Hawaii Real Estate News

July 29, 2011

What If the Sellers Fall to Disclose Serious Problems?

Sellers in most states require disclosures. However, few states have strict disclosure laws. (Cali­fornia is an exception—it has amongst the strictest.) If sellers fail to disclose a serious problem, particularly one of which they were aware, you, the agent, and the sellers might work out a money settlement to you. You also may have the right to go to court to claim payment for dam­ages you may have sustained as a result. In addition, in some situations you can ask for rescission, the return of the home to the sellers and your money to you.

As a practical matter, suing over the sellers' failure to dis­close can be expensive, time-consuming, and the results can be mixed. However, sometimes it may be necessary.

In one situation, sellers did not disclose that their pets had urinated on the carpeting throughout the home they were selling. When the buyers saw the home, the win­dows were always open and the sellers kept a batch of herbs and spice brewing on the stove to give the place a homey aroma.

However, the first night the buyers moved in proved horrendous to them. It was cold so they closed all the windows and turned on the heat. The odors wafting up from the carpeting were so strong they made their eyes water. Soon the children were coughing. The smell liter­ally drove the buyers out of the home and into a motel, where they stayed.

Of course, the buyers immediately informed the sell­ers, who said they were shocked and were willing to pay for new carpeting. The buyers had the old carpeting and padding ripped out and then much of the flooring, because it had likewise been stained and the odor could not be removed. The final cost was $17,000.

The sellers balked at this, so the buyers took them to court. (It did not hurt that one of the buyers was herself an attorney.) They ultimately won and got their money.

In other cases, however, sellers have stonewalled buy­ers, claimed they were unaware of the problem or said it was not as severe as the buyers alleged, and they pre­vailed. As a result, often buyers will make as much of an argument as they can, but often will back down before going all the way to court. A lot depends, of course, on how badly damaged they have been.

In most cases, the matter is resolved through some form of negotiation or arbitration. The sellers come up with some money, usually less than the buyers are asking, and the buyers agree to drop the matter. On the other hand, in states with strict disclosure laws, the state itself may help the buyers pursue their claim.

July 28, 2011

Visiting Lyon Arboretum in Oahu

Lyon Arboretum is housed within the University of Hawaii in Manoa, Oahu. The tropical rainforest receives a rainfall of about 165 inches. The arboretum is originally open in 1972. The arboretum has a variety of themed gardens. Some of the themed gardens that exist in the arboretum include the Native Hawaiian Garden, Beatrice Krauss Hawaiian Ethnobotanic Garden and Economic Garden.

It offers exhibition on thousands of tropical plants. There are many hiking trails in the arboretum. The arboretum displays many ornamental plants. The first thing you see upon entering the arboretum is the cashew nut tree. Some of the plants you can see include lobster claw heliconia, shell ginger, day lily, dwarf date palms, pseudobombax tree and century plant. The herb garden and spice hill has many herb plants. You can take a walk in the herb garden to observe the herbs plants from different parts of the world. In the herb garden, there is a pavilion and pond. The pond has a lotus fountain. You can sit beside the pond to enjoy your lunch. Several types of spice trees can be found in Lyon arboretum including Cola Nut, Clove and Bay Rum. Lyon Arboretum has 3 memorial gardens including Stammermann, Marion Mapes, and Elroy Haynes memorial gardens. These memorial gardens feature many types of tropical ornamental plants.

You can travel on the trail to Aihualama Waterfall to explore the valleys and waterfall. As you follow the trail, you can view the lush green valleys and forests. You can hear the natural sounds made by the insects and birds. If you visit Lyon Arboretum, the native Hawaiian plants will fascinate you. You will get to opportunities to explore the exotic flora and faunas found in all the Hawaiian Islands such as Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii’s Big Island. By visiting the arboretum, you can increase your knowledge about the various native plants that exist in Hawaii. You will find flower plants, which are used to make the Hawaiian lei.  There are over 200 annual flower plants in the Lyon Arboretum. It is estimated that there are 7,500 species of plants from Asia. If you are hungry, you can stop by at the visitors center to buy snacks, books and souvenirs.

Lyon Arboretum is located opposite to the City Water Board of Water Supply. The State conservation land is situated adjacent to Lyon Arboretum. The State conservation land is known as the Paradise Park previously. This park is often confused with Lyon Arboretum.

July 27, 2011

Koloa Town Travel Guide

Koloa, also known as Old Koloa Town, used to be a sugar plantation town. In the sugar plantation era, many people from foreign countries such as Japan and Philippines have moved to Koloa to ear a living. King Kamehameha III leased the land to Duncan McBryde. If you travel to Koloa, you will notice that there are many plaques in the street. The plaques mark the sites of the old sugar mills. Koloa Plantation Days is celebrated annually. The booming of the sugar plantation industry caused more than 350,000 people to move to the area. Today, its main industry is no longer the sugar plantation industry. Instead, its main industry is the tourism industry.

