07/04/10: The Great Waikoloa Rubber Ducky Race & 4th of July Extravaganza 10:00 - 9:30 pm This is an all day fundraiser for United Cerebral Palsy of Hawaii. Featuring a wild rubber ducky race, live entertainment, and lots of exciting activities, plus a spectacular fireworks display over Kings' Lake. Call (808) 886-8811 07/04/10: Turtle Independence Day This is purposefully held every year on July 4, this event educates people about endangered Hawaiian green sea turtles. Watch as the young honu (turtles) are given their freedom as they are released back into the ocean. Call (808) 885-6622 to find out more information.     06/23/2010

Scrapbook your memories of your vacation and/or life in Hawaii. Hilton Waikoloa Village: Lagoon Grill Kiosk 3:00 - 4:00 pm Cost $15/guest ~~~~~~~~~~ Enjoy a Royal Luau, watch the sunset over Anaehoomalu Bay and taste the flavors of a Hawaiian cuisine. Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa 5:00 - 8:00 pm $80 adults, $40 children 6-10 06/09/2010

Ipu Class (Hawaiian Gourd) Hilton Waikoloa Village10:30 $15 materials feeAt The Ocean View Terrace 06/07/2010

Listen to local legend John Keawe Kings' Shops Tuesdays: 6:00-7:00 pm Discover a truly unique island experience at The Legends of the Pacific Luau Hilton Waikoloa Village Tuesdays: 5:30-7:15 pm Enjoy sun sets over Anaehoomalu Bay with a Royal Luau Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & SpaWednesdays: 5:00-8:00 pm Take a Petroglyph Tour (rock pictures) may be the closest thing to a written language that Hawaiians used, thought to be astronomical symbols, road signs or markers of historic events. Kings' ShopsWednesday 10:30-11:30 Na Kamali'i O Kona Hula Kings' Shops This Friday 6:00-7:00 pm Enjoy music and the feeling of old Hawaii: Matthew and Rosalind Kupuka`a traditional songs and hula Queens' MarketPlace Saturday 5:00-6:00 pm 06/01/2010

Amazingly, I still get inquirires off my blog post from a year ago about the first REO properties listed at Halii Kai condominiums on the Kohala Coast (one was oceanfront 13A and the other ocean view 16C).  I now have met the new owners of both of those properties, and both profess to be very happy with their purchase. So what's for sale (and selling) at Halii Kai as we roll into June 2010? Surprisingly, only 7 properties have sold so far this year: four developer sales, two oceanfront two-bedrooms and a near-oceanfront two bedroom.  The story on the three resale units shows the spectrum of transactions: one oceanfront was a foreclosure and the other was a premium price on a premium unit; the third was a short sale.  Of the NINE properties currently in escrow, seven are short sales and ... 05/31/2010

Enjoy a Royal Luau today at  Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa from 5:00-8:00 pm Enjoy the sunset over Anaehoomalu Bay, Hawaiian cuisine and Polynesian entertainment that includes the spellbinding Samoan Fire Dance. 05/16/2010

Take a Petroglyph Tour today at  Kings' Shops from 10:30-11:30 "Kii pohaku (petroglyphs, literally "rock pictures") may be the closest thing to a written language that Hawaiians used, and some are thought to be astronomical symbols, road signs or markers of historic events. Join expert Kalei'ula Makekau for a moderate 1-hour walk back through Hawaii's fascinating history, and see for yourself. " 05/16/2010

When you're ready to buy a new home or sell your property for the best return, make sure you have a real estate professional who understands your goals. Johnny McElree believes there's nothing better than living on the Kohala Coast and helping others achieve their real estate dreams. Contact him today and Live Your Dreams.  www.johnnymcelree.com     05/13/2010

Having a very successful SEO campaign can require a lot of time and energy, but in the end it really boils down to three main things; getting invloved in the community, getting your information out there via article submission and page building, and having a good site.  Here is some more insight to each of these items. Getting Involved In the CommunityThis is one of the simplest and least costly ways to gain links to your site.  You can get involved with other blogs and comment on them to gain links.  Also many people let you "guest post" on their blog and allow you to include a link within your post.  This is a much more valuable link.  You can also get invloved in forums.  Almost all forums allow you to have a link in your signature.  These are not too valuable, but they are still lin... 04/30/2010

After a few sales of Kolea condominiums (that fabulous beachfront Kohala Coast property) where prices ticked up after previous distress sale levels, we suddenly find ourselves today with a new short sale and a new REO (bank-owned foreclosure). Starting with the top, Kolea 10F is a penthouse unit in a front-row position facing the Beach Club pool and walking path to the white sands of Anaehoomalu Bay.  It offers three beds, three and a half baths, pocket doors opening onto the huge ocean view lanai, a full 2147 sq ft of luxury.  Priced at $1,650,000, buyer should also expect to pay several months of delinquent HOA dues (which run about $2000/mo).  No telling whether the Lender will accept this price, given that the two most recent sales of this floorplan were 2F at $1,500,000 and 7F at $... 04/23/2010

I purchased a home from a developer, DR Horton, on the Big Island. I had heard prior to purchasing to be very careful about making sure everything was correct before purchasing because their warranty department was really bad. Anyway, everything was pretty good at the house so we closed on it. The only problem we have had is that the fireplace does not work. It has been this way for a year and a half now and I have contacted them about resolving it just about every month. At first they kept on extending the flue and then after they maxed out the height they just say they are trying to figure something out, but never do anything. I gave them a month in February to either fix it or convert it to gas. They tell me once to twice a week they are working on it, but of course no one is out her... 03/09/2010

