Use RSS Hugger for Blog Syndication

rssHugger is a new website developed to help bloggers promote their blogs, and to help visitors discover new blogs that write about subjects that the readers are interested in. Through the power of the internet and viral marketing, rssHugger looks to bring blog writers and blog readers closer together. If you own a blog, you can get your own page on rssHugger for 10 years for giving an honest review of the site on your blog. If you want to join rssHugger but do not want to review the site, you can pay a one time review fee of $20. rssHugger will be the first ever quality, spam free, and viral rss directory strictly for bloggers. Visit www.rsshugger.com

I've added my blog, so stay tuned for results!

Barbara Abe REALTOR
www.movetohawaiikai.com
www.barbarashawaii.com
www.barbarashawaii.blogspot.com
barbara@barbarashawaii.com

Real Estate Market Statistics: Hawaii Kai, April, 2008

View from the most expensive home on the market currently, in the Portlock area of Hawaii Kai, looking toward Maunalua Bay.

Boat slip at the most expensive Hawaii Kai condo currently on the market, the Kalele Kai complex, looking southwest to the ocean.

Here are the real estate sales statistics for Hawaii Kai for April, 2008 compared to last year:

Single Family Homes in Hawaii Kai

in 2008

8 sales in April with a median price of $994,500

54 sales year-to-date with a median price of $917,500

in 2007

19 sales in April with a median price of $859,000

68 sales year-to-date with a median price of $839,000

Conclusions: the number of home sales in Hawaii Kai has decreased dramatically, but prices are holding.

Condos in Hawaii Kai

in 2008

19 sales in April with a median price of $523,000

71 sales year-to-date with a median price of $538,000

in 2007

22 sales in April with a median price of $539,000

70 sales year-to-date with a median sales price of $542,500

Conclusions: not much change from last year in the condo market for April in Hawaii Kai.

For details on actives, sales, and escrows, broken down by price, visit my web page on the Hawaii Kai real estate market: http://www.movetohawaiikai.com/Hawaii_Kai_Market_News/page_1893904.html

The Honolulu Board of Realtors releases very comprehensive sales statistics for the entire island of Oahu monthly. Please contact me for a copy.

Barbara Abe, REALTOR

barbara@barbarashawaii.com
http://www.movetohawaiikai.com/
808-226-2537

Worldwide Appeal of Hawaii Real Estate

Lately I've worked with "mainland" buyers who have seriously considered investing on Oahu, but have flown back home without committing. Their comments ranged widely:

• Hawaii prices are too high
• the market hasn't bottomed
• financing options are fewer
• a recession may be coming
  

While we don't have the gloom and doom reports for real estate on Oahu that so many markets hear on the mainland, buyers can't shake off the constant news reports of hard economic times.

We are so lucky here to have a somewhat isolated economy. Our prices are certainly affected by transportation and supply from the mainland, but real estate prices don't always follow their trends. Now, for instance, many cash buyers from around the world - Malaysia to England - are investing in Hawaii real estate, because the dollar is so weak worldwide.

In most countries, even against the Euro and Canadian dollar, an investment in U.S. currency seems very attractive.

So if you are from Maine or Nebraska, I certainly understand your concern. But if you are using foreign currencies, email or call for information on some great buys in our Islands. Remember, they can't make any more Hawaii waterfront property - the demand will always be there because the supply is limited.

Aloha,

Barbara Abe
barbara@barbarashawaii.com
http://www.barbarashawaii.com/
http://www.movetohawaiikai.com/
808-226-2537

Our Aloha Spirit is Alive and Well

The closing on March 31 of Aloha Airlines saddened many in the Islands, not just the ex-employees, but the dozens of stranded travelers, whose reservations on the airline were cancelled.

Yes, the airline was an important asset to interisland transportation - and in recent years, to the mainland - for 61 years. But this is not the first time an air carrier has gone out of business in Hawaii. In recent memory, MidPacific and Mahalo were two airlines that couldn't compete with the bigger carriers, even as Aloha said it couldn't compete with the smaller carrier Go. But folks will still fly outer island to visit or vacation, and there are two airlines left to service the market.

