Big Island Hawaii

Finding and Purchasing an Eco-Friendly Home in Hawaii

Diana Woods — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:58:39 +0000

These days, buying a home in Kona is about more than finding the right square footage, number of bedrooms, and price range. While these factors almost always make up the primary concerns for any home buyer in HI, the truth is that there is so much more to a home than the numbers and figures you see on an advertisement. In fact, Kona and Kohala are part of a growing trend of buying homes that are not only an investment in your future, but an investment in the future of the planet, as well.

What is an Eco-Friendly Home?

An eco-friendly home is any house that strives to reduce energy usage either during the building process or for average, everyday use. Green Home Building Standards have been established by the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB), which strives to ensure that ecologically sound building practices meet structurally sound ones no matter where you live.

Some of the components of a “green” home include:

• Energy-efficient features, including appliances and windows with the Energy Star rating. This can also be accomplished by doing simple things like using more efficient lighting fixtures and light bulbs.

• Water-efficient features, including Energy Star ratings on toilets, showers, faucets, dishwashers, and washing machines. At a more advanced level, this can include water recirculation systems and on-site wastewater treatment systems.

• Resource-efficient features, which generally come from structural changes that have to do with house size and layout, window placement, heat conservation efforts, and even using fast-renewing resources (like bamboo) for the floor or other building materials.

• Quality air features, which provide good ventilation without introducing toxins into the air either inside or outside the home.

• Outdoor features, including landscaping that contributes to the local vegetation, and the use of permeable materials for driveways and walkway. Water waste should also be reduced wherever possible.

Purchasing a Green Home

One of the greatest things about eco-friendly homes in the Kona region is that most of the costs are figured in during the building process. This means that if you’re in the market to purchase a green home, you will only have to help maintain the work that’s already been done. While this can increase the initial price tag of your new HI home, chances are that it will save you large amounts of money as the years progress.

In an age where it’s becoming increasingly more important to give back to the environment, more and more homeowners in the Kona area are loHIing for ways to reduce their carbon footprint. It doesn’t matter whether you purchase a new home in Mauna Kea Resort or an older building with recent renovations in Kohala, Diana Woods can help you find a way to combine your love of the environment with the home of your dreams.

Get the Most Out of Your Square Footage

Diana Woods — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:11:33 +0000

If you’re getting ready to sell your Kona, Kohala or Mauna Kea Resort home, you know that one of the most important things you can do to increase your sale price is to spend some time staging. After all, the better your home looks, the better the chances are that someone else will love it enough to buy it, too. However, many of the homes for sale in the Hawaii area are smaller in size than what’s currently hot on the market. While this doesn’t mean you can’t sell your home, it does mean that it might take a little extra work before you get that figure you’re aiming for.

The truth is, there’s no reason why your Kona home has to be the size of a small country in order to appeal to homebuyers. Small spaces, while more of a challenge to decorate and stage, have quite a bit of potential for appealing to those looking for charm, coziness, and class. If you’re doing the staging for your home yourself, here are few important tips in making your small home look like it’s worth every penny.

1. Get rid of the stuff. In any home staging effort, you want to get rid of personalized items and all the miscellaneous knickknacks that find their way into your home – including paintings and even overly unique drapes. This is never more important than when you’re trying to make a small house look bigger in HI.

2. Go for neutral colors. Dark colors make rooms look smaller in size. By using light, airy colors, you’ll give the appearance of more light – and therefore, more space.

3. Offer storage options. Most people need to really “see” themselves in a Kona home before they buy it. If you find creative ways to set up storage (such as in hidden cupboards, in strategic locations behind the couch, or even in a great set of shelves), you’ll give the impression that the house is not only beautiful, but livable.

4. Go for high-end details. Many of today’s homebuyers are willing to overlook a smaller space as long as it still retains a high value. Things like crown molding, built-ins, great appliances, and hardwood floors can go a long way in adding to the charm factor.

