Relocating to Hawaii Honolulu consistently ranks in the “Best” lists among major magazines. Fortune Magazine rated Honolulu as the #67 best place to live in 2009. It also rated it as the one of the Best places for a long life.   Business Week listed Honolulu at Number 1 in the US from a study done by Mercer Consulting. No. 28: Honolulu – U.S. Mercer score: 103.1 2007 rank: No. 27 GDP: $13.86 trillion (2007 est.) Population: 303,824,646 (total country); 380,000 (total city) Life expectancy: 78.14 years   A handy calculator shows you how to figure out the difference between where you live and Honolulu. For example, if you make $50,000 in Los Angeles, you will need to make $53,523 in Honolulu, since the cost of living is 7.7% higher here. Here’s the catch: employers in Honolulu typically p... 11/27/2011

  Oahu Upscale Real Estate Report   October 2011   Quick Summary  Oahu Single Family Homes Sales: up 5% from last year; up 4% from last month.    Oahu Condos Sales: up 27% from last year, up 6% from last month.    Oahu SFH Escrows: up 8% from last year; up 1% from last month.   Oahu Condos Escrows: up 5% from last year; down 14% from last month.   Oahu SFH Median Selling Price: down 10% from last year; up 4% from last month.   Oahu Condos MSP: down 7% from last year; up 4% from last month.   Oahu SFH Months on Hand: 4.6, Seller’s Market   Oahu Condos Months on Hand: 5.2, Seller’s Market   Oahu Upscale Sales: down 7% from last year, flat with last month.   Oahu Upscale Escrows: up 48% from last year, down 8% from last month   Oahu Upscale Price/Square Foot: down 19% from last year, up 13... 10/29/2011

This is just for fun........ I think I would go to daily spin class if this happened. I guarantee a smile on your face - ENJOY  :)   Now here’s some good incentive to exercise!       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEH4Yum4nN4&feature=player_embedded 10/20/2011

Currently, there are three Lanikai homes for sale on the beach in Kailua. There are other oceanfront homes in Lanikai, however, not all of these have actual beach frontage. The first Lanikai beachfront property is a newer home. Has three bedrooms, 4 full bathrooms and 1 half bath. This elegant beachfront home in Lanikai has a living area of 2,430 sq ft and 18,211  sq ft land area. This is an amazing home designed with vintage touches, including retro stained concrete floors and beautiful custom built-in cabinetry and incredible views of the Mokulua Islands. It also has a swimming pool. Photo courtesy of HICentral MLS. Listing courtesy of CB Pacific Properties.  This second property is a beautiful 7 bedroom, 6/0 bath home, with a living area of 4,435 sq ft and 16,996 sq ft land area. Thi... 10/03/2011

Kimi Correa,REALTOR®, helping Buyers and Sellers on the Windward Side of Oahu   What's going on this week in Kailua? Well, if you have never been I would HIGHLY recommend you check out the evening Kailua Farmers Market It is one of the 2 Farmers Market held on Thursdays in Kailua. The 'evening' farmers market has a lot less produce than the morning version......but boy, or boy it is fun! There is usually live music and assortment of resaurants from the other side of the mountian come over to " share " their creations. I personally "love" the shrimp scampi plate, but the sushi platters come a very close second. Oh, forgot about the "fried green tomatoes" and her pesto fresh pizza.  One can shop for nice plants, herbs, bakery items, orchids, deserts - oh, you just need to check it out !!!... 09/26/2011

New on the market and already in escrow... 1442 Aunauna Street. This home has the ocean views in Kailua, Hawaii that many have been waiting for. Not only are there ocean views over Kailua Bay, but also Enchanted Lake and Koolau Mountain range views from almost evey room. This Kailua View Home is listed at only $1,249,000, and this Kailua home for sale will also offer its owners a beautifully landscaped terraced yard recently featued in Hawaii Home and Remodeling Magazine. Let's take a closer look! The panoramic view spans the Koolaus, Enchanted Lake and the Ocean at Kailua Bay These photos really do not do the property justice. The ocean views are more dramatic in person. Everything about this home is immaculate, including the garden. The home has four bedrooms and three bathrooms, incl... 09/25/2011

