Hawaii Randy's Real Estate Opinions: April 2007

The ancient native Hawaiians were environmentalist in the truest form.  They did not protest or lobby congress.  No driving fuel efficient cars to make a statement or National forest to prevent people from clear cutting.

The Native Hawaiian understood that they needed to preserve their natural resources.  They lived their daily lives in a manner that today would be considered environmentalist.  Hawaiians lived "Pono" (with respect and righteousness).  By living in righteousness they believed they would be blessed by fertile lands and sea.

Hawaiians managed their resources from the mountains to the sea.  They needed the mountain valleys for fresh water and crops.  The used the ocean to fish.  The Hawaiians were so in tune with their environment that they managed their resources in such a way that they would be around into perpetuity.  

Hawaiian's were among other thing aqua culturists.  They built fish ponds and raised fish along the coast line and in the bays of our islands.  Their ingenious techniques are being recreated today.  Several groups are in the process of restoring the few remaining ancient Hawaiian fish ponds.  Being going back to the past people today are learning how to better take care of our limited natural resources.

In more modern times King Kamehameha III (1825 -1854) spoke the famous words which became our Hawaii's state motto: "Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono", translated to mean: The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.

Lucky we live in paradise, we hope to keep it that way.  Aloha Aina!

Below is a list of condos in the Salt Lake area, just a short commute to downtown Honolulu that are pet friendly.  This is an important question for families with pets.  Also if you are relocating to Hawaii, this issue of animal quarantine comes up.  If you are relocating to Hawaii do your self and your pet a favor and check out the Dept. of Agriculture website for animal quarantine information:  http://www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/ai_aqs_info.htm

This list was completed as accurately as possible. If an area is blank, it is because the building complex did not specify or answer the questions.  The data was taken from the Hawaii Humane Society: http://www.hawaiianhumane.org/programs/petshousing/default.asp

This Westloch sales report covers both Westloch Estates and Westloch Fairway (part of zip code of 96706) have seen the real estate market slow a little. Both volume and prices have dropped a little from the 2006 figures.

Interest rates are still low and there is a good selection of inventory making it a good market for buyers.

Currently under the "Active for Sale Category" there are:  22 Single Family Homes

• Currently in Escrow:   7 Single Family Homes

*These numbers were taken from the Honolulu Board of Realtors MLS system and are deemed to be accurate, but not guaranteed.

You can find out more about real estate in Hawaii at: http://www.hawaiirandy.com/

Or at: www.localism.com

The Salt Lake community (part of zip code of 96818) has mostly condominiums.  There are a few single family home sales, but too few to draw any market conclusions.  Sales activity for the first quarter of 2007 showed similar numbers of sales with a nice increase in prices over 2006.

Interest rates are still low, properties are still moving making it a nice balanced market for buyers and sellers.  With a short commute  to downtown Honolulu, Salt Lake continues to be a popular location for those working and shopping in town.

• Currently under the "Active for Sale Category" there are:  46 Condos/ Townhouses
• Currently in Escrow:  24 Condos/ Townhouses

*These numbers were taken from the Honolulu Board of Realtors MLS system and are deemed to be accurate, but not guaranteed.

You can find out more about real estate in Hawaii at: http://www.hawaiirandy.com/

Or at: www.localism.com

This was an interesting conversation today at a meeting of Realtor leadership.  I found this to be an interesting topic of conversation.  It was started because of my Active Rain / Localism blog posts listing pet friendly buildings in some of our communities.  Believe it or not people actually read those.

I was waiting for our meeting of regional chairs and vice-chairs for the Honolulu Board of Realtors to start.  One of the former employees of or Board entered the room.  She was there to make a presentation to the group on Smart Growth. She is coincidently involved with the Hawaiian Humane Society.

She saw me and came up to say hi.  She also said she read my blog posts that displayed the Humane Society's data on pet friendly buildings.  Wow, she saw them.

During our lunch break she mentioned them to the group and a discussion broker out that was quite interesting and would make a great discussion on our forum.

The Hawaiian Humane Society spent a lot of man hours to develop a list of the buildings in our county that are pet friendly.  With the help of area Realtors that list might be updated in the future in a lot less time.  I would be willing to participate with that.

Then the bigger question came up; the one that does not have an easy answer.  How do we create more pet friendly situations?  

Most buildings are pet friendly.  Many have some restrictions on size, number or type of pet.  The toughest area is for renters.  Very few landlords allow pets.  In our state it is illegal to charge an addition deposit for pets.  Not many landlords are willing to allow them, due to the liability.  Our legislators seemed unwilling in the past to allow changing our statutes to allow additional rent deposits for fear they open Pandora's Box.

I am sure that in the next legislative session this will be taken up again, writing a bill so tight as to not allow it to be used for other motives or issues.

There were a few creative thoughts tossed out, but none seemed to be easily done.  One suggestion was a clause in the rental agreement to replace the carpets when you leave. 

I will open this up to the group.  Do you have any thoughts or practices in your community that have been effective in taking the sting away from landlords, so they will allow pets?

