I have been working these clients searching for a property since early July. A super nice couple who is newly married that relocated back to Hawaii. The wife works in the coast guard and the husband is a retired vet. So they wanted to take advantage of their veteran benefits to purchase a house. This is usually easy to find a property under normal circustances, however being that we are in a seller's market here in Kailua, it was a battle to land a house for them. Over a four month period, they fallen out of escrow due to a "cloud on title" with the first house, and placed offers on 3 other properties with disappointing results due to a multiple offer situation on two of the properties. The challenge with VA clients is that usually, these people are coming in with minimal money down, ... 11/13/2012

Happy Veteran's Day to all those who have served!  There may be no other state in the United States where the military culture is more a part of life than in Hawaii.  This may come as a suprise to some, but anyone who has lived here, on Oahu, knows that the military is an integral part of the community and the island economy is dependent upon it.  Military service members and their dependents make up roughly 1/8 to 1/10 of the entire population of the State of Hawaii.  On Oahu, where there are numerous military bases, the percentage of the military population is even higher. On Friday, I attended a Military Appreciation Day celebration and mass at St. Anthony School in Kailua.  This Military Appreciation Day Celebration was made even more special because my husband, who is currently ser... 11/11/2012

Coldwell Banker Just listed this outstanding expansive gated property in Kailua. It is located right off of North Kalaheo Avenue on beautiful Kailua Beach. The asking list price is $24,950,000. Truly a resort within itself! Absolutely stunning Kailua beachfront estate spanning from St to Ocean consists of 3 TMK s totaling over 65,000+ sq ft of tropical grounds. An exquisite 5 bd main residence offers 10,000+ sq ft of lavish living plus a gorgeous separate 3 bd guest house. Incredible details, rich hardwoods & pocketing walls of glass open to sandy shores & turquoise waters. Incredible! Just take a look at some of the pictures below to get a taste of what this property looks like! The highest ticket price on Oahu...worth every penny!!! Luxury at its finest! Please give me a call if you o... 11/05/2012

I was compelled to report some updated news with this property that I wrote about recently. As I mentionioned earlier, this property is located in a lovely area right below the mountains. So the area is very scenic and has a tropical feel to it being so green and lush. The lots are larger and the houses are older and therefore it is one of the desirable places in Kailua, because the prices in this neighborhood are generally lower than other areas in Kailua. I attended brokers open and previewed this property. The floors were stripped to bear bones, the kitchen was original, and the house basically needed a complete overhaul. However the potential of this property was there. So if you had a good eye or vision and a few helping hands to transform the property into your dream home, this wa... 11/01/2012

TO BRING YOU UP TO DATE, SALES HAVE NOT YET BEGUN WITH THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED KA MALANAI IN KAILUA. I SAT IN A BRIEF SEMINAR WITH D.R. HORTON (THE DEVELOPERS) AND NOW THEY ARE SAYING THAT SALES FOR THE FIRST BUILDING SHOULD START IN THE BEGINNING OF 2013. THEY ARE NOT EXPOSING THE LIST PRICES NOW HOWEVER I HAVE "HEARD" THE THE GENERAL PRICE RANGE WILL START AT $400K UP TO 800K, BUT THE SET PRICES WILL BE DETERMINED WHEN THEY START SELLING THE UNITS NEXT YEAR. THERE WILL BE MINIMAL AMENITIES TO HELP KEEP HOA/MAINTENANCE FEES AFFORDABLE. THEY HAVE NOT DETERMINED HOA/MAINTENANCE FEES AS OF YET. THEY DISTRIBUTED A FLYER OF 10 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS THAT I AM SHARING WITH YOU BELOW: WILL D.R. HORTON COOPERATE WITH REALTORS? YES. D.R. HORTON WILL PAY 3% TO REALTORS AS USUAL. HOW CAN I RE... 10/25/2012

New update: Building One and Two are copleted more or less, lotteries completed and now some units are available for resale and investors my buy soem of those.  A lottery last Saturday was for building three, and building four and five are well under way.  The prices are 100,000 higher than the original pre-build possible price.  Interested?  GIve me a call or zap me an email and we'll get you on the lists. Sat through a nice presentation by DR Horton regarding the start of the first building at Ka Malanai (formerly known as the Ironwoods).  The plans are that five buildings are to be built ranging from 24 to 30+ units per building, each with a different courtyard.  To keep maintenenance fees low, there is no pool or other special amenities as the Kailua District Park is across the stre... 10/25/2012

Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties new listing here in Kailua expresses its opening statement well when they say Island Open Living Awaits you! This is a lovely ready to move in property that is the perfect Kailua home to own! It is listed for $1,175,000. It is a 4/2 with 1780 interior, and 9040 exterior square footage. The exterior front of the property is sorrounded by a great lava rock wall. It is a completely enclosed property so the little ones and pets are safe from wandering off. You walk into the house and with the sliding doors open, you can see the fabulous pool in the back yard. It has that outdoor feeling when inside because of how these doors open up the house. There are travertine floors, an upgraded kitchen, and each of the bedrooms have French doors that is also a nice t... 10/24/2012

The Olomana community in Kailua is located right off the Pali Highway butted up to the mountain. This area is greener with a country like feel. Kailua beach is only about a 5 minute car ride away. The lots are usually 7500 square feet or higher, and considering that Kailua's median price range is in the upper 700,000's, the Olomana area offers properties that can be purchased for less than Kailua's median price range. Most homes are single wall construction, older, but very liveable. It has its own schools, and parks for children to play in as well. A great little community in Kailua! This "diamond in the rough" Kailua Olomana home will be scooped up in no time. It is listed by Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties for $599,000. The last two sales sold for $692k and 715k and those lots and... 10/18/2012

This Friday, October 19, 2012 through Saturday, October 20, 2012, don't miss the Second Annual Lanikai Surf Festival. The Lanikai Surf Festival will be held in Lanikai Community Park in Kailua (corner of Aalapapa and Kaiolena) and benefits the Wounded Warrior Project (an organization to benefit injured service members), AccesSurf (an organization helping those with disabilities have access to ocean recreation and water sports), and the Lanikai Neighborhood Association. The Lanikai Surf Festival is free of charge and open to the public. The Lanikai Surf Festival features surf gear and craft booths, surf films, food, and a Stand Up Paddle "SUP" race. On Friday evening, starting at 7:30 two surf films will be shown. The SUP race (entry fee $45) will start Saturday morning at 7:00 am for re... 10/17/2012

Neighborhoods, continued. We were talking about neighborhoods on Oahu.  The town of Kailua is on the Windward side of Oahu and has all the criteria you'd ever want if you live or visit Hawaii - except the prices of homes and the wee wetter weather in winter (but that's what makes it so green). The natural features of Kailua make it a place of much natural beauty. The most significant features of Kailua are the bay, the mountains, and the wetlands. Kailua Bay is a magnificent place symbolizing the regional quality of the community. Kailua Beach and nearby Lanikai have been on the "Worlds Best Beach" lists by several publishers for many years. There are some great neighborhoods in Kailua and some of the best  for a home in Hawaii are Enchanted Lakes, Coconut Grove, Beachside, Lanikai, Mau... 10/10/2012

Here is another fabulous Kailua property that already has struck interest according to the listing agent from Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties. Besides the fact that you are a few blocks away from the most desirable beach in the world, this is an impressive house! It is listed for $988,800, a four bedroom, 2 bath that is updated and spacious with over 1600 square feet interior and 8475 exterior. When you walk into the house, it has a retro feel to it, but as you walk into each room I was impressed with what the seller has done to it. The concrete floors are cool and rustic. The kitchen is upgraded with all the bells and whistles that you would expect. As you enter the master, that is when you become even more impressed with the work has been done. The openness of the room gives it a n... 10/10/2012

I visited a property for sale for Broker's Open, and I must say, it's one of the largest square footage interiors I have seen that is just steps away from this glorious beach! It is listed by Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties. The listing price is actually very reasonable considering how large the house is. It is listed at $2,650,000. This huge 8 bedroom, 9 1/2 bathroom house has a square footage of 7418 square feet on an 11000 square foot lot, so it's all house. It was built in 2007, so it's newer by Kailua standards. It has three different entry ways, which is perfect for separate families living in the same dwelling. It could also possibly be used as a care home. There is potential for an elevator installation. So close to Kailua Beach Park- this wonderful home has lots of square fo... 09/10/2012

Neighborhoods in Kailua, Oahu There are so many different neighborhoods in Kailua. As a buyer, especially if you are not local, it can often feel quite overwhelming. Of course, you want to find a home in a great neighborhood that is conveniently located, affordable, attractive, possibly offer great ocean or mountain views or have easy access to the beach. Please select from the neighborhood links below to read about any Kailua neighborhood and to view current listings. Aikahi Park Beachside Bluestone Coconut Grove Enchanted Lake Hillcrest Kailua Bluffs Kailua Town Kalaheo Hillside Kaimalino Kaopa Keolu Hills Koolaupoku Lanikai Maunawili Olomana Waimanalo 09/04/2012

