Hawaii Real Estate and Golf News: Kona Country Club is scheduled to open its Makai Course on February 1, 2016 according to Hawaii Tee Times. I just logged into their Website and was able to book a tee time for 7:04 am 2/1/16 . One thing I was not able to do was get a "kama'aina discount" , so if you find out more about that, please post in my comment section and I will update the information here. And for golf course property in Hawaii, make sure you give us a call. as of right now we have 2 on the golf course and access to more. Lance Owens (RS) 808-936-8383 Kimi Nagatoshi (RS) 808-936-2575Here is a video and a link from Hawaii Tee Times, (click here to book your tee time) 18 holes, par 72, 6613 yards. All prices per person and include golf cart rental. (THE OCEAN COURSE IS CLOSED FOR ... 12/20/2015

My sister says from my blog it looks like I am running all over Big Island with Hella, and I guess we have been. It's quite the rollercoaster with Hella. And when you throw me into the mix, there is no telling what can happen. It's been wild and hilarious. Everything has flowed so smoothly, too, which undoubtedly is due in large part to Hella. That woman answers her phone wherever she is, unless driving with me, I guess.We zipped right through the home inspection and then I wanted to talk to the neighbors. We found the guy next door at home for lunch, so we politely grilled him about everything. He's been on this culdesac for 10 years and ended up going back to work after retirement. He married a woman from work he did not initially care for and was sporting a shiny new wedding band fro... 12/17/2015

Ordinarily, we as Sacramento REALTORS do not get that involved with a home buyer's mortgage process. That's between the lender and the buyer. We absolutely do NOT get involved when the buyer is using our preferred mortgage lender because those guys are always on the ball. Nothing falls through the cracks with them. They are the most dedicated mortgage loan officers I've ever met. Incredible attention to detail and immediate action, which tends to prevent problems, even with TRID.The problems that arise, of course, often originate when the buyer elects another lender such as the credit union or a major lending institution simply because they bank at those institutions. I'm finding out what it is like being on the other end as a buyer, and let's just say it's pretty astonishing what buyer... 12/17/2015

Just another day in paradise with Hella Rothwell in Big Island. In reviewing another document for our purchase contract on the home we are buying in Hawaii, Hella brought it to my attention that it asked if the buyer was a member of NAR. Did I have to disclose that I'm a licensed real estate broker in California, we wondered? It didn't seem to be a requirement and would be odd. For example, when I temporarily moved to Minnesota 20-some years ago and bought a house there, I did not have to disclose that I was licensed to sell real estate in California.But guess what? In Hawaii, a licensed California agent is "supposedly" required to disclose her professional status, even if she is represented by a Hawaii agent. Which meant to keep the listing happy, we had to revise the purchase contract... 12/15/2015

I swear I felt like Hella and I were house hunting just like House Hunters. And I would know since I've been on that show. We looked at some unusual and weird homes in Big Island, across all types. Hella was such a trooper, keeping us on schedule, traipsing through gigantic weeds in the yard of that dome house in Captain Cook, climbing that steep hill to get up to the coffee farm in South Kona, and squeezing into tight parking spots off busy thoroughfares.We spent a day looking at condos and townhouses, too. Most of them felt just like an apartment building, and one condo on Ali'i Drive we could not get into because the lockbox would not work. I had removed my shoe and began beating on it with my heel, too, no such luck. You can read more about our adventures in Hawaii in my personal bl... 12/12/2015

Kailua Kona Condominium Report for September 2015 News for both Buyers and Sellers: October 7, 2015 MLS sales report shows an increase in the number of condos sold by 4.55% , and a slight decrease in condominium prices YTD .If you are considering buying a condominium you can still find deals, but having a good real estate agent who understands the market is a must.  If you price it right, it sells right away, sometimes with multiple offers, but if you overprice it, the market is not there,  where buyers are willing to overpay.  To make sure you don't overpay or overprice it, you'll want an agent that does a thorough market analysis of the Kona Condominium Complex, and surrounding area, on which you are making an offer on.Here is a chart of September 2015 and Year To Date numbers: (Big M... 10/07/2015

