Posted by Catherine Klug, RS on March 5th, 2010 |
Tags: Big Island, For Sale, Kohala Coast, Oceanfront, Puako, Vacation
The decision to own or rent a Puako vacation home will depend on the story you create as you visit the Big Island year after year.
Would you like to be the next Puako vacation rental homeowner? Hale Hali’a Aloha, ($5,395,000)
To illustrate this, let me tell you the story of Hale Hali’a Aloha… Read entire post →
Posted by Katie Minkus, R(BIC) on February 19th, 2010 |
Tags: Beachfront, Big Island, Kohala Coast, Life, Puako
Honu - Green Sea Turtles - are often found in Puako Beach
One of the most amazing things about Puako Beach on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast, is that on nearly every beach, you can see green sea turtles live, up close and personal.*
Or not see them, as the case may be. Often while sitting on “my’ beach (btw – no beaches in Hawaii are private. All beaches are public.) in Puako, I watch people wander down the shoreline and nearly step on turtles before they actually see them! No wonder why – the honu love to sleep in the sun and as they do so, they transform from looking like a wet dark lava rock, to the dried color of sand. Amazing.
In Hawaii, we call turtles “honu.” One of my friends was reading a “mainland” alphabet book to her toddler, and on the page for “T” was a picture of a turtle. We said, “t is for…” and he confidently answered, “honu!”
Do you want to see honu as part of your daily routine? Consider Puako Beach real estate. For a week, a month, or a lifetime. It’s never too late to live your best Hawaii Life. Read entire post →
Posted by Katie Minkus, R(BIC) on February 9th, 2010 |
Tags: Big Island, Life, Luxury, Oceanfront, Puako
Puako Beach real estate has recently added two exciting properties to the current offerings – one on each side of the street, mauka, and makai (toward the mountain and toward the ocean, respectively).
No…. Puako has not had an aquatic event such that this property is actually it’s own island within the community, but the King house at #120 Puako Beach Drive has been released to market asking $4.65M. Recently “spiffed” up with gorgeous redone hardwood floors (hardwood everywhere inside, spectacular) this oceanfront home has been a successful vacation rental in the past. Read entire post →
Posted by Katie Minkus, R(BIC) on January 7th, 2010 |
Tags: Big Island, Hawaii, Life, Puako
Photo taken by Dolphin Journeys
Okay, so the title of this blog may be a slight exaggeration because in reality, I don’t know Lance Armstrong personally (although my brother, who is a semi-professional cyclist, wishes I did). However, given the video he posted Tuesday, I’m guessing that he’s a true fan – at least of the Big Island’s Kohala Coast: Lance Armstrong rides the Kohala Coast
This isn’t Lance’s first visit to Hawaii’s Big Island, and hopefully it won’t be his last! Is it possible he could fall in love with a property like Pueo Place in Kohala Ranch (as did another well-known sports figure earlier this year), and become another famous owner of Big Island real estate? Or perhaps Lance is a beach kind of guy and would dig a piece of Puako real estate?
My favorite part of the clip is his Polish photographer talking about how far away from Poland is Hawaii – both in looks and feeling. Given that the temperature in Poland right now is hovering between 17-30 degrees, I can imagine how blissful it must be for him to be basking in perfect 72-degree weather with slight trade winds. Oh, and of course, don’t forget about their seeing the “whale show” on the Kohala Coast. The whales have been jumping like crazy this past week! Are they saying, “Aloha, Lance?”
Posted by Katie Minkus, R(BIC) on January 1st, 2010 |
Tags: Big Island, For Sale, Kohala Coast, Puako, Sales Stats, Selling
2009 – what an incredible honor and privilege to lead such an amazing team of Brokers and Agents to success during a “down market…” to be one of the top ten offices in our market!! Mahalo nui loa, Lucy, Jan, Pam, Beth, Deb, Erik, Heidi, Pat. And welcome, Pattie Freeman!
