These days, most of the listed homes for sale in Kona, Kohala, or Mauna Kea Resort are all about building a family future. Savvy buyers know that the market is theirs, and they can bargain for things like better school districts, home improvements, and other amenities that make owning real estate in Hawaii great. However, when the Kona real estate market boasts more homes than there are buyers, there’s another advantage: homes for investment opportunities are cheaper and have greater potential than ever before.
Archive for the ‘Big Island Hawaii Real Estate’ Category
Buying a Home as an Investment
Thursday, July 16th, 2009Ways to Increase your Home’s Value
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009When you first purchase a house in Kona, Kohala or Mauna Kea Resort, you’re most likely thinking of ways to build a home for you and your family. A big yard means plenty of room for the children to play. A newly renovated kitchen means you can finally throw the types of dinner parties you’ve always wanted. A master suite, well, that’s just icing on the cake. However, when it comes to sell your Hawaii home, it’s important to remember that all those little (and big) changes can also mean big little (and big) changes in your sale price.
While most homeowners should make changes to their houses that suit their lifestyle rather than the eventual sale price of their home five, ten, or even twenty years down the road, there are a few things to keep in mind. After all, if you will someday be selling your Kona house, you want to be sure you’re maximizing your profit.
- Repair all the little things – now. Most of the time, homeowners are willing to overlook the little idiosyncrasies like a broken step on the porch or chipping paint on the kitchen cabinets while they live in their house. These small repair needs are a bit like a knee that acts up in the rain or a car that always requires you to turn the key three times to the right before starting; they just become part of the everyday backdrop of your life. However, for someone buying a home in Kona, Kohala or considering real estate in Mauna Kea Resort, these things can become glaring problems. By fixing issues as they arise (rather than waiting until you’re ready to sell your HI home), you not only avoid making major repairs all at once, but you actually get to enjoy the repairs while you live there.
- Know your neighborhood. If you live in one of Kona’s family-friendly neighborhoods, chances are things like well-maintained yards, large family rooms, and spacious kitchens will be worth more in the long run. If you live in a Kohala condo, you might find that built-in bookshelves and jacuzzi bathtubs are more appropriate. While you don’t have to tailor every change to your eventual sales audience, you can choose to make the types of changes that will translate into the highest returns.
- Don’t ignore the less visible changes. Almost all of the houses for sale in Kona go through cosmetic changes before they hit the market. Fresh paint, new kitchen appliances, and good landscaping are fairly common. Less common are things like a new roof, updated plumbing, or even a newly-installed automatic sprinkler system. However, these things show up in a home inspection evaluation, and when you put your trust in a HI real estate agent like Agent1, these types of changes will always get the focus and attention they deserve.
The most important thing you can do to your Kona home is enjoy the time you’re going to spend there. However, by keeping its eventual sale at the back of your mind, you’ll be able to get the most out of your life – and your investment.
Kona Kohala 2009 residential sales – January to April
Thursday, May 28th, 2009Today I took a look at sold statistics in the North Kona and South Kohala areas. I’m hearing economists forecast the end of the recession by the end of the year.
I want to watch the sales statistics for upper end and luxury residential starting from January 2009 to see when the data will identify the market “bottom.” Some think we are there, and others are still skeptical. Let’s start with single family and condominium homes in the $1,000,000+ range:
| $1,000,000+ | Median Sales Price | Units Sold |
| January | $1,540,000 | 3 |
| February | $1,000,000 | 4 |
| March | $1,400,000 | 7 |
| April | $4,900,000 | 1 |
Guide to Buying a Fixer-Upper in Hawaii
Saturday, May 23rd, 2009In the Kona, Kohala, Mauna Kea Resort Hawaii real estate market, buying a home with the intent to fix it up is one of the best investments you can make. There’s no better way to take control over your home ownership than to customize the design, floorplan, and landscaping of everything from a single story rancher to a charming Victorian – especially if you’re looking to use the current Hawaii real estate economic climate as a way to get the home of your dreams without breaking the bank.
