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Dec. 1, 2010

Hawaii Real Estate Economics

The field of real estate economics is essentially the practice of economics applied to real estate. Much like business economics, real estate economics focuses on pricing, the supply and demand phenomenon, and current trends. While the general aspects of economics play a major role, there is a much finer range within real estate economics where more focus is placed on trends and markets related specifically to real estate.

 

Supply and demand principles of real estate are different from other business economic philosophies, as you cannot simply produce more houses and property to fill a gap like the one you can with a mass produced commodity such as shoes. It takes time to build more housing, and these delays in meeting demand can quickly cause an imbalance.

 

Local conditions will affect the Hawaii real estate market more than anything will. For example, in countries where there is not as much land, the buyer will pay higher prices than if in a country with a boundless supply. Other conditions that are contingent upon location are the demographic factors such as the median age of residents and yearly income.

 

When there is an overabundance of property for sale, prices fall. This is called a buyer's market. When there is not as much property for sale, the owner can hold out for a better asking price, as there is not much else around for the potential buyer to purchase. This is called a seller's market.

 

Real estate economics is also different because the real estate commodity is fixed (unless it is a mobile home,) and the customer has to go to the property. Depending upon the era, living downtown might be the trendy thing to do and then in ten years a mass exodus to the suburbs can occur.

 

The family size of the local area also can affect real estate economics. The larger the family, the larger the houses need to be. When family sizes decrease, those expansive homes are no longer the commodity they were. Divorce rates affect the demand for housing as well since the split of the family has essentially created two households.

 

Certain outside factors such as the cost of building supplies and the interest rate play major parts in the overall cost of housing and the resulting amount of sales. The financial health of the community and nation also play a role in the housing market. When financing companies extend credit to people who cannot afford to repay the loans, those finance companies can go bankrupt and cause a ripple effect throughout the national economy.

Posted in Real Estate
Nov. 30, 2010

Tips on Flipping Hawaii Real Estate

When it comes to flipping houses for profit, there are many aspects that people tend to take for granted. For example, they believe that they can make a profit on a home just by doing the renovations and sprucing the house up a bit. However, this is not the case. The reason that people make money in the flipping real estate world is by buying a house that is priced low enough to make a profit on. For example, buying a home for $150,000 only to turn around and sell it for $175,000 is no profit if after you take into account the construction and work that you yourself did, or paid a contractor to do. Now if you bought the house for $65,000, then that would be a huge profit.

 

Secondly, have the house inspected. This does not necessarily have to be before you purchase the home since you should be purchasing it for a low price. However, by getting the house inspected you will be able to know exactly what you will need to do in order to get the house ready to be sold. This could save you tons of time and have the profit in your pocket sooner than if you were to just fix the problems that you notice.

 

Most people make the assumption that they can save themselves more money if they do all the work themselves. However, unless you can fully contribute your entire day to the work as a contractor would, then this should not be an option that you do. This is simply because those that do the work themselves, usually have to wait longer to put their completed house on the market. As the saying goes, 'time is money', you are losing out on money when you do the work yourself. Just make sure to find a contractor that has reasonable rates and quality work.

 

When you do get to the finishing stages and are ready to put the house on the market, utilize a Hawaii real estate agent because they are more successful in getting houses sold than those who sell the house themselves. Furthermore, a good tip to remember is to place the house one to two percent below the market value so that you are further guaranteed to move the house faster. The longer you hold onto the home the more this time cuts into your profit, which is why it is necessary to sell your house as soon as possible, but at a rate that will interest buyers immediately.

Posted in Real Estate
Nov. 29, 2010

Common Problems When Investing in Hawaii Real Estate

When investing into Hawaii real estate, there a number of aspects that people make mistakes on that cost them hundreds of dollars. Probably the biggest mistake is allowing workers to work on the property on what people term off the books. Why do people do this? Simply because they do not want to pay taxes on the wages that they are paying these people. So what type of activities do investors try to scam the IRS on? There are a number of things, such as construction work, as well as maintaining the building or the grounds.

 

So what should the investor do in order to make sure that these kinds of problems do not happen? For starters, you should always pay your workers on the books. Meaning you should have the proof of these payments to the workers, and making sure that your workers file their income taxes. If your workers do not file income taxes, you can be held responsible for these unpaid taxes, which could bite into your profit or even result in the loss of the real estate property that you have invested in. You need to have a IRS Form 1099 per worker for every worker that you pay more than $600 to.

 

In addition, there are a few tips that you need to keep in mind to further protect yourself. For starters, only hire those contractors that are part of a corporation. This is because as a corporation they will have to document their earnings. You run a risk of the above situation occurring if you just hire those that you consider to be good with tools.