Kailua is experiencing a frenzy of buyers just waiting for properties to enter the market place.  We are attributing this to historic low interest rates and lack of inventory which is creating this envioronment that buyers are on a "Shopping Spree". It has been crazy!!! I have two sets of buyers that placed offers on the same property which I had help from another agent to assist. There were 12 offers on this property.  In a normal healthy market, we usually have a 6 months worth of inventory. Our current inventory is slashed in 1/2 with 3 months of inventory left to sell. Kailua condominiums and townhomes are also running scarce. There are only currently 13 active on the market. One of my favorite townhomes just had one come on the market. Gardenia Manor is a great complex with wonderf... 08/29/2012

Neighborhoods and Homes for Sale in Kailua, Oahu There are so many different neighborhoods in Kailua. As a buyer, especially if you are not local, it can often feel quite overwhelming. Of course, you want to find a home in a great neighborhood that is conveniently located, affordable, attractive, possibly offer great ocean or mountain views or have easy access to the beach. Please select from the neighborhood links below to read about any Kailua neighborhood and to view current listings. Aikahi Park Beachside Bluestone Coconut Grove Enchanted Lake Hillcrest Kailua Bluffs Kailua Town Kalaheo Hillside Kaimalino Kaopa Keolu Hills Koolaupoku Lanikai Maunawili Olomana Waimanalo 08/27/2012

The Kaimalino neighborhood in Kailua upholds an image of an upscale, prestigous community that owners take pride in. The majority of properties have generous lots, with larger interior than the average Kailua home. Some of the properties have ocean or canal frontage as well. Kailua Beach, small shopping center, KMCAS is all nearby. This is a new listing that I visited recently. It is listed by Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties priced at $2,895,000. All I can say is that it has created alot of buzz between the local realtors because it is an impressive property! A 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom house over 5000 square feet of interior, and over 19,000 square feet exterior. Built in 2007. Grand Old Hawaii plantation style home on a large canal front lot with direct ocean access. Great attention to... 08/09/2012

Kailua Real Estate is on fire!! How can you help it when you have historically low interested rates, and reasonable property prices along with being close to a beach like this one below! Our inventory is considerably low right now and with this formula, you need a realtor if you want to be in the loupe of things and have a chance to land a property such as this one. I visited this property last Thursday, and it is now Tuesday and from what I hear they have already accepted an offer! This property below is listed by Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties @ $1,125,000.00. It's interior sf is 1599, and a generous lot of 10,542. It is a lovely 3/2 with an open floor plan. Clean mid century design features open beam ceilings and hardwood floors throughout. Just a lovely home in the quiet neighbo... 08/07/2012

Kailua's Aikahi Park district is a great place to live. it is highly desirable for many reasons! It is known for its highly rated elementary school, it is walking distance to the beach, and has its own strip mall with a grocery store, specialty wine store, gas station, restaurants, and bank. Very convenient area that is quiet and sunny most of the time. It is also close to KMCAS. I can personally vouch for this tucked away community because I am a resident of Aikahi Park for over 6 years now, and loving it!!! There is a listing currently on the market for $995,000. It is a 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath with over 1800 square feet interior and over 8500 exterior. It is listed by Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties. As you will see below, the kitchen is fabulous, and the master bedroom is super spa... 08/01/2012

TSUNAMI WARNINGS FOR THE STATE OF HAWAII – FIND FLOOD ZONES Posted under: Crime & Safety in Kailua, Remodel & Renovate in Kailua, Property Q&A in Kailua  |  July 29, 2012 4:46 PM  |  1 view  |  No comments Email Alerts Send to a Friend Post to Facebook Post to Twitter RSS LIST OF FLOOD ZONES – Tsunami Warnings State of Hawaii Do I need flood insurance? To find the flood zone for any island, go to the Hawaii Flood Hazard Assessment Tool. It’s is easiest to zoom in, then use the “pan” tool to drag the flood zone map to your area. For Oahu, go to the City and County of Honolulu Planning and Permitting Department. Here you have the ability to interactively look up information on digitally processed maps such as zoning, property boundaries, tax assessment, ownership records, sewer hookups, d... 07/29/2012

The Star Bulletin announced the following: Mayor vetoes bill for commercial activity ban at Kailua beacheshttp://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/163777456.html?id=163777456 May the screaming begin.  The original fight for Camp Kailua was settled by banning all but one vendor of windsurfing and parasailing which is technically outside the park.  Over the past years more and more kayak and other ocean activity rentals have either rented to tourists from across the street and had the tourist walk the kayak on a roller cart or nearby businesses would rent the kayaks or other equipment for use and then park a truck with trailer and deliver the equipment in the morning and take it back in the afternoon food trucks have been a welcome respite for a day at the beach.  Those would be prohib... 07/25/2012