The Importance of Curb Appeal
Saturday, April 25th, 2009Most real estate agents will tell you that the best time to sell a home in the Kona, Kohala, Mauna Kea Resort Hawaii areas is during the late spring and early summer months. When the weather turns warm, the vibrant growing season commences, and children can be seen playing happily in the yard, potential homebuyers really begin to connect with a house – even before they set foot across the threshold.
In real estate lingo, this is known as curb appeal.
Staging Your Home
Tuesday, March 24th, 2009Staging your home is a great way to prepare your home to sale and to make it look alluring to buyers in the Kona, Kohala, Mauna Kea Resort Hawaii areas. Staging your home has become popular during the last decade. Read this article to find out some great ideas on how to get your home ready for potential buyers and get it sold sooner, rather than later.
Within the first minute, people decide if they could live in your home. The problem is that there are so many homes on the market right now, that if yours doesn’t catch their eye immediately, then they have other choices. The struggling housing market is forcing people to take more drastic measures to sell their homes. Many homeowners say they need all the help they can get. With the market not being so good, there are ways you can make your house stand out. Staging your home is the way to make your house stand out in the Kona, Kohala, Mauna Kea Resort Hawaii areas.
The idea of home staging is to highlight your home’s best attributes and positively affect potential buyers. Staging your home isn’t about your own tastes. It is about making the home appealing to the general population. Whether you go at it alone or use a stager, you need to have the attitude that your home is no longer your home.
Following are some tips to consider:
New Year brings optimism for the 2009 Real Estate Market
Friday, January 30th, 2009What better way to start the New Year, then to bring confidence to our 2009 Real Estate Market. Ringing in the New Year being hopeful and optimistic will allow us to decide what we can do to improve our way of thinking about what is currently going on in the market. The New Year begins with us having a positive outlook and is a promising time for those of us looking to buy a home in the Kona, Kohala, Mauna Kea Resort Hawaii areas.
Here are a few reasons to make a real estate investment in 2009:
Real Estate during the Holidays
Friday, December 19th, 2008Now is still a really good time for Real Estate in Kona, Kohala, Mauna Kea Resort Hawaii areas. Buyers can, and do, get serious during this busy time of year. Lots of sellers take their homes off the market during the holidays, assuming no one will be buying at this time. But with serious buyers still out there and a lower inventory of homes, your home has a good chance of standing out. With fewer homes for sale, competition is decreased. There are good reasons to sell your home during the holidays.
Unclutter Your Home and Get It Ready to Sell
Sunday, November 23rd, 2008It is very important to make a great first impression to the potential buyers of your home. Every seller wants their home to sell fast and bring top dollar. Does that sound good to you? Well, it’s not luck that makes that happen. It’s careful planning and knowing how to efficiently unclutter your home that will excite buyers. Here is how to prep a house and turn it into an appealing and marketable home.
Get rid of those items that have been sitting around for years without being used or even handled. This is the hardest thing for most people to do because they are emotionally attached to everything in the house. After years of living in the same home, clutter collects in such a way that may not be evident to the homeowner. However, it does affect the way buyers see the home, even if you do not realize it. Buyers and real estate agents should see your house in its best condition from the very first day it’s on the market.
Here are a few approaches to take to unclutter your home and get it ready to sell. Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room’s purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don’t want buyers scratching their heads and saying, “What is this room used for?”
Another way to unclutter your home and get it ready to sell is to make those minor repairs and best of all, make the house sparkle! Only do one room, or even one small area, at a time so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Your best friend is the trash bag; when in doubt, throw it out. Many find it easier to use boxes to sort items, so you don’t have to find a home for everything as you unclutter. Most important, be quick and decisive when sorting. Tell yourself:
• If you don’t need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
• Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
• Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.
If you are getting your house ready to sell in the Kona, Kohala, Mauna Kea Resort Hawaii areas, then take a step back and pretend you are a buyer. Let a friend help point out areas where you can unclutter your home and let myself, Diana Woods, your agent help you to get your house ready to sell.