Nick Kawakami

Real Estate Service Powered by Innovation

Investing

As the Summer Finishes, Price Strength Continues

By

Happy August everyone, and as the mainland braces for the coming fall, we continue to see a strong sales market here in Paradise! As expected, the low inventory has restricted the number of sales last month and pushed median prices higher than last year!

hbr-july-2016-housing-stats

While median prices dropped slightly versus our record-breaking June, both Single-Family (SF) homes and condos are up 6% and 14% over July last year. On top of that, both SF homes and condos are seeing close to 100% listing-to-sold pricing, meaning that even though Sellers are pushing prices, Buyers are willing to pay. The inventory trend will probably soften a little, especially as we enter the cooler winter season, but don’t expect to see a shift from this up market anytime soon.

Limited inventory and market uncertainty continue to push record numbers

By

“Prepare housing market for ludicrous speed! Fasten all seatbelts, seal all entrances and exits, close all shops in the mall, cancel the three ring circus, secure all animals in the zoo!”

It’s amazing to see prices continue to rise, but with limited inventory and uncertainty in the marketplace, it’s easy to see why. Elections? Low Interest Rates? Rail? Job market? There are a lot of reasons why people are looking to settle into a new home, and competition is fierce!

hbr-june-2016-housing-stats

With only about 3,000 active properties on the entire island of O’ahu (condo & single-family homes), it’s no wonder that there is a lot of competition for buyers in the market. The market shows condos as the biggest gainer, possibly due to the squeeze down from high home prices. It may also be due to the fact that many of the Sellers coming from houses are taking advantage of the juicy market and opting to downsize. Either case, it will be interesting to see if this trend continues through the summer.

Hawaii Mortgage Application Defects Fall 6.67% in 2015

By

The First American Loan Application Defect Index, which estimates the frequency of fraudulence and defects in mortgage applications, shows Hawai‘i defects fell in 2015. Good news for those in and around the mortgage market! [Read more…] about Hawaii Mortgage Application Defects Fall 6.67% in 2015

What’s The Difference Between Investing in Stocks and Bonds

By

When choosing investment strategies for your long-term goals, it helps to seek professional advice! However, if you’re curious like me, it helps to go into those meetings with some simple background. The video below helps explain two of the most-fundamental investment terms: stocks & bonds. [Read more…] about What’s The Difference Between Investing in Stocks and Bonds