September 21, 2015 Aloha From Kailua Kona, HI I thought it would be fun to take all the FB photos from friends (with permission) and put them into one photo blog. Just one evening, same sunset, same city, but our different views. I think it came out great, I hope you enjoy.  First one comes from Julie Ziemelis , and her view from the beach. Julie is also an author of the book "How To Move to Kona" and runs the www.facebook.com/365Kona things to do in Kona,I almost forgot her website of the same name 365 Kona Discovering the Big Island of Hawaii Next we are going to take  a look at the sunset through Julies Husband,  Eric Ziemelis This one is Courtesy of another friend,Kim Berney, our very own "Gold"  doTERRA oils specialist!  from her mothers poolside. My wife's view, Kimi Nagatoshi, al... 09/21/2015

Oh, my goodness, I almost forgot to stop by Active Rain this morning and say hello. For a Friday before Labor Day weekend, it's been pretty busy, especially since I am already on vacation in Hawaii on the Big Island. But you know that's what happens. It's odd. The minute an agent steps foot on an aircraft -- hey, since when have the names of planes, airliners or airplanes changed to AIRCRAFT, like it's some sort of artsy construction when it's just a hunk of poorly assembled metal with a crummy blackbox that often fails; I mean, can you see Peter, Paul and Mary singing (OK, one of them is dead now): I'm leaving on an Aircraft -- well, that's when all hell is likely to break loose. It's not so bad when it happens if a person is ensconced in pleasant surroundings of palm trees waving in g... 09/04/2015

The problem with getting up at oh-dark-thirty and going to the Sacramento airport is you're never quite alert during the day after that, no matter how much Diet Coke you finish off. When I arrived at my hotel in Hawaii yesterday, I was ready for a nap, but dealing with the 3-hour time change is best dealt with by staying awake and adhering to a normal schedule, whatever is normal for you.I picked up the keys at the front desk and began my long journey to my suite. It involved several sets of elevators, going down and then up again, and walking to the ass-end of nowhere, away from the pool, the noise and the scarcity of guests who seem to be staying at this particular resort. When I reached my suite, I came upon a set of double doors and no place to insert my room key.Touched everything.... 09/03/2015

HIBT Tournament is under way and I just feel a little more blessed than normal - I am lucky enough to stroll on down to the pier and check the weigh ins, just like I was going out for cup of Starbucks - how cool is that! Here is photo from the pier, and a follow up of a 404 pound Marlin that was one of several caught so far, and not the largest either, Just in case you are not familiar with Kona, the hills in the background...... you guessed it, that is where the best coffee in the world is grown "Kona Coffee"And for you "Periscopers" - I scoped some of the weigh ins yesterday, follow me @KonaHomeTeam - they should still be up for a couple more hours.  Kona, Hawaii (Tuesday, August 11, 2015) — With near perfect conditions, scoreboard action continued to heat up on this second day of the... 08/12/2015

 Stop Paying Your Landlord’s Mortgage!  July 24, 2015  First Time Home Buyers, For Buyers, USDA Loans, Renting VS Buying Aloha, Lance Owens (RS) , Kimi Nagatoshi (RS) , your KonaHomeTeam,  bringing you the latest in Real Estate News. There are some people that have not purchased a home because they are uncomfortable taking on the obligation of a mortgage. Everyone should realize that, unless you are living with your parents rent free, you are paying a mortgage - either your mortgage or your landlord’s.   As The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University explains: “Households must consume housing whether they own or rent. Not even accounting for more favorable tax treatment of owning, homeowners pay debt service to pay down their own principal while households that rent pay d... 07/24/2015

Ocean Views and Private Pool - Vacation Rental in Kona, HIThis luxury, private Hawaiian vacation home sits on over 1/2 acre of tropically landscaped land, overlooking the Kona Coast in the award winning Kahakai Estates, a gated subdivision less than a mile to downtown Kailua-Kona. Relax and enjoy the beautiful solar heated pool with ocean views. You can't beat this location, on the sunny Kona coast, close to ocean front restaurants and downtown Kailua Village, the hub of shopping and ocean activities. A perfect place to spend time with family and friends. This home has lovely furnishings including many antiques from throughout the Pacific and ocean views from almost every room. All of the modern comforts are available for your vacation, including cable channels, stereo, DVD player, high... 07/10/2015

  Sales Up In Almost Every Price Range  June 15, 2015  For Sellers, Pricing The National Association of Realtors’ most recent Existing Home Sales Report revealed that home sales were up rather dramatically over last year in five of the six price ranges they measure. Only those homes priced under $100,000 showed a decline (-10.1%). The decline in this price range points to the lower inventory of distressed properties available for sale and speaks to the strength of the market. Every other category showed a minimum increase of at least 9%, with sales in the $250,000- $500,000 range up 21.2%! Here is the breakdown:     Hawaii numbers, Single Family Homes:  Aloha, Lance Owens (RS) here with LUVA Real Estate,  bringing you the latest Real Estate News,  June 11, 2015  For Buyers, For Sellers,... 06/15/2015