Some Big Island Hawaii Life statistics for 2009: (or – why you should list your property for sale with Hawaii Life)…
Kohala "Gold" Coast Sunset
Hawaii Life has brought the buyer 50% of the time for company listings that have sold on the Big Island.
Hawaii Life Listings sell for (a median of) 91% of their List Price.
Hawaii Life Listings sell on average at 116 Days on Market, or just under four months.
173 real estate offices have listings on the West side of the Big Island (TMKs 3-5, 3-6, and 3-7)… only 8 brokerages have more listings than Hawaii Life.
For overall sales in our target market (Kailua-Kona north through Waimea and North Kohala), Hawaii Life Big Island ended the year at #9 out of 168 offices, and we only started in April. Wow!
A hui hou, 2009 and aloha, 2010!
Hau’oli makahiki hou!
Posted by Matt Beall, PB on December 30th, 2009 |
Tags: Agents, Beachfront, Big Island, For Sale, Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai, Lanai, Life, Maui, Molokai, Oahu, Puako, REO
Another Hawaii Life Core Value
Let’s face it…. this is really Number One, and it always will be. At the end of the day (or year), we’re extremely grateful for the incredible quality of life that Hawaii provides.
2. Buyer and Sellers “Get It”
We knew the real estate industry was changing, and that real estate marketing had to change as well… The brand promises of the past aren’t delivering. Fortunately, our clients and customers agree with us. In 2009, over 250 people trusted us with their real estate business. Thousands of people have Hawaii Life accounts, and thousands of people visit www.hawaiilife.com everyday. We closed our first calendar year with over $50 million in real estate sales, a feat that would have been impressive in the hottest of markets for a brand-new company.
3. Our Agency Policy Works
Our commitment to agency has yielded powerful results. Over 150 sellers have trusted us to list their Hawaii properties for sale, and in 2009, Hawaii Life sellers netted (a median of) 93% of their List Price, while Buyers who hire Hawaii Life as their Exclusive Agent enjoy a significantly higher margin, and immediate access to the market’s new inventory (and often, even a ‘heads-up’ of what’s coming).
We went through two website launches this year… with multiple revisions, innovations and new features that have won us awards, and garnered the attention of some of the real estate industry’s thought-leaders. We couldn’t have done it without the hard work and commitment of our ‘chefs’ in the kitchen: Yacine Merzouk, our lead programmer; Justin Britt, our Head Web Head; Winston Welborn, our Creative Director; and Brad Haeger, our Marketing Researcher.
Our Big Island team has taken Hawaii Life’s business model and injected it with “Solid Representation” rocket-fuel. We can’t say enough about how proud we are of Katie Minkus, BIC and her team of superstars. They are Hawaii Life’s top selling and top listing agents, and they’ve accomplished incredible success all since closing their first transaction in April of 2009. Incredible.
6. Hanalei North Shore Properties
In the fall of 2009, Hawaii Life was honored to be chosen by Roberta Haas and her team of Realtors from Hanalei North Shore Properties to organize a merger that immediately made Hawaii Life on Kauai’s top listing brokerages. The power and influence of having Roberta Haas and her team working with Hawaii Life is incredible, and only just begun.
7. Unified, Statewide
Also in the fall, Hawaii Life officially became a Statewide brokerage, with Realtors in every County in Hawaii. With Tobi Fisher as the Director of Sales on Maui, and David Buck as our Broker for the island of Oahu… Hawaii Life is poised to express our business model in the largest markets in the State. We held our first Annual Brokers’ Summit at the Outrigger Canoe Club in Waikiki… where we discussed and created Hawaii Life’s Core Values.
