We ALL know that the market will depend on any given local area and neighborhood.  So whoever says Open House's don't work are the ones who are in areas that it really doesn't work. It could be that there area is so rural that it takes an hour to drive from house to house. It could be for a thousand other reasons including the agent just doesn't like sitting at an Open House.

I held an Open House for my listing for Mililani Fairway Village yesterday (Easter Sunday) and though it was slow in the beginning I still had 9 groups of guests attend.  Yes, it was slower than the last Open House I had with 17 groups of guests but that's besides the point.

On Oahu, Open Houses work anyway. We all hold an Open House because it IS a Sunday event for all home buyers and sellers who are looking at their leisure. They roam from neighborhood to neighborhood in our densely populated areas and they can hit quite a few in one Sunday.

 It's also a great time for agents to attend with their clients without the hassle of making an appointment. They will also make some other appointments for the ones that aren't open so they can get a bunch of showings in on the weekend for their clients who work all week.

I was impressed by one very successful agent in Mililani from RE/MAX Honolulu who came to view my listing.   Towards the end another agent from Century 21 All Islands who stopped by as well.

Open Houses work for those who work them.

Even on a Holiday.

So, you have your Real Estate License and you're thinking about making a go of selling real estate.  You already have the mindset that you will make every effort to be the best you can be in this business. One thing is for certain: If you don't have good morals, beliefs and values in your life every day then all the rules, laws, regulations, code of ethics will not come even close to being something you will follow or adhere to.

There are no cutting corners in real estate when:

• You are explaining a contract to your clients or answering any questions they may have. If you do not know the information or an answer to a question....ASK!
• You missed an initial and need your client to sign their initial, signature or date. Make the effort to scan and email, fax, drive to meet them and DO NOT...I REPEAT...DO NOT sign, date anything for them.
• You need to document all calls, emails and correspondence. Not only will it protect you and your client but it will also give you an easy way to refer back to a conversation when there is doubt.
• You need to keep updated with the latest information. Do what is beneficial to your business and keep your mind, files, websites and blogs updated with current information.  There is nothing worse than giving out OLD information.
• Staying up to date with real estate technology.  There are many websites, blogs, social sites and more that are beneficial to marketing online.  Keep up to date with what works for you. For me it's beneficial to have a top of the line home office as I spend most of my time ....  At my home office hehe.
• Being available for all that are involved in the transaction. There is no such thing as only texting, or only emailing or only phone calls. All avenues for communicating have to be covered to serve all clients who prefer a  certain way to communicate. 

 So, if you already have the mindset that you will make every effort to be the best you can be in this business, then GOOD FOR YOU! You most likely are following the right path.

If you are cutting corners and you have to constantly look over your shoulder...

Then maybe it's time to make that positive change....for your business.

Better yet, for a personal change for a better life.

And all success will follow.

The weather can be quite unpredictable in Hawaii.  While watching our local news on Monday evening we were ‘informed' that there were storm conditions and there will be thunder, lightning and heavy rains.   We waited and the next morning it was a beautiful day!  That evening the weather man said that ‘just because the storm isn't happening in your neighborhood doesn't mean it isn't in other's. We all laughed.

By Wednesday I gave up looking for the storm. .....and then in a matter of a couple of hours it poured! There it was...right in front of me.  There was lightening, booming thunder and a downpour of heavy rain that confirmed that our weatherman was indeed telling the truth. In the next neighborhood over there was....NOTHING! I called my office and sure enough there wasn't a drop of anything going on!

 Over the course of my career in Real Estate I have been through phases of the housing market. It went up and then it down and then it continues to go all around.  While our market continues to make adjustments we see sales numbers rise and fall. We see the prices remain stable in certain areas while in others there is clearly a continued downfall.

The market differs from neighborhood to neighborhood!

Like our complicated weather system here in Hawaii, our market differs from nationwide statistics as well. We never know what the next month will bring for home sale numbers or sales prices but we can be rest assured that if we weather the storm we will be ready for the next phase in real estate.

