Considered to be the “third region of Mililani”, Launani Valley is a secluded master planned development in the valley below Mililani Tech Park. About 5 minutes away is Wheeler AAF and Schofield Barracks and definitely convenient for the military and government workers at these Army Bases on Oahu.  A hop, skip and jump and you’re on the freeway and about 20-25 miutes to Hickam AFB and Pearl Harbor Navy Base and 35-40 minutes down the H-2 Freeway to the H-1 Freeway to downtown Honolulu.

What’s even better is the North Shore of Oahu (beaches, surfing, scuba diving and more!) is just 20 minutes away!  One of my favorite spots is Laniakea Beach which is known as Turtle Beach for our Honu (Ho New), the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles who bask on the beach in the sun.

Waihuna Joint Venture was the Developer of the fee simple Woodcreek Homes in Launani Valley and these zero lot line homes were built between 2001 and 2004. A total of 102 Woodcreek Homes built were either  ‘attached’ homes (duplex style) or detached dwellings, all with two car garages, developer fences around the properties throughout the community. The owner occupant level for this community is 71.57%.

Woodcreek 3-4 bedroom Homes Market Report for the last six months:  We have 0 Active Listings currently with 6 homes in contract and 5 sold.  A sign that Launani Valley’s Wookcreek Home activity is picking up Sales Prices Ranged from $435,000 (3 bedrooms) to $495,000 (4 bedrooms).  Woodcreek Homes in Launani Valley were on the market an average of 44 days.

We’ve definitely had a turn in our Mililani Oahu Housing Market and this includes the Woodcreek at Launani Community.  We have had our ups and downs but our market took an upward turn in the last few months including higher prices and shorter length of time on the market. 

Our interest rates are still at an all time low and these interest rates could make the difference on your monthly mortgage payment. JUMP OFF THE FENCE NOW!  Oahu Housing Market is slowly turning into a SELLER’S market with our LOW INVENTORY and upward climbing home sale prices.

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I shared an information email to our Century 21 Liberty Homes agents this morning and decided to share here as well. Too often there is not enough information out there for our Military Members who bought before July 01, 2006 who could qualify for the HAP program....READ ON!

I thought this would benefit many of our past/present clients who are military members and under water on their homes.

I currently have a client who bought her Mililani Home in early 2006 and we are currently going through a HAP sale and getting ready to close.

What it is...is that at closing, Seller sells to HAP (US Government) and HAP sells the home to the buyer (simultaneous closing) and pays the seller's deficiency, closing costs, Realtor® commission and so forth.

IT ALSO SAVES the Military member's credit rather than going the short sale route.  Make sure they have kept up with maintenance fees, assessments, property taxes etc....otherwise, just as any other transaction they could have additional liens slapped on their property.

A. PCS refers to the assignment or transfer of a member to a different permanent duty station (PDS), to include relocation to place of involuntary retirement, under a competent authorization/order that does not specify the duty as temporary, provide for further assignment to a new PDS, or direct the military service member return to the old PDS.

To qualify, a service member must have:

• owned home prior to July 1, 2006
• have PCS orders dated between February 1, 2006 and September 30, 2010. (This date may be extended to September 30, 2012, at the discretion of the DUSD(I&E) based on availability of funds)
• reassigned to a new duty station or home port outside a 50-mile radius of the member's former duty station or home port
• suffered a decline of at least a 10% in home value from the date of purchase to date of sale (market value of the home will be verified by the USACE).

ROYAL PALM at Waipio Gentry

Information and Real Estate Sales Statistics

 May 2012

The Waipio Gentry Community is minutes from Mililani Town,  Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Army Air Field and centrally located on Oahu to Hickam AFB, Pearl Harbor Naval Base. Waipio Gentry is a small residential area and a bit of industrial area as well.  With an Autoplex, Costco, a couple of strip malls and many small businesses, it is a self sustaining community with a close knit residential community.

