A notice appears on my pc saying I have an email from my contact form. I immediately respond and get a little more information from the person who is Relocating to Hawaii (or a resident who just wants to start with an email) and is seriously considering buying a home while they are residing in our beautiful Hawaiian Islands.

The process starts for preparing them for their home purchase once they arrive in Honolulu County:

• I refer them to a local Loan Officer who knows our state laws and our Hawaii Purchase Contract. (and if they're Veterans of the Military they could be eligible to use their VA benefits)
• They subsequently get prequalified and the loan officer goes through everything that they need to do (or not) while they are preparing for their loan process.
• Their criteria is set with the price range (according to qualification and their desired monthly mortgage payment), bedrooms, baths, sq/ft. interior & land, parking, condo/single family, property condition, year built, neighborhoods and so forth and I plug it in to their custom reports.
• They immediately start receiving listings for perusal from our Multiple Listing Service. They are set up with their own personal webpage to save to Favorites, Possibilities, Rejections and they can even make notes which I will see and answer.
• I send them a Hawaii Relocation Packet or follow up consistently until they arrive or until they are ready to jump in and have me set showing appointments.

So then come the results....or not.

• All of a sudden they want to put in an offer long distance. (currently in contract with these CLIENTS...and they KNOW what we do and have expressed so)
• They decide they want to rent after working with them for MONTHS.
• They no longer return calls...once you've chauffeured them all over the place. (that is just plain rude)
• They say they've been calling MANY agents and which agent was I?  (Maybe I didn't explain myself better)
• They go to an Open House and call me to write a contract.
• They got to an Open House and decide that they are the Real Estate Agent and can do better at negotiating.
• They know that I will walk them through the process step by step and think in their best interests.
• They respect me, my profession and my advice and ask questions instead of assuming or asking Joe the Handyman, or Nancy the neighbor.
• After a month of weekend showing appointments they mention that I can take them to lunch because it's a business expense. Sorry, gotta go.
• When I pick them up from the airport they have a LIST of places they want me to cart them around to before dropping them off at their hotel.

No matter what, in this business we cross paths with all types during the course of our careers. No matter what, I am human and I have feelings too. When people are just flat out rude and think a Realtor® is someone to use and abuse I keep telling myself, "It probably would have been a horrendous relationship anyway".

Over and over I come to the realization that in this business my personality has to connect with the consumer, the public, our peers (and everyone involved in the transaction) or there just won't be a happy ending.

When there is no hiding behind mask....there will be smooth tranactions.

I love happy endings.

In July of last year the Positive Attitude for the Weary Soul group held such a wonderful contest for all weary souls.  With an array of diversity in thinking, these members wrote some really good quality content and surely worth the time to read all. The theme of the contest was What Kind of Legacy Will You Leave Behind?  

If you would like to read some of the entries read on here>>>> **Winners** of the "Legacy" Contest : Positive Attitude for the Weary Soul Group

Back then I left the contest open for everyone to write something profound that they felt they are doing in their lives that they would surely want to be remembered for. You know....the good stuff. I mean....we don't want to leave bad tastes in peoples mouths when they speak our names long after we're gone right? How about what we teach our children or others in the Real Estate Industry and what they carry from what they learned from us?

It's a continuous cycle in this game called life. And the good qualities in me I know I passed to my children. I see it in them just as bright as day. I see it in the new agents that I've given helpful tips to and how they blossom into full bloom with each step they take.

Blogging for Business and Bonding With Peers. That is what ActiveRain means to me. Always within this memory bank of mine, I am human, but I am a professional. We all learn by example and I know that my legacy online will continuous live on with the memory of who "Sally" Cheeseman IS. She is not only the founder of the Positive Attitude for the Weary Soul group but leads by example.

So, with this in mind....the theme of this contest is

"What Kind of Legacy Will I Leave Behind.....ONLINE? "

• What kinds of examples are you setting for other members with your writing online?
• What suggestions can you give that you do that will benefit the ActiveRain community and your business.
• What values and beliefs do you hold that you believe you carry through your life from day to day in your writing here?
• What positive and inspirational suggestions can you give to others to be successful with blogging on ActiveRain?