A never ending neighborhood to neighborhood surprise of sunny, rainy or windy weather.

We brace ourselves with an umbrella for the next turn of rainy events...

And rise as the sun does on those tropical trade wind days.

Contact me through my contact form and you will get a quick response provided you are in a time zone while I am awake. The majority of my blog readers or website contacts come from those that will be relocating to Hawaii.  The first contact is an email. 

An email arrives that states they want to put in an offer $50,000 less than the list price on a property.  OOPS.  Not one property......TWO.  Two offers on two properties.  Mind you, this is the first email I've ever received from someone and they want to put in not one offer...but two. WOW right?

So how do I respond to an email that states "I just want to see if my offers will be accepted".

Yes, it could potentially turn into a ‘real' client but let me first check out this person on the internet before I respond.  How many of you Google your email leads before responding?  I mean, if you're all over the internet from your blogs and websites you are bound to get a few that are trying to target you for their ‘product' or want to be your picture bride wife.

So I Google the email address and the name and they say this person is a scam on a dating site and to steer clear!  I decide to just respond and let the person know what they need to do to start the process.....with ME.  Get preapproved and forward the letter to me (as we need to submit the letter with the signed contract)as well as a few other questions for them to answer.

Oh...did I mention the ‘lead' is way over in Asia?

We passed a few emails back and forth and at one point they say, "I know about short sales and foreclosures ...I've been reading up...and I just want to see if the bank will approve my offers". I finally laid down the law.  If you would like to work with me you will have to follow my lead....and the first step is to get preapproved for a loan because the bank will demand a preapproval letter.  We also need to know if you are comfortable with that price range and the monthly payment you'll be making.

I did not receive a response back.

Wonder why?

Maybe that Google search was right.

Mililani Town is 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 2010 in regards to our Mililani Housing Market. We've had ups and downs and turn arounds, 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 2010:  We have 46 Active Listings  with 26 in contract for the first few days in January of 2011 but for the year of 2010 Mililani has had 222 single family homes sold.  We did better this year compared to 2009 with 210 sold single family homes!   Sales Prices Ranged from $299,900 (2 bedroom in older Waipio Valley) to $1,050,000 (4 bedrooms) in Mililani Mauka. Average Days on the Market was 54!  Not bad!

Mililani Condo Statistics for 2010: There are 104 Active condos/townhouses on the market, 29  in contract for the first few days of 2011. But check this out!  We sold 252 condos/townhouses in 2010!  For a  year that took its toll on our Mililani market we didn't do too shabby compared to 284 sold units in 2009.  Sales Prices ranged from $112,000 (1 bedroom condo) to $498,000 (3 bdrm luxury townhouse). Average Days on the Market were 53 days!

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

If you would like more information give me a call/text at 808-375-1404.

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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. Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com

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.

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 October 2010:  We have 46 Active Listings for October 2010 (24 for Mililani Town and 22 Mililani Mauka), with 35  in contract (10  for Mililani Town and 17 for Mililani Mauka) and 20 sold properties (9 for Mililani Town and 8 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 bit higher at $641,150 than the previous month of  $598,970 and down slightly from $605,153 a year ago. Average days on market...DOM was 64 days.  

Mililani Condo Statistics for October 2010: We have 92 Active condos/townhouses on the market from October 2010 (68 for Mililani Town and 24 for Mililani Mauka), 38 Pending (26 for Mililani Town and 12 for Mililani Mauka),   and 21 sold (9 for Mililani Town and 16 for Mililani Mauka) . Average sales price of $271,382 a slight decrease from September 2010 of $288,342  and down slightly from a year ago at $284,344.. Average days on market for October 2010 -DOM was 44 days.  

  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!

 The Home Buyer Tax Credit ended on April 30, 2010 but there are some "Qualified service members" (which means a member of the uniformed services of the U.S military, a member of the Foreign Service of the U.S., or an employee of the intelligence community) that may still qualify for the extension of this Home Buyer Tax Credit. Qualified service members who are ordered on a period of official extended duty are extended for one year. For these home buyers, the tax credit applies to sales with a binding sales contract in place on or before April 30, 2011 and closed by June 30, 2011.

