Price	DOM
358 Kaelepulu Dr	701	1,897	3/2	$793,000	18
352C Kalelpulu Dr	503	1,806	3/3	$850,000	5
1182 Kamahele St	2801	2,118	3/2	$1,050,000	27

For more information on Bluestone Kailua real estate, please visit our Kailua Real Estate - Bluestone Listings page or contact Yvonne Jaramillo Ahearn (B) REALTOR at 808-721-8088 or yvonne@HomeShoppeHawaii.com.

Kailua Real Estate | Aikahi Park Sold Homes (First Half) 2013

Kailua Real Estate - Aikahi Park Neighborhood - 2013 Sold Homes

Aikahi Park Kailua neighborhood has been busy for the first half of 2013. Six single family homes were sold in Aikahi Park and Four townhomes were sold in the Aikahi Gardens condominiums. Like almost everywhere else on Oahu, days on market in the Aikahi neighborhood is generally trending down. This is a popular neighborhood because of its high-ranking Aikahi Elementary School and its proximity to H-3 and MCBH.

	LandSqFt	IntSqFt	Bed/Ba	Sale Price	DOM
290 Ilikaa Pl	11,088	870	2/2	$765,000	29
276 Aikane Pl	7,684	1,786	3/3	$898,300	58
268 Hamakua Dr	8,481	2,523	4/2	$795,000	36
739 Mokapu Rd	11,220	1,632	3/2	$939,000	51
223 Aiokoa St	7,562	1,818	4/3	$1,021,000	64
215 Aikane St	9,421	2,409	4/3	$1,250,000	29
1004 Puwa St	Condo/Townhouse	874	2/1	$388,000	10
161-3 Oko St	Condo/Townhouse	1,152	3/2	$425,000	38
1833 Oko St	Condo/Townhouse	1,241	3/2	$438,000	20
131-6 Oko St	Condo/Townhouse	1,307	3/2	$450,000	2

For more information on Aikahi Park Kailua real estate, please visit our Kailua Real Estate - Aikahi Park Listings page or contact Yvonne Jaramillo Ahearn (B) REALTOR at 808-721-8088 or yvonne@HomeShoppeHawaii.com.

Kailua Real Estate | Unique Oceanfront Lanikai Beach Home

Lanikai Kailua real estate features some of the most beautiful homes in Kailua and on the island of Oahu. Luxury real estate in Lanikai includes everything from quaint beachfront Kailua cottages, to grand oceanfront or beachfront Kailua estates. Because of the great beach, location, views, and craftsmanship, Lanikai Real Estate includes some of the most expensive homes on Oahu.

All photos are (c) 2013, Home Shoppe Hawaii LLC.

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Great Solar Power Provider on Oahu - PV Services - Photonworks

I don’t usually blog about Oahu solar service providers, but the services I recieved in the installation of my solar panels and my solar energy Photo-voltaic system, here in Kailua, Oahu, were so wonderful I had to share.

We used Photonworks Engineering (http://www.photonworks.com), an Oahu solar company that has been in business over ten years. We had a relatively small, 10 panel solar PV system installed, as our energy usage was not that high.  

To give you an idea of how awesome they were: I called them one week and they came to my house with a proposal on a Friday.  A permit was obtained and the solar PV system was installed the following Tuesday, and the whole solar system was inspected by City and County of Honolulu by the next Thursday, which is today! Solar project complete, including proposal, installation, and inspection in less than TWO WEEKS!! How they got the City and County to come out here in just over a week is beyond me. I have friends who have waited months to get their solar permits closed.

Everything went great, and considering the giant tropical rainstorm we had Monday night, I am pretty certain we have no roof leaks, which seems to be a common problem with some other solar providers on Oahu. Photonworks was organized, professional, friendly, and had great overall customer service! Five Stars!! I will recommend them to anyone who asks!

Call Photonworks at 951-4100 and ask for Chris. Tell him Yvonne sent you.

~ Aloha

Kailua Real Estate | Kailua Town Condo Sales 2013 (First Half)

Kailua Real Estate - Kailua Town Neighborhood - 2013 Sold Homes

Kailua condominiums in the Kailua Town neighborhood of Kailua sold like hotcakes in the first half of the year. In fact, this neighborhood probably had the lowest days on the market of all neighborhoods in Kailua. Investors and owner occupants alike are scramblng to purchase a Kailua condo while they are still relatively affordable. Now that Kailua single family homes have for the most part crossed above the $650K threshold, for even some of the smallest better-condition homes, condos are still a good option.  Can’t wait to see what happens with the Ka Malanai condos when they finally come to market! 

