The Hawaii Team Real Estate Blog
15,000 dollar tax credit approved by Senate
Housing could get a big boost from the latest addition to the mammoth stimulus bill working its way through Congress. Senate legislators unanimously approved a proposal Wednesday that would allow a tax credit for home buyers of 10 percent of the value of new or...
Have You Thought About Land Lately?
Raw undeveloped land hasn’t exactly topped the real estate market recently, and there are several reasons for this. Builders have avoided it like the plague. Since they couldn’t sell their current inventory of built homes, the last thing many of them...
Why You Need A Local Lender
Last year I was involved in a few transactions where the buyers used out-of-town lenders, and in all cases these lenders almost blew the deals for their buyers. Why do people use lenders outside of Colorado? Many high-end buyers prefer to purchase properties using...
Life Is One Big Negotiation
I play a few roles in life. I'm a husband, a father, a business owner, a professional speaker, a writer and a real estate agent. In wearing all these different hats, I've noticed at least one thing is consistent. Whether I'm trying to get a buyer and a seller to agree...
Builders Hold Up New HUD Rule
In response to a suit over the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) by the National Association of Home Builders, Housing and Urban Development has delayed implementation of a controversial rule change for 90 days until April 16. The new rule would have...
Obama On The Foreclosure Crisis
President-elect Barack Obama said in an interview Sunday on ABC’s “This Week†that the government hasn’t done enough to prevent foreclosures. "I think that when you look at how we have handled the home foreclosure situation and whether we've done...
It’s Never Too Late For A Fresh Start
I heard a story not too long ago about some scientists that found seeds perfectly sealed in an air-tight compartment of a time capsule. The scientists weren’t sure what the seeds were or how long they’d been there. In the lab they discovered the...
Now Is The Time To Speak With An Agent
The Christmas presents are opened and you’ve made the returns. There’s just one more party, and after New Year’s it’s back to business, the business of selling your home, that is. Making your home a marketable property takes some...
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
Those close to me know that during this week of Christmas I don’t like to give out advice or write about business. Instead, it’s my opportunity to talk about the blessings in life, to thank you for your loyal readership and to wish you the happiest...
Top 20 Renovation Mistakes Part Two
Let’s continue our look at the top 20 mistakes people make when renovating. If you’d like to check out numbers 20 through 10, visit www.codreamhouse.com and click on News. Now, as Casey Kasem used to say, on with the countdown. 10) Using the wrong...
Low Prices, Low Rates Mean Opportunity
Housing prices have fallen dramatically all over the country and rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages are already close to 5.5 percent. Experts say it's possible, with government encouragement, that rates will fall as low as 4.5 percent. Now is the time for...
Fed Weighs Options as Europe Cuts Rates
The U.S. Federal Reserve Board is scheduled to meet in mid-December, and officials are looking at unconventional methods to spur a rebound in the U.S. economy. European and other central banks continue to use interest rate cuts to head off recession, but the U.S....