READ THE DETAILS HERE:   Hawaii Home Buyer | SOME Military Qualify for Extended Tax Credit

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On Sunday, October 31, 2010 we celebrate Halloween with Trick or Treating. If the homeowner doesn't give a treat then they ‘threaten' (mostly idle) with a trick on the property. The children will do something to earn their treat. How's about singing a song?

Mililani Shopping Center is hosting Halloween from 12-2pm tomorrow where you can bring your children to trick or treat from business office to business office.  Be assured that Century 21 Liberty Homes' Principal Broker, Douglas Fortner and Broker in Charge, Leona Soto will be there passing out candy to all the ghouls, goblins and characters of choice for the little ones.

Mililani Shopping Center is located at 95-221 Kipapa Drive, Mililani Town, Hawaii 96789.  Century 21 Liberty Homes is located at unit E-3 so bring the children for two hours of trick or treat fun!

Happy Halloween!

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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 all Hawaii Home Buyers and Sellers on the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) including all Hawaii Military Relocating to Hawaii, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents.

Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com

Many seller's agents are requesting for the buyer's to get preapproved with XYZ  lender as a stipulation for submission with their offer.  What if the buyer trusts their OWN mortgage broker or loan officer of choice?

In a situation where I've had a repeat customer who did choose their own loan officer and the seller's agent  demanded a preapproval from the funding lender of their choice is when my clients became very leary. 

The cons of ‘forcing' a buyer to get preapproved AGAIN:

• They trust their own loan officer because they've used he/she before and did a great job.  (AND..it was their choice so there is no conflict of interest)
• They are getting leary as to why they HAVE to have another lender pull their credit ....again.
• If the seller's agent has stated to use XYZ  lender for a preapproval ...they really start getting leary.
• They dump their loan officer and go with an unknown loan officer who promised them the world and doesn't perform.
• There is nothing in writing to the buyer from the seller stating that they are requiring the buyer to run their credit again and get a preapproval from a funding lender.  

The pros of having a buyer get preapproved AGAIN:

• Shows the seller that they are qualified with a funding lender and no worries that the qualification IS worth the paper it is written on.
• Gives the seller's agent some control over the situation in presenting a more solid offer to the seller.
• If this stipulation is on the listing agreement and signed by the seller then it IS the seller's request and not the agent.  (might as well go further and have the seller sign something to present to the buyer.)
• The buyer's offer will be considered amongst multiple offers submitted for the same property.   

There are times I've given my buyer's a list of loan officers I've worked with (especially relocating military who know no one here) and they speak to and choose which one they want to work with. But I do NOT choose a lender or loan officer FOR them!

In summary, my belief is that there is NO solid transactions until recording. There are always bumps in the road and other circumstances that buyer's will back out of a contract (i.e. home inspection, title issues, termites etc.)  ........But HAVING TO get a SECOND preapproval letter with a XYZ lender after they have already gone through a complete credit and application process with their own loan officer  is when I think that a demand for a statement signed by the seller requesting to do so may be a good option.

........for all involved.

It's Christmas Day and I'm drinking a cup of the Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Coffee that Randy L. Prothero - Hawaii REALTOR® (Century 21 Liberty Homes)  gave us.  It's a clear morning and this Christmas Day is projected to be a beautiful clear day.  BUT....That could change in an instant like anything else in life.

I'm reflecting over the last few days here so bear with me.

For one,  EVERYONE has to start somewhere. I for one was new to the Short Sale Market.   IT TOOK LOTS OF RESEARCH and LOTS of phone calls but my broker and other agents (from other companies...not even on the other side of this transaction) in the industry here were happy to help me with any questions I had on the process.

THAT'S what Real Estate is about. The REAL in the human beings that are helping each other out to learn the business RIGHT.

We ALL started somewhere....in Real Estate.