During the festival, all kinds of activities are carried out including music, games and storytelling. The town was refurbished during the 1980s. The old buildings in the town were painted with a layer of new paint. When you are entering the town, you will see the Tree Tunnel. The Tree tunnel is a stretch of eucalyptus trees along the Maluhia Road. The eucalyptus trees were planted since a century ago. The main attraction at the town is the old buildings. Most of the shops at the Koloa Town are old fashioned. You can stop by at the Lappert Ice Cream Store to purchase ice creams. When visiting the Koloa Town, you can go to tourist attraction sites such as Heavenly Hana and Kauai Pie. You can take a tour on the Koloa Heritage Trail if you want to explore the historical sites. If you follow the Koloa Heritage Trail, you can discover 14 cultural sites. Each of the cultural sites has a different historical background. The cultural sites are located in between Old Koloa Town and Poipu. The Koloa Heritage Trail is about 10 miles long. You can hike the trail or use a bicycle to explore it. You will learn about many things such as volcanic formation, whaling, sugar plantation and etc when exploring the sites.

In Koloa town, there is a shower tree. If you travel further from the shower tree, you will find the Sugar Monument. The Sugar Monument is located on the Koloa Heritage Trail. The Sugar Monument is a sculpture with a circular shape. The sculpture shows a millstone holding a bronze sculpture. On the bronze sculpture, you will find depictions of 8 different ethnic groups that have settled into the land during the sugar plantation era.

July 27, 2011

Pearl City Information for Tourists

Pearl City is a town located in the Ewa District in Oahu. It covers several areas such as Wahiawa, Manana, Waimano and Waiau. It has a population of more than 47,000 people. The town is situated near to the Pearl Harbor. Just like most of the towns in Oahu, it is made up people with various racial backgrounds including African American, Asian, Hispanic, and Latino. Public schools that offer different levels of education can be found at Pearl City. You can find elementary, intermediate and high schools in Pearl City. Most of the elementary schools are located in Waimalu. The Highlands Intermediate School is situated in the Pearl City CDP.

Many years ago, the people used to catch shellfish and other types of fishes from the water of Puuloa. Later, the Western people came to Oahu and discovered that the area is indeed magnificent. The Pearl River was attractive to the Western people because there are many oysters that bear pearls under the sea. When they find out that there are many pearl bearing oysters, they want to conduct a pearl trade on the island. At that time, King Kamehameha I was hoping to unite all the Hawaiian Islands together. In the mid ninetieth century, the local people started to raise cattle in the mountain lands. The fast growth of the cattle industry caused the pearl trading industry to wane. In the late ninetieth century, Benjamin F. Dillingham decided to convert the fertile lands in Oahu into a land that produces crops. This marks the beginning of the sugar plantation industry. When World War II broke out, the sugar industry starts to decline because many sugar refineries have been shut down. Today, the main industry in Pearl City is the tourism industry.

Many large business corporations have headquarters in Pearl City. You can go bowling at the Leeward Bowl Inc. There is a college called Leeward Community College in Pearl City. The movie house called Signature Theatres LLC can also be found in Pearl City. Pearl City has many shops. You will find shops selling daily items, handicrafts and etc. Many gift shops in Pearl City offer local craftworks as souvenir for foreigners. Besides the tourism industry, Pearl City also has other thriving industries such as pineapple plantation, fruit farms, cattle rising and etc. There are many types of residential properties you can buy at Pearl City. The average cost of a singe family housing is about $270,000 so it is quite affordable to live there.

July 26, 2011

Redesigning Your Bedroom - What Are The Important Factors Need To Consider

When we think about bedroom design, there are many factors to consider, such as the materials used, tools, and the area to cover, the colors, lines, and in particular the balance of all these different ideas in one place. All this must be considered whether to make a design for bedroom or other room design, whether the room is empty or full of furniture.

One of the first things has to consider the bedroom size and shape. This becomes even more difficult when you have to maximize everything especially if the owner prefers to keep the old furniture and fittings in the same room. Compromise is a skill and when it comes to bedroom design, you have to have a lot of creativity and imaginations.

In general, the bedroom shapes are usually rectangle or square. A contemporary room design used different renovation methods based on room’s shape and size. Besides this, the proportion of the room also should dictate how everything will be place. Before you are buying a bed please consider the space where to put it first. Before placing the furniture in the bedroom do not forget to measure the size of the room.

Vertical lines work best if you want your bedroom appear formal. The design of the rooms in this area should emphasize on height. On the other hand, horizontal lines are used for informal bedroom.