The Royal Palm @ Waipio is a townhouse complex in Waipio Gentry. With many parking stalls that are carport style it becomes one of the ‘perks’ that many decide to buy a unit here as well as the pool/recreation area, walking/jogging path and a day time residential manager and nighttime security riding around on their golf cart.

The Royal Palm @ Waipio have studios (efficiencies), one and two bedrooms. Maintenance fees for have gone up a little bit for 2012 although it covers water, sewer, parking, trash, master insurance, ground treatment for termites and other common element expenses.

Current Market Statistics for Royal Palm @ Waipio Gentry for the last six months:

*DOM (Days on Market)

Royal Palm at Waipio Gentry

Townhouse living at it's finest!

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Mililani Real Estate | Mililani Condos, Townhouse, Homes | Mililani Quarterly Market Report for 2012

Mililani Town is the only community in Hawaii to receive the distinction of All American City in 1986 and is centrally located on the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and to all US Military Bases as well. About 5-10 minutes up Highway 99 is Schofield Barracks and Wheeler AAF and Hickam AFB and Pearl Harbor Navy Base are about 20 to 25 minutes down H-2 to H-1 Freeway and Kaneohe Marine Corp Air Station is on the Windward side of Oahu over the H-3 Freeway.

We’ve definitely had a turn in our Mililani Oahu Housing Market.  We have had our ups and downs but our market is in a buyer AND seller mode now and a negotiating market to say the least.

Let’s take a look at the months of January through March of 2012………..

2012 Quarterly Market Report for Mililani Condos, Townhouses, Homes

Mililani Single Family Home 2012 Quarterly Market Report:  We have 46 Active listings and 47 in contract for the first quarter of 2012. There were 44 Mililani Sold Homes in the first quarter of 2012 with Sales Prices ranging from $490,000 (3 bedroom home) to $1,500,000 (4 bedroom luxury home) on the golf course. Average Days on the Market was 63 days for the first quarter of 2012.

Mililani Condo/Townhouse 2012 Quarterly Market Report: We have 61 Active condos/townhouses on the market and a promising 48 properties in contract for the first quarter of 2012. There were 61 sold condos/townhouses in the first quarter of 2012 with Sales Prices ranging from $114,200 (1 bedroom condo) to $465,000 (3 bdrm townhouse) compared to 65 condos/townhouses sold in 2011.  Average Days on the Market were 71 days for the first quarter of 2012.

Mililani has had a consistent housing market during the first quarter of 2012. The start of 2012 shows a promising active market with many properties currently in contract and getting ready to close. The only difference this quarter compared to the same time period last year is that buyers are out and putting in multiple offers on properties! 

For those Hawaii Home Buyers who are sitting on the fence: These all time low Mililani Homes for Sale are at all time low prices with VERY low interest rates to boot.  The math is clear, so if your current situation is in a buy mode I would say jump off that fence!

Our Mililani HOME Inventory is a LOWER now than a year ago and prices are slowly regaining ground.  Also, wait any longer and a higher interest rate could make a HUGE difference on your monthly mortgage payment!

If you are thinking about selling or buying a home on Oahu, Honolulu County, Hawaii email me at sally@hawaiihomesmarket.com! 

Over a year ago this Mililani Real Estate Agent received a phone call from a potential Mililani Home Seller who wanted to meet with me and discuss a possible listing of their Mililani Home.   We talked about my marketing plan, comparable properties in the Mililani Housing Market area for ‘attached’ homes and what I will do for them.

We made an appointment to meet face to face as the Mililani Home Seller ‘found me on the internet’ while looking for a Mililani Real Estate Agent.  We talked about the circumstances for their thinking about selling the Mililani Hawaii Home as well as going through everything else we did not discuss on the phone, including possibly renting out their Mililani Home. 

They would get back with me within the week and let me know what they decided.  A few days later they called and said they would keep the home awhile longer BUT when they do decide to sell they would definitely call this Mililani Real Estate Agent.

To tell you the truth I was not sure what they would do.  Almost a year later I received a call from the same Mililani Home Seller. Bubbling with excitement the Mililani Home Seller said, “Hi!  This is the ’Mililani Home Seller’ and we’re ready to sell our house!  I told you I would call you if we decided to sell our Mililani Home.” 