This is the kicker......In the last four weeks I've closed two short sales representing buyers and on Christmas Eve I closed my first Short Sale Listing with Randy.  I wrote a bit about it in Bank of America Sucks but funny how some only see the title and not the moral of the story which was Patience, Tolerance and Acceptance. 

Bank of America was the Bank for the Seller on the Christmas Eve Short Sale Closing. I thank the buyer who held on for almost six months, the seller who responded to get things in quickly that I needed, Randy who brought me in on the listing so I could learn and teach him too, Bank of America who didn't respond quickly throughout but responded asap at the end when approved and getting me the approval letter and .....

Thanks to Me..... For being the responsible and professional agent I've been for years.....even while learning the process of shorts sales on BOTH sides.

Real Estate is a continuous learning process as the terms, laws and process change continuously, for an ever changing market. I'm glad there were people in my own market who are willing to help just as I do when new agents come into our office...or even if they're new on the other side.

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The Tragedy.....On the other hand, my dear husband Gary broke his wrist on Wednesday at work. He was moving a 78 lb battery back up and his wrist was fractured when it got pinned between that thing and the wall. It was with Gary's support throughout the years that I have remained level headed and made it through the changing markets.

It's with my support too, that we work hand in hand when something changes.

Gary's broken wrist was his writing & working hand so I've literally been helping him with everything he needs. It's hard to have a tragedy happen and everything we take for granted is lost at an instant.

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MORAL OF THE STORY?  Anything can happen in life, our real estate market and normal every day activities.  It's up to each and every one of us to give the support to those around us to be a good neighbor, spouse.....or just an all around good human being.

For without those helping hands ....

Where would we be today?

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.

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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.

Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com

Supporting Hawaii Local Businesses!

Bob Stewart has some great ideas when it comes to a community challenge and the current one on Using Your Blog To Enhance Existing Relationships got my blogging juices running.  His Theme?

How are you using your blog to enhance your existing relationships with clients and prospects?

The most important part of my  ActiveRain blog is my Profile Page.  Yeah, we all insert some information about ourselves and what we will do for our clients. But what sets my blog apart from others? A while back I decided to make my profile page a ‘one stop shop' for all posts that I had written for the Hawaii Relocations and Real Estate.  A Relocation Packet for the consumer.

My Profile page gave the consumer all the information they needed to get started to learn about Hawaii the State, Local Area History, Businesses around my area, Points of Interest. I included basically ALL things Real Estate including market reports, community information and information for buyers and sellers.  Of course I couldn't fit all nine hundred + posts I've written on ActiveRain over the years but I did a good job of focusing on my niche area.

‘It's not just about real estate...

it's about the community and making their transition just a little bit easier.'

Hawaii is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and many of my buyers are Military Relocating to Hawaii and other Hawaii Relocations. I have to rely on my websites and blogs to keep them interested and eventually email or call me.

Updating and Creating: Update, create, update, create. It's a lot of work but hey...it's well worth the results. Old news does not keep a reader engaged. My blog is a continuously moving ad and constantly updating my blog and website with FRESH content will keep me on the first page of Google with many keywords for my niche market. (My Website is my own creation and I can keep it fresh because I don't have to rely on others to do it)

My ActiveRain Outside Blog: My outside blog is a great additional tool (extended from ActiveRain) and all you have to do is subscribe, pick your own domain name, update your theme and add links and so forth. All the rest is transferred over to www.cheesemanhomes.com  from my ActiveRain blog when I choose to publish public and consumer posts to my outside blog.  I currently have the link to my outside blog  in my signature for emails as well. 

MY OUTSIDE BLOG IS A NEWSLETTER IN ITSELF!

Connnect to  Facebook and Twitter and all my public posts are linked directly in as well.

Creativity and Using My Own Voice:  There is nothing better than a reader reading something and they can "feel" the writer in the story.  You could be writing a great localism post about the history of your area or real estate related material. If you are ‘talking' at them instead of ‘talking' with them they won't listen.  So I write the same way. I write as if I'm walking with them and talking with them.

It's a conversation that is continuously moving with words.