	Building	Int Sq Ft	Bed/Ba	Sale  Price	DOM
355 Aoloa St #J102	Hokulani	814	2/2	$215,000	23
355 Aoloa St #N104	Hokulani	811	2/2	$230,000	5
355 Aoloa St #B202	Hokulani	814	2/2	$254,343	4
350 Aoloa St #A109	Koolau Vista	587	1/1	$292,000	36
350 Aoloa St #B105	Koolau Vista	587	1/1	$299,000	15
350 Aoloa St #A232	Koolau Vista	783	2/1	$320,000	7
1015 Aoloa Pl #450	Poinciana Manor	959	2/2	$364,000	18
1015 Aoloa Pl #331	Poinciana Manor	944	2/2	$375,000	8
333 Aoloa St #231	Gardenia Manor	825	2/1	$395,000	27
1015 Aoloa Pl #326	Poinciana Manor	944	2/2	$403,000	50
322 Aoloa St #1608	Windward Passage	737	1/1	$405,000	6
322 Aoloa St #1708	Windward Passage	737	1/1	$417,000	9
14 Aulike St #506	Meridian East	868	2/1	$425,000	1
1015 Aoloa Pl #307	Poinciana Manor	944	2/2	$425,000	6
1015 Aoloa Pl #209	Poinciana Manor	944	2/2	$430,000	23
333 Aoloa St #209	Gardenia Manor	944	2/2	$435,000	5
333 Aoloa St #302	Gardenia Manor	1030	2/2	$436,000	6
1015 Aoloa Pl #425	Poinciana Manor	1166	3/2	$475,000	1
1020 Aoloa Pl #105B	Windward Cove	1200	3/2	$520,000	15
322 Aoloa St #1112	Windward Passage	1244	3/2	$528,000	9
14 Aulike St #PH3	Meridian East	1300	2/2	$685,000	9

For more information on Kailua Town, Kailua real estate, please visit our Kailua Real Estate - Kailua Town Listings page or contact Yvonne Jaramillo Ahearn (B) REALTOR at 808-721-8088 or yvonne@HomeShoppeHawaii.com.

Selecting a VA Lender on Oahu, VA Loans in Hawaii & VA Jumbo Loans

I’ve been assisting several Oahu VA Buyers recently and in servicing these buyers, unfortunately, it has come to our attention that all Oahu VA lenders are not alike.  Sadly, many VA lenders on Oahu use a national call center and the customer service that is provided through that center is often not even close to the same as that of VA Buyers working with Oahu, Hawaii VA lender with a local office. 

On a positive note, we’ve worked with some national companies that provide local, reliable customer service.  It is important to work with one particular loan officer, who you can actually sit down and meet with in an Oahu location, if you wish, and that your loan officer is available during Hawaii business hours.  Especially when you are working with a tricky property (as are many on Oahu) it makes sense to work with both loan officers and underwriters who are here on-island and who know the market and Hawaii properties.  From a REALTOR’s standpoint, having a great local VA lender can make the difference between actually closing the sale or having the Buyer lose the property due to an unresolvable problem.

In addition to providing various customer service options, different VA lenders may also provide their customers with terms and conditions which will vary greatly.  For example:

1.  Great VA lenders on Oahu will pick up the VA Buyer’s Non-Allowable Costs and these WILL NOT be passed on to the Seller of Property. This is especially important in a Sellers’ market like we have on Oahu today, to make the VA Buyers’ offers more competitive.  Many Sellers of Oahu real estate will not work with VA Buyers if they have to pick up the VA Non-Allowable Costs.

AND/OR

2.  Great VA lenders on Oahu will not charge a Loan Origination Fee. If the Lender does not charge an origination fee, the Buyer is allowed by the VA to pay the “non-allowables.”

3.  Great VA lenders on Oahu will not profit from a VA Lender Referral Program, doling out names of any REALTOR that signs up, and will refer only to REALTORS who provide great customer service.