Google seems to always be changing its prescense on the web.  Just recently I noticed that they are implementing real estate listings in google maps more.  I think this is a great feature for google, but also competes with what many of you may be doing.  Since google tends to use their maps and google local often in searches if your listings are on them that is another way you can get a listing on the first page of google for good search terms.  If you click here you can view an example of what I am talking about.  You will find real estate listings from various companies on the left side of the page. Also using google local is a great way to get first page placement.  Also the large map that google places along with the businesses is very eye catching so it tends to draw a fair amount ... 02/26/2010

As social media is becoming more and more of a trend I keep finding myself feeling like I need to partake in it.  In early 2009 I started a twitter account and just could not make sense of it.  Everything I wanted to say that was related to business could not be said in the few amount of words they allowed you to tweet. Just recently I started a Facebook business page.  I was very happy with the functionality and simplicity of using it.  Then it came time to get fans and start promoting it.  Once I got to this step I figured it out that it is really going to be hard to use facebook to promote your business.  Even if someone is a fan, it is not like another profile where your posts will show up on their wall.  Your posts show up only on their most recent news feed, which I typically do n... 02/17/2010

I have only been a member of ActiveRain for a couple of years, but I am already finding it hard to find a descent topic to write about.  I thought I would just pass along a small success story to give everyone out there some positive outlook.  I started really working on my web site, www.waikoloavacationrentals.com, just about a year ago.  At that point Hawaii had started to feel the crunch of the economy.  I continued to put a lot of time into the SEO and MORE IMPORTANTLY the items that effect the conversion rate of my web site.  Since then I have climbed up the charts for some pretty competitive terms, my conversion rate has gone through the roof, and more importantly business has been better than what is what before. After putting the money and efforts forth, I have been able to expa... 02/16/2010

Had lunch at the Hali'i Kai Ocean Club Bar & Grill today and watched the whales jumping like popcorn popping.  The developer sponsored today's Kohala Coast broker caravan so after previewing the best new listings for sale from Hualalai Resort north to Mauna Kea Resort, agents could enjoy the view and food, and hear about reduced pricing on remaining developer units for sale. Resort real estate continues to be hot at the moment, with the majority of the sales either short sale, foreclosure or developer properties.  About half of all sales at Waikoloa Beach Resort last year were at Halii Kai. Although they are still holding prices firm on their limited ocean view inventory, the developer is willing to stay competitive on the Coconut Grove to maintain their sales pace: 3bd 3ba Ikena F/G u... 02/05/2010

I have had about a dozen calls in the past ten days about short sales and REO (foreclosure) opportunities at oceanfront Halii Kai and Kolea on the Kohala Coast (playground of the Big Island of Hawaii).  I have also been busy writing offers (some accepted, some countered too high, some outbid) and receiving offers on listings.  Here is a quick update: At Kolea, I spent a few very happy hours last night with a new owner who acted on one of the best buys blogged about here on ActiveRain in the past.  This is their first visit since their purchase closed, and they were greeted by a resident who calls himself "The Mayor" and his first words were "You STOLE this unit.  There will never be another one sold at such a low price."  Whether that is true or not remains to be seen, but keep that sto... 01/17/2010

The Kohala Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii has become known as one of the premier vacation destinations in the world.  On this coast you will find the Waikoloa Beach Resort, which has expanded and offers two hotels, over 1000 vacation rentals, shopping, and activities for everyone.  It has recently been rated "The Top Vacation Destination in Hawaii for Families".   The cornerstone of the Waikoloa Beach Resort is the Hilton Waikoloa.  This expansive hotel spans over 62 acres and consists of four towers and two large resort style pools.  Within the hotel you will find seven dining choices.  KPC is the nicest restaurant and is located on a bluff giving an amazing ambiance.  The Kona Pool is the most popular pool and consists of multiple jacuzzis, a grotto, and a waterslide.  The Kohala P... 01/09/2010

I don't ordinarily spend my Saturday nights blogging, but I have just spent the day showing short sale, REO (foreclosure) and other best buy listings at Halii Kai and Kolea on the Big Island's Kohala Coast, and as I talk with these prospective buyers who found me on ActiveRain, I realize my earlier blog posts have become misleading! As of today, there is only ONE active REO listing at Kolea and ONE active REO listing at Halii Kai.  I must have shown each of these units dozens of times (Kolea 15H and Halii Kai 14B on the oceanfront), and even have clients with paperwork filled out and ready for signature.  The listing agents tell me they get multiple showings a day.  Both units have had price reductions.  I truly think at current prices an investor would be happy and someone buying for t... 01/02/2010

There has been a lot of real estate sales activity at Halii Kai in the 3 months since my last blog post about this oceanfront condo community at the Waikoloa Beach Resort on the Kohala Coast. On the resale side, the only condos that changed hands were the two REO properties described in my June blog post: an absolute oceanfront two-bedroom 13A closed for $814,995 and 16C for $385,900. Unbelievable prices-less than half what the original buyer paid. The developer is willing to negotiate on their remaining inventory to keep pace with market interest, although it appears only on condos in the Coconut Grove area at the back of the property.  As the landscaping has filled in, the Grove has turned out to be a sweet, calm oasis, and the units with north-facing lanai have a view of sunrise over... 09/18/2009

  Georgina M. Hunter (RS) e-Pro (808) 283-0635Jim Sanders Realty Inc.PO Box 792050, Paia, HI  96779(808) 579-8255  FAX: 579-9004Looking for a vacation home on MAUI?    Call THE HUNTER...Georgie Hunter, your north shore expert.Search all Maui land and residential listings on my website... www.eastmaui.com Tweet with me on Twitter.com    @mauihunter------------------------------------------------------------Aloha from Maui... Georgie Hunter   "I want to help you reach your Real Estate goals." 06/07/2009