These are the kinds of real estate stories that give me a warm and fuzzy feeling all over.  That first impression at the listing appointment almost a year ago brought this Mililani Home Seller back to me to list their home. FIRST IMPRESSIONS!

SOLD!

March 30, 2012!

‘Back in the Day’ it was the norm to have multiple offers AND have a couple of Back Up Offers as well. A Back Up Offer is a security blanket for the seller should the first contract fall out. The Back Up Offer will immediately be in place with a contingency that the original contract has a successful sign off of the cancellation.

In Hawaii, we ‘open’ ESCROW (which is an independent third neutral party that takes care of the interests of both buyers and sellers) with an accepted Purchase Contract and initial deposit of the buyer. They take care of the final settlement with the recording of the documents, paying off the existing liens, mortgages and any other expenses to have a successful closing.

The ESCROW Company will also take care of a cancelled transaction and send out cancellation letters to all parties and initiate the Back Up Offer Purchase Contract in escrow and send out the first documents for the Buyer and the Seller.  The transaction date starts at that time.

This practice ‘saves’ a lot of headache, time and heartache and held true just a few short weeks ago. A transaction for a listing of mine was in contract and a few days before we left on vacation (with my pushing and shoving for the Conditional Loan Commitment Letter) the loan officer says, “In all good faith, we cannot proceed with the buyer’s loan”. YIKES!  You mean the buyer wasn’t qualified after all? 

NO PROBLEMO!  We immediately initiated our accepted Back Up Offer two days before departure on our vacation.  The appraisal is in, survey complete, Termite and Pest Control is scheduled to inspect and give a report, full loan approval and tentative signing is occurring next week.

I’d say that the market is picking up in order to receive back up offers.

I’d say suggesting to the seller to continue showing for back up offers was a positive.

I’d say that a back up offers rock!

Mililani Townis the only community in Hawaii in 1986 to receive the distinction of "All American City" and is centrally located on the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and to all US Military Bases as well. About 5-10 minutes up Highway 99 is Schofield Barracks (Army) and Wheeler AAF (Army), Hickam AFB and Pearl Harbor Navy Base is about 20-25 minutes down H-2 to H-1 Freeway. Kaneohe Marine Corp Air Station is up and over the H-3 Freeway.

We’ve definitely had a turn of events throughout 2011 in regards to our Mililani Housing Market. We’ve had ups and downs and turn around but needless to say the market may be turning back to a seller’s market soon.

Inventory is lower than a year ago and prices are slowly regaining ground. Interest rates have gone up a bit and I can safely presume that they aren’t going to be at this level in months to come. 

Let’s take a look at the past year………..

Year to Date Market Report for Mililani Condos, Townhouses, Homes

Mililani Single Family Home Market Report 2011:  We have 54 Active listings and 23 in contract for the first few days in January of 2012. Mililani has had about the same number of solds from 222 in 2010 with 215 single family homes sold in 2011.   Sales Prices Ranged from $385,000 (2 bedroom “attached” home) to $1,010,000 (5 bedroom home) in Mililani Mauka. Average Days on the Market was 61 days for 2011 compared to 54 in 2010. 

Mililani Condo Statistics for 2011: We have 54 Active condos/townhouses on the market and a promising 44 properties in contract for the first few days of 2012. We sold 250 condos in 2011 compared to 252 condos/townhouses in 2010!  Sales Prices ranged from $79,500 (1 bedroom condo) to $455,000 (3 bdrm townhouse). Average Days on the Market were 67 days!

Mililani has had a consistent market during the last two years. The start of 2012 shows a promising active market with so many in contract and getting ready to close. The only difference is that the condo/townhouse listing inventory has shown a big decline at the start of this year with only 54 on the market compared to last year of 104!

For those Hawaii Home Buyers who are sitting on the fence … do the math on low prices now compounded with VERY low interest rates compared to those same prices with a higher interest rate in previous years. The math is clear, so if your current situation is in a buy mode…I’d say jump off that fence!