Pictures, Virtual Tours and Video: Pictures that are tastefully inserted into my article or post shows the reader the area I live in and enhances my blog tenfold. I happen to think it's my blog's best trait for visual appeal.  I enhance my blog further with video and virtual tours from  www.realestateshows.com. Real Estate Shows  is my all time favorite for listings, tours around Hawaii and anything I want to use it for...including inserting a show in the PHOTO GALLERY on my website.

Local Area and Business Posts:  What better way to engage my readers than showing them I am the local area expert by writing about Hawaii history, sites, businesses and neighborhoods? Real Estate is talking about ALL THINGS REAL ESTATE and if you are your local area expert you show them you have information by writing about everything in your community.  www.localism.com is another part of ActiveRain where you can ‘sponsor' your local areas and connect with businesses in your area as well.

Utilizing all the ActiveRain challenges and writing my best industry related posts is the best part of ENHANCING those RELATIONSHIPS.  Another recent challenge by Bob Stewart and his 1000 Point Challenge For The Rest Of Our Members.....'The Series' which allowed me to redo my HAWAII HOMES MARKET RELOCATION AND REAL ESTATE INFORMATION ONLINE and currently put the first three parts (links) on my MILITARY/VA Information page of my website.

• Hawaii Military Relocation | YOUR Military Move to Hawaii PART I Loads of information on the bases around the island of Oahu (which is Honolulu County) and getting your pets ready, the diversity of Hawaii, living on an island paradise with little buildable land (therefore, smaller homes) and so forth.
• Hawaii Honolulu Military Relocation -Part II of the Series on YOUR Military Move to Hawaii we discussed options on renting, buying or living on Base Housing and gave you a chart on Honolulu County 2009 BAH so you know what to expect for your Honolulu County Housing Allowance.
• Hawaii Military Relocation| PART III on YOUR Military Move to Hawaii | Hawaii Home Buyers VA Loans  Your To Do List in getting ready for your Hawaii Home Buying Process is the next step in being proactive in your Hawaii Military Relocation. Starting your Hawaii VA Loan Process before you even arrive will make the process time shorter once you get into contract. 

My efforts have informed many about all aspects of the Real Estate Industry including but not limited to Real Estate Transactions and Information, examples of real estate trials and tribulations, Hawaii Local Area History, Sites, information on relocations across the Pacific, Neighborhoods, City, Points of Interest, Businesses, Entertainment and more. 

And all was obtained by communicating my thoughts through....blogging.

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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.

Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com

Supporting Hawaii Local Businesses!

Mililani Real Estate and Housing Market Report for June 2009

Let's start with the Mililani Condo Statistics for June 2009: In May of 2009 (last month) there were 64 Active condos/townhouses on the market, 29 in contract and 20 sold. Looks like our Mililani Condo/Townhouse market is picking up with more units with accepted contracts and going through the transaction process.  Sales Prices ranged from $160,000 (1 bedroom condo) to $495,00 (2 bdrm luxury townhouse).

 Mililani Single Family Home Market Report for June 2009:  Let's compare to May of 2009 (last month). We had 36 Active Listings for May 2009 with 11 in contract and 24 sold. It appears that our Mililani Single Family Home activity is picking up with more in contract for June 2009 although less closed transactions. Sales Prices Ranged from $500,000 (2 bedrooms) to $830,000 (4 bedrooms). 

We can attibute the slower closing process to appraisals taking longer than usual to process...especially with VA Loan Appraisals. As it stands, Mililani is centrally located on the island of Oahu (which is Honolulu County) and central to all Hawaii Military Bases. The volume of Hawaii VA Home Loan Home Buying is on the rise (as is refinancing VA Loans) and therefore slowing the Hawaii VA Real Estate Transaction Process.

Another factor is that our Governor imposed a three Fridays a month furlough (with no pay) to balance the budget so of course that puts our Bureau of Conveyances behind on the recording process. Instead of the one day after funding to record it will now take two or more days.

