Why You Should Sell Your Hawaii Home During the Holidays

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Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation 
Call us at (808) 426-7211 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

Most people think selling your home during the holidays is a terrible idea. Contrary to popular belief, the holidays are a great time to sell! Here are eleven reasons why.

1. Buyers are more serious during the holidays. With so much to do this time of year, buyers are not wasting time to casually view homes.

2. Serious buyers have fewer houses to choose from during the holidays.

3. Less competition means more money for you. The number of listings drops to its yearly low each December.

4.  Listings will increase after January 1. This means less demand for your home. Less demand means less money for you.

5.  Houses show better when they are decorated for the Holidays.

6. Buyers are more festive during the holidays. They are more likely to pay your price.    

7. Some people must buy before the end of the year for tax reasons.

8. January is typically the month for employees to begin new jobs. Since transfers cannot wait until spring to buy, you need to be on the market during the holidays to capture those buyers.

9.  You can restrict showings of your home in order to celebrate the holidays with your family.

10. Buyers have more time to look for a home during the holidays than they do during the work week.

11.  By selling now, you have the opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer in the spring. There are more homes on the market and prices are lower. This means you could see high and buy low.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons why the holidays are a great time to sell. If you have any questions for us, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you!

Holy Cow! Multiple Offers Batman! What Now?

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation 
Call us at (808) 426-7211 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation

We're currently in a low inventory market with high demand, which is great if you're thinking about selling your home. However, this does not mean getting a high price for your home will be easy!

We spend over $16,000 a month on marketing, and we put that to work for our clients. The average agent's marketing budget is only the size of a car payment! The bottom line is, we get more people looking at your home than the average agent. Who wouldn't want that?

When you list with us, we make recommendations on what you can do to maximize value. Because of our experience of selling over 100 homes a year, we know exactly what buyers want. Our marketing, plus a low inventory situation, will get your home maximum exposure - and more exposure means a better chance of generating multiple offers! 

Once you generate multiple offers, you need to prioritize them by superiority. Remember, the offer with the highest price is not always the superior offer; the amount of money down, financing, and other terms can be just as important! Here are some tips on how to review an offer:

Is the Buyer Pre-approved or Pre-qualified for a Mortgage? 

Contrary to popular belief, a seller with a pre-qualification is simply not as good as one that has been pre-approved. It is an important thing to consider when looking at an offer and the difference can easily make or break your transaction. When a buyer has been pre-approved, the lender has reviewed and verified all the important aspects of the financial transaction. 

How Much Money Are They Bringing to the Closing Table? 

As our marketplace leans heavier and heavier toward a seller-centric environment, the issue of how much down payment they will be able to make will come up more and more. When a buyer has more money down on their purchase, it is definitely a stronger offer than one where the buyers have less at stake. Look for a letter or statement from the bank demonstrating their ability to cover the funds promised as a down payment. 

Is There a Contingency To Sell Another Home First? 

Many buyers have a home to sell first before they can move forward with a new purchase. In the offer you receive from these buyers, you will likely see a contingency upon the sale of their home. When comparing multiple offers, if one buyer is able to buy your home without needing to sell their home – the chance of other problems or mistakes will reduce significantly. 

How Far Out Is the Closing Date? 

The ideal closing date is about 45 to 60 days from the date of accepted agreement. When you start getting into closing dates that go out two months or more, there tend to be more problems. A lot can happen in that much time, whether a job change, life change or even a change of heart – so if there is an offer with a closer closing date, that would definitely be the stronger choice.

We hope you found some of this information helpful. As always, we look forward to assisting you with all your real estate needs and, in the interim, if you would like to learn more about today’s hot real estate topics, catch us on Saturday mornings on AM830 KHVH. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Hawaii Real Estate Agent 7 P's of Marketing

Looking to buy or sell a home in Hawaii? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation to see what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (808) 426-7211 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Most agents will discuss the 3 P's of marketing, but here at the Lally Team we have seven P's in our highly-refined marketing plan. Most other Realtor's three P's consist of this: 1) Put a sign up 2) Put it in the MLS 3) Pray that the property sells. While there is nothing wrong with this system, we prefer to do a bit more for our home sellers. We actively market homes, and the effort that we put in always shows in the form of a fast sale that results in top dollar. 

Here at the Lally team we use seven P's to promote your home to the best buyers in order to fetch the highest dollar for your property, all within the shortest amount of time possible.

1. Price: This is the most important reason why a home will or will not sell. We do extensive market analyses to price your home at break points that leverage your home against your competition to drive up your sale price.
2. Product: In this case, the product is your home. We provide a detailed to-do list so that you can make your home as perfect as possible before listing. Contact us and we'd be glad to share some secrets on what buyers like to see in homes, and how you can fine-tune yours to fetch the highest price possible. 
3. Promotion: We spend over $16,000 a month on marketing, so your home reaches the widest audience possible to attract the most qualified buyers. We also have a radio show on Saturdays, 11AM-12PM on KHVH 830 and KIKI 990 that we can use to promote your home across the state. However, these are only a few of the ways we can market your home.

