One of the issues I run into with new people in our business is they many times are so green, they do not know what they don't know.It is dangerous to enter this or any business with little to no training and blindly head out.  If you are a new real estate agent or a new loan officer, let me give you a couple of tips that may save you a world of hurt.Find a good company and broker to hang your license with.  Find someone well established in the business who offers additional training.Budget money for training.  Take industry training and designation classes.Find a top producer and try to team up as either their assistant or at a minimum have to do you first several deals jointly.  Splitting half of the commission with them is a bargain.  They will give you credibility with your clients,... 10/05/2007

I received an e-mail today that I expected, but still didn't like.About two months ago I started working with a buyer who was referred to me from a really good local loan officer.  I was quite complimented by his trust and started to show properties to the client.The client was demanding and I was getting a few yellow flags, possibly a red one or two.First flag came when I got a call that they wanted to put in an offer on a property they stopped in on at an open house.  They needed me to shop them the property for a second look so I could help advise them on the offer.  They were only available at 9:30pm to do it.  OK, I have done it many times before, I am not a clock watcher, so I set it up.  Upon arrival at the property they were so in love with, the client began to point out all the... 10/04/2007

I received an offer on one of my listings a little over two weeks ago.  The offer was hand written, the cover sheet was also hand written and a blank paper, no letter head and faxed in to my office.  It was accompanied by a loan approval letter that said it was 100% financing and was required to close in 2 weeks or less.  Are they kidding me?The letter was from a loan officer and lender I had not heard of before.  It also said it was a final loan approval.  I read the letter and thought this a joke.  I spoke to the real estate agent and she said it was serious and they could do it.  I spoke to the loan officer and asked who the funding lender is.  She said they were.  I questioned how she could have a final loan approval without even a contract.  As it turned out she didn't seem to know... 09/30/2007

Mililani is tied for first place with their close win over Aiea.  The game was quite exciting top see.  The Mililani side of the stadium and standing room only and the fans showed extreme school spirit throughout the game.Mililani had a well rounded offense and defense.  Aiea featured a quarterback and receivers that kept the game close and exciting throughout.The hit of the game was delivered #20 Shaw Alesna of Mililani on a kick off.  The hit could be felt in the stands.The play of the game was a blocked punt by Mililani.  The following play #2 Michael Among-Serrrao ran 33 yards for a touchdown.  He finished the game with 20 carriers for 123 yards total.Aiea's receiver James Buchanan #23 kept the game close with several key catches.                The halftime show was really great.  ... 09/28/2007

www.localism.com featured article by Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman, Century 21 Liberty Homes, Mililani, Hawaii Following is my entry in the Active Rain Buyer's Challenge Contest. (the name of the "potential client" is fictitious and only used for purposes of the contest to identify a "person")  Thank you Colleen Kulikowski for creating the First ActiveRain -- Buyer Challenge contest to expand our horizons in Localism post writing! *************************************************************************************** Aloha David!Thank you for contacting me after reading my post What Makes a House a Home in Honolulu, Hawaii? on the Active Rain Real Estate Netowork. You mentioned that you wanted information on purchasing beach-front property although you were more interested in the Central Oa... 09/09/2007

I put off going for my e-PRO designation for some time.  My initial instinct was that I was pretty techie and already had my CRS.  Why would I need e-PRO?Over the last few months a few friends of mine including WooHoo Sally Cheeseman picked up the e-PRO and felt it was worth getting.As part of my business plan to take professional development classes and earn key designations, I decided to go for it.  Even though I am a technically knowledgeable guy, how would the public know?So here is my experience with the e-PRO online course.  The material was quite good.  It may have been a little basic for me, but I feel that the average real estate agent would have been challenged by it and would have learned a lot.One of the benefits I got from the course was that it forced me to further investi... 09/01/2007

Donna Shefcheck officially is on board.  Donna got her Hawaii real estate license and is now a member of the National Association of REALTORS®, Hawaii Association of REALTORS® and the Honolulu Board of REALTORS®.Donna will be the energy to help drive the new team I am forming.  She will be my assistant and transaction manager for the team.Donna comes with a unique background.  She is an archeologist whose specialty is ancient Hawaiian burial sites.  She is excited about learning the real estate business and will keep all of us on our toes.  With her on the job, I know our files and records will be kept to the tightest standards.Donna will be working with me tomorrow.  She has a good friend we will be showing property to in the morning then in the afternoon we will be holding an Open Hou... 08/25/2007