Contest Rules and Criteria:

1. Contest will start September 5th, 2008 at 11:59pm ActiveRain Time and end  September 19^th, 2008  at MIDNIGHT ActiveRain time stamp ONLY)
2. You can enter as many posts as you like but you will be rewarded for only ONE post. 
3. You will need to join the POSITIVE ATTITUDE for the Weary Soul (if you're not a member) and post to the group.
4. Your title must include the words MY LEGACY ONLINE.
5. Enter the words "LEGACY ONLINE CONTEST" in your tags separated by a comma for whatever other tags you are going to add so we are able to find the posts by clicking on the Spring Views tag.
6. Content- Write as if your reader is walking right along with you while you are telling your story, giving inspiration and positive tips. Supporting the community with your words...it IS the people behind the words...that matter.
7. Appearance. Give a visual...bullet points...BOLD important tips and experience words.
8. Following the group  Guidelines ..... AND the Community Guidelines are imperative to your entry in the contest as well.
9. If you have questions...PLEASE ASK!

Judges are:

• Brian Block * Northern Virginia & DC Real Estate, Mana Tuhlberg *Camarillo County Real Estate and Carole Provenzale *Long Island Feng Shui!

Prizes (Awards): 

• First Place- 1500 points
• Second Place - 1000 points
• Third Place - 750 points
• And 200 additional points for all other entries

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When I die NO ONE is going to remember me for my computer skills and how good a blog I had (okay...some will lol). NO ONE is going to remember me for how many transactions I have had in my life. They are going to remember me for the kind of person I was. The demeanor I carried. The soul I had.

MY LEGACY IS ALL ABOUT THE QUALITY OF RELATIONSHIPS I HAVE WITH OTHERS ........ And.....   Without that quality, tell me.....what is a Professional worth?

Yeah, who wants to talk about the dirt and the scum of the earth?

I do! I do!

Ah...our beautiful Hawaiian paradise and THE environmentally aware residents who keep it that way. Opala (oh pah la) means garbage in Hawaiian. So, of course we take care of our opala. The City & County of Honolulu's Department of Environmental Services, Refuse Division manages the collection, disposal and recycling operations take care of our 'solid waste' with a waste management system.

We may have a great trash man and system but it's up to each individual to KNOW how to dispose or recyle the garbage they create in a responsible manner.

• Do you all know when your trash pick up days are?
• Do you know when the bulky item pickup comes to your area to pick up unwanted couches, appliances and so forth?
• Do you know how to contain liquid 'garbage' so it doesn't spill out into the street when the trash man picks it up?
• Do you know how and where to dispose of Household Hazardous Waste?
• Do you know where your recycling centers are?
• Do you know what you can recycle?

The following links will give you the answers!

Residential
Collection Schedules
New Curbside Recycling
Greenwaste-Curbside Dropoff
Community Recycling Bins
HI5 Redemption Centers
Bulky Collection
Condo Recycling
Household Hazardous Waste
Business Recycling
Business Recycling
Partnership for the Environment
Schools
Recycling Programs/
Equipment
Recycling Fundraisers
Education
Tour de Trash
Discover Recycling Fair
Issues
Waimanalo Gulch Landfill
Illegal Dumping

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A story:  I have to tell you all that the city and county provides huge trash bins for our trash. There was one freak accident my mom had with the bin. She was pruning some bushes and throwing the branches in the bin when her pruning shears fell in. Instead of tipping it over to retrieve them she leaned in and fell in......dislocating her shoulder. I had to take her to the emergency room and after they popped it in place and she had a shot to relieve the pain...then...and only then....did I tease her and tell her, "NO MORE DUMPSTER DIVING!"

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© 2008 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog. All rights reserved.

 With Jazz on Wednesday nights and a live local band every Friday night this is the added pleasures of dining at Tsukiji's Fish Market & Restaurant. We went a little early on Saturday to stand in line (we were first) and by time the doors opened 15 minutes later the line was snaking around the side of another restaurant!

Known for it's lunch and dinner buffet Tsukiji's Fish Market & Restaurant is huge! My husband, Gary, didn't even sit down....just headed off to the sushi bar! I headed down to the Yakitori Bar and then down to the tempura and udon section.

Loaded with plates piled highwe sat down with my clients for an hour and a half of .....eating and great conversation. (okay...we were cutting up and laughing out loud.....my mom surely would have called me boisterous lol)

And after many trips to the salad bar, sushi bar, yakitori bar, robataki and the buffet we finally rested so we could hit the dessert bar. Yup! From fresh fruit, to little strawberry shortcakes, chocolate cakes and shaved ice with bright colored syrups we were.....FULL!