If you want to hear about the last four P's in our marketing strategy (Positioning, Process, People, Physical evidence) , please visit our website or contact us! We would love to help market your home to a wide audience to get you top dollar.

If you'd like more information about the Maui and Honolulu real estate guidebooks mentioned in this video, CLICK HERE!

Have a wonderful day!

Hawaii Midyear Real Estate Update PLUS a Very Special Invitation for All Our Clients!

Looking to buy or sell a home in Hawaii? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (808) 426-7211 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

We have witnessed some unexpected trends recently that we thought we should share with you. According to a report on CNN Money, interest rates are dropping to around 4%, the opposite of what was predicted by many analysts. We were expecting rates to steadily rise throughout the year, but this hasn't materialized in most markets.

Our market is currently slow but balanced. We aren't seeing the flurry of activity typical of the spring time. There are probably still more buyers than great homes but, with more and more homes becoming available, we are moving toward a more stable market. In the spring, if you had a nice home at a nice price, you probably received multiple offers. Now, as the market becomes more balanced, you will probably have to work a little harder to make your home attractive to buyers.

By working with a professional home stager and photographer, you can get your home to the top of the list of many buyers. We offer these services. as well as a professional video tour of your home, to clients who list with us for one reason: these techniques work. So, if you're thinking about selling your home, don't simply hire us, interview us. We want to meet with you and give you specific advice on what YOU can do to make your home attractive to buyers. 

Also, we want to take this time to extend to you an invitation to the 9th annual client appreciation party, which will be on the 24th of August. We would love to see you there, so click here to RSVP!

Are Zillow and Trulia Really Giving You Accurate, Updated Information?

Looking to buy or sell a home in Hawaii? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (808) 426-7211 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Aloha! If you've used sites like Zillow or Trulia to search for a home, we've got some information for you! Online home search tools that operate outside of the Multiple Listing Service, or MLS, do not receive updated, current information.  

Here are 3 things to look out for when using non-MLS sites:

1. Properties listed for sale - Many properties on these sites may have sold months ago. We know how frustrating the search can be to find the perfect home - discovering your dream home only to find it's no longer for sale is unacceptable.
2. Correct information - People are finding that details such as lot sizes, home interior sizes, and the number of bedrooms are often inaccurate. This will pose a challenge when trying to find a house that meets your needs.
3. Home evaluations - For cookie-cutter neighborhoods, Zillow and Trulia may give you a pretty close estimate. However, if you are looking for a property with unique characteristics, it's hard to get an accurate evaluation of its value. Visit our site for a more accurate price range, Hawaii.GuaranteedSale.com.

Those are 3 pretty compelling reasons to call your local agent to get accurate and up-to-date real estate information. It's important to know that non-MLS sites have no validation of accuracy, whereas Realtors who contribute information to the MLS can fined up to $300 for providing incorrect or inaccurate information. This gives us an incentive to provide the best information possible. Realtors also take all the factors into consideration, including the direction the market is going, to give you a proper price range on your home. Sites like Zillow and Trulia just cannot reproduce that level of expertise and in-person evaluation of your home.

As always, we are here to help you with your Hawaii real estate needs. If you're looking for help without the high pressure sales tactics, we'd love to hear from you. We want to make sure you move at your own pace and make the best decisions for you and your family. Just give us a call or shoot us an email, we'd love to help!

Our Marketing Plan is Proven to Succeed

Looking to buy or sell a home in Hawaii? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (808) 426-7211 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.
  

Today we are on Kauaʻi and we are at the beautiful Wailua Falls which are located just north of Lihue and off the beaten path towards the south side of the Wailua River. The water cascades into two different streams that drop 80 feet into a secluded pool below.

Like other gorgeous spots in Kauaʻi, this waterfall has been used for many different films and television shows. You might remember this particular waterfall from the opening credits of Fantasy Island, a long running television series.

If you come to see this waterfall in the morning, you might see a beautiful rainbow cast off by the falls, and that will make for the perfect Kodak moment.

Today we are actually on Kauaʻi to educate a seller on why the Lally Team can get homes sold faster and for more money. If you would like to know how we accomplish this, call our Seller Hotline at (808) 799-9596 to schedule a free meeting with us.

It only takes about 20 minutes and we will show you how we can sell your Hawaii home in the shortest period of time for the largest amount of money. These two goals can always be met when your Hawaii real estate agent understands the three key principles in marketing a home.

We promise to share these three marketing secrets when you visit with us!

Also, don't forget to catch our radio shows on Thursdays from noon-1pm on AM 1110 KAOI on Maui, or Saturdays from 11am-noon on AM 830 KHVH on Oahu.

We look forward to speaking with you!

What Every Seller Wants But Does Not Get

Looking to buy or sell a home in Hawaii? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (808) 426-7211 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.
  

The Three P's of Success for Sellers
 
Today we are in Maui at the Grand Wailea resort and we wanted to talk to you about the goals that every seller has to sell their property for the most amount of money in the shortest period of time.
 

1. Price: Inaccurate or incorrect pricing is the #1 reason your home will not sell. A