8. More Brokers (than Salespeople)
Earning a Hawaii Real Estate Broker’s license is no easy feat. It requires a minimum of 3 years of full time real estate experience as a salesperson, and rigorous licensing course and State exam. At Hawaii Life, we have a unique policy where we pay for our agents education towards Realtor designations, including their courses and exam to become a licensed Real Estate Broker in the State of Hawaii. We believe that brokers make better agents, plain and simple. While we grew to 43 Realtors in 2009, we’re honored to announce that 4 of our agents have earned their Brokers license under our guidance: Lucy Clark, RB; Kelly Condon, RB, David Buck, RB, and Miriam Perlmutter, RB. As a result of their hard work… Hawaii Life now has a higher Broker to Agent ratio than any comparable firm in Hawaii (17 Brokers & 26 Salespeople).
9. Bank-Owned Inventory, Hawaii REO Listings
As a company, we’re honored to have caught the attention of local and national asset managers who recognize the power and scope of our marketing, and have hired us to sell their bank-owned real estate. We’re not particularly thrilled about rampant foreclosures in Hawaii, but we do recognize that REO listings are often well-priced, and represent excellent opportunities for buyers who are entering the market, and who are prepared and qualified to give these homes and neighborhoods the love and care that they deserve.
10. Luxury Hawaii Real Estate Listings
We’ve moved into the Luxury Listing market. And we’re thrilled about it. Hidden Place, Anini Vista, 180 degrees, Pueo Place are some examples… and there are more to come. Roberta Haas and her team have just listed a home in Ha’ena on Kauai for $8.7m, and Bobby Galchutt and I have to two homes on Kalihiwai Road on Kauai’s north shore starting at $6.9m.
So…. here’s to 2009!
Posted by Katie Minkus, R(BIC) on December 27th, 2009 |
Tags: Beachfront, Big Island, Kohala Coast, Puako
Today I had the supreme pleasure of showing property in Puako Beach, on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast. A pair of Hawaii Life clients own a mauka-side (toward the mountain) property and are considering “trading up” to a makai (toward the ocean) property.
MLS# 226889, asking $3,950,000.
So we went to see #106, an older, two-story beachfront home that can function as a 3-unit rental.The beach in front of this house is wide and large, with easy water access- perfect for snorkeling, diving, canoeing, SUP (Stand Up Paddling)… and with today’s swell, certainly boogie-boarding and surfing too.
As it happens, the year-end results for Puako Beach sales in 2009, show that things in the neighborhood are looking somewhat positive! Six properties sold – 4 mauka and 2 makai, as opposed to 2008’s two properties sold – 1 mauka, 1 makai. (And because I know you want to know, in 2007, 8 properties sold – 2 mauka and 6 makai.)
It appears possible we’ve hit the “bottom” of pricing in Puako, at least on the mauka side of the street. The lowest-priced mauka sale since #35 sold in April, 2003 for $499k* – lot #27 went for $500k in May, and comparable sold property prices indicate an increase in value since then. This is good news for the “desirability” of Puako in general.
As for the makai side of the street, two sales hardly indicate a trend, compounded by the fact that they were entirely different sorts of properties. #56, a 972 sqft, 3/2 traditional puako beach cottage was sold by Pattie Freeman of Hawaii Vacation Rentals, for $2,650,000 in May. The second sale was a pair of lots – #18 & #20 – which sold for $6.5M in August. The architecturally significant luxury home on lot 20 has a lap pool and gym, while lot #18, next door, was designed to operate as the “yard” for #20. Stunning design and two lots worth of ocean frontage, brilliant.
MLS#218052, asking $2,500,000
Currently on the market for $2.5M is a 751sqft, 1/1 traditional beach cottage which has been making me wonder if we’ve yet seen the “bottom” of pricing on the makai side of the street? On the other hand, oceanfront choices are few and far between in Puako, with only two other homes on the market today. In fact, I have three clients who want to buy on the makai side of Puako right now, but nothing available suits their needs. It’s an interesting position to be in during a widely-perceived “buyer’s market.”