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Active Duty or Veterans of the Armed Forces have their VA Home Loan benefits for a little or no money down loan program to purchase a Hawaii home . (provided they are within lender guidelines).

The Veteran’s Administration is not a loan company and you will still have to get preapproved for a loan from a local lender. VA guarantees the Local Lender that they will reimburse the lender a percentage should the veteran default on their loan. (not that you will right?)

The following steps are what this Real Estate Professional helps you with in order to make your Relocation to Hawaii, Real Estate Home Buying Experience and VA Loan Process a smooth process.

·         Contact a Local Hawaii Lender (if you do not have one I can refer you to a few who are well qualified in the State of Hawaii) to submit your information and documents to get preapproved for your VA Home Loan. Let the  Loan Officer know what you are comfortable with for monthly mortgage payments as this helps determine what price range for properties you should be looking for. The loan officer will let you and your REALTOR®  know what you are preapproved for and in what price range to search for properties.

·         Let your agent know what other criteria you are looking for. For example,  # bedrooms, # of baths, sq. ft. interior or land, parking, single family or condo/townhouse that you desire.  With your price range determined and your criteria in place your REALTOR® will have enough information to send you listings to start your Hawaii Home Search

·         Get all your financial paperwork together so you are prepared when you arrive.  Pack your important documents in your carry on bag including last two months bank statements, last two years W-2’s, complete month of LES’s (pay stubs) and important documents you will need to submit for your loan!  (Get a list of documents you’ll need from your loan officer that you already have in place)

·         Start your loan process before you get here so you will have everything in place when you submit an offer for a loan. The loan process is the lengthy and of course an important part of the transaction so it is better to be proactive in your process. You will also NEED a preapproval letter to submit with the Purchase Contract as well.

·         Appointments are made by this Realtor® and off we go in search of your new home!  When you decide that you would like to put in an offer we will go through the whole 12 page (plus addendums) Purchase Contract and submit it to the seller’s agent to present to the seller.

·         Offer is accepted and your VA Loan Process begins!  You will meet with your Loan Officer to submit any other documentation needed for your VA Loan process packet. Then it goes to Underwriting to process the initial packet and order the appraisal with a VA approved appraiser.

·         The Condominium and/or Subdivision Association Documents will be ordered immediately after acceptance of the offer and in the buyer’s hands within 10-14 days after acceptance. This agent will make copies of the Budget, last three Association minutes and the Property Information form (RR105C) and submit it to the lender. They need these documents per VA Loan Guidelines and process for your loan.  (these documents will show how the Association budgets their money in reserve. % of owner occupants, any pending concerns or litigation going on and so forth)

·         VA Appraiser submits the appraisal report to VA and VA will issue their NOV (Notice of Value) There may or many not be conditions to fulfill (i.e. any repairs needed) and will have a value on the property as determined by the appraiser5.

·         Provided your loan process goes smoothly you should have a Conditional Loan Commitment Letter within 3-4 weeks in contract. This is an approval of your loan with Conditions. Maybe you need to submit a couple of more documents or the appraisal is not in yet or the survey and termite inspection are not done yet. These are the types of conditions that will be listed on this letter.

·         Within two weeks after the Conditional  Loan Commitment letter is issued all the conditions should be complete for signing documents with escrow and the loan officer. Not to worry! I attend all signings with you.

In Hawaii, we do not sign at the same time as the Seller due to conflict of interest and we sign approximately four – five days before recording. After the signing, the loan officer takes the notarized and signed documents to go through processing and within 2.5 days the Lender should have funded the money for your loan to the escrow company.

When escrow receives all monies funded by the lender , then they will take the documents to the Bureau of Conveyances in Honolulu to record. The Bureau of Conveyances needs two days for recording  and we usually get word between 8-10am.

At that time of recording clearance, the home is legally yours and I will have already retrieved all keys, garage door openers and documents pertaining to the house in hand.

Congratulations!