Tsukiji also has a daily fish filleting demonstration by their skilled chefs so you can learn to fillet your fish like a pro! They bring in fresh fish and shellfish daily for purchase and also have a poke (po ke) bar too!

 One thing is for certain....you will enjoy the cultural diversity in FOOD!

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Located at Ho'okipa Terrace on the fourth floor of Ala Moana Center there are also VIP and meeting rooms to reserve for those bridal or baby showers or the big international business meetings. Fully equipped with audio and wireless internet those business meetings and events will surely be complete!

• Lunch Buffet and Sushi Bar (Daily):   11am to 2pm
• Dinner Buffet and Sushi Bar (Daily):  5pm to 10pm
• Fish Market (Daily):  11am to 6pm

Telephone:  (808)  237-5444

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© 2008 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog. All rights reserved.

Hawaii Military Relocation clients love a Realtor® that knows there 'stuff' regarding the area, the military and VA Loans for their Hawaii Home Buying experience.

I have been working with clients since May of this year and they are finally arriving tomorrow.

I will be picking them up from the airport and we will be hitting the pavement hard Tuesday morning for showing appointments.  I have been working for the last couple of hours setting appointments and think that maybe with this holiday weekend I should have started earlier.....or else agents don't work on weekends.

I managed to get ahold of two who said they had multiple offers and I asked them to call me if they all fall through. Yeah, right.

Then I managed to get ahold of two other agents and made appointments, Usually, if the seller is offering credit (as a bonus to the buyer for closing costs) or other things the agent would have it listed in the 'agent remarks' on the listing on our MLS......RIGHT?

So, on one of the appointments the remarks state that they want a certain escrow company so I ask the agent if they would be open to an escrow company of the buyer's choice. Uh, okay....no problem. (why state that we are to use a certain escrow then???) Then the agent proceeds to tell me how motivated the seller is. Uh, okay. Why isn't it in the agent remarks?

The agent will give me a call after confirming the showing with the seller. Uh, okay. The agent calls back and gives me the okay for showing and then proceeds to tell me how the seller is soooo motivated that they're willing to give the buyer credit for closing costs (most likely) AND the seller is really motivated to looking at lower offers (possibly).

Hmmmm.  Do you see what I see?

There are no two real estate transactions that are alike and the reason being is because every transaction has different people involved in it. No matter what, when everyone works together as a team there will be positive results. ALWAYS.

My clients flew in from California on Saturday and I wrote about Hawaii Military Relocation Clients Being Proactive!  Briefly, he searched the internet during his tour in Iraq and kept finding ME all over it for the search terms entered. He came back to the states last month, they went to Disneyland and then they called me. This was two weeks ago.

Preapproved and looking at listings, they want to put in an offer...that is accepted last Wedesday. They immediately made reservations to fly over and they arrived on Friday which of course I picked them up and took them to the home for their first peek.

THEY LOVED IT!

Yesterday we did the home inspection with American Certified Home Inspections and everything turned out great. Then they drove over to Kaneohe Marine Corp Air Station and then to meet with the Loan Officer. They are taking advantage of their VA Guaranteed Loan and you can read more here>> This Realtors® Perspective: Hawaii Military & the VA Loan

Since my clients were all game for the video testimonial I turned on the FLIP VIDEO ..............and it sure makes a difference to hear it!

The following video was filmed and viewable online with signed permission from my clients. BTW:  They told me that all the time we were talking long distance that they would crack up when I cracked up laughing. Okay...watch this:

© 2008 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog. All rights reserved.

He arrives back to the states after a tour in Iraq. He decides to take his family to Disneyland for a week vacation and his children are thrilled.

His wife is having a bunch of fun too....until he just can't leave Disneyland and all the WHOLE days events behind without....seeing the fireworks going off above the castle.

It was HIS Disneyland dream though he tried to play it off that this whole vacation was for the kids.  LOL!

This was one of the stories they told me yesterday after I picked them up from the airport.

They were adamant to be proactive and have a home recorded by time they transferred here in a couple of months and when they got home from Disneyland they called me.

You see, he had been in Iraq searching around the internet and he found me and sent her links to my 'stuff'. She read everything she could find that I had written.

Wow.

All that hard work is paying off.

Well, we had an offer accepted last Wednesday and they hopped on a plane to view their home for the first time and to also have a home inspection done (which is this morning).