The color of bedroom is very important factor of redesigning. A typical room design colors will be muted. Colors are important because they have the ability to make the room look larger or small, long or high. This is the last aspect of interior design before going to accessories and furniture.

 

Interior design is great idea, especially if you think for your bedroom design. To make it more affordable, take time to look around for the best deals. The World Wide Web is also one of the best places to find inspiration. Whatever design you can choose, the result will always depend on labor and creativity in making your space a nice place to live.

Posted in Home Improvement
July 25, 2011

Guide to Buying a House in Hawi

Buying a house in Hawi involves an important transaction. You must take some time to learn about the legal rights that are transferred to the buyer during the home buying process. It is best that you seek the help of the real estate agent when buying a house in Hawi. The Hawi real estate agent is familiar with the houses and their neighborhoods so he is qualified to guide you through the home buying process. Most homebuyers will make their decisions based on the first look of the house. The appearance of the house is one factor. You also need to check the overall condition of the house. Before buying a house in Hawi, you need to visit it and check the condition of every appliance. You must make sure that all the appliances are working properly. The seller must reveal the defects on the household systems. You can ask the seller what defects the house has. Some of the common defects that exist in the house include plumbing system, cracks in the foundation, problems with air conditioner, defects in the roof, pipe leakage and etc.

After you have located a suitable house, you and the seller must sign the sales contract. The sales contract contains information about the terms and conditions of the sale including purchase price, condition of the property, settlement cost, financing arrangement and etc. The purchase agreement should give you the right to carry out an inspection on the house. If you find that there is a defect in the house, you should ask the seller to solve it.  To effectively inspect the house, you should hire a home inspector. The home inspector is skilled in checking the house for defects. Hiring a home inspector can be costly so you should ask the seller to pay for the home inspection fee. You can also share the home inspection fees with the seller.

You will get the title insurance after you buy the house. You need to perform a title search and check the public records. In this way, you can determine whether the title is valid before the deal is closed. The real estate lawyer can perform investigation on the legal title of the property. The new house should not be subjected to an unpaid lien that belongs to the seller. By performing a tile search, you will be able to find out possible problems associated with the title. The real estate lawyer can perform an assessment and take the necessary steps to solve the problems.

July 25, 2011

Guide to Moving Your Stuffs to Hawi Real Estate

Hawi is a large community located west to Kapaau. King Kamehameha I was born in Hawi. Many historical sites can be found in Hawi. If you want to explore the Hawi historical sites, you can relocate to the Hawi. Every year, the Ironman World Championship Triathlon is held in Hawi. Athletes will cycle from Hawi to the finish line at Kamakahonu.

The cost of living in Hawi is expensive by a few more times compare to the mainland. The property tax in Hawi is low. Hence, your monthly payment for the Hawi real estate will be significantly low. Everything in Hawi will cost more. Because Hawi is a remote area, general items must be imported from the mainland. As a result, the cost of living will be more expensive than usual. You can save money on the heating bill, as there is no need to install the heater. You also don’t need to wear a lot of clothing, as the weather is warm. Most of the general items will cost 20% more. The cost of a used car in Hawi is lower than in the mainland.

If you are moving to Hawi, you should consider getting a job. The job you get should provide enough income so that you can earn a living here. If your company transfers you to work in Hawaii, you can expect to live there for a long time. First of all, you need to decide you want to settle down in which area. You must frequently visit the island so that you can become familiar with the place. When coming to visit Hawi, you need to talk the residents. If you did not visit the place, you will not be able to decide clearly whether you should relocate. After visiting Hawi a few times, you will know which house to buy. 

You can relocate your vehicle to Hawi by hiring a car shipping company. Your vehicle will arrive at Hilo Harbor. You should purchase the no fault insurance before picking up the car. When picking up the vehicle, you need to provide several documents such as military identification, current registration, driver license and private vehicle shipping document. You should spend some time inspecting the vehicle. You are responsible for checking the damages in your car and note them down. You must check the oil and start the engine to see if the car can run properly.

July 25, 2011

Buying a House in Wailea

Buying house is a major decision you need to make. If you plan to move to Wailea, you need to take some time to do research in the real estate market. If you are familiar with the home buying process, you will be able to reduce the stress level. Many buyers neglect to ask the lenders questions when buying houses in Hawaii. Before shopping for a house, you should ask the bank to pre-approve you. It is very important to get pre-approved. If you are pre-approved, it will be easier to negotiate with the seller. It gives you an assurance that you will obtain the mortgage. You must ask the lender about the duration it takes to get your loan application approved. If your loan application is approved quickly, the seller will be able to close the deal in your favor.

