Hawaii Real Estate | Hawaii Relocations | Hawaii Home Buying & Selling

At the time when the credit card bill would soon become law, the credit card companies decided to really whack everyone's credit limit....including mine. What was once only 25%-50% of my credit card limit became 90% in a split second!  "Coincidentally" (I don't believe in coincidences by the way) the loan companies started changing criteria for loan programs and all of a sudden my buyers did not qualify.

Even your home buyer's credit score dropped and they weren't qualified any longer!

It's no wonder a home buyer can't get a loan!  At a time when it appears it is the best time to buy, it may not be the case for MANY others.  It depends on the circumstances of each individual and household and definitely depends on their credit score.

They are screaming, "The interest rates are low"!

They double scream, "But home prices are low AND interest rates are low"!

My favorite Geico commercial is about ‘the bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" and the woman can't believe it and says....REALLY?   Well, that's my answer for interest rates and prices of homes at all time low for the past four to five years is..... REALLY?

They got bailed out from situations that arose from their own doing.....

....and they make it nearly impossible for most middle class Americans to get a home loan.

The American Dream........

REALLY?

While we were driving over to Kaneohe (on the northeast side of our island of Oahu) yesterday, I pondered on thoughts of where we were going, who we were spending Christmas with and what the real meaning of a holiday was.

I thought, It really isn't about the tangible stuff we call gifts. It's about the present. It's about the fact that I live and I will die but what's more important is what I do in between that matters. The now.

So, what was important yesterday?

The beauty that surrounds me every day that I sometimes do not appreciate caught up with me.  We all get tied up in everyday life and the expectations of others. Our businesses, our personal relationships and just the whole hustle and bustle of each holiday.

 So what made yesterday so special?

Mentally, I stopped.  I took out my camera and started to enjoy the ride and the beauty that all around me. The beauty that is there right in front of me each and every day. I was in awe and snapped many a picture to capture this moment in time.

I was but a small being traveling amongst the majestic mountains before me.

I was in the middle of a man made highway high above ground and heading to the tunnels through those majestic mountains to get to the other side. 

 Life is so short I thought.

A ray of sunshine peeking through the mist and clouds to show the sleepy coastal town below me;

a picture perfect show that will plant a seed in my memory bank.

A view from atop that allowed me to feel the greatness of the view before me;

for being someone so small and seemingly so insignificant in such a vast world of beauty.

I will remember this day of sharing hopes, dreams and a bright future.

All because I stopped to appreciate all before me that went beyond.....

Stuff.

P.S.

I did save this tangible gift from my daughter to share with you for the very last. It served more than the purpose to give comfort to my feet and just a gift. My daughter and I share a common bond.....holding on to the kid inside in a grown up world.

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    Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman is a Realtor-Associate with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs  she KNOWS and serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocating to Hawaii, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents.

There is nothing finer that receiving an unexpected gift from a past client. This client was actually the client that sent in a beautiful letter to our Honolulu Board of Realtors to nominate me for the Aloha Aina Realtor® Award and also a three time client within the past year and a half.

Long story short I opened a letter the other day and lo and behold ....

a Kazoku Japanese Restaurant gift card was inside!

Located in Kapolei (otherwise known now as the ‘Second City') at 338 Kamokila Blvd,, Ste 102, Kapolei, HI  96707 (phone:  674-8844) on Oahu, Kazoku Japanese Restaurant (and sushi bar) proved to be wonderful dining for a big lunch before shopping on Christmas Eve.

I had a mouth watering cooked to perfection  sizzling rib eye steak platter (smoking hot!) and we shared an array of sushi and appetizers off the rolling sushi bar as well.  My husband had a bento style dinner with tempura scallops and Ahi  Katsu  (a bigeye or yellowfin tuna and can be eaten raw...or cooked like in this case lightly breaded and deep fried and chopped into bite sized pieces).

Good food, great service and a family atmosphere.

Kazoku Japanese Restaurant ...

Japanese cuisine and sushi at its finest.

ONOlicious!

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    Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman is a Realtor-Associate with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs  she KNOWS and serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocating to Hawaii, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents.