4.  Great VA lenders on Oahu will offer attractive terms for those VA Buyers desiring Jumbo loans. It is important to have a robust VA Jumbo Loan program on Oahu, where many properties cost in excess of $1M.  Not all VA Lenders have the same maximum loan limits.  If you are interested in a VA Jumbo Loan with a limit of over $1M talk to us and we can point you in the right direction.

There are also many other things a great Oahu VA lender will know, that are not commonly known. There are many myths about VA Loans.  You may think you are not eligible for a VA loan, when in fact you are.  Your rates and terms may be affected by a variety of considerations.  It always pays to work with an expert in real estate and with respect to your loan. Please contact Yvonne Ahearn at 808-721-8088 for a referral to a great VA lender.  It can save you both money and disappointment.

Hawaii Beach Cottage with Colorful Hawaiian Style Interior Design

Here’s another guest post by Houzz, on Hawaiian interior Design. Interior Design and photos by Natalie Younger Interior Design. Enjoy!!

Houzz Tour: Colorful, Casual Hawaiian Vacation Home

Houzz- Kitchen Designs, Bathroom Designs and More »

Keiki's First Birthday Luau Tradition in Hawaii

Recently, my son celebrated his 9th birthday and that sent me on a trip down memory lane. Time goes by fast and it seems like just yesterday that we were celebrating his first birthday with a fun party at Kailua Beach Park!  

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VA Loan Referrals & Finding the Best Military Realtor on Oahu

To Use a VA Loan REALTOR Referral Program or Not?

As you may already know, I work with many military buyers and sellers of real estate on Oahu. Recently, we submitted an offer for a military couple relocating to Hawaii, who is using a VA loan to purchase real estate on Oahu. This couple came to us after using a REALTOR who was referred to them by a VA lender’s REALTOR referrral program.

Several VA lenders (e.g., USAA) have these programs.  How they often work is that VA Buyers who do not have a REALTOR are referred to a REALTOR participating in the VA Lender program.  If the REALTOR closes the sale with the VA Buyer, the VA lender is paid a referral fee of anywhere from 25-40% of the total commission. Sometimes, the VA lender will rebate a small portion of this referral fee back to the VA Buyer.  The lender keeps most of it, so they have incentive to get you to use on of their preferred REALTORS.

Our VA clients told us that they were not impressed with the REALTOR referred by their VA lender, for various reasons, so they went elsewhere.  Fortunately, they ended up finding me and using me as their REALTOR. It caused me to wonder what, if any, process was used by the VA Lender when selecting REALTORS to refer? I am certain that many REALTORS who participate in the program are very good REALTORS, but I wonder how many are not? Is it in a VA Buyer’s best interest to use a REALTOR from a referral service? …. the answer is ….. MAYBE.

Here is my advice to military buyers using a VA lender referral program:

1. Make sure the VA loan REALTOR has real life experience in the VA market segment.

Has the REALTOR done many VA loan transactions? Have they ever had their own VA loan? Is the REALTOR a former or current military servicemember or spouse?  “Yes” answers to these questions may indicate experience and help the transaction run more smoothly.

2. Make sure the military REALTOR has quality reviews for their service and that they can provide references.

Look at the REALTOR’S website for testimonials. Ask them for names and numbers of specific client references. Make sure to contact those references. REALTORS with happy clients, who freely and pleasantly want to give a good recomendation, are your best bets.

3. Make sure your VA Loan REALTOR has the time to take you on as a client. Ask how many transactions they have going right now. More is not always better. To how many active buyers are they showing property within any week period? Showing property to Buyers is a time intensive process. Personally, I would never handle more than 3-4 very active buyers, on my own.  Even so, we use a team approach, which makes working with multiple Buyers more manageable, as we intend to always maintain a very high level of service to all our clients. We will turn business away when we cannot handle it.

4. Make sure your military REALTOR is not too far away from the geography of your intended purchase of Oahu real estate to provide diligent service.  

The traffic on the island of Oahu can be bad to and from certain areas. A REALTOR from another region of Oahu maybe able to handle clients in other further regions, but only with careful planning and allowances for traffic, and the extra commuting time. They should also have experience in all of the areas you see, preferrably both with buyers and sellers. It can be done, but is difficult when a REALTOR is too busy. In this case, only the client suffers. And it goes without saying, your REALTOR should have a working knowledge of the area in which you intend to buy. 