Before I sign off, I must disclose something.  The only pets we have are two very large goldfish.  I like dogs, tolerate cats and think rabbits taste like greasy chicken.    

I have many clients with pets who struggle with this issue and think it is a topic worthy of our collective ideas.

Aiea Pet Friendly Buildings

Waikiki Pet Friendly Buildings

Kailua Pet Friendly Buildings

Honolulu Pet Friendly Buildings

Kaneohe Pet Friendly Buildings

Ewa Beach Pet Friendly Buildings

Mililani is Pet Friendly

The Kaneohe communities (zip code of 96744) real estate market has had a small increase in sales activity over 2006 for the sale time period, there has been a some drops in average sales prices.  The one bright spot was in March the average sales prices of condos went up.  Interest rates are still low and there is a good selection of inventory making it a good market for buyers.  Sellers may need to be somewhat negotiable with the amount of units for sale especially in the single family homes.

Currently under the "Active for Sale Category" there are: 

• 113 Single Family Homes
•    32 Condos/ Townhouses

Currently in Escrow:

•  37 Single Family Homes
•   12 Condos/ Townhouses

*These numbers were taken from the Honolulu Board of Realtors MLS system and are deemed to be accurate, but not guaranteed.

You can find out more about real estate in Hawaii at: http://www.hawaiirandy.com/

Or at: www.localism.com

Single Family Homes in the Ocean Pointe has shown some price decreases.  The average sales price of single family homes have dropped in value nearly 11% from the same time period last year.  While sales volume has been consistent the inventory levels have increased to about 6 months worth.

On the condo/ townhouse side the average sales price has not changed much over last year for the same period, but sales volume has dropped and inventory levels have increased.  There will be continued pressure for sellers to be more flexible on prices and terms to compete against the rising levels of inventory.

New home construction in the area is also putting pressure on the pricing and sales activity.

With interest rates low this is a good time for buyers to negotiate a good deal.  Sellers will need to adjust their tactics to be competitive with the higher levels of inventory.

Currently under the "Active for Sale Category" there are: 

• 52 Single Family Homes
• 31 Condos/ Townhouses

Currently in Escrow:

• 13 Single Family Homes
•   7 Condos/ Townhouses

*These numbers were taken from the Honolulu Board of Realtors MLS system and are deemed to be accurate, but not guaranteed.

You can find out more about real estate in Hawaii at: http://www.hawaiirandy.com/

Or at: www.localism.com

The Wahiawa and Whitmore communities have seen the real estate market has leveled, but homes are still selling.  Interest rates are still low and there is a good selection of inventory.  It is still a good time to buy or sell in this balanced Wahiawa and Whitmore market.

Currently under the "Active for Sale Category" there are: 

• 32 Single Family Homes
• 24 Condos/ Townhouses

Currently in Escrow:

• 13 Single Family Homes
•   9 Condos/ Townhouses

*These numbers were taken from the Honolulu Board of Realtors MLS system and are deemed to be accurate, but not guaranteed.

You can find out more about real estate in Hawaii at: http://www.hawaiirandy.com/

Or at: www.localism.com

The Mililani real estate market has slowed some from the past few years, but it is still moving and showing price increases in most sectors.  Interest rates are still low and there is a good selection of inventory.  It is still a good time to buy or sell in this balanced Mililani market.

*These numbers were taken from the Honolulu Board of Realtors MLS system and are deemed to be accurate, but not guaranteed.

You can find out more about real estate in Hawaii at: http://www.hawaiirandy.com/

Or at: http://www.localism.com/

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Mililani Links:

• Mililani Town Association: http://www.mililanitown.org/
• Mililani Drug Free: http://www.Mililanidrugfree.org/
• Mililani Chess Club: http://www.mililanichess.org/

Mililani Blog Posts:

• Welcome to Mililani - Part 1 the Shopping Centers
• Welcome to Mililani - Part 2 the Planned Community
• Welcome to Mililani - Part 3 the Surrounding Communities
• Mililani is Pet Friendly  
• Mililani, Hawaii Directory of Schools
•   
• 12 Great Reasons to Buy a Home in Mililani, Hawaii
• Mililani - Q1 2007 Real Estate Sales Activity of Existing Homes
• Real Estate Sales In Mililani Seems to be Picking Up
• Real Estate Sales Activity in Mililani
• Mililani Townhouse Sales are on Fire!
• Mililani, Hawaii - A changing market, many opportunities
•   
• Mililani Chess Kids are Still Flashing Their Stuff
• Mililani Middle School Brings Home State Chess Title
• Mililani High School Cheerleaders Take Their First State Title
• A Sunny Day of Chess and Real Estate in Hawaii
• Mililani HS Wins OIA Softball Title
• Are You Involved in Your Community? If Not, Get to It.

* These numbers were taken from Title Guaranty Escrow and from the Honolulu Board of Realtors.  I numbers are deemed to be accurate but not guaranteed.