By: David Kucic, 1SG, USA (Ret)Hawaii Home Buying and Selling Team and Military Relocation ExpertsWhat is COLA?  It is an acronym for Cost of Living Allowance.  The purpose of COLA is to give the same buying power to a Service Member that is serving in a high cost area as a service member serving in a moderate or low cost area.It's as simple as a gallon of milk. If a gallon of 2% milk costs $2.75 at a commissary in Ft. Knox, Kentucky and that same gallon of milk costs $3.95 at a commissary in Hawaii, why should the service member in Hawaii have to pay more?While it is a little more complex than that, it pretty much illustrates the reason that there is COLA in high cost areas.There are certain factors that affect the amount of COLA that you can receive such as:  Rank, Years of Service, N... 08/06/2007

This Mililani sales report covers zip code 96789 which covers both the Mililani Area (which includes Mililani Town, Launani Valley) and Mililani Mauka.The Mililani real is still moving strong.  We are still seeing good real estate activity in the Mililani area.  With low interest rates and a little more inventory, buyers are still able to buy the home of their dreams.Single Family homes sales volume was off a little in June. Average sales price, have remained strong though.  Year to date numbers indicate that the Mililani real estate market is holding strong.  Inventory has come down a bit in the last couple of months.  With mortgage rates remaining low look for prices to see some modest climbing over the next few months.Condo and townhouse sales are another story.  Inventory is relativ... 07/06/2007

www.localism.com  Featured PoatWe moved to Mililani when I was 14 years old and a couple of years after this Master Planned Community started building. It is almost finished now after 35 years of "growing" ....including the Mauka side of Mililani which is across the H-2 freeway. We have 7 recreation centers (5 of which have pools) tennis/basketball courts, 3 shopping centers with a 14 plex theater and MANY shops and restaurants. We have it all here in Central Oahu!Picture to the left is taken from Mililani Mauka on 6/30/2007 looking to the Waianae Mountain Range.This past Saturday afternoon (6/30/2007) we went to pick up my 25 year old daughter and 26 year old son (who relocated back home Dec. and Aug. of last year) to go to a steakhouse for a late lunch. They are both staying at my mom... 07/01/2007

My real estate training now includes diet and exercise.  To work the many hours and perform at the highest level, it requires being in good health.  My day today began at the Mililani YMCA at 6:00am.  Stretching, lifting weights and a nice ride on the stationery bike got me ready to hit the day.  I am sure that some of you started your day in a similar manner.  Until recently the thought of getting up and sweating in the gym was a foreign idea to me.Last summer I had hit a danger point.  Topping the scales at close to 400 lbs (even at 6'4" that is huge): I was breathing hard just from walking up a short flight of stairs.I suffered with severe acid reflex.I had chronic sleep apnea so bad that the doctors wanted to put an oxygen tank hanging on a C-Papa machine on me.The final straw was t... 06/09/2007

                                                                                               The news came as a bit of a surprise to many of us in the community.  Mililani High School has enjoyed a great deal of success in track and field the last few years.  Girls head coach Dane Matsunaga and boys head coach Marshall Ochi will be stepping down and will be sorely missed.According to news reports both head coaches cited family reasons.Coach Mashall Ochi, lead the Trajan boys for one season.  The boys team won the OIA championship and took fourth in the state championships.Coach Ochi, cited conflicts in his work schedule and he was getting married this summer.  It was also announced that assistant coach Chad Miyamoto who was the former head coach will also be cutting back. Dane Matsuna... 06/05/2007

The Wahiawa and Whitmore communities have seen the real estate market has leveled, but homes are still selling.  Interest rates are still low and there is a good selection of inventory.  It is still a good time to buy or sell in this balanced Wahiawa and Whitmore market.For the Month of May 2007        Single Family Homes Number of Sales Average Sales PriceArea20072006% Change 20072006% ChangeWahiawa/ Whitmore Area94+225% $472,500$508,750-7.13%        Condominiums Number of Sales Average Sales PriceArea20072006% Change 20072006% ChangeWahiawa/ Whitmore Area75+140% $181,785$186,400-2.48%        Year to Date Through May 31, 2007        Single Family Homes Number of Sales Average Sales PriceArea20072006% Change 20072006% ChangeWahiawa/ Whitmore Area3426+30.77% $487,117$471,611+3.29%       ... 06/04/2007