You are a new homeowner!

Remember…our relationship does not stop here. I am always here to answer any questions or concerns you may have and help you with all your real estate needs.

Sometimes, we just get ONE chance to ‘prove ourselves’ during that initial meeting on the phone or in person. It could be a call from a Military Family Relocating to Hawaii and inquiring about their VA Loan home loan benefits and buying a home in Hawaii.  It could be a call from a Mililani Home Seller asking if we can schedule an appointment for an ‘interview’ in regards to selling their home

That first impression could be the difference between just a lead or securing a client.

How’s about when we’re searching for just that right real estate agent or loan officer to referr our client to who is relocating to the mainland (Continental United States) and they don’t even answer their phone or call back?  How’s about not even a return email? Guess what…they don’t get this or any future calls either.

ANSWER MY PHONE/TEXT:  More often than not I answer my phone and I get a surprised response from the caller saying, “I can’t believe you actually answered your phone!”  (or called me back right away after I text you) Yup, I’m one of “those agents” that answers my phone or calls right back and it made the difference to continue a conversation and possibly gain a new client! It can give them the an eased mind knowing that they will have a professional who is ….REACHABLE.

SEASONED IN MY PROFESSION:  Ask question, listen to their needs and wants and give them straightforward advice. There is no such thing as candy coating a situation in real estate. A buyer has to get preapproved (especially with the strict lending criteria now days) for a loan before even starting to look for a home and a seller has to know that their home is only going to sell for market value.  It’s the difference between setting realistic goals and either wasting or valuing everyone’s time involved.  COMMUNICATION.

PROFICIENT ON THE PC/INTERNET:  It’s no known secret that Real Estate is computer based for searching for listings, writing up contracts, marketing a home and emailing back and forth to get documents back in a timely manner.  While on the phone with that initial lead contact I am already researching comps or setting them up to peruse listings in their neighborhood of choice. A client, escrow or loan officer needs a document asap and I have it flying to them by email in a manner of minutes.   PROFICIENT IN TECHNOLOGY.

BEING THERE TO SUPPORT THEM:  Whether relocating to a totally different place across the Pacific Ocean to just emotional ties to a home they have to sell, they are all are expecting some kind of emotional support during this often stressful time. If it’s just to lend an ear or giving loads of information to set their mind at ease then I’m there. They need to know that they have a seasoned and competent professional assisting them in one of the most important decisions in their lifetime …and that I am there for them. It doesn’t take much to take my job one step further.  EMPATHY.

These are just a few ‘qualities’ that I have that sets me apart from the rest.  The consumer can tell by that first initial contact if I will be the one who will be there for them with a listening ear, knowledge and understanding of my Hawaii Real Estate Laws and Purchase Contracts and the transaction process.

They know by that first initial contact that I will market their home and give their property maximum exposure on the internet as well as holding Open Houses (YES, THEY WORK HERE!). They know I am I have empathy in their particular situation. I communicate well and listen to their wants and needs.  I AM REACHABLE.

That FIRST IMPRESSION is important in our business.

That FIRST IMPRESSION will either give me business

….or NOT.

I’m one of those people that gets a little…just a little… attached to most living things. It may sound silly although when I put my heart and soul into nurturing a living thing it becomes a part of me. It’s who  I am and definitely stands for the kind of person I am.

I nurture all my plants in my little fenced yard. About 3 years ago I nurtured a palm and then donated it to our community to take the place of a diseased tree they had to get rid of.  They exchanged the bare spot with my palm and it has flourished and grown to almost 20 feet!  It shades my bedroom window and it not only benefit our community ….but our shading comfort.

Well, I nurtured a fig tree for the past four years and it grew in a very big pot to 7 feet. One day I noticed that it was unusually flourishing, very very green and getting very very TALL.  I tried to turn the pot around so it got sun on the other side and …it wouldn’t move. Apparently, the roots cracked the bottom and my fig tree really took off into the ground.  Just a very happy camper indeed!