More Hawaii Market Reports for Honolulu County:

• Honolulu Real Estate | Market Report for June 2009
• Honolulu County Real Estate | YTD Condo Market Report for Period Ending June 30, 2009
• Honolulu County Real Estate | YTD Single Family Home Market Report for Period Ending June 30, 2009

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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 all Hawaii Home Buyers and Sellers on the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) inclujding all Hawaii Military Relocating to Hawaii, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents. Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com 

 Mililani IS the only community in Hawaii to receive the distinction "All American City" in 1986.  Mililani Town and Mililani Mauka, a Master Planned Community has a population of approximately 30,000 people.

The first homes went up for sale around June 1968 and 112 homes were offered for purchase.

In The Beginning...

In 1971 my parents bought a new home and we moved to Mililani Town upon completion that summer. Since Mililani High School wasn't finished yet I had to catch the bus to Wahiawa until graduation from Leilehua in 1974.

Our H-2 freeway opened in 1976 which lessened the time to travel to and from Honolulu with an additional route other than Kamehameha Highway. Mililani Mauka Subdivision had their groundbreaking ceremony in 1990 and the building continued until last year when the last of the homes were sold.

Current Real Estate Trends in Mililani

The Mililani Real Estate and Housing Market remained stable in sales the past few months although prices dropped some overall the past year. The good thing is that the sales numbers have increased and inventory dropped considerably over the last year as well.

What does that tell us?  The following Mililani Real Estate Sales Activity for May of 2009 tells a story compared to the following statistics for 2008 at this same time period.

Current Market Report 2009

*NOTE:  DOM (Days on Market) means how long the property was listed on the MLS until the properties went into escrow with an accepted contract.

2008 Market Report

Here's the bottom line: The First Time Homebuyer $8,000 tax credit brought interest back into our market over the last couple of months. The Military plays a big part in our community and the Hawaii VA Loan is a great loan for the Hawaii Military Relocation client. So, with the inventory down we all know what happens when you snooze. You lose. :)

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Be proactive in your Hawaii Relocation and your search for your home in paradise.

 It's not easy moving across the Pacific Ocean let alone to a totally different "world" of people but you can do it with effort, motivation and a great Realtor®!

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

Yup! I'm all for the Bill passing and starting on Wednesday, July 01!  It's going to stop all this text messaging, game playing and so forth while driving (and weaving all over the road).  I've used hands free technology (Bluetooth earset) for years just for the fact it was safer with answering so many phone calls during my drive to and from each destination.

With all the accidents and even instances with public bus drivers playing games while driving (that's scarey) it's about time we had this bill passed. I think back to when I used to smoke and talk on the phone at the same time. .....  <groan>

There is NO grace period allowed...in case you are wondering. More from the Honolulu Police Department website here>>>>>  http://www.honolulupd.org/traffic/electronic_devices.htm

19 days and counting :)

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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. Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com

I'll be 52 years old in a couple of months and I'm proud of it. I have learned many lessons in those years and believe me I was one of those that HAD to learn the hard way. Or so my Pop used to tell me over and over. He didn't agree with many of my impulsive decisions back then and mom was the one who was there to support me when I fell. It hurt my dad too much to face me and see me hurt with my failures.

At this moment...I am at the exact point and time I am supposed to be.

There are many things I have learned in my half century of living:

• It IS MORE than Words. The way I speak to other people is not so much the words being spoken but the way I am speaking them.  Definitely not like the person I was in my younger years. I used to believe that expressing my views and opinions is all that mattered and the way I barked at them didn't.  
• Setting Personal Boundaries .....The Key is Communication Setting healthy boundaries takes communication skills and being assertive. Taking care of ourselves means that we make sure we know where our boundaries start and we let others know where their side ends.  Just remember...  There's a Diplomatic (Nicer) Way to Say IT!  Go and bark at me and I just won't listen. Plain and simple. Now I know why no one listened to me....way back when. 
• Someone asks me for help and I'm very busy.  I can only speak for myself as I have been in many a situation where I have been very busy and managed to squeeze in a moment or at the very least, let them know I'm busy but will get back to them shortly. Give a Little.....Gain a Lot.  Everything in life is a give and take situation.

