November 30, 2007

Haiku Home Sales

As of October 31, 2007, there were 54 single family home sales in Haiku year-to-date, compared with 57 sales this time last year.

The average price was $1,144,653, compared with $1,095,207 this time last year, representing a 5% increase.

The median price for a home was $940,000, compared with $890,000 a year earlier, an increase of 6%.

On November 29, an MLS search showed 69 Haiku homes for sale.

View the list at /www.MauiResidences.com!

August 22, 2007

Evaluating a Home’s Technological Features

If the latest technology or entertainment options are important to have in your new home, the following is a checklist from realtor.org.

• Are there enough jacks in every room for cable TV and high-speed Internet hookups?
• Are there enough telephone extensions or jacks?
• Is the home pre-wired for home theater or multi-room audio and video?
• Does the home have a local area network for linking computers?
• Does the home already have wiring for DSL or other high-speed Internet connection?
• Does the home have multi-zoning heating and cooling controls with programmable thermostats?
• Does the home have multi-room lighting controls, window-covering controls, or other home automation features?
• Is the home wired with multipurpose in-wall wiring that allows for reconfigurations to update services as technology changes?

July 3, 2007

Maximizing Your Home’s Appeal to Buyers

By Laurelee Blanchard, R(S)

Create Space and Elegance with Mirrors

Mirrors provide a great sense of space and elegance when properly placed. They can make small spaces look larger and reflect the beauty of the outdoors.

Adding Additional Closet Space

One of the biggest complaints heard from potential buyers is that there just isn’t enough closet space! Simply purchasing an inexpensive closet organizer and installing it in any or all of your closets can make all the difference.

Make a Bare Wall Beautiful

Wallpaper is inexpensive, quick and easy to install! The right wallpaper can brighten the room or hallway and bring it back to life.

Bring Old Floors Back to Life

Whether you have wax, wooden or tiled floors do whatever you can to make them shine again! For wax floors, either rent a floor machine and do it yourself or, if it’s in your budget, hire a professional. If you have carpeted floors you should either have the carpet steam cleaned or install new carpeting. This may sound expensive but new carpeting can add thousands of dollars to the value of your home.

Add Attractive Plants

Having plants in the house will create a warm feeling with buyers. Attractive pots such as ceramic or brass will add a designer flair to your home.

Spruce Up the Bathroom

Give your bathroom a face-lift if needed: fresh paint, decorative moldings, tile grout, new designer faucets are attractive eye catchers.

Pleasant Aroma

Strategically placing fresh scent devices throughout the home will be pleasant to the nose of a potential buyer.

June 28, 2007

How to Sell Your Home at the Highest Possible Price

By Laurelee Blanchard, R(S)

Making a mistake in selling a home can cost you thousands of dollars in lost profit. Avoiding common mistakes is easy and takes little time and effort on your part. The following guidelines will help you get top dollar for your home.

1. Know the Market: Know all there is to know about the comparable properties and recent sales before listing, and work hand in hand with the right real estate professional.
2. Make the Home Look Appealing: Ask your agent for a checklist of things you can do indoors and outdoors to present your home in the best possible light.
3. Home Viewing Flexibility: Buyers want to view a home on their own time schedule. Unfortunately their time schedule does not always coincide with your time schedule. Leave a lockbox or key with your agent so your home can be shown when you are not around. You never know if the one who got away was your buyer.
4. Restrain Emotional Decisions: Don’t allow a few hundred dollars to ruin a sale. That money will mean very little to you in the long run. Take a look at the big picture and use sound business judgment to accomplish your goal.
5. Make Cosmetic Improvements: Prospects make up their minds within the first twenty minutes. First impressions can make all the difference in selling your home. Spending $1,500 on new carpet might add another $4,000 to the price of your home. Get an objective point of view from your real estate professional. I can provide you with a list of items that will maximize the profit of your home sale.
6. Disclose Property Flaws: Property disclosure laws require sellers to list any defects. If you are unaware of flaws or attempt to cover them up, you risk losing the sale and finding yourself in court. Get professional assistance from your agent who can introduce you to qualified inspectors and ensure the smooth sale of your home.
7. For Sale By Owner: Most homeowners who decide to sell their home by themselves do so because they believe they can save the commission paid to the real estate agent. The enormous amount of time and effort required to sell a home often surprises the "For Sale By Owner." Furthermore, many costly mistakes can be made without the right guidance.
8. Trusting Your Agent: The right agent is a valuable team member who will protect your best interests and make your sale as profitable as possible.
9. Price it Right: Most homes that do not sell in their first listing period are priced too high. Conversely, most homes that sell quickly are priced too low and cheat the homeowner out of profits. Understand the market and evaluate the value of your home based on fact, not gut instinct or conventional wisdom. A professional agent knows the market, just as you know the market for your business.
10. Choosing a Realtor: Home sellers often pick a friend or family member as their agent and sometimes this proves costly. The best agent knows the market well and can generate many buyers. Selling your home is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make! Base it on good, sound business sense and the rewards will add up. Before you make one of your most important decisions regarding your home sale shouldn’t you become as informed as possible? By aligning yourself with a top agent you ensure that all the important issues and seemingly insignificant but....very important....details are handled professionally.
    

June 9, 2007

A bill aimed at preserving the coastal area between Sprecklesville and Paia was introduced in Washington DC Friday. Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii introduced a bill to have the National Park Service study the shoreline for designation as a national seashore under preservation status.

Referring to the North Maui Coast Preservation Act of 2007, Hirono said, “The citizens of Maui strongly support preservations of the coast, which provides important open space and public beach areas. The beautiful coastline is under significant development pressure. Its closeness to major population centers and its popularity with both visitors and residents make protecting access a major concern.

May 17, 2007

Hawaii Plant Program Prevents Species from Becoming Extinct

Maui is a special place, with exotic flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world. Many people cite the island’s natural beauty as their primary reason for choosing to buy property on Maui.

Hawaii comprises only 0.2 percent of the U.S. landmass, but has 42 percent of the nation’s listed plant species. Working to preserve these species is the conservation group Plant Extinction Prevention (PEP). PEP plans and executes habitat protection and restoration programs to prevent species from becoming extinct. Their goal is to complete a network of multi-island plant propagation sites and storage facilities, and conduct emergency monitoring and genetic sampling of all 186 species.

On Maui and the other Hawaiian islands, emphasis is being placed on areas that are not currently managed for conservation. The ultimate goal of plant recovery efforts in Hawaii is to create a situation where all species maintain stable, naturally reproducing populations in suitable habitats.