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

With the changing times in our housing market came big changes altogether for FHA and VA loan criteria. The biggest stunner was the condo/townhouse complexes that used to be FHA or VA approved; but alas no more.

Don't wait until after you get into contract to get shocked that the condo/townhouse is no longer approved by FHA or VA. Get your homework done and check before you list that property and check before you write that contract for your buyer. 

You can get lists of complexes for FHA approved condo/townhouses/homes/communities for any state at this site:  FHA approved homes and communities  and this site is for VA approved condos.

 The owner occupancy rate of 51 % is the biggest determination for the condo being approved as well as the insurance coverage.  Ask your lender if they are able to determine project eligibility, review project documentation and certify if that property is not FHA/VA approved.

Be proactive before you list a property or write a contract.

Find out more from a lender and do your homework.

We all tend to grasp a few things along the way to incorporate into our business model.   There are some pointers we can use and some we keep on the back burner for another time.  Who knows when we'll be able to utilize them with a potential client.

Preparing a listing presentation or a buyer packet is surely an art. I prepare each and every one with care, consideration and geared specifically for the client. I try to make it interesting and attach a cover letter, graphs, articles I've written and loads of information.

I recently added something to the presentation/packet that I really got a kick out of. It was one simple sheet asking "What are the top three considerations that are important to you in selecting a Realtor®? 

I've asked them face to face every single time I've had a meeting,  but there was nothing more profound than watching them discuss together and then with me and then writing it down.

When is the best time for me to present this to the potential client?

1. Listing appointment:  After going through the property step by step and getting feedback from the Hawaii Home Seller about highlights and upgrades and talking with them about their needs/wants, comps, pricing and so forth.  Then we sign the listing agreement.
2. Buyer appointment:  After going through their options, criteria for a home, talking with them about their needs/wants and getting feedback from the Hawaii Home Buyer  and before setting appointments for showing appointments.

It's a great discussion to see where my potential client's thinking is...and an enlightening experience of what they actually thought about that first initial meeting with their Hawaii Real Estate Professional. More often than not there are usually these same answers but worded differently:

Communication.

Listening to their Needs.

What I will do for them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

We represent our clients best interests. THAT is my first and foremost priority when strategizing the sale of a home. In  Strategic Planning + Hard Work = Property IN CONTRACT my planning turned out to be a big positive and the townhouse was in contract by day ONE after the Open House. With 50+ guests to view the Mililani Townhouse for Sale there was no doubt in my mind that all efforts paid off.

But by the third day in contract the buyer's agent politely calls to inform us that they are backing out. No home inspection yet either. "The wife didn't really like it" was the reason....but hey......

.....I'd rather find out quickly rather weeks down the line.

At last Sunday's Open House the guest sign in sheets were filled out completely with guest, name of agent and so forth. I had also made notes on the side of the guests (i.e. very interested and said their agent would be contacting me) so I would remember who they were.

So when the contract fell out I hopped on the phone and within the hour had called five agents with the interested clients from the Open House. They were so excited and the following day received four contracts. We are now back in contract and have a back up offer besides.

Always have a backup plan.

Because as we all know it's never for sure....until it records.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com

Supporting Hawaii Local Businesses!

We all talk about how we go above and beyond the call of duty in our businesses and there are many different opinions of exactly what that means. In a market that has been undoubtedly slow we have to be unique in our approach in doing the best we can for a Hawaii Home Seller and GETTING THE PROPERTY SOLD!

After viewing a property the Saturday before  it was obvious there would be MUCH to do as the property was a rental for MANY years. The listing was signed with the contingency that it would not be shown until all repairs and cleaning were complete. 

I started brainstorming and came up with a few ideas I thought would work to get it on the market and hold an Open House the next Sunday:

• By the next morning- Sunday-  the painter started on not only painting but spraying new ceiling throughout the downstairs. (don't ask me how it got so many dings and scrapes...they may have been walking the ceilings?)
• The painter finished up putting back the ceiling fans etc by Monday. The handyman started to do a few odds and ends and installed the new range hood.
• On Tuesday we went in to do some cleaning to put a ‘woman's touch' on everything. Argh....that took 2.5 days and it was more than what I first thought. Also, the flooring guys came in to change the tile in both bathrooms and put new baseboards and the handyman came back to finish up some final work.
• On Wednesday the new dishwasher was delivered, I put up the listing on the MLS with specific instructions that the first showing was at the first Open House on Sunday.  Added just a bit of staging (plants, rugs, table etc.) so the floor plan was evident.
• Thursday and Friday screens were cleaned, additional caulking and open lanai painted (it had splotches of three different colors) and I added the listing to MULTIPLE sites and the final touch up cleaning through Saturday.

From Wednesday to Saturday many calls came in to view the property before Open House day but they were politely declined due to  ‘work being done' and told to please attend the First Open House/Showing on Sunday.

Sunday's Open House proved fruitful and it turned out to be a great strategy for a highly desirable complex........21 groups of people (about 50+ individuals) came through and only 1 person signed in the guest book that DID NOT HAVE AN AGENT.  By Monday morning (yesterday) we had an offer in hand.  By the afternoon we had other calls from agents saying their clients came to Open House and considering putting in an offer.

The property is now in contract and in escrow.

Moral?   Even though a lot of work in a short period of time (and at minimal price) went into getting the property ready.... it was well worth it to get the property sold!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com

Supporting Hawaii Local Businesses!