                                                                                       This Mililani sales report covers zip code 96789 which covers both the Mililani Area (which includes Mililani Town, Launani Valley) and Mililani Mauka.The Mililani real estate market has flattened, but it is still moving strong.  We are still seeing good real estate activity in the Mililani area.  With low interest rates and a little more inventory, buyers are still able to buy the home of their dreams.For the Month of May 31, 2007        Single Family Homes - Sold Number of Sales Average Sales PriceArea20072006% Change 20072006% ChangeMililani Area(Mililani Town, Launani Valley and Waipio Acres)1915+26.67% $568,421$578,400-1.73%Mililani Mauka1922-13.64% $706,531$659,854+7.07%         Year to Date Thr... 06/04/2007

The Mililani High School Football Trojans, Coach Darnell Arceneaux, his staff and team parents are putting on a football camp for the community.The event will be held on June 2, 2007.  The passing and agility clinic will help teach area youth some of the skills required to play the game of football.  Youngsters up to the age of 12 years old can participate for free.  Those 13 and older will pay $1.  The clinic starts at 3pm.  The clinic will be followed by the Brown and Gold scrimmage game where the 2007 Trojan Football players take the field.  Admission to the game is $1.  The game starts at 6pm in Mililani HS stadium.The concession stand will be open for both events.  You can purchase refreshments and  team T'shirts.  Mililani Links:Mililani Town Association: http://www.mililanitown.o... 05/29/2007

This Mililani sales report covers zip code 96789 which covers both the Mililani Area (which includes Mililani Town, Launani Valley) and Mililani Mauka.The Mililani real estate market has flattened, but it is still moving strong.  We are still seeing good real estate activity in the Mililani area.  With low interest rates and a little more inventory, buyers are still able to buy the home of their dreams.For the Month of April 30, 2007        Single Family Homes - Sold Number of Sales Average Sales PriceArea20072006% Change 20072006% ChangeMililani Area(Mililani Town, Launani Valley and Waipio Acres)1013-25.1% $563,400$556,7691.1%Mililani Mauka1920-5% $694,363$733,250-5.3%         Year to Date Through April 30, 2007        Single Family Homes - Sold Number of Sales Average Sales PriceArea... 05/29/2007

                                                                                            This is a question that many gloss over when buying a house.  Too many times while in the course of buying a house for a primary residence the focus is on the price, the amenities and possible appreciation in value.  The decision is done through the eyes of an investor.The problem with that is that many times it leaves out the most important question.  What Makes a House a Home?  Don't forget this is the place you will be living in.  You are not buying an investment you are buying lifestyle, you are buying your home.Your children will be raised here.  A piece of everyone in your family will be part of this house. The sweat it took to make this place special and all of the memories and love that w... 05/23/2007

By:  Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman                                                                                    Featured in Localism.com! My home is where I choose to make it. And I made it here in Hawaii! Whether it be the military or retirees that are relocating to Hawaii our islands offer a paradise that is unmatched.  Why?  We are the 50th state. The ALOHA state. Our beautiful scenery and tropical warm weather compliment the word "paradise". WE ARE the gateway to the Orient, Australia and the Continental United States. Please click here for a special virtual tour of my home, Hawaii.   Our population is so diverse and unique in culture with such a large number of ethnic groups and defines our local life. In the last 200 years Hawaii has become home to such ethnic groups of Hawaiian... 05/21/2007

   I spent a few hours this morning at a Red Cross drill.  It was a simulation of the opening and operation of an area disaster shelter.  The simulated event was a tropical storm that was gheading towards us and expected to be upgraded to a hurricane.  It was held at Mililani Uka Elementary School, which is the site of one of our shelters.Living on an island that is geographically the furthest point on the planet from a major land mass, puts an extra burden on us to be self-sufficient and as prepared as possible for disasters.The exercise went extremely well.  I was so impressed who organized they were.  To manage so many volunteers in such an orderly manner was a thing to see.  This was the 2nd such drill in central Oahu.  I am not sure how many volunteers attended, but would have to g... 05/19/2007

                                                                                              I made a business decision not hold any open houses on Mother's Day.  I am sure my wife would not have appreciated it.  I do not think my clients would have been too excited unless the homes were vacant, which none of my current listings are. More importantly I didn't think I would make friends and influence others by holding open houses on Mother's Day.  So I didn't.I did cheat the weekend a little though.  Yesterday my newest listing, a nice 3 bedroom home in the planned community of Mililani had a couple of Realtor showing scheduled in a home that my client requires she be there to let them in.  I asked her if I could just open it up during those hours and she agreed.The results were that we... 05/13/2007