5. Use bright, strategic lighting. As with choosing lighter colors for wall paint, the idea of using light to give the impression of space is a good one. This is especially true if you can use track or recessed lighting to streamline the space even more.

Remember, there is no such thing as a typical homebuyer. By neutralizing your space and offering the little luxuries that allow people to envision themselves in your home, you’re allowing them to look beyond square footage to see how your Kona house for sale will help them create a lifetime of memories.

Buying a Home as an Investment

Diana Woods — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 16:28:31 +0000

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.

First-Time Homebuyers in Kona, Kohala, Mauna Kea Resort: If you’re in the market for the first time, buying a home as an investment is a wonderful opportunity. Not only are there federal funding options available for first-time buyers, but the low average cost of homes right now means that you can get more Hawaii home for your dollar. This is especially true if you’re looking for a home to live in for a few years. By buying a house now, you can have a place to call home and the potential to sell it for profit five, ten, or even twenty years from now.

Kona Home Flipping: “Flipping” a home, or buying a house and fixing it up to increase the resale value, has been made popular by television shows and success stories that boast of tens of thousands of dollars virtually overnight. However, the process of fixing up a house is a much larger task than it at first appears. If you plan to flip a house as a way to earn a living, make sure you know exactly what the construction projects will entail and how you will finance your way through the process for the entire time it might take to resell your investment home.

When Buying HI Real Estate, Timing is Everything: As a financial decision, buying real estate is often best taken advantage of as a long-term investment. After all, it can be difficult even for professionals to predict the Kona real estate market. That’s why one of the best ways to turn a profit on a Hawaii home is to plan on living in the home or renting it out for upwards of 10 years at a time. It’s one of the best ways to guarantee an increase in your investment, and to enjoy yourself – and your family – while doing it.

The most important thing to remember before delving into HI real estate as a way to make money is that there is no quick and easy road to riches. The recent housing bubble burst is perfect evidence of this, and many people learned the hard way that buying a home as an investment, like any financial decision, takes time, planning, and a little homework.

Ways to Increase your Home’s Value

Diana Woods — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:38:10 +0000

When 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

dianawoods — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:15:56 +0000

Today 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

Here is the sales data for Kona Kohala area homes during the same period in the $500,000 to $1,000,000 range:

$500K-$999K	Median Sales Price	Units Sold
January	$600,000	15
February	$644,500	14
March	$540,000	5
April	$600,000	5

I will share future sales data here and together we can discuss the emerging trend. While “trend spotting” is entertaining and hopefully helpful, my number one concern continues to be interest rates. Buying with the best interest rate is far more important than buying at the perceived bottom of the market regardless of rate.

Assuming today’s rates are a good deal, what are Big Island Hawaii upper end and luxury neighborhoods to watch?

Over $1,000,000, at Mauna Lani Resort, The Point ocean view condos remain popular. The oceanfront location can take the edge off the 1980s interiors.

In Hualalai Resort just north of the airport, there are more luxury homes on the market now that at any time in the resort’s history. Consequently, there is a nice selection of beautiful single family home under $10,000,000.

Not on the “deal” list but definitely worth a look if you prefer the most prestigious address on the Big Island: The Bluffs at Mauna Kea Resort #15. This is only the second time a home in this neighborhood has been marketed on the open market.

Under $1,000,000 the neighborhoods to watch are the Kumulani condos at Mauna Kea Resort. There are still a couple of good developer buys.

At Ka Milo in Mauna Lani, the developer is very motivated and is offering a duplex style single story unit with a two car garage around $600,000.

Hali’i Kai at Waikoloa Beach Resort remains one of my favorite entry level resort neighborhoods. Its oceanfront pool club is outstanding.

These neighborhoods feature beautiful tennis and golf facilities, as well as access to the best beaches on the island. For more details or photos, please ask.