Awareness of how I affect others is one thing I am conscious of every day now.  I learned that the small simple things really matter and that a smile, a kind word or a little task can help lift someone's spirit when they're weary. These traits of ours carry into our business. That's a FACT.

I know this to be true.  I just told someone this morning that the small things like answering my questions or an email made a difference for me.  And these are the small simple things that I do for my clients that make a difference for them and that they remember.

These are the small simple things that DO matter.

These are the details that make me a good Realtor Associate®

.....and a good human being.

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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. Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com

In 1971 my family moved to Mililani and it was in the beginning stages of a 40 year Master Planned Community development of single family homes, condos and townhouses with the first homes built in 1968. 

My children went through their school years in Mililani (they're adults now) and my mom still lives in the same house bought in 1971.

I remember when....

Miililani is centrally located to all military bases on the island and 5-10 minutes from Schofield Barracks and Wheeler Army Airfield, 20-25 minutes to Hickam AFB, Pearl Harbor Navy Base and over the H-3 to Kaneohe Marine Corp Air Station in a matter of 35-40 minutes.  We have three shopping centers and seven recreation centers (five have pools) with many community activities for all ages.

Mililani is the ONLY community in Hawaii to receive the distinction of "ALL AMERICAN CITY" in 1986 and you can get more information, association docs, homeowner packets and more from our association site by clicking on the following link:  MILILANI TOWN ASSOCIATION INFORMATION

Over the past few months we have had a fluctuation of sales numbers and a small decrease in sales prices but bottom line our sales numbers significantly increased in the past month.

The following market statistics show a clearer picture for the last six months:

 *NOTE:  DOM (Days on Market) means how long the property was listed on the MLS until the properties went into escrow with an accepted contract.

More Hawaii Real Estate & Relocation Links:

• Mililani Town, Hawaii: Recreation Centers and Fun for All Ages!
• Launani Valley Mililani Condos Homes-Hawaii Relocation Schofield Barracks, Wheeler AAF
• Mililani, Hawaii: Info and Pictures
• This Realtors® Perspective: Hawaii Military & the VA Loan
• Honolulu County Hawaii Military Bases & Installations- Oahu Neighborhoods 
• Across the Ocean to Paradise: Military Relocations Hawaii* 
• The Art of Hawaii Relocations 
• A Honolulu Hawaii Relocation: Getting Ready With Your "To Do" List

For more information on Hawaii Real Estate and Relocations:

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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. Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com

This Sunday I will be holding an Open House for my Hilldale Listing in Mililani Mauka and decided that I wanted to use my show I created through www.realestateshows.com to pass out to the consumer on cd.

I also wanted to create the disk MY way :) (you can order the cd's from RES as well) so I had my husband burn it to cd. Since we have a cd printer he created (with my supervision) the picture that would display on the cd.

With four pictures on the cd and the name of the complex on the top and the address on the bottom, it will serve as a great tool for the buyer who tours the home. They won't have to dig into their memory bank to remember which property this was and will inspire them to put in that contract!

Or....the neighbor thinking of selling will see that this is a great marketing tool as well. New listing perhaps?

The next 'different' thing I've done is create a nice booklet with all pertinent information on the property so when there are agents showing their buyers the property they have the following:

• Nice cover and a contents page in a thin three ring binder to start with and all pages inserted plastic sheeting to protect the documents.
• Seller's Real Property Disclosure Statement is a plus as it gives the potential buyer a bit more information on the property. A birds eye view from the sellers knowledge of the property will give them additional insight.
• Comparable Properties in the immediate area. Our MLS has a CMA Wizard to create a comprehensive CMA using sold properties and all the criteria and adjustable prices for each (i.e. sq/ft interior, additions, condition of the property and so forth)
• The Association's House Rules so if the buyer has any questions about the pet limit, where to BBQ and so forth it's right at their fingertips!
• Any Building Permits for walls, alterations, extensions, major electrical or plumbing work etc.
• Warranties or manuals for the property for the refrigerator, automatic garage door, sprinkler system, ongoing termite treatment, alarm system and so forth.
• Floor Plans, extra pictures, flyers and so forth are all added to the pocket of the booklet and I stand it up so they can flip right through it. (flyers in the front inside pocket, buyer/seller brochures in the back pockets along with floor plans to take with)

At the closing of the transaction I will leave this booklet behind for the buyer so they have all the information in one place to refer to.