The lender should offer low adjustable rate mortgage. You have a higher chance of getting qualified for the loan if the adjustable rate mortgage is low. Even if you choose not to take up the mortgage, you will have an additional line of credit in the pocket. You should compare the costs of the mortgages between different lenders including application fees and interest rates. You should take a few minutes to ask all the questions you have in your mind. In this way, you will be in a more favorable position to negotiate with the seller.

When buying a new house in Wailea, you should get help from a real estate agent. The real estate agent should be licensed. The real estate agents in Wailea can represent the buyer or seller. A real estate agent that represents both the seller and buyer is called dual agency. The real estate agent should keep all your information confidential. He should present the offers to sellers promptly. If you ask any question, the real estate professional should provide accurate answer to the question.

When you visit a house, you must check the overall condition. Under Hawaii law, the seller has the responsibility to disclose about the defects in the house. The seller should provide information about the defects in household systems such as plumbing, water leakage, termites, roof, drains, and lad paint. After you have found a house, you must put down your signature on the purchase and sale agreement.  The purchase and sale agreement should provide information such as financing arrangements, condition of the property, settlement cost, closing date, possession date and down payment.

Posted in Maui Guide, Relocation
July 25, 2011

Wailea Real Estate Relocation Tips

Homeowners who are looking into relocate to Wailea must take several steps to get themselves prepared. Homeowners who have pets must abide by the Hawaii quarantine laws. The quarantine regulation is set up to offer protection for the residents from diseases that are spread by animals such as rabies. To make sure your pet is rabies free, it must be isolated for a certain quarantine period. If you are moving a canine or feline, you have to wait for one hundred and twenty days before they can legally stay on Wailea. If your pet meets the pre-arrival requirements, it will only be subjected to a quarantine period of 30 days. You may be required to pay an entry fee.

You can have your car shipped to Wailea. Your car will be shipped to an island called Sand Island in Honolulu. If you want to check with the shipping status of the car, you can contact the vehicle-processing center. The car has to be registered in 10 days after it arrive in Wailea. The original car plates can be reused. If you want to retain the original car plate, you will have to obtain a Hawaii vehicle sticker. You must prove your car ownership by showing the certificate of registration. You will have to purchase the no fault insurance for your car. Other documents you need to get your car registration approved include proof of safety inspection and shipping document. Hawaii requires your car to be inspected annually. If you want to get your car inspected, you need to provide an identification card. You will have to register a new driving license in Hawaii. To register your driving license, you must show your social security card. Hawaii recognizes driving license from the mainland. If your driving license is expired, you can register for it again by filing the application form.

There are a number of personal documents that you need to bring when moving to Wailea. Some of the important documents you need to bring include passports, children report cards, medical records, marriage certificate, savings account books, checking account books, property deeds, PCS documents, storage documents, birth certificate and etc. 

If you have children, you can send them to the local elementary schools. There are a number of elementary schools in Hawaii. To register your children at the elementary school, you need to bring your birth certificate, report card, and medical record. 

Posted in Maui Guide, Real Estate
July 25, 2011

Why Should You Move to Wailea

Wailea real estate is located in a vibrant community. Wailea is surrounded by many facilities such as golf courses, tennis courts, restaurants, shops, and white sandy beaches. Wailea is one of the favorite tourist destinations in the world. Wailea real estate offers panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. If you choose to live near to the beach, you will be able to enjoy tropical landscape. You will find various types of properties at Wailea including single-family house, and condominiums. Wailea has many upscale homes located in gated community. In the gated real estate community, the lawns are well maintained.

There are at least 5 golf courses in the Wailea and Makena area. The golf courses cover the area from the north to the south. You will be able to view the mountains and ocean vistas. Wailea is voted as one of the most well planned real estate community in Hawaii. In Wailea, there are many hotels and other types of accommodations for tourists. There are plenty of shops so you can carry out your shopping activity there. The Wailea Shopping Center is a well-known shopping center in Wailea. In the south of Wailea, you will find the famous Makena beaches including Big Beach and Small Beach. If you continue to move southward, you will find the remnant of Mount Haleakala.

If you are interested in moving to Wailea, you must conduct a research in the real estate market. The rental cost in Wailea is more expensive compare to the U.S. continental. You can go to Wailea and check out the real estate communities before making decision. It can be difficult to find a house in Wailea so it is recommended that you get help from a real estate agent. With the help of a real estate agent, you will be able to find a house within a short time frame. Before you move, you should research on the shipping companies by getting quotes from them. There are several shipping companies that offer shipping services at reasonable price. You should make up your mind whether you want to ship or sell the stuffs. If your household items are still in good condition, you can bring them with you. You can also ship your car through a shipping company. It will take 3 weeks to 4 weeks to ship the car. Normally, the cars will be shipped in individual containers.

Posted in Maui Guide, Relocation