Raising healthy Ahi, Hawaii Island style

dianawoods — Tue, 26 May 2009 01:18:05 +0000

Living the tropical, luxury lifestyle along the Big Island’s Kohala Coast means relatively easy access to very fresh fish. You can visit the fishmongers near the Kona and Kawaihae harbors and you’ll almost always find big beautiful fish caught the same day. Yes you will pay market price ($13+ per pound) but whatever you select will be worth every penny. Whip up a pineapple mango salsa, and when your fish comes off the grill your taste buds will be ecstatic.

Preference for Ahi or Bigeye Tuna is growing rapidly around the world, and Hawaii is no exception. Ahi is second only to Bluefin Tuna in popularity, especially among sushi and sashimi fans. The Blue Ocean Institute currently classifies Ahi as a species heavy fished and its global stock low and falling. The eastern pacific fishers are catching them faster than they can reproduce.

Enter Hawaii Oceanic Technology (HOT). Last month the company received community support to build a 247 acre, 12 cage Ahi farm about three miles off Malae Point in North Kohala. The company hopes to raise 6,000 annual tons of Bigeye and Yellowfin Tuna. About ten percent will be sold locally under the King Ahi brand. HOT will limit availability of King Ahi in local stores to protect the livelihood of local fishers.

The fish will be bred in tanks on land where they will stay until they weigh about five pounds. Then they will be moved to very large submerged, self-powered “oceanspheres.” The pens will travel with the ocean current untethered, using geostatic positioning technology.

Aquaculture is an appealing way to halt fish stock decline, but traditional methods have caused environmental and wild stock problems. Some farms are disease prone, marine life has suffocated below farms, and farm escapees have harmed wild stock. HOT’s novel approach should avoid these problems. The secure kevlar net spheres will be 1,300 feet below the surface in open ocean where strong currents will keep the pens clean and the fish will have plenty of space. The diameter of each sphere will be about 56 yards, creating 82,500 cubic meter pens. Construction is expected to begin in 2010.

Kona Blue farm currently produces open ocean Ahi near the airport, using pens tethered to the sea floor. Their Ahi show no significant traces of mercury or contaminates, which cannot be said about wild stock. HOT’s new roaming pen technology is yet another step in the right direction for fish lovers on Hawaii Island and around the world.

Guide to Buying a Fixer-Upper in Hawaii

Diana Woods — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:22:23 +0000

In 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.

However, as any responsible real estate agent will tell you, buying a fixer-upper can be a big challenge. Excessive or hidden damage in a home can be both dangerous and costly. Before you make the plunge, make sure you follow a few important fixer-upper guidelines.

1. Always get an inspection. Nothing will give you a better idea of what kind of repairs you’ll come across than a thorough home inspection from a trusted source. Don’t take on more damage than you, your contractor, and your budget can handle.

2. Pay attention to the layout and structural foundation of the house. If you’ve always dreamed of a large kitchen, make sure your potential new home can be adapted in terms of wiring, plumbing, and layout. Sometimes, the skeletal structure of a house prevents certain types of cosmetic changes.

3. Location matters. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a single family house in Kona or a condo in Kohala; a home’s value is only as high as the neighborhood in which it’s located. A rundown building in a nice neighborhood has the greatest potential to bring an enormous resale price.

4. Know the difference between “big fixes” and “small fixes.” Things like drywall, painting, floor refinishing, landscaping, and hardware are easy to do yourself. Things like plumbing, electrical work, windows, and roofs can be more expensive and difficult. Stick to changes you can make for certain based on your skill level and budget.

When buying a home in Kona or looking at Kohala real estate options, a fixer-upper can be one of the best ways to get the home of your dreams for a low overall cost. Just make sure you enter into the transaction with your eyes open, with flexibility in mind, and with Diana Woods at your side.

The Importance of Curb Appeal

Diana Woods — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:54:54 +0000

Most 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.

Most potential homebuyers make a decision about a house within the first 30 seconds. For example, simply driving by a well-kept single family home for sale in the Kona, Kohala, Mauna Kea Resort Hawaii areas is often enough to cause people to pull over and make an immediate call to their realtor. That’s because an inviting exterior promises an inviting interior.

