Tucked between a mountain ridge and the magical Mokulua Islands is a special Oahu neighborhood called Lanikai – Hawaiian for “Heavenly Water”.  It’s actually part of the larger community of Kailua (not to be confused with Kailua-Kona on the “Big Island” of Hawaii) on Windward Oahu. 

          Situated just south of world-famous Kailua Beach, the Lanikai neighborhood has an interesting layout.  At the north-end or entrance of the neighborhood is the distinctive Lanikai monument featured on postcards and in local artwork.  The view of the ocean and surrounding mountains from the monument is absolutely breathtaking!  At this point the 2-lane road taking you into Lanikai becomes a 1-lane loop road around the neighborhood.  The road into Lanikai – A’alapapa Drive – runs along the inland or Lanikai ridge side of the community.   After a little over a mile, A’alapapa makes a U-turn to the left and becomes Mokulua Drive which runs along the beach side of the community and returns to the Lanikai monument at the entrance.   The “Lanikai Loop” road is a favorite running and walking path due to the bike lane that runs the full length of the loop.  In fact, spending time on the Lanikai Loop is so popular some folks joke that Lanikai actually means, “I jog daily!”

          There are many things to love about Lanikai … the gorgeous white sandy beach, the beauty of the Mokulua Islands offshore, the scenic vistas from the World War II pillboxes on the Lanikai ridge, or simply the relaxed family-friendly atmosphere that pervades the neighborhood.

          If you would like more information about lovely Lanikai just call or email me.  I’ve been a resident of this fair neighborhood for 14 years and there is so much to share … Aloha!  Allison

          I recently attended an informal lunchtime presentation and Q & A session with our Honolulu City & County Mayor, Mufi Hannemann.  Mayor Hannemann spoke frankly about the challenges that our fine city is facing and about the actions being taken to try and ease us through these tough times.  According to the Mayor, our Oahu and State of Hawaii economies are experiencing the impact of slowing private construction.  More damaging still is the cooling of our visitor industry – due to high fuel costs – to the point that the Mayor called the short term outlook “bleak” for this important industry.  At times like these, the Mayor stated, it’s necessary for government to provide some economic stimulus and invest heavily in the community it serves.

          Since the first priority in any community should be safety and security, both the City & County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii have made intergrated communications and operations between all its first responders a top priority.  They’ve been so successful that the FBI has named Honolulu the “Safest Big City in America”.   We seem to be well prepared for natural, man-made, and biological disasters.  That’s money well spent!

          A second priority for communities should be its infrastructure.  With a Capital Improvement Budget of over $1 billion, Mayor Hannamann has made this another of his top priorities.  As I look around our island I see repair and replacement activities everywhere.  And what about all that sewer work that’s being done?!  Yes, it’s been frustrating to drive over and around torn-up roadways, but “Save the drama for your Momma“, because the work needs to be done!

          Of course the Mayor discussed the need to develop a multi-modal transporation solution that included rail.  I’ll save that topic for a separate discussion, but I like hearing that our Mayor is networking with other city leaders from around the country and around the world to draw on their experiences and best practices on an array of topics.  He and his team also seem diligent in their efforts to leverage Federal grants to bring monies to our island home to both stimulate our economy and improve our quality of life. 

          I know this is an election year and that Mayor Hannemann is looking for a second term in office.  I was glad to have the opportunity to hear what he is doing for our neighborhoods and for our families.  I believe he is working very hard on our behalf and the City & County of Honolulu is a better place to visit and to live as a result!

        The Honolulu skyline is changing!  Several new high-rise condominium buildings have been built in the last couple of years, and they are fine additions to our fair city.   I had the opportunity to work with a real estate investor from Southern California recently, and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting many of our Honolulu high-rises, both new and old.
          Among the attractive newcomers to downtown Honolulu are Capitol Place and Moana Pacific.  Capital Place has an amazing location – right downtown Honolulu.  If you work downtown, why not give up your expensive monthly parking pass and walk to work!  Moana Pacific is in the Ala Moana area and consists of an East Tower and a West Tower.  Not only can you to walk to every type of shopping and dining opportunity under the sun, but you are close to the beach!  Each of these new complexes boast terrific amenities and awesome security, not to mention stunning ocean views from some of the units!
          In my travels with my mainland client I also visited the Nauru Tower and Hawaiki condominiums.  Both of these pre-2000 complexes are very popular with investors and second home owners from around the world.  Both feature attractive lobbies, lovely pool/amenity areas and have excellent rental potential.
And not to be forgotten there are lovely condominium ownership opportunities in other places on Oahu such as Hawaii Kai.  The Colony is just one of many excellent choices in that beautiful community … which is so close to Honolulu but enjoys a slower pace of living.
          If you are interested in learning more about condo ownership on Oahu give me a call (808-227-1399) or email me – algreen@lava.net - and we’ll continue this discussion.  Aloha from paradise …. Allison