After picking them up we headed to First American Title and dropped off their initial deposit and drove to Ewa Gentry....to the home 'their soon to be home'.

They walked in and loved it! I'm glad I went to view it and take video and pictures and had sent them all so they could see more than the few pictures on the mls. Still, it's not the same as walking in the home...and though they loved the pictures...they loved it more standing in the middle of 'their home' for the first time!

Hawaii Military Relocation family being proactive in their home purchase and PCS to Hawaii.

Oh...did I tell you?   They are first time Home Buyers too!

© 2008 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog. All rights reserved.

From others before Audrey June Forshey to our Feng Shui friend in Long Island Carole Provenzale who did these...now Kathy McGraw tagged me for laughing at her getting tagged for a MEME. Okay, my turn for this fill in the blank MEME. I've read many and I kind of like this style. Makes it easier to just fill it in instead of going through the memory bank to find a couple of topics.

Here I go!

1. I am -  a great wife, mother, daughter and friend
2.  I think - and rethink and I question myself through circumstances I am upset about. (it usually ends up back at me)
3. I can - have control over my own self and have no control over others.
4. I want - (need) to have balance in my life.
5. I have- made some wonderful friends on ActiveRain!
6. I wish- to make all my dreams come true for me and you....something about fairies here.
7. I hate - nothing but dislike much. Wow...what a Sally concept!
8.  I miss- my dad...he was my hero, my all American pop...and I was his pal.
9. I fear - much but do not run from it and instead stand up to my beliefs and principles.
10. I feel - my feelings and work through them so I can sleep at night.
11.  I hear- In Dis Life (Bradda Iz) which tells his story of his wife loving him.
12. I smell -  everything and sometimes it's a good thing....sometimes it's not such a good thing.
13. I search - for more knowledge.
14. I regret - nothing because everything I have done (or not) has brought me to this place and time I am now....which is absolute contentment...with self.
15. I love - everything natural and real ...including people.
16. I care - for all and help those who care about themselves and want the help.
17. I always -  wake up and go to sleep ....until the day I die.
18. I am not- fickle, egotistical and what you see is definitely what you get.
19. I believe - I can fly. (Not literally....I can do anything I want and need to do)
20. I dance - ....(rather lop around LOL) when I feel childish and playful.
21. I sing - when I'm alone and not offending anyone LOL.
22. I don't always-  keep from taking things personal.
23. I write- from the inside out. It works better that way :)
24. I win- when I keep striving to be a better person because it always starts with me.
25. I lose- when I give up.
26. I never- say never. In fact I don't even say that...there are none.
27. I listen -  to others needs and if I'm able I'll surely help.
28. I can usually be found - by calling me on my cell. J
29. I'm scared of - my children dying before me.
30. I read- everyday while I am on the pc.
31. I forget - to do things when I'm busy so I have to write things down.
32. I just- need to lead a simple life. There is nothing better in my world than to have enough and be satisfied than wanting more and more and more.

I was going to add a couple like I whine, I cry, I laugh and stuff like that but then everyone wouldn't believe what I whine about LOL!  I do cry during sad or happy movies and I laugh constantly!

I really enjoyed this Kathy...so there. So now.....I'm tagging William Johnson, Mana Tuhlberg, Jeremy Blanton

Hahahaha! I just read Pat Kennedy's post titled: The Uninvited Guest Blogger! (of course it inspired me to finally upload a video too)

Well, her poochie gets to sneak around and blog while she's gone. My English Cocker Spaniel can't get up to our pc's while we're gone.

And she "paws" our arms to get off our pc's when we're home so sometimes we have to let her go on the back porch to chill.

The following video is our dog Shadow "pawing the door" to come in.

Mom! Dad! Let me in! Get off your game dad and let me in! Quit blogging mom and let me in!

About a week and a half ago I was at the office and  I get a call on my cellular.Hmm...long distance. Bet it's a telemarketer. Hit ignore. The office phone rings and she asks for ... ME. Wouldn't you know it was her calling on my cellular hahaha!  Her husband came back from Iraq and saw my sites all over the internet so they called me. They are Military Relocating to Hawaii in December.

Talk about PRO ACTIVE in their search for a home! We now have an accepted contract (today) and they are flying in from California for their home inspection scheduled for Saturday. (and they get to see Hawaii for the first time in their lives!)