To get the kind of curb appeal that really gets noticed, you have to be able to detach yourself from your home. You may have lived there for months or years, and have probably learned to overlook the overgrown shrubbery next to the sidewalk or the mailbox in need of repair. However, these are the first things potential homebuyers will see. You have to view your home as objectively as possible in order to begin making the necessary repairs to get noticed.

Look out for:

• Visible mold or mildew on the house, roof, or sidewalks
• Outdated exteriors
• Yard clutter
• Dirty gutters, siding, or windows
• Chipped paint
• How your home appears at dusk or even at night
• Overgrowth in the yard or on the sidewalks
• Dead plants or leaf piles
• Overly personalized doormats

Of course, if you’re really motivated to sell your home in the Kona, Kohala, Mauna Kea Resort Hawaii areas, you may also want to consider upgrading your landscaping. Like staging your home or making repairs, restorative landscaping can give your house just enough polish to entice a higher level of buyers. In fact, in a recent study, it was determined that good landscaping can actually add 6 to 11 percent to your home’s sale price.

We all know that selling a home can be hard work. Increase your chances of success by making sure your potential buyers are impressed before they even get out of the car.

Staging Your Home

Diana Woods — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:34:40 +0000

Staging 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:

Take down family pictures. Potential buyers need to picture themselves in your home, not you!
Staging your rooms to show off their true potential. Clear out clutter or other personal items that will distract buyers.
Painting the walls yourself is the cheapest upgrading option you have. This will really attract buyers. Try a neutral tone.

Staging your home is a great option to make your home stand out in the Kona, Kohala, Mauna Kea Resort Hawaii areas. Let myself, Diana Woods, your agent offer you advice about how to make your house more attractive to buyers.

What buyers look for, or look out for when purchasing a home.

Diana Woods — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:50:01 +0000

What should buyers look for, or look out for when purchasing a home in the Kona, Kohala, Mauna Kea Resort Hawaii areas? This article will help sellers look into some important aspects of selling their home and what potential buyers look out for as well.

The way you live in your house is not the way to sell your house. So, what makes a house a home for sale on the market, and one that soon has a “SOLD” sign out on the front lawn? And what aspects are important to look at because potential buyers will ask the question, “How much work are we going to need to do prior to moving in and beyond?” The appearance and cleanliness of the home are significant. Always have your home ready to be shown at a moment’s notice with me, your agent, Diana Woods because this is what buyers are looking for. And a tip- burned out lights need to be replaced; classy lighting and upgraded fixtures can ameliorate the value of a home. Also, buyers said they would be willing to pay more for a home with a renovated kitchen.

Here are some things a buyer will look out for when dealing with the purchase of a home. The buyer will consider the following:

Exactly what property is included in the sale? Lighting fixtures, drapes or blinds, refrigerators, stoves, washing machines and dryers are often problem areas.
Is the neighborhood quiet, friendly? Are the homes well kept?
Are there any development plans that will affect the property?
The inspection report – are there any substantial problems with the house?
Real estate taxes – what are the current property taxes, and what impact will your purchase have on the taxes?

Another issue that raises concern regarding buyer appeal is that sellers often mistakenly think that viewing empty properties will give the buyers an accurate sense of the space available. On the contrary, it is more difficult to really judge the size of a room without furniture and other objects as reference points. An empty room even allows buyers to focus on negative details instead of getting a sense of the overall space and the flow of each room to the next. Buyers need to ask themselves the question, “Can I see myself in this home?” Therefore, staging really helps buyers envision themselves in the space.

The idea of “staging” a home to make it look alluring to buyers has become popular during the last decade, as manifested by the proliferation of numerous home staging companies offering advice about how to make the house more attractive to buyers. Check out next’s months article about “Staging a Home.”

When selling your home with myself, Diana Woods, your agent keep in mind what buyers look for, or look out for before coming to look at your home in the Kona, Kohala, Mauna Kea Resort Hawaii areas.