Well, it’s too big for our little fenced yard and we definitely cannot plant into the ground in our little yard (against association rules) so my husband cut the roots and I put an ad in Craigslist the night before last to give my tree to a loving home.   YES. FREE TO A GOOD HOME.

It wasn’t but a half hour later and I received a call.   I “interviewed” the caller and asked what he planned to do with the tree. After feeling comfortable that my tree would be going to a good home we made arrangement for him to pick it up the next evening.

“Byron” was a good man and he planned to plant it in his HUGE yard with the hopes it would be a nice shade tree for the kids and his doggies. He whipped out a wad of bills and wanted to give me money and I refused and I told him I just wanted my tree to go to a good home. I handed him my card and his eyes lit up. He knew a lot of people and surely he would be able to refer someone to me.

Although a little sad for having to give it up....

I’m just happy my fig tree went to a good home.

Gardeners are good at nurturing....

Just think what we do in business!

Century 21 Liberty Homes is located in the Mililani Shopping Center at 95-221 Kipapa Drive Ste E-3, Miliani Town, Hawaii 96789.  While doing some work I happened to look out the front window and saw the preschoolers dressed in their Halloween costumes and parading around the center.

Come to Mililani Shopping Center on Halloween, October 31, 2011 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. You can bring your keiki (children) from shop to shop for trick or treating on both sides of the shopping center (95-390 Kuahelani Ave. and 95-221 Kipapa Drive)

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We live in a Townhouse Community and as all other Association we not only have rules to follow but rules of our own as well.  After past issues with leaks of our own as well as from our neighbors we found out QUICKLY what we need to do to ensure that we prevent further damage to our unit. We also found out QUICKLY that the things we needed to do also made us good neighbors and therefore made for a better community to live in as well.

Preventative Measures to take for Potential Problems:

1. Condo Insurance is a must (and affordable!) Even though our association has condo insurance that is included in our maintenance fees for the common elements (common land, beams, foundation, stairwells, roofs, parking, elevators, main power and plumbing, ducts and whatever else as determined by the declaration) it does not include the inside of the unit!
2. As a townhouse/condo owner we have an obligation to repair and fix our problems immediately.  A Townhouse/Condo Association requires us to follow steps to insure that during a plumbing/electrical/safety hazard problem we protect ourselves and our neighbors from further damage and safety issues.
3. We Contact our Resident Manager (Association) and our Association Management Co. if there are any leaks or hazardous issues. Notifying them of any damage to structure or potential hazards/damages that may affect neighbors is a very important “to do”. We want to be responsible homeowners and let everyone know as we do not want to face any repercussions either.
4. We call the appropriate licensed contractor/plumber/electrician etc. and get the work started on to remedy the problem. We could possibly cause more damage to our unit (as well as neighboring) if we sit on the problem.  Being responsible homeowners for potential dangers and hazards to other members of the community means we nip the problem in the bud.

We take preventative measures as responsible homeowners….

Because….

WE are the ones who make our community a better place to live.

More often than not, we all would like to have a good client relationship where everything went smoothly from that first initial meeting until the transaction closes. More often than not, it just does not happen that way.

Why?

We do not live in a perfect world.  Yes, we all strive to want to do and be better in all areas of our lives although the bottom line is that we are all human. Though we all have our good qualities we also have our flaws.  THERE IS NO PERFECT ANYTHING. We strive to meet the common goal which is to close on the sale/purchase of a home and in the course of that process we find the solutions to any problem that may arise.

There are no perfect relationships.  In a marriage the husband and wife have their own separate identities and sense of self. (at least it’s my understanding that there is no such thing as ‘becoming one’)  Each will compliment the relationship with their good qualities while keeping their own separate sense of self. The flaws are recognized and both work to maintain harmony. The idea goes for the same in business relationships. We accept that working together as a team beats fighting against each other.

There are no two transactions that are ever alike. There will always be last minute documentation the lender will need to process the loan or maybe the seller that may have emotional ties in the property so their judgment is clouded.  This is where my expertise shines. Being prepared for bumps along the way and not taking things personal will allow me to think clearly and look for the answers to make the transaction work.  For each transaction there will be learning lessons.

