By now many people in Hawaii have heard of the upcoming 5-month foreclosure moratorium that passed the House and is headed for the Senate. The basic gist of it is that it will prevent illegal foreclosures from being processed. However, what many are failing to realize is that only a tiny fraction of the foreclosures that are hitting Hawaii (recently ranked #11 nationwide in foreclosure filings per … [Read more...]
Hawaii Real Estate News
Hawaii real estate news and information from Big Rock Investments
Getting Air Time on TinyTV!
So last Friday I once again had the privilege of appearing on TInyTV, one of Hawaii's favorite local television shows, with my fellow real estate investor friends, Brodi Goshi, Kaleo McCabe and Jon Kutsmeda. It was my third appearance on the show. Of course, I got to talk about Big Rock Investments a bit along with my other Hawaii real estate site, HawaiiHousingNews.com. And Kaleo got a live … [Read more...]
Divorce and Real Estate
The current economy and housing market in Hawaii and the mainland U.S. have placed unusual stress on families of late. This stress is proving to be the straw that broke the camel’s back for some, resulting in divorce when the pressure gets too be too much. Divorces can go either way. While some splits are amicable, there are always a percentage of divorces that prove to be…difficult. Splitting … [Read more...]
Kung Hei Fat Choi!
The Chinese New Year is upon us, so Kung Hei Fat Choi to everyone! I was at the Empress restaurant in the Chinese Cultural Plaza the other night with some friends for a fantastic evening of great Chinese food and performances. But, as usual, the idea of real estate crept into my mind and I wondered if there was some way to connect my environment with my vocation. And actually, it's quite … [Read more...]
PROBATE – What To Do With An Inherited House?
PROBATE - What happens if your parents pass away and leave behind a piece of real estate to you or to you and your siblings? What if you are all scattered between Hawaii and the mainland? It can be tough enough just dealing with the loss of one’s parents, but there’s no escaping the tough task ahead – dealing with a house. Handling your own affairs takes every bit of energy you have and now you … [Read more...]
Should You Enter Into a Joint Venture Agreement?
A JV (or JVA) is a Joint Venture Agreement; basically, it's a partnership. Some people recently have been asking me my opinions about whether they should get involved in these types of operation agreements. The story is generally the same: one investor knows of a distressed and motivated seller and approaches another investor to partner on a Honolulu flip deal. Why would the first investor … [Read more...]
6 Biggest Homeowner Challenges for 2011
Aloha everyone. Quick post here for homeowners or those in the market. I'm curious what everyone feels is their biggest real estate challenge for 2011. There's certainly no shortage to choose from. Here's a list of the most common concerns I've heard lately from friends and acquaintances: Underwater or upside-down mortgages. Facing a foreclosure or afraid one's not too far down the road. Lots … [Read more...]
Do You Know Your FEMA Flood Zones?
I thought I'd post the different flood risk zone designations used by FEMA on their FIRM maps. These are used for your flood insurance calculations. I'll have more on the risk to flood events for Hawaii's residents down the road since I used to study coastal hazards way back when, but here's a quick list of the FEMA zones. For more info on Hawaii's participation in the National Flood Insurance … [Read more...]
More Housing Starts in 2011 and Beyond?
Chew on this recent bit of housing news I picked up from shortsaledailynews.com. Last week, The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) boldly predicted a 21% increase in housing starts for 2011. That would still be a significant decrease from where the numbers were just five years ago. They forecast 575,000 single family home starts this year alone. This apparent optimism is based on a … [Read more...]
Beware of Standing Water…
I just got back from deep in Palolo Valley. By the way, did you know there's a beautiful Korean Buddhist temple back there?? When did this happen? Take Waiomao Rd to the end -- stunning! Anyway, where was I? Right -- standing water. So as I was wandering the grounds under the watchful eye of the Buddha, I noticed that I wan't alone. No, there were no monks, worshippers or caretakers. I was … [Read more...]