 

Secondly, you will need proof that the workers carry insurance. If not, then do not do any dealings with them. In the event that they do get hurt, you face dire consequences. And even risk losing the investment all together. Also, in order to protect yourself and your real estate investment, then you should have proof that you are not the sole employer of the workers. This will limit your liability in any situation that is tax related.

 

There are many other problems that as an investor you need to be aware of. But this is perhaps the biggest problem that could result in financial loss. It is important that you read the state laws for the location in which your real estate investment is located, and go from there. If you ever question an aspect, then ask someone for a clear answer so that you can ensure that you are being completely legal in your real estate investment.

Posted in Real Estate
Nov. 28, 2010

How Do You Know if the Hawaii Property is Right for You?

A common scenario in the Hawaii housing market for a buyer is that they find two or three houses that fit all of their requirements to a 'T'. What should they do? How do they make the decision of which house to purchase? What does it really feel like when you know that you have found the perfect house? These are the types of questions that are running through home buyers minds. And these questions make sense since purchasing a home is a huge investment and is one that you may have for the rest of your life.

 

There really are no easy answers to these questions since the answers depend entirely upon the person. However, if you do find yourself in this sort of predicament, there are a few things that can help you in deciding which home is the best for you. For starters, the homes that have your interest, do they have the room for growing? This is an important aspect if you plan on having a family or whatnot. Carefully examine each home, does one of them have something more unique to bring to the table in regard to having a family?

 

Secondly, does one of the neighborhoods of the home make you feel safer? If all the homes are located in the same area, then this question will not have much influence on your decision. However, if not, then it could be a huge factor in making the decision much easier. You should aim to find a neighborhood that you feel perfectly content and safe in or you may regret your decision in the future.

 

Look at the layout of each house, more than likely not all of your choices are alike. If not, which layout do you prefer? Everyone has something in their mind in regard to how they want their dream home. In reality, most people would rather build in order to get all the specifications that they want. So which home comes nearest to your dream home?

 

The answers to these questions will help you determine which home will be a better fit for you. However, if you have a gut feeling about a house, then go with it. Usually those who act on an instinct are almost always satisfied with their purchase afterwards. Remember to take into consideration the house inspection on each house and just how much work you will have to put into each house, if any work at all is necessary. You do not want to land yourself a money pit.

Posted in Real Estate
Nov. 27, 2010

Making your Hawaii Home Handicapped Accessible

There are different things that you can do to make your Hawaii home more handicapped accessible. There are many who could benefit from this. One might be selling their home to someone who needs all these things or something more. There is a story behind it, but therefore, one might need some ideas on what they can do.

 

One of the first things is that they can make sure that the handles on the doors are lower. This way, if the person is in a wheel chair, it's not so hard for them to open the doors and so much more.

 

There are other things that can be done for the home. The next thing is that if a person is going to be using a wheel chair, they will need a ramp as well as all the furniture has to be set up just so in order that they can maneuver around with ease.

 

The doorways need to be wide enough as well and the doors should then swing outward. There are times when a person who is handicapped might need some assistance into the rooms such as the bathrooms. Therefore, when they swing out, it's easier to have two people in one room.

 

The counters in the kitchen might have to be lowered as well. If a person is in a chair, they might not be able to reach them. The same is true of cabinets as well. Then, there is the issue that one has to make sure that they can reach the stove and other things as well. There are ways to do this. If one isn't sure, there are places in the community and online that can help them find ways to do this. One might have to order a few items, but it will be well worth it.

 

Handle bars should be placed in the bathroom as well. This allows a person to get in and out of the bathtub without falling and seriously hurting themselves. One can find these at medical stores. These are just a few things that can be done. When these are done, a person who has some handicaps can find that this helps them live comfortably and safely as well. Check these out and do not be afraid to ask questions. If it means a person's safety then they should look into it.

Posted in Real Estate
Nov. 26, 2010

How To Make Money With Hawaii Real Estate Investing

It is a certainty that the business of real estate can be quite a lucrative one, if you have adequate know-how. However, if you are desirous of earning a lot of revenue by means of real estate, there are certain aspects which you must necessarily take care of, as this would be beneficial for you, as far as selling a house is concerned.

 

It is up to you to ensure that you employ adequate utilization of real estate investing, thus there are certain things which you must gain adequate expertise at, so that you would learn the imperative ways and means by which you can handle your revenue appropriately, as well as be victorious in this business enterprise.

 

Bear in mind that this is a business opportunity which might necessitate a good deal of investment.  This is an area which involves an expensive proposition and in case you are desirous of foraying into the area of real estate, it is worthwhile to be aware of the varied aspects associated with the investment, so that you have ample know-how as far as your knowledge of the real estate market is concerned.