We have almost 200,000 members on ActiveRain and will no doubt hit that mark quickly in 2011. In March of 2011 it will be four years I've been a member on ActiveRain and surely being an Ambassador has been a privilege and an honor to help out our fellow members and give back to the community.

Everyone has their own ideas about blogging and social networking and also how they will conduct themselves online. I have my own as well and have written many posts along my tenure here on ActiveRain.  Instead of being repetitive I'll just link to some of them.

• What Kind of Legacy Will You Leave Behind?  Written in 2007 I already knew the significance of blogging with care for our online 'legacies' and reputations are at stake.  My favorite line in this post is:

 MY LEGACY IS ALL ABOUT THE QUALITY OF RELATIONSHIPS I HAVE WITH OTHERS

  And.....   Without that quality, tell me.....what is a Professional worth?

(we sleep well at night)

• Creating Your OWN Blogging Experience on ActiveRain We ALL know that a great blog has quality content, being transparent in that content and having a variety of subjects in content.  It is also the best marketing tool I know of but you have to create your own blogging experience.
• Are You Engaging Your Readers?   We make it INTERESTING for the reader. Again...variety is key. Localism posts are my favorite although I have to admit I get tickled to switch from one topic and subject to another. Personal posts, market reports, off topic, real estate industry related with a personal touch from those experiences.
• You May Have a Different View on the Same Topic....So Write IT!  We ALL have written on the same topics and we all get those comments on our posts like, "I wrote about that before" or "Here's a link to my post on the same topic".   Well, all I have to say is WRITE IT ANYWAY!  There are no two humans who think alike so there will be different views and opinions...though on the same topic.  It WILL create a conversation.
• The Secret Behind Blogging on ActiveRain Discussing the parts of a dedicated member and blogger of ActiveRain and what it takes to become and remain so.  So how does one become a dedicated member and blogger?  If you are a dedicated member and blogger of ActiveRain, you KNOW........ It's really no secret how you can become a dedicated member and blogger on ActiveRain.  You work for it.
• The POWER of ActiveRain...The PEOPLE Behind the WORDS It's the people we "meet" while writing and commenting that have made this network by ‘blog of choice'. These connections and friendships formed are what connects us together in the real estate industry. I have no doubt received referrals and this post was specifically written through one of my friendships formed with William E. Johnson
• Making My OWN Magic in the World of Blogging was one of my favorites and will certainly be one of my best for my own experience with what made me successful in writing here on ActiveRain.

Bottom line is that I have to put forth the effort, dedication and commitment to make this network work for business, personal relationships and referrals. I work hard and spend countless hours getting post after post up. We then CONNECT.  

How can one form even a business relationship without comingling with our peers?

I have simple rules for myself that made me a successful through my writing....Think it may help you?

• Write with conviction and passion because everyone will read you if you do.
• Write with original content and your own pictures you've taken because everyone will read if you do. 
• Write with wit, humor and emotion because everyone will read you if you do.
• Write with the intent of giving back to the community because everyone will read you and give back to you and the community too.
• Write with integrity, honesty and respect because everyone deserves it and so do you.
• Write a comment or two relating to the post you just read (it shows sincerity) and everyone will continue to come back and read you too.
• Write from your own thoughts and creativity because no one will read you if you don't.

Find your own (addictive) pattern of writing.

I already found mine...hehehe.

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A VERY Happy Holiday Season to all staff and members of ActiveRain....OH...and my family who supported me through this addiction...lol

After reading Scott Fogleman's post on When did it become ok to give buyers keys before closing?  I started boiling inside thinking about the speaker in the Sentrilock class at our GMM (Honolulu Board of Realtors General Membership Meeting) meeting a couple weeks ago.

The panel gave their feedback on why the Sentrilock Electronic Lockbox was a plus for our listings. This speaker gave an example of how he had regular Masterlock lockbox on the door and one day he went to check on it and the combination had been changed!

Gasps!  You could hear the majority of the class commence whispering!

Why so surprised?  I think the majority of us weren't surprised and had many situations arise with regular lockboxes but none of them more famous than an agent giving their buyer the combo because they were too ‘busy' (I say lazy) to accompany their client on the showing appointment.