Our real estate values will not suffer because of the loss of Aloha Airlines. Our islands will still be beautiful, and island real estate - because of the scarcity - will continue to be highly prized. Subdivisions can be made on the mainland, but there will never be more waterfront land - in our lifetimes - created in Hawaii.

So make your reservations, come visit, and consider a real estate investment. Our Aloha Spirit is waiting for you.

Contact me with any real estate questions you may have and for a thorough real estate market analysis of Oahu.

Barbara Abe, REALTOR
barbara@barbarshawaii.com
www.barbarashawaii.com
808-226-2537
800-999-6090

Real Estate Sales in Hawaii Kai 10/07 - 3/08

Sales in the last 6 months in Hawaii Kai have continued strong. Here is the breakdown:

Single family - 96 sales total

34 under $799,99
23 between $800,000 - $999,999

13 between $1,000,000 - $1,199,999

19 between $1,200,000 - $1,999,999

7 over $2,000,000

The low price was $551,000, a 3-bedroom home in Kalama Valley, and the high was $15,900,000, a waterfront estate on Portlock.

Condos - 93 sales total

Prices ranged between $320,000 for a 1 bedroom in the Commodore and a 1 bedroom in Plaza Hawaii Kai, to $1,400,000 for a 3 bedroom unit in Kalele Kai.

Contact me for a complete analysis of the Hawaii Kai real estate market. I specialize in this beautiful community in East Oahu.

Barbara Abe, REALTOR
http://www.movetohawaiikai.com/

barbara@barbarashawaii.com
808-226-2537
800-999-6090

Prices Remain Stable in Hawaii Kai in 2008

Real Estate Prices Hold in Hawaii Kai

A recent article in the Honolulu Advertiser confirms what Realtors here in Hawaii Kai have always known: the desirability of living on this beautiful east shore of Oahu supports real estate values and keeps sales steady.

Many Homes are Waterfront

Called a "blue chip neighborhood," the article notes that many homes are waterfront which, of course, is the most valuable real estate on the whole island. Other homestyles include luxurious condos, affordable townhomes, hilltop estates with panoramic views - everything from low maintenance to boat docks. The many choices for buyers keeps the supply and demand well balanced.



Median Prices in 2007

According to the Honolulu Board of Realtors, condominiums in the geographic area of Hawaii Kai ranked as the most expensive on Oahu in the fourth quarter of 2007, with a median sales price of $585,000. The median price for single-family homes during the same period was $919,900.

A Special Place to call Home

With a high owner-occupant ratio, and the availability of every water sport, the community appeals to all age groups and lifestyles. Pride of ownership is obvious throughout the neighborhoods, and most residents wouldn't live anywhere else on the island.

As the busy selling season of June through September approaches, buyers should realize the price drops seen on the mainland and in other parts of Oahu have not happened in Hawaii Kai. Real estate in Hawaii Kai has been a very good investment. Contact me for details!

Barbara Abe
East Oahu Realty
800-999-6090
808-226-2537
barbara@barbarashawaii.com
http://www.movetohawaiikai.com

Real Estate Market Trends on Oahu Dec. 2007-Feb. 2008

For the 2nd month in a row, demand for lower-priced homes pushed down the median price of a single-family home on Oahu. The median price from December, 2007 through February, 2008 was $600,000, a 2% decline from a year ago, when it was $612,000.

The median price of a condo during the same 3-month period was $328,000, a 4% increase over last year, when it was $315,000.

However, sales of single-family homes fell more than 28% and condos fell 21% during the December-February period, compared to last year.

Reflecting the mainland real estate market, with a high inventory of depressed properties and short sales, buyers now are looking for a "deal" and know there are plenty of properties to choose from in the lower price ranges.

Contact me for full details on the real estate market on Oahu. I specialize in East Oahu and Hawaii Kai, and offer more than 20 years of experience and thorough real estate market knowledge of the Islands.

Barbara Abe
East Oahu Realty
800-999-6090
808-226-2537
barbara@barbarashawaii.com
http://www.barbarashawaii.com/