Though internet marketing is surely top priority for my marketing for current listings, Hawaii Relocations, VA Home Loan Transactions, Hawaii Home Buyers and Hawaii Home Sellers, I do think it's important to keep the face to face material in the forefront as well. Though Open Houses may not be for all markets it's one of our area's main marketing tools due to our densely populated neighborhoods that make it easy to travel from one open house to the next.

Though these are not new marketing techniques my efforts will be appreciated.

At the very least it has my personal touch.

© 2009 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman, Hawaii Real Estate & Relocations  

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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. Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com

If you are planning on a Relocation to Hawaii you may want to consider the community of Mililani, Hawaii. Centrally located to all military bases on the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) Mililani is the home for many Active Duty Military as it is 5-10 minutes from Schofield Barracks and Wheeler Army Air Field, 20-25 minutes from Hickam AFB, Pearl Harbor Navy Base and Ft. Shafter Army Base and about 30-35 minutes from Kaneohe Marine Corp Air Base.

Mililani is a Master Planned Community and has a population of approximately 30,000 people. The first homes went up for sale around June 1968 and our H-2 freeway opened in 1976 which lessened the time to travel to Honolulu. With three shopping centers, a 14 plex theater, 7 recreation centers (5 have pools), parks, Mililani Golf Course and activities galore we have a lot of what we need in our central location.

In 1986 Mililani was named an "All American City" and IS the only community in Hawaii to receive this distinction. In 1990 a ground breaking ceremony commenced for the Mililani Mauka subdivision which is a newer and more modern side of the community on the east side of the H-2 freeway.

Current statistics for the last two months for Mililani Town & Mililani Mauka Single Family Homes & Condos:

*NOTE:  DOM (Days on Market) means how long from the time it was listed on the MLS until the properties were sold

From 2007 when sales were still going strong and prices remained stable there now shows  a significant decrease in sold properties for November- December of 2008. We can attribute the sales numbers drop due to the financial crisis going on in our nation and this does not exclude Honolulu County. VA (for military and vets) and FHA loans are still great loans and there are still strong lending institutions available with your great credit and/or a % down payment.

Bottom line?  If sellers are realistic and listen to the advice of their Realtor® regarding pricing and their expert opinion then they will get their property sold. It may take a little time but it will get sold.  It is NOT a seller's market so listen to the strategy of your agent and we are working for you when we are giving you suggestions!

Buyers need to realize that though sales numbers are down it does not mean that all neighborhoods have a significant decrease in sales prices. Waiting for prices to drop and taking a chance on interest rates increasing will still net a monthly mortgage payment that could be significantly higher and lose that home you really love.  It all depends on your circumstances.

Our office is located in Mililani Town in Central Oahu and 10 minutes from Schofield Barracks and Wheeler Army Air Field. We are also located about 20-25 minutes from Hickam AFB & Pearl Harbor Navy Base although I service all of the island of Oahu.

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Be proactive in your Hawaii Relocation and your search for your home in paradise. It's not easy moving across the Pacific Ocean let alone to a totally different "world" of people but you can do it with effort, motivation and a great Realtor®! 

• Hawaii Military Relocations: Choosing the RIGHT Realtor® & Loan Officer
• Mililani Town, Hawaii: Recreation Centers and Fun for All Ages!
• Hawaii VA Loan Process: BE PREPARED!
• Launani Valley Mililani Condos Homes-Hawaii Relocation Schofield Barracks, Wheeler AAF
• Mililani Hawaii Military Relocations Community INFORMATION- Part I

© 2009 Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman, All rights reserved 

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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. Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com