A few years ago, I found out a buyer had gone in to view a listing of mine without his agent ...

because the buyer picked up one of my cards and called me for additional information!

Oahu Real Estate agents and our Honolulu Board of Realtors have been trying to incorporate widespread use of the Sentrilock electronic lockbox and many agents huff and puff at the additional cost for membership, the lockbox and a slight inconvenience to renew their cards. 

How can these minor inconveniences and costs not be worth the safety of the seller's home?

As soon as the Sentrilock lockboxes arrived a couple years ago many of us in our office bought into it. THE BIGGEST REASON WAS SAFETY FOR OUR CLIENTS!  The next was because we'd all had instances where agents had given their client the combination number and did not accompany their client.

We now have mandatory Honolulu Board of Realtors "Smartcards" so every agent will use them for entry to a listing with their client....although there are many who still call for a one day code because they did not renew their card at the office.

THEY SELL THE Card Reader for a whopping TEN DOLLARS!

Any more excuses not to use the Sentrilock Electronic Lockbox and the system?

The safety  and protection of our seller's homes are top priority.

What else need I say?

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    Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman is a Realtor-Associate with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs  she serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocating to Hawaii, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents.

Oh, we will change like chameleons in an ever changing market of Real Estate. We often cross paths with like minded clients, peers and team players to our transactions.  Our personalities will click and everything will run smoothly. Others that we don't click with is just fine too...because  we ARE the heart of all things real estate.

We Have What It Takes.

We're peacemakers, negotiators, educators, listeners and give sound advice and direction for all things real estate. No matter what is going on in the transaction we keep a level head and there is no such thing as bantering and being a party to a house of ill repute.

 Our reputation is the one thing that we base our business on and without an awesome reputation there will be nothing. We adapt and are adept in our knowledge in real estate and we have the skills to educate others. We are well trained individuals and build our business with a solid foundation;  including our ability to be personable with all on the team.

What we all have in common is the ability to mesh with all types of people.

This is Real Estate at its finest...

Do You Have What It Takes?

We all want to get ourselves and our listings ‘out there' on the internet for maximum exposure. I mean, it's only logical since 85-90% of all real estate related hits are from home buyers and home sellers.  Just think.

Submitting our listings to our local MLS is THE best place for our listings as it will syndicate to a large number of additional sites as well.  ActiveRain, Zillow, Trulia, Craigslist, Homes.com (and the list goes on) are other large sites where a large number of those Home Buyers and Home Sellers frequent.

But how often do we hear from our clients (and the general public) that they saw on these ‘other sites' that their home is worth more.....when we give them comps ?

Our Honolulu County MLS system comes with many rules and regulations (as with most other states/counties) and they have penalties and consequences if our data is not updated.  In turn, that updated data is used for sold properties when we give our clients comparable properties when they are wanting to list their property for sale.

We also use comps when our home buyers desire to put in an offer but want to know the last solds in that particular neighborhood or complex.  It is detrimental to have up to date information to give our clients the current market value for the subject property.

Granted, it's hard to run around trying to update all different sites ‘in case' the consumer is looking at all these ‘other' sites and not getting the information they need.  It's especially hard when those "other sites" take info from other sites but don't update it as well.   We can Google properties and come up with ten out of twenty that are not up to date listings, in contract, pending and solds.

Just how much of what we read on the internet is factual?

Ask your Realtor® for UP TO DATE information.....

You do want current market information, right?

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    Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman is a Realtor-Associate with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs  she serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocating to Hawaii, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents.

Have you ever wondered what makes a good blog to gain readership?  In the beginning I just thought that it would be great to get a bunch of members reading my post. It was a lot of fun and darn if I didn't get a bunch of featured posts. I made friends and boy did we have a lot of fun!

Eventually my writing took a turn and I took everything I wrote to a higher level. I started to think about all the leads I was getting from my ActiveRain blog and what the topics were that they were contacting me about.  The consumer /lead wanted to not only get information about real estate but my local area.