While attending a makai neighbor’s holiday party last weekend (the house was gorgeous) it seemed despite the amazing house and host and hostess, all anyone could talk about were stories of Puako… who knows who from when and which house and remember when and general gratitude and appreciation for our being there that evening and for every moment we spend in Puako. Who could blame us? Puako is special. While standing on the lanai of #206 today, the tenants who so kindly allowed us to see the property despite their occupancy (mahalo nui loa, Harry and Lisa!), mentioned they had seen tons of whales today, and then, naturally, we saw one too… :)
To see all the properties currently on the market in Puako Beach, please see the gallery I’ve created: www.puakoproperties.com. Or email me katie@hawaiilife.com and I’ll send you a brochure.
*In the interest of full disclosure, I am the owner of #35 Puako.
Posted by Katie Minkus, R(BIC) on December 20th, 2009 |
Tags: Hawaii, Life, Puako
20,000 lights in Puako Beach, HI
Winter Holidays in Hawaii are something akin to slipping on a cashmere sweater, so soft and lightweight, you almost don’t notice you’re warm until you’re, well, chilled…
Based on some HGTV shows, it appears that everyone on the mainland goes overboard when it comes to holiday lights. While we do enjoy our lights in Hawaii, perhaps the 72-75 degree average winter temperature with slight breezes makes us a bit more disinclined to get up on a ladder and actually hang the lights (and instead go to the beach with a good book).
One of those bravely-climbing-ladder souls, right here in Puako Beach, on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast, has an amazing show for us this holiday season. Down on the mauka side of puako, right near Pani’au, the owners have strung over 20,000 lights and have them on daily from 6-10pm. They say people often pull over and cut their engines to gwak at the lights (as we did, here) and occasionally they receive drive-by accolades, “You rule, Griswalds!”
Posted by Pattie Freeman, R on December 10th, 2009 |
Tags: Big Island, Hawaii, Homes, Puako
Had Hemingway spent more time in Hawaii, it’s likely he would have written extensively about the pune’e, perhaps even written another masterpiece.
Hemingway
Like Parisians, we do love to eat on the Big Island and often talk about the next meal while consuming the one in front of us. But we’re not here to discuss food, we’re here to explore our next favorite past time – relaxing, Hawaiian-style.
In Hawaii, one piece of furniture that many of us love to have in our homes is called a Pune’e, a moveable couch or bed seen in corners of living rooms, on the lanai or covered porch and other rooms of the home. The pune’e was originally a stack of lauhala mats used by Native Hawaiians for sleeping or lounging in grass houses.
Kalihiwai Bay, Kauai...built-in Pune'e
Today, Pune’e’s are used as extra sleeping areas as well as for lounging and napping during the day. They are often created from single or double beds with lots of pillows or bolsters added for comfort and support. Some are simply set on the floor, while others are more intricate with built in support from a platform made from bamboo, teak or other exotic materials.
In Hawaii we have had a trend toward Indonesian furniture for a rustic, tropical look so some of the current day punees may have intricate carvings and be higher off the floor.
However they are fashioned – simple to luxurious – a Pune’e is one of the most inviting places to curl up with a good book and look out at the Pacific Ocean and relax. The multitude of colorful or designer pillows invites anyone to take a deep breath and relax to enjoy our “Hawaii Life”
Posted by Matt Beall, PB on November 30th, 2009 |
Tags: Agents, Big Island, Puako
Hawaii Life is announcing its recent partnership with Pattie Freeman and Hawaii Vacation Rentals at Puako Beach on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast. Pattie Freeman (aka “Puako Pattie”) has been in vacation rental management for decades on the Big Island, and manages some of the island’s finest vacation rental inventory. She has built a client-base over the years who have become extended ohana. Judging just by the sheer number of visitors stopping by the office in Puako to ‘talk-story’ with Puako Pattie (not to mention the lavish gifts), it’s obvious that her clients and homeowners absolutely adore her. Read entire post →
Your current location:
Terms of Use | Site Map | © 1997 - 2009 Hawaii Life Real Estate Services, LLC | Realtors: Join Our Team
Contact us online or call (800) 667-5028