In Summary:

If the REALTOR has the required experience, proven track record of quality service, and time to take you on as a client, it may be worth taking the chance on the blind referral from a VA lender to get a rebate. If not, do your research and find a good, professional REALTOR, based on the criteria above.  It will probably save you money in the end.

I have more than a decade of experience with military buyers relocating to Oahu and other VA buyers on Oahu. My husband, who is also licensed and who has over 16 years of Active Duty in the USMC and is now a reservist in the USMC, and I have helped many military friends and other military buyers with VA loans on Oahu in their purchase of Oahu real estate. We are permanent residents of Oahu, since 2004, and have helped both Buyers and Sellers most areas of the island of Oahu, including areas near the military bases.

Please contact Yvonne Jaramillo Ahearn RB-20262 at 808-721-8088 for your Oahu real estate needs.

Honolulu Real Estate: 1/1 Makiki Condo Home With Great Location!!!

Rose Terrace is a quiet boutique building in the heart of Makiki. This great condo is located away from freeway noise but with easy access to H1, downtown Honolulu, shopping in Manoa and Ala Moana, Punahou and UH Manoa.

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Honolulu Real Estate in Hawaii Kai's Kalama Valley - SOLD $599K

Home Shoppe Hawaii is pleased to announce our sale today, at full price, of our Hawaii Kai listing on Ohina Place in Kalama Valley. This home is in a great location, not too far from Sandy Beach and in the desirable Hawaii Kai school district.

This 3 bedroom 2 full bath Hawaii Kai Honolulu home was sold on the first day of listing, with a full-price offer of $599K.  At the time, this was the lowest priced home in Hawaii Kai, so the quick sale is no suprise.

This Hawaii Kai home is great for a first time homebuyer or even an investor. This Honolulu home had just been freshly remodeled. Almost everything was replaces and it has new paint inside and out, new interior doors and garage door, new flooring, cabinets, appliances in the kitchen, and kitchen countertops. The Hawaii Kai home features new tile, tubs and toilets. The master bedroom of this real estate in Honolulu has two closets and an en suite bathroom.  

This is an attached home, but is on its own separate lot (not a CPR or duplex). This Honolulu Hawaii Kai home also has a 2 car garage and the yard features a spacious brick patio and great space to entertain or play. Fresh and breezy, this home is ready to move right in!

 

If you would like more details on this Honolulu home for sale in Hawaii Kai’s Kalama Valley, please contact Honolulu REALTOR, Yvonne Jaramillo Ahearn, Principal Broker, Home Shoppe Hawaii at 808-721-8088. ~ Aloha.

Honolulu Condo with View at Summer Palace - SOLD $388K

Today’s sale of this Honolulu condominium listed by Home Shoppe Hawaii is proof that Honolulu real estate is doing well. In particular, the Honolulu condominium market has picked up immensely over the past 6 months. Home Shoppe Hawaii listed this Ala Moana condominium at $385K and it sold in just about a week for $388K, with multiple offers. That makes this sale the highest EVER price per square foot in history of the Summer Palace building. There were two higher priced sales in 2006 and 2007, both at $390K, for a slightly larger corner unit #2108, and also slightly larger #2405, a unit on the top floor, near the roof deck, but both of their prices per square foot were lower than this.

 

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Honolulu Real Estate in Palolo Valley - SOLD $679K

Home Shoppe Hawaii is pleased to announce our sale today, at full price, of a classic, remodeled Palolo Valley Honolulu home with great Diamond Head views. The top portion of this Honolulu home has 3 bedrooms and 1 full bath, plus two bonus rooms that can be used for an art studio or storage. This Honolulu real estate is unique in that it has a European style rental apartment below the traditional, main home, upstairs.

APT: Looking across sitting area toward bedroom.

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Tropical Hawaii Home Uses Balinese Design Elements

A tropical Luxury Hawaii Home with Balinesian style is the topic of another guest post from Houzz.  Many Hawaii luxury homes are inspired by Balinese design and incorporate these elements. Use these design elements from Bali to create that tropical luxury in your own home or backyard, wherever you might be. 

Design Inspiration: Bring Bali Home

Houzz- Kitchen Ideas, Bathroom Ideas and More »

Kailua Commercial Real Estate to be Sold by Kaneohe Ranch and Castle Foundation

Kailua commercial real estate may never again be the same, since the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation is now selling its commercial real estate portfolio which is managed by Kanoehe Ranch.  These Kailua real estate holdings were recently put on the market, according to the Pacific Business News, this morning.