In communities such as the one my clients chose there are maintenance fees.It is a single family home but within a condo ownership association. I spoke with the on-site manager this morning because I wanted to find out what the maintenance fees take care of.

The maintenance fees take care of:

• Termite treatment - After the current six year contract is up with the liquid treatment they're moving on to the Sentricon System.
• Community Pool(and the on-site manager says it's the best in the area :)
• Recreation Center
• Parks and landscaping around the community
• Bulk of the homeowners insurance (just like condos ...get insurance for the inside of the home)
• Roads and street lights within the community
• Water
• Sewer

The Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii area has grown tremendously since developers starting building new homes starting from the early 1990's.  Located on our Southwestern shore of Oahu, the Ewa Beach area has beaches(One'ula and Ewa Beach Park), surfing spots, parks, golf courses, recreation centers and shopping centersto accommodate the still growing community.

If you are Military Relocating to Hawaii, Relocating due to a job change,  Retiring to paradise, or just a change in lifestyle you'll find that you will get more bang for your buck in the Ewa Gentry areas.

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The following statistics for the Ewa Gentry Single Family homes are for the last six months to present.  These communities include Ewa Gentry Las Brisas, Ewa GentryTiburon, Ewa Gentry Terrazza, Ewa Gentry Sun Terra, Ewa Gentry Montecito/Tuscany, and Ocean Pointe homes.

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Today marks the day in history of Women's Equality Day. Wow, until Kathy McGraw mentioned it yesterday I most likely would have woken up this morning feeling as if "it's just another day". Not so! Today marks the day of the passage of the 19th Amendment; The Woman Suffrage Amendment to the U.S. Consititution. Women were given full voting rights in 1920. 

Read Kathy's story here:  Tuesday Truths....Burning that Bra Didn't help everyone

Over time we all start to take things forgranted just because all of the hard work is done already. I didn't stop to realize just how much other people have done in the past to pave the way for me. And young adults like my children don't stop and realize just how much we have done to pave the way for them.

The women of the United States who played key roles in the movement.... YOU CAN READ A WHOLE LIST HERE>>>> The long road to suffrage  I am in awe over. We tend to get complacent and don't get involved with our communities because even now the women work outside the home and get caught up in that as well. (okay, I do)

It took 80 years of women bonding together to gain significant footage to be able to vote and on August 26, 2001 George Bush declared this day as Women's Equality Day.

I am sitting here writing and thinking about all of this right now and came to terms with what I am free to do in this wonderful United States. VOTE.

I have my Voter's Registration Card sitting on the hutch above my pc and I am awaiting.....the day we ....We the Women....VOTE.   And I'll be at the front of the line now :)

Kam Swap Meet is located right across from Pearlridge Shopping Center on the Macy's side. Back when I was a kid it was the local drive in theater. In fact, one time my mom and I went and we both fell asleep and woke up to a bare parking lot! I woke my mom and she took off like a bat out of hell and dragged the speaker thingy out of the ground. She was so scared that she threw it out the window! LOL!

Okay. Back to my story.  Kam Swap Meet is a local style swap meet with all the souvenirs, all kinds of clothing, jewelry, arts, polynesian style crafts and such but also with the vegetables, fish, food, plants and some used stuff on the back rows.

This past Saturday I felt the need to restock on some orchid plants. They always seem to die off one by one.  :(  So we hit it up to the Kam Swap Meet specifically for orchids. And ....some vegetables. And some sliced coconut.

I spent the rest of the afternoon transplanting my orchids (which by the way cost me $19.00 for four of different colors and types) and cleaned out the rest of my little courtyard garden.

The price to pay for an array of colors to look at when at my pc is minimal!

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Kam Swap Meet  is open on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. They usually start at the crack of sunlight and they usually start breaking down around noon.

© 2008 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Blog. All rights reserved.

I know there's a lot of these "We buy houses" signs all over the nation...but right here on Oahu? 

We went out yesterday and within 10 minutes of each other there were signs for "WE BUY HOUSES".

One was right in our residential area and the other one right on the highway.

Now, we are always instructed to not place our Open House signs on the highways (and this is just for a couple of hours) so why do these guys get to have theirs up 24/7?

These advertising bits are all over the internet and on streets. .....Boasting "We Buy Houses For Cash!  Avoid Foreclosure! Buy a Foreclosure Home! Sell Your House Today!"

Is it that easy?