         One of the many reasons we enjoy living in Hawaii is the opportunity to visit historical sites – especially from World War II. Visiting Pearl Harbor – and specifically the USS Arizona Memorial - is an experience almost beyond compare. If you are considering a visit to Oahu check-out www.nps.gov/usar . My son is an absolute military history buff and never passes up the chance to go to Pearl Harbor whether to see the Arizona, the Mighty Mo, or the Bowfin submarine. In fact we all love the newest attraction in the Pearl Harbor area – the Pacific Aviation Museum! The aircraft displays are well done and the gift shop has a terrific selection of memoribilia for collectors. Take a peek online at www.pacificaviationmuseum.org .

          Another destination worth seeing is the Punchbowl Veterans Cemetary of the Pacific – www.acresofhonor.com. The mosaic depictions of the WWII battles in the Pacific theater are amazing and the setting – a lush green oasis inside a volanic crater – is breathtaking!

          Yes, we are really steeped in military history here on Oahu. In fact the front page of today’s Honolulu Advertiser had a great article on 100 years at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. You can read about it at http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/May/04/ln/hawaii805040397.html .

          If you enjoy military history like our family does Oahu has so much to offer. Consider a visit to our fair island … Who knows you might even decide to stay!

          I had an interesting conversation with a Seller client recently. We were talking about how to price his property for sale. I made the comment that his home was NOT worth what we might list it at. Okay, that’s fairly obvious! I went on to tell him that it may NOT even be worth the price that the eventual Buyer offers to pay for it. At that statement the Seller tilted his head and looked at me quizzically. I told the Seller that his home will be worth what the Appraiser says it is worth (assuming that the buyer is not paying cash).

          Here’s what I mean … We all know that Appraisers have been under a great deal of fire from the lending world to be accurate, even conservative, with their appraisals. And should an appraisal come in below the contract price that the Buyer and Seller have agreed on, you can bet in this market that the Buyer is going to want to re-negotiate the contract price down to appraised value.

          So what is the moral of the story for Sellers? There are actually two … Consider getting a professional appraisal up front before deciding on a listing price AND work with a professional real estate agent who will meet with the Appraiser at your property and give them a written list of all the upgrades and features of the property that support the contract price. Your agent should be working hard to get you every dollar you deserve!

          If you have any questions about listing your property for sale please contact me. Aloha, Allison

          It’s been an interesting week! About 10 days ago I got an email from a dear friend and client with the subject line – “We are desperate!” Long story short, their North Shore / Waialua condo was not selling, and they were ready to throw in the towel. We had had the unit professionally staged and photographed. We got all kinds of positive feedback and compliments from the showings and at the open houses, but no offers. We all knew that the big California buying boom of past years that had driven prices to new records on the North Shore had dried up, and it seemed like everyone had forgotten how wonderful Waialua is … so quiet, friendly, and beautiful!

          So the seller decided to do something BOLD. She lowered her list price over $40,000 … which was way below the comps! As soon as I put the new price in the MLS, my phone started to ring. I held an open house days later and had the best turnout I’ve ever had up there. A delightful couple who had been renting down the street – and had been watching this particular unit on the internet (but had never come to see the unit) – came to check it out. They wrote a solid offer the next day, and we are now in a 30-day escrow!

          The seller is thrilled. They will make a nice profit – not as much as they had originally hoped for – but in this softer real estate market we have to revise our expectations. And the cool thing is my friend’s action is really having an impact beyond this single transaction. All the units in the complex have experienced a surge of showings because agents were showing our listing along with the other units in the complex. In fact I know of another unit in the complex that will be getting an offer because our unit was already under contract. And several renters who want to become owners have called to ask if there are other options for them at this price point, and of course we are showing them other “first time buyer” type properties.

          So my client’s act of desperation, not only solved her sale challenge, but energized the condo market in sleepy Waialua! What a valuable lesson … There ARE buyers out there! Give them a good value and they will come out of the woodwork!