 

It is prudent to select a house which is capable of selling at a higher price in the near future, or you might be stuck with a useless investment. When you are in the business of purchasing as well as ultimately selling off the property, real estate is quite a fiddly proposition, thus it is not that simple to earn substantial revenue from it. You would need extensive funds to buy the house which you wish to sell in future, so that you can refurbish it and which would ultimately fetch a price which is greater than what you had initially paid for purchasing it.

 

Though the gains are higher in the business of real estate, it is also an actuality that the perils which are linked with it are also higher. It is up to you to restrain yourself so that you do not invest unnecessarily. It is also imperative that you must remain alert at all times as well as ensure that you invest wisely. If you are in a hurry to earn profits instantaneously, it would be disastrous for you. Though it would require time as well as effort, as soon as you have mastered the art of selling a few houses, you would gain the essential know-how which is necessitated for the purpose of earning substantial profits in real estate.

 

It is but obvious that you would be required to gain insight into the amount which you wish to invest, as well as additional factors such as the time as well as finances which you are willing to put forth, so that this business opportunity is flourishing. Moreover, if you are desirous of being triumphant in the business of real estate investing, you would have to brush up your bargaining dexterity.

 

These are the essential ways by which you can be assured of success in the sphere of Hawaii real estate investing. Bear in mind that this would require time as well as patience, effort. 

Posted in Real Estate
Nov. 25, 2010

Things to Know About Hawaii Homeowners Insurance

When it comes to home insurance, there is nothing worse that finding out after the damage has occurred that your Hawaii home insurance is not all that it claims to be. This happens to an increasing number of people. In order to make sure that this does not happen to you, there are a few things that you should have in mind when you purchase and reevaluate your policy down the road.

 

You should look at your current insurance in accordance to four key areas of your home: the structure of the house, the belongings inside the house, liability to others, and what your living expenses would be if you were forced out of the house. If the policy rates superior in all of these areas, then you know you have a good homeowners insurance policy. However, if you notice any of these categories are falling short of where they should be, then you should consider finding new coverage or updating your current coverage.

 

Get replacement value coverage. If you do not have this then you are given what the market value of the product or the house is today. You want to make sure that you can replace all of your belongings with the same thing, not just something that may be similar and will more than likely cost less than what you paid for the original.

 

Before you are ever faced with the situation in which you need to make a claim, which involves proving that you own what you say you own, take inventory. Write down serial numbers, prices of the items, as well as descriptions and store this in some place other than your house. In the event that your house is destroyed, this is why the inventory list needs to be somewhere else so that you can have it and it will not have been destroyed along with the house.

 

If you live in an area that is prone for flooding, be sure that you have the flood coverage included in your homeowners insurance. Many people unfortunately make this mistake, and should a flood hit, then they are left with no where to turn.

 

Most importantly, you should go over your insurance policy at regular intervals. There are many times in which you will need less coverage, such as the event of a divorce or the kids moving out. It is important to make sure that your policy is up-to-date with your life at the moment. Not doing so, could be the difference between an easy claim or a frustrating claim.

Posted in Hawaii News
Nov. 25, 2010

Points to Remember Before Buying a Home in Hawaii

In case you are buying a house, there are certain things which you must necessarily keep in mind. This is a venture which we would accomplish after a lot of deliberation, thus it is imperative that we must be vigilant, and this also necessitates following a line of investigation on numerous aspects prior to venturing into the Hawaii real estate market.

 

It is an actuality that recession has left its mark on the real estate business, thus the reputed real estate companies are amenable to the notion of an enhanced house, which can be procured at a reasonable rate.

 

Thus, there are several aspects which must be taken into consideration prior to purchasing a house. The initial and the most important aspect is your financial plan, for this venture. It is imperative that you must decide on a fixed financial plan for the purpose of purchasing your house, so that you acquire a lovely as well as properly furbished house. However, should the need arise, it is imperative that you would require to incorporate additional funds to the existing financial plan, but don’t go overboard. Avail the services of a reputed broker who would suitably assist you in this process.

 

The subsequent factor which you must assess is the position of the house, as well as its surroundings. It is better not to settle for a house which is inexpensive; however it does not proffer the basic amenities. Opt for a house which is in close proximity with a major locality. If you purchase a house in a major spot, the rate would be quite escalated. Thus, it is prudent to select a house adjoining the major spot so that you can procure a house which is reasonably priced. Ensure that amenities such as the school, marketplace in addition to supplementary conveniences are in the surrounding area as well as effortlessly reachable from your residence.

 

Prior to purchasing a house, assess the amenities which are being proffered. This should be inclusive of 24 hours water provision. Supplementary factors which must be taken into consideration comprise a Doctor, Fire security procedures, Power supply, accessibility of internet or else a Wifi precinct and so forth.