I then turned my focus to a variety of topics to write about because after all- Isn't Real Estate about everything and anything in our local community if we're to be classified as local experts?

Gearing toward specifics related to Real Estate to write about lead me to delve into writing about:

• Businesses in my community:   I wrote about the restaurants I had dined, the material warehouse where I got TLW some material for scarves and even down to the Aloha Stadium and Kam Swap Meets and Pearlridge Mall.
• Local Celebrities:  Ron Artis (he passed away yesterday) who painted murals all over buildings here, Eddie Aikau the famous surfer, Braddah Iz (Israel Kamakawiwoʻole) a wonderful musician and more.
• Hawaiian Historical Sites and Info:  I wrote about the Night Marchers and the Menehune's and historical landmarks and sites to see such as the Hawaiian Heiau's (Ancient Hawaiian Temples), Burial Sites and Laws and the Bishop Museum.
• Hawaiian History of:  I researched and found out where Aloha Hawaiian Print Material started, about Hula, King Kamehameha,The History of Father Damien in the Land of the Exiled, the History of Homes and so forth.
• Real Estate:  Hawaii Real Estate Contracts and Laws (every state is different.....) Condo Associations, Open Houses,  the volcanoes and vog, zoning information, VA Loan Transactions in Hawaii and Relocating to Hawaii. ADD ON:  Even about my growing up in the Mililani Community Mililani Town Homes| Mililani Mauka Homes| Growing Up with the Mililani Community!
• Scenery and Visuals:  I love taking my camera around the island and snapping shots of anything and everything. Being a great photographer can lead to a visual grasp of the reader for your post. You can always use the photo and build a story on it.

Remember, writing about everything and anything in your community will give you that extra advantage when your client asks you about businesses, history, real estate and your neighborhood.

Be that local expert.

You can make it fun and......

Being prepared with information past your real estate knowledge.

Mililani Real Estate Market Report | Mililani Home Sales November 2010

The national news does not depict the housing market for Hawaii and it's local areas and neighborhoods.. Each neighborhood will determine the housing market for your local area. For Mililani Real Estate, we can pretty much gather that that the sales prices will vary from other neighborhoods.... and so will the median and average prices and the number of sold properties.

Mililani Town and Mililani Mauka Homes, Condos and Townhouses

To better determine particulars for your market (with criteria including your sq/ft interior, land, condition and year built), contact this Realtor Associate® for a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis).

Mililani Single Family Homes Market Report November 2010:  We have 40 Active Listings for October 2010 (21 for Mililani Town and 19 Mililani Mauka), with 29  in contract (19  for Mililani Town and 10 for Mililani Mauka) and 20 sold properties (7 for Mililani Town and 9 for Mililani Mauka)  Mililani Single Family Home activity remains comparable with previous months for 2010 with multiple contracts submitted and accepted due to the lower inventory. Average Sales Prices were a lower at $594,843 than the previous month of  $641,150 and about the same price range of $597,333 a year ago. Average days on market...DOM was 63 days.  

Mililani Condo Statistics for October 2010: We have 97 Active condos/townhouses on the market from November 2010 (77 for Mililani Town and 20 for Mililani Mauka), 34 Pending (22 for Mililani Town and 12 for Mililani Mauka),   and 27 sold (19 for Mililani Town and 8 for Mililani Mauka) . Average sales price of $ 275,516 a slight increase from October 2010 of $271,382  and down slightly from a year ago at $288,321.. Average days on market for November 2010 -DOM was 59 days.

Needles to say, our Mililani Condo Townhouse and Home Sales are fluctuating ever so slightly in sales numbers and sales prices.

Still moving, still trying to find a happy medium- but still selling!

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Remember...that there is still the  Hawaii Home Buyer | SOME Military Qualify for Extended Tax Credit and you can read further for more information to see if you qualify!

