Understanding Appraisals and Property Value with Sean Tiwanak

This week on the Team Lally Real Estate Radio Show, we interview Sean Tiwanak of Appraise It! Hawaii. Sean delves into the world of appraisals explaining what an appraisal is and the various reasons to get one, with a focus on estate appraisals. He clarifies the role of appraisers, the qualities that make an outstanding appraiser, and the factors affecting a property's value. Sean also differentiates between quality and condition and discusses how non-permitted areas are treated in an appraisal.

We also have our Experts We Trust segment with Duke Kimhan of Hawaii Pacific Property Management, who talks about lawn care responsibilities, court experiences related to lawn care issues, and why lawn maintenance is the owner's expense. Bradley Maruyama of Allstate Insurance discusses the challenges homeowners face with non-renewals due to the age of roofs and how wear and tear vary based on location. Jodie Tanga of Pacific Rim Mortgage covers interest rates and the importance of roof inspections. She also shares insights on the timing of home inspections and the impact of dropping interest rates.

Who is Sean Tiwanak?

Sean is a proud Kamehameha Schools graduate, earned a business degree from UH West O'ahu and became a Registered Respiratory Therapist at KCC. With deep roots in Hawaii, he was inspired by his mother, a real estate broker and appraiser in the 70s and 80s. Starting as an appraisal research assistant in 2006, he dedicated 15 years to the field. In 2020, he earned his Appraiser Certification and revitalized his mother’s company, “Appraise It! Hawaii”, in her honor.

Founded in January 2004 by Mary J. Tiwanak CRA, Appraise It! Hawaii has become a trusted name among mortgage lenders, AMCs, consumers, and real estate professionals for high-quality property valuations in Oahu and Honolulu County. Our family-owned business upholds traditions of integrity and excellence, now carried on by the next generation. We stay ahead with the latest technology and trends, ensuring reliable residential valuation services while honoring our local roots. With a commitment to superb quality and responsive customer service infused with Aloha, Appraise It! Hawaii guarantees an unparalleled client experience.

To reach Sean, you may contact him in the following ways:

Phone: 808-489-4842
Email: appraiseithawaii@gmail.com
Website: www.appraiseithawaii.net/

Team Lally Testimonials

Genette - "We bought one house and sold that with them, and then bought the current house that we're in, and now we're selling this one. We always had a good experience, so when it came time to sell this one, really we didn't give it a second thought. We just called Ray Wolmers, who we've worked with before, and just got him on board right away. It just seems like with everything they handle every detail, and I love the "team" concept; that there's always somebody who handles everything. They never miss a detail. We did have one instance with our original house where we had the termite inspection, and they actually found termites. We had to have the house tented as that was just one of those where I was so glad they handled all the details for us and got it taken care of. They got it scheduled when we needed it scheduled and found a good price for it. It was just amazing. I wouldn't even consider another realtor here in Hawaii, because they handle everything and they're very professional. They just have always taken care of everything."

Maurice - "My results were very positive. Team Lally was very efficient and always kept me informed during every step of the process. I was never left in the dark wondering what was going on. She worked in the middle between myself and the escrow company or the lender and really just was my point of contact. She would explain any questions I had about the paperwork and kept me informed of what they needed from me. They really did a great job and I appreciated everything they did! "

Peter - "I had been looking at the search function on their website and then Cherie got in touch with me. We started scheduling houses to look at and as soon as I found anything I liked, she would schedule it immediately. She was always able to meet my schedule and willing to drive all over this island to find my house. The whole process went very smoothly! "

Paul - "Team Lally was really helpful and great to work with! They worked to my needs in what I was looking for and were very good at identifying houses that would be a good fit for us. Cherie, our agent was very patient and kept the same enthusiasm from the day I met her through the very last house we ended up purchasing. It was like a breath of fresh air with her professionalism throughout the entire process."

Shawn - "One person that really stood out to us during the whole process was Keli’i. It’s definitely a seller’s market here in Hawaii so houses are on and off the market very quickly. We expressed our frustrations about that with him and that night he was emailing us with prospective houses and times we could go look at them. He really took the initiative and reached out to us. I would recommend Team Lally fully."

Eric - "We had good results when we worked with Team Lally. Our first buyer unfortunately bailed out but it wasn’t for a lack of trying from Team Lally. They put in a lot of effort with their marketing and the exposure of the property. It was all great and they had really good customer service! "

Ryan - "I’ve worked with Team Lally twice now. I’m in the military and was stationed in Hawaii so I reached out to Team Lally to help me buy a home. They were helpful and we found a place quickly that I was happy with. After a few years I had to move for the military and plenty of times Adrienne was able to step in and helped me out when I needed someone to watch the house or find a renter. I didn’t want to rent it because I was coming back maybe 5 months later so Adrienne went out of her way to find someone that was trustworthy to stay there to watch my house and my dog until I came back. They were very understanding of my needs and able to find exactly what they could do to help me. "

Benito -"We were able to get into a house quickly, and it was a pleasant experience. Our Realtor, Kailyn, was constantly checking up with us. When we started to close, she made sure everything was done on time. On top of that, after we had moved in, the marketing manager came to the house to congratulate us. He brought us some gifts, too. I thought that was really great!"

Phil -"We bought a home and sold a home with them. Both experiences were excellent. They helped us with everything we didn’t understand. When I was looking to purchase a home, Adrienne herself picked me up and drove me around to look at homes. She was at our call whenever we wanted to look at a home!"

Brendan -"They were phenomenal! They were very quick to respond to all my phone calls and emails. They gave me great guidance on how to get the house prepped for the open house. We had an offer the first day, and a second offer the next day, and the house pretty much sold itself after that! Alesia Borja was great in the closing process. I had lots of questions because there were so many details that needed to be taken care of in order to close on time. She responded quickly and made lots of phone calls after hours in order to make sure the house closed on time!"

Geri -"I really enjoyed them helping me. We had a lot of paperwork going on at once, because we were selling a condo, purchasing a house, and doing the 1031 Exchange. They really helped out. I was in California, so there was a three hour time difference. I had a lot of questions, and some were pretty early in the morning for them, but they always got back to me promptly. When we were getting ready to sign the final papers, I noticed that the 1031 Exchange wasn’t on there. I got in touch with Alesia from Team Lally, and she helped me out. I enjoyed working with them, and I would do it again!"

Team Lally- Hawaii Real Estate

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Understanding Appraisals and Property Value with Sean Tiwanak