 

Prior to purchasing a house, see to it that you buy the house minus any equipment. It is sensible to purchase the furniture which is necessitated for the house on your own as it is economical as well as ensures that the furniture with which you decorate the place is more to your liking. Ensure that you avail the services of a reputed real estate broker who would be able to assist you in selecting a house which is apt as per your requirements.

 

In case you require monetary aid, you can always avail the option of a housing loan, from a reputed bank, which assures you of bare minimum interest in addition to utmost disbursement.

 

These are the aspects which you must take into consideration prior to purchasing a house, so that the house you buy is apt as per your requirements. 

Posted in Real Estate
Nov. 24, 2010

Renting, Rent to Own, or Time-sharing: An Alternative to a Sluggish Hawaii Real Estate Market

Not that anyone would want to sell a home and move away from an island paradise, but sometimes one has to. It can be a necessity and you have to leave an empty home, and yet still pay the mortgage. This scenario can put you into a situation of the seller turned landlord. The sluggish real estate market doesn't help the scenario.  

Renting or Time-Sharing  

If you are a property owner, and have to move away from the islands, the first thing you need to do is to decide whether you have a landlord mindset. Similarities exist if you are involved in a time share. You should ask yourself the following questions:  

How do you feel about someone else living in your home? With a timeshare, they sit on, sleep on, eat off of, bathe in, etc., your stuff. If you cannot handle that, this type of deal might not be for you. If you are faced with a situation, you could replace your things with things that do not mean as much to you. In any case, it is something you should take into consideration or you will not be able to relax a minute during the whole process. 

If you are renting your property, you have to feel good about land-lording or island-lording, in the case of Hawaiian property. You will be responsible for carpeting, plumbing, wiring, leaking roofs, broken appliances and weather damage, 24/7. Do you like to, or do you know how to fix things? Does it bother you to screen potential tenants? Trust me, it is a necessity. You can utilize a management company, but you will have to pay for the luxury. If you do it yourself, you have to do it right and fairly, or you are asking for legal trouble.  Make sure to always ask for a background check and get previous landlord information.  

With either renting or renting to own, you still own the property and there are advantages. In a sluggish market, the solutions are viable as you bide your time until the market turns around. The property, hopefully, appreciates. You get tax breaks. If you have a mortgage, the rental covers that if you have to move away. You can deduct interest and property taxes. You can also deduct advertising, repairs, maintenance, utilities and liability insurance. Again, DO NOT do anything without legal advice, even if the person living in your home is a friend or a relative. You protect not only yourself, but also them.. 

Renting to own is also a win-win situation. Your people or tenants may be more attentive to the property because it is going to one day be theirs. Again, this too is a legal affair.  

Now Hear This!!!  

 

There are people who trash not only hotel rooms, but private homes. They don't pay you, and it can cost you a lot to get them out and they can tie you up in a court battle for years. To avoid this get a security deposit. As an island-lord, you are essentially in business.

Posted in Real Estate
Nov. 19, 2010

Relocating & Moving Tips Hawaii

A major part of relocating stems from the weight and stress of having to move your entire life from one city to the next. That weight feels even heavier when the move is from state to state. There are many things to take into consideration when looking to relocate and subsequently moving as a result of relocation. Below are just a few.

 

· Don't be afraid to utilize lists. It is so easy to forget something and during an event as significant as moving, forgetting things has to be avoided as much as possible, which is why lists become such a blessing. Make a list of everything you need to do before and during the move. This includes transferring school documents, the order upon which things get packed, the completion of forms for the changing of address, prescription transfers, returning things that have been borrowed, utility start ups and shut offs, etc.

 

· Contact the company you plan to do your moving with and reserve an appointment with them a month in advance. To discover that the moving company is too booked on the day that you are in need of their services will set you back during a time where you need to move. Even if you find out that a vehicle is not available, it will happen early enough for you to be able to do something about it before it becomes detrimental to your plans.

 

· Don't be afraid to sell things and throw things away. There is such thing as want and need. If you need something, it's definitely a keeper. But if an item has no sentimental value, worth, or does not fulfill a need, throw it away. Or better yet, try to sell it. The fact is, you can save in the end on time and money if you don't try to take every little thing with you during the move. Some things just aren't worth the hassle.

 

· Start your packing early. There is no telling how long it will take you to pack, so beginning the week before moving day is an absolute no-no. Even if you have to slowly pack little by little every weekend, do that - just don't let packing become a last minute task on your list of things to do. This helps you avoid having a deficiency in the amount of boxes you have and packing material, which when looking to move is the last thing you want.

 

· Pack a box meant for "essentials" or "necessities" only. When you move into your new place, there's no telling what boxes will be opened first. However, this tip guarantees that you will at least know where the basic necessities are even if you don't get to unpack every box you took with you on the day you moved in. This will ensure things like plates, soap, toilet paper, towels, etc. are with you even if everything else is not.

Posted in Real Estate