• Mililani Market Report October 2010
• Mililani Market Report September 2010
• Honolulu Market Report July 2010
• Honolulu Market Report May 2010
• Mililani Market Report April 2010
• Mililani Market Report February 2010
• Mililani Market Report January 2010
• Honolulu County Market Report- November 2009
• Honolulu County Market Report October 2009
• Honolulu County Market Report September 2009
• Ewa Gentry Ocean Pointe  Market Report Sept 2009

 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman is a Realtor-Associate with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs  she serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocating to Hawaii, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents

Okay, let's get going again with this moving thing. In order to have a smooth transition in your Hawaii Relocation you NEED to be proactive!  Get your  "To Do" list together so you will not be scrambling at the last minute!  So often we procrastinate and forget ‘to do' things so a ‘to do' list may just come in handy.

The following list will  give you a guideline and help you in being proactive with your Move to Hawaii.

• USPS (United States Postal Service) has all the tools online at   to give notice of your 'Change of Address', to Hold your mail until you get to your new address, for shipping products, services and more. (Notify all your banks, credit card company and any other bill payees)
• Make sure and start preparing your pet for relocation long before! You can find more information as well in this  Animal Quarantine's Hawaii Rabies Quarantine Brochure  and in the  Checklist for 5-day or Less Program 
• Get in touch with this local Hawaii Realtor® and start your personalized search for your new home with the online personal webpage I'll set up for you according to your special and specific criteria. You can view a wide selection of home, condos and townhouse with the Hawaii and Nationwide Home Search too.
• Get all your documents together that you will need for your loan process (i.e. 2 mos. bank statements, LES (paycheck stubs), two years W-2's) Your loan officer will give you a detailed list as well.
• Your Important family documents:  Your birth certificates, social security cards, marriage records, divorce or death records, your children's school records, ALL pet documents, medical records, shot records, car documents, and any other documents you may need before your household goods arrive.
• Pack necessities. Your household goods may take up to 6-8 weeks to arrive so make sure you have basic important necessities and valuables packed. Remember, Hawaii is a tropical climate and you will NOT need snow clothing :) 
• Have a garage sale with items you have not used for six months and longer or no longer need. Your Hawaii Home will most likely have less interior sq, ft. so be prepared for smaller. Washer/Dryers usually are included with the sale of a property.  
• Book Airline Tickets ahead of time if you know your exact departure date.  Two weeks or more and you'll get a big discount on airfare. Be sure to go to this website for items not allowed through checkpoints and basic tips for travelers http://www.tsatraveltips.us/
• Book your hotel /lodging WAY ahead of time.   If you are arriving during peak tourist season I can guaranty that the hotel rooms are booked way in advance.

With our warm climate, tropical breezes and breathtaking scenery you can be assured the Hawaiian Islands are all you've heard...and then some. Helping you to make your Hawaii transition, relocation and home buying process a smooth one.

Be proactive for your Hawaii Relocation!

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"Sally" Cheeseman  is a Realtor-Associate® with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs  she serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocating to Hawaii, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents.

December of 2007 seems to be so far away back in time. But it was a time when Shadow was going through low blood platelets and gaining weight from all the steroids the doctor put her on. She was craving for food and dying of thirst all the time.... during this time of steroids.

.....until she hit 49 pounds. Now that is NOT a good weight for an English Cocker Spaniel to carry around. She was so pathetic and you could see it in her eyes. She was having a hard time breathing but gosh darn, she still managed to try and live her life to the fullest.

This moment was caught in time. A moment with Shadow and my husband Gary.....

Through this Kodak moment you can see the love and caring he has for his best little girl

A time when Shadow was so uncomfortable but allowed him to lift her on his lap.

(Photo taken with a Kodak Easy Share V705!  Oh, and I still have it and use it)

After putting her through blood tests every other week for almost a year we decided to just cut it out and let her live her life without all the drama and trauma.  We put her on weight control dog food and weaned her off the steroids and after six months she was drug free and losing some of that weight. 

Now, three years later she is down to a healthy 29 pounds and is happy as a clam.

I wish I could say the same about Gary and I.

We found that weight.

This post is written as a submission to the ActiveRain 'Kodak Moments' contest. I have the chance to win the KODAK EASYSHARE M580 Digital Camera

To participate in the ActiveRain contest, visit the blog post announcing the contest from Kodak and ActiveRain.