  GOOD LUCK BOYS. KICK BUTT TONIGHT!!! 09/24/2011

Thinking About Buying a Foreclosure? With the housing bubble burst and the subprime mortgage crisis, millions of homeowners found themselves unable to make their mortgage payments. Many found themselves owing more on the house than the home was worth. Many just walked away from their homes. As a result of these complicated issues, millions of homes were foreclosed. While this isn’t the only reason for which homes are foreclosed, it has been a widespread one. With all the foreclosed properties, there has also been extensive interest in buying these properties at a bargain price. It is true that foreclosed properties can be priced at a significant discount, but they are also a much riskier investment. Before making an offer on a foreclosed property, do your due diligence. Things you must ... 09/21/2011

Kimi Correa,REALTOR®, helping Buyers and Sellers on the Windward Side of Oahu - Posts  My Kailua Posted on September 20, 2011 03:05 PM by Kimi Correa I came across this article in  and I couldn't say it better about how wonderful Kailua, Oahu is. I live here........ I love it! If you have some time, grab a glass of wine, click on the link below and be taken away to, in my opinion, the most wonderful place in the world.    My Kailua        Home | Open Houses | Search for Homes | Advanced Search | Map Search | Foreclosures | Buyer/Seller Info | Mortgage Rates | About Me | Contact Me | My Blog | Active Listings 09/20/2011

Getting a Legitimate Lender and Getting Pre-Approved It used to be that buyers could go house shopping and when they have found their dream home, then they go to get pre-approved. However, in today’s market, that has proven to be one of the least effective methods in landing the dream home. Most lenders can pre-qualify you for a mortgage over the phone. Based on general questions about your income, debt, assets, and credit history, lenders can estimate how much mortgage you qualify for. However, being pre-qualified and pre-approved are different things. Pre-approval means that you have applied for a mortgage; you have filled out the mortgage application, received your credit report, and verified your employment, assets, etc. When you are pre-approved, you know exactly what the maximum l... 09/19/2011

Aloha, in the Hawaiian language, can mean hello or goodbye, or love and affection. The word Aloha is used in a combination with other words, such as aloha kakahiaka, which means good morning; aloha auinala used as a greeting that means good afternoon; and aloha ahiahi is how you can wish good evening in Hawaiian. Because of aloha’s unique meaning and popularity, Hawaii is called the Aloha State.     Aloha is a Hawaiian symbol. Its meaning goes beyond any definition you can find about it in the dictionaries. In Hawaii, you hear aloha all the time and you are treated with aloha everywhere. Aloha Spirit in the dictionary is the coordination of mind and heart within each person. It brings each person to the self. Each person must think and emote good feelings to others. In the contemplation... 09/16/2011

Couldn't wait to go to broker's open today to see the new price reductions on Kailua Hawaii Beach Homes! Note: This is not my listing. But I would certainly be pleased to help a buyer purchase this Oahu Beach House.15 Pueohala Place, now listed for $3,000,000 (a $295K reduction). I know, it still sounds like a lot on money, but to get Kailua Beach, BEACHFRONT for $3,000,000 or under these days is rare. This Kailua Oahu Beach House is a best buy!! 15 Pueohala Place in Kailua, Oahu Beach House. Living Area. All images and data courtesy of HICentral MLS. There have been only 3 sales for Kailua Beachfront Homes at $3M or under since 1/1/2006. 350 Dune Circle sold for $2,880,000 in October 2010. (#2 on Map, Below) This Kailua Oahu Beach House was 4BR/3BA and 2,644 sq ft on a 13,153 sq ft lot... 09/08/2011