They did not say what the offer price for the Kailua real estate is, but it is my estimation that Kaneohe Ranch’s Kailua real estate holdings include about 3/4 of all Kailua commercial real estate, so the price will be in the hundreds of millions, or even a billion dollars.  The Castle Foundation owns interests in the Kailua commercial real estate in downtown Kailua shopping centers where Whole Foods, Safeway, Foodland, Long’s Drugs, Macy’s and Times Market are located, among other areas and major tenants. The Kaneohe Ranch portfolio also includes interests in some Kaneohe, Honolulu and Mainland locations.

The effect on its Kailua tenants and the future development of Kailua Town, in general, remains to be seen. Kaneohe Ranch has been progressively tearing down and rebuilding, and refurbishing commercial buildings in Kailua with an overall goal of creating a walkable, pedestrian, and community friendly Kailua Downtown Plan.

Earlier this year, Kaneohe Ranch also closed on the sale of over 67 acres in the Hamakua Hillside and Marsh to the State of Hawaii, as part of its wetland and watershed protection, endangered species protection, open space preservation, and public education and recreation efforts.  In 2011 Target Corporation bought a large parcel of the Castle/Kaneohe Ranch property for development of a Kailua store for $22.5M.

Whole Foods Shopping Center Living Wall

Honolulu Real Estate for Sale in Ala Moana's Summer Palace Condominiums

Honolulu real estate is booming and that includes the Honolulu condominium market. Great Honolulu condominiums are in short supply, especially ones in really popular buildings like the Summer Palace.  Location, location, location … you can walk to the beach, Ala Moana shopping center, and its 5 minutes to Waikiki.

Listed at $385K FS and OPEN TODAY 5/5 2-5pm. Come take a look! Call Ana Kuna (S) 295-2311 for entry.

 

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Honolulu Real Estate in Hawaii Kai's Kalama Valley - 3/2 for Under $600K!~

Honolulu Real Estate is in short supply, so this 3 bedroom 2 full bath Hawaii Kai home should go quickly. At $599K it is also priced to appeal to many. This is a great Hawaii Kai home for a first time homebuyer or an investor. This Honolulu home has been freshly remodeled with new paint inside and out, new interior doors and garage door, new flooring, cabinets, appliances in the kitchen, and kitchen countertops. The  features new tile, tubs and toilets. The master bedroom of this Honolulu real estate has two closets and an en suite bathroom.  This is an attached home, but is on its own separate lot (not a CPR or duplex). This Honolulu home also has a 2 car garage and the yard features a large brick patio and great space to entertain or play. Fresh and breezy, you can move right in!

 

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Hawaii Luxury Lifestyle May Now Include Trips to Outer Space?

Hawaii luxury real estate enthusiasts may be happy to learn that Hawaii luxury travel may now include rocket trips to outer space. Recently, the Pacific Business News reported that XCOR Aerospace, a Mojave, California-based company may be setting up shop on Oahu with its commercial space travel business.

In the XCOR spacecrafts, tourists and locals who have the means, can take flights of 30-40 minutes each, up into the earth’s atmosphere. These rocketships can fly up to 350,000 into outer space.

The good news for Oahu is that this could create up to 150 new jobs in Hawaii. The bad news for those Hawaii luxury lifestyle connoissuers and daredevils wanting to try their hand at being an astronaut, is the hefty pricetag: $95,000 per passenger! Still, just a drop in the bucket compared with the price of most Oahu Hawaii luxury real estate. (See Most Expensive Oahu Luxury Real Estate, here.) 

Kailua Real Estate in Beachside's Lovely Kainalu Park Area

Kailua real estate is still in high demand with low inventory, so it is nice when lovely new homes, like this one in Kailua’s Beachside neighborhood of Kainalu Park, come on the market.

Kainalu Park is a sub neighborhood of Beachside, Kailua. Kainalu Park neighbors have gated beach access to the beautiful, 3 mile stretch of white sand called Kailua Beach. The neighborhood is one of the best neighborhoods in Kailua and also, features underground utilities. President Obama has stayed in this area over recent years, as his Winter White house is located in Castle Point, which is accessed through the Kainalu Park area.

 Photos Courtesy of HiCentral MLS. Listing courtesy of CB Pacific Properties.

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