Are you thinking about selling your home? Aloha, Lance Owens (RS) here with LUVA Real Estate and We have put together this guide to help you with your decision 5 Reasons to Sell Now:  Thinking About Selling Your Home - Spring 2015 from Lance Owens   06/11/2015

  Aloha Lance Owens (RS) and Kimi Nagatoshi (RS) here from LUVA Real Estate bringing you up to date with Current Matters, Real Estate News for April 22, 2015Though the real estate market has improved, we still have one item holding it back from a full recovery – a robust supply of homes for sale. Demand has increased dramatically. At the same time, housing inventory is decreasing especially at the lower price points.The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently revealed that there is a pent-up seller demand caused by the uncertainty created by the housing crisis of the last decade.What does that mean to you?Houses listed today sell quickly. With prices still below peak values of 2007 in many parts of the country and mortgage interest rates at historic lows, this may be the perfect... 04/22/2015

 The most recent Pending Homes Sales Index from the National Association of Realtors revealed that homes going into contract in February increased to their highest level since June 2013.The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing.The Index is now 12.0 percent above February 2014. The index is at its highest level since June 2013, has increased year-over-year for six consecutive months and is above what is considered “the average level of activity” – for the 10th consecutive month.Here is a graph showing the Pending Sales numbers:Here is Yesterday... 04/08/2015

Aloha, Lance Owens (RS) here from LUVA Real Estate and wanted to bring you up to date on the Market. Is the Housing Market Back?, Why would I compare it to a used truck? Here in Kailua Kona we have a lot of secondary homes, secondary homes seem to trend the car market very closely. The same people that put off buying a new car, put off  buying a second home.  I fit the category pretty good, business is rising, things are good, we just bought some land and we are getting ready to build. Our 10 year old truck has seen better days and we are out looking for a new F-Series Super Duty truck. None to be had, I checked all the dealers, I checked Craigslist, I checked the outer islands - nothing! They tell me construction is up and all the contractors are scrambling for trucks themselves. They ... 03/10/2015

Are you looking for an easier way to get up to the date MLS feed information, in the Kailua Kona area. Do you want a specific home, or condo, in a specific subdivision or complex? Look no further because it doesn't get any easier than this: Go over to our website, look for "MLS Hotsheet"  and fill out the form. Sound to easy to be true?  Here is my cell# 808-936-8383, if its not as easy as I say, or you are concerned about spam or endless emails, feel free to call me direct, we don't hide behind big corporate names or try to capture your information for other purposes - its a daily email with the information YOU requested! And, guess what, if there is no update for that day, there is no email that day either.  I am going to ask for one thing, on the honor system, if you find something y... 02/26/2015

If you  opened this Blog, because of the title "Tikis, Mai Tai, Don the Beachcomber" then you came to the right place. There wasn't enough room in the title for me to drop another name "Body Glove" , but let me tell you, I participated in an event with them a little over a year ago, and they still talk about it! The Mayor (Billy Kenoi) even showed up and proclaimed it National Body Glove Day. Tiki Shark Art and author S.P Grogan confirm dates for their Big Bash on the Big Island to celebrate new novel release:  Tiki Shark Art Inc., Big Island based, owned by Parker has confirmed that the book signing event will be held on March 6th from 6 PM to 9 PM at Kona Oceanfront Gallery on Ali Drive next to Bubba Gump - and on March 7 from 3:30 PM to 7:30 PM at The Royal Kona Resort - Don The Beac... 02/19/2015

  West Hawaii Real Estate News for February 15, 2015. We are now halfway through  February and the January numbers are all in.  First I want to share my sunset photo from Thursday night    North Kona Home prices, for Single Family Homes in Kona went up 4.85% over last January, and looking at what actually sold....... Homes under $500,000. 14 sold, and only 2 of those were for cash.  Homes from $501,000 - $999,999. had 13 sales with only 2 of those being cash.  Homes over a Million, 8 sold, and 6 of those were for cash, pretty big percentage of cash sales when you look at the other brackets.  If you want to see the number of homes sold compared to last January, take a look at this Market Report  Taking a look at the Case Shiller Price Index, we seem to be right inline with national numbe... 02/15/2015