Oahu Real Estate Report June 2011 Quick Summary Oahu Single Family Homes Sales: down 13% from last year; down 1% from last month. Oahu Condos Sales: down 9% from last year, up 8% from last month. Oahu SFH Escrows: up 7% from last year; up 17% from last month. Oahu Condos Escrows: up 12% from last year; down 16% from last month. Oahu SFH Median Selling Price: down 7% from last year; down 5% from last month. Oahu Condos MSP: down 2% from last year; up 4% from last month. Oahu SFH Months on Hand: 5.0, Seller's Market Oahu Condos Months on Hand: 6.1, Neutral to Seller's Market Oahu Upscale Sales: down 29% from last year, down 27% from last month. Oahu Upscale Escrows: up 24% from last year, up 62% from last month Oahu Upscale Price/Square Foot: down 16% from last year, down 16% from last mo... 07/08/2011

Oahu Upscale Real Estate Report June 2011 Quick Summary   Oahu Single Family Homes Sales: down 15% from last year; up 5% from last month. Oahu Condos Sales: down 6% from last year, down 10% from last month. Oahu SFH Escrows: up 1% from last year; up 1% from last month. Oahu Condos Escrows: up 29% from last year; up 15% from last month. Oahu SFH Median Selling Price: down 6% from last year; down 1% from last month. Oahu Condos MSP: down 8% from last year; down 3% from last month. Oahu SFH Months on Hand: 5.8, Neutral to Seller's Market Oahu Condos Months on Hand: 5.0, Seller's Market Oahu Upscale Sales: down 3% from last year, up 6% from last month. Oahu Upscale Escrows: down 24% from last year, up 18% from last month Oahu Upscale Price/Square Foot: flat with last year, up 11% from last ... 06/06/2011

 Memorial Day 2011 A normal person has 1,000 wishes. A SOLDIER only has one, to come home safe. This blog post is in honor of someone that died, a wounded warrior, or who is fighting (or has fought) for our freedom. I thank you for your fight, sacrifice and continued fighting for the sake of all our freedom.     05/29/2011

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Moms out there in blog world.   05/06/2011

When you are ready to sell your Kailua home, whether you use a real estate agent or not, you need to have a market analysis conducted in order to price it correctly. You can try and do one yourself with online information, however, it probably won't be very accurate so it is best to utilize the services of a professional. The most important thing to remember about a market analysis is that you are only being given the information as it is available to the agent.  When Kailua sellers put their house on the market they typically have a price in mind before they talk to a real estate agent.  They may have an amount that they want to have in order for the sale to be worthwhile for them.  And they may even have to clear a certain amount in order to get into their new home.  Unfortunately, in... 05/04/2011

It's a smart move to hire a Kailua real estate home inspector to examine your potential home. But, wait. Before you sign that contract and pay the Kailua Hawaii home inspector to inspect your dream house, perhaps you should consider a few things first?One thing you should know about Kailua home inspectors is that their professional standards of practice tell them that their job is only to make an objective and independent VISUAL assessment of a home. That means they are not even allowed to move any personal belongings of the home owner or rearrange furniture in order to gain access to hard-to-reach places, like the attic or the garage. And, of course, if they cannot enter those places, then they wouldn't be able to inspect them and just satisfy themselves by writing on the Kailua home i... 05/03/2011

When buying a Kailua home you want to makes sure that you are protecting your largest purchase. There are several things that you can do to make sure you are adequately protecting your investment. Here are a few things you are either required to have or need to consider. First, you need to have homeowner's insurance lined up before closing. This covers fire, theft and liability.   Lenders want to make sure that their investment is protected and will make it a requirement to close. Typically, buyers contact their current insurance carrier that they have automobile coverage through, but coverage can be obtained anywhere. Many times they will offer a multiple policy discount.   If you have specific items you would like to add you can talk to your insurer about customizing a plan. Along the... 05/02/2011

Happy Easter All !!!!! Just want to wish all out in cyberspace that reads this a Very Happy Easter!!!! God Bless, Kimi 04/23/2011