Understanding this gives me a keen awareness that having healthy personal boundaries is priority for each transaction and relationship with my clients. Being up front about the market and pricing for the sale of their home or  the possibility that their credit worthiness may change as the loan criteria changes could mean all the difference in maintaining an open line of communication. It will make all the difference in a good client relationship.

If there were such a thing as a perfect transaction,

Perfect relationships and people….

Not a learning lesson would be had.

Real Estate is all about …..change.

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The Ewa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii area grew and developers built many new construction homes starting from the early 1990's.  The communities in Ewa bloomed with the housing boom and there were several styles, communities and townhomes to be had during this time.

During the last few years the Ewa Homes and Townhouse/Condo Market Prices went down considerably in this area and sales numbers were still booming to get a piece of that Ewa Beach area pie. Prices are now at an all time low and with interest rates now at an all time low as well it is surely a great time to buy your home in Ewa Paradise.

Located on our Southwestern shore of Oahu, the Ewa Beach area has beaches (One'ula and Ewa Beach Park and now open Iriquois Point), surfing spots, parks, golf courses, recreation centers and shopping centers to accommodate the still growing communities in Ewa.

In some Ewa Gentry Communities there are associations with maintenance fees. Though these homes are single family homes they are within a “condo ownership association”. Previously I spoke with the on-site manager of the Ewa Gentry Las Brisas, Ewa GentryTiburon, Ewa Gentry Terrazza, Ewa Gentry Sun Terra, Ewa Gentry Montecito/Tuscany to inquire what their monthly maintenance fees take care of.

Monthly Maintenance fees for these Ewa Gentry Associations take care of:

• Water and Sewer Fees. The Honolulu Board of Water Supply bills residents every two months although this association includes the water/sewer bill in their maintenance fees.
• Termite treatment - After the current contract is up with the liquid treatment they're moving on to the Sentricon System.
• Community Pool and Recreation area (They have gazebos, tables, chairs a large pool and the Community Office)
• Parks and landscaping around the community  (There are several playgrounds and grassy areas for play, relaxing or to have a picnic)
• Bulk of the homeowners insurance (just like condos ...you will still need to get insurance for the inside of the home)
• Roads and street lights within the community (nicely paved roads and street light maintenance make for a better community too!)
• Pet Waste Receptacles (including disposable bags and trash cans to keep the community beautiful!)

If you are Retiring to paradise, Military Relocating to Hawaii, Relocating due to a job change,  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 Gentry Tiburon, Ewa Gentry Terrazza, Ewa Gentry Sun Terra and Ewa Gentry Montecito/Tuscany homes.

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© 2011 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Hawaii Real Estate and Relocation Market Report. All rights reserved.

DID YOU KNOW?   The Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle, The HONU (pronounced ho new) is the "Ancient of the Ocean" and survived even the Ice Age. 

Hawaiian legends tell a tale of Kau'i'la (cow ih la) who is a mystical sea turtle and a daughter born to two supernatural sea turtles in Hawaii. Kauila watched over the children playing on Punalu'u Beach (her home) on the Big Island (the island of Hawaii). She would sometimes turn herself into a little girl so she could play with the other children on the Black sandy beach. She would frolick in the fresh water pond and blow bubbles to the children's delight, but mainly would be there to watch over the children.

Our Honu is on the endangered species list because 90% of the Honu have a the virus "Fibropapillomatosis' and it causes fibroid tumors in the neck, throat, eyes, mouth and eventually eat the Honu from the inside out.

Please be aware that there are laws here that are enforced to protect our Honu:

• No Harassing
• No Harming
• No Killing
• No keeping sea turtles in captivity without a permit (educational or research)
• Divers are NOT to ride turtles. It is ILLEGAL because it puts the animals under stress

For more info on Endangered Species of Hawaii and Organizations that Protect them:

Honu Project

Hawaii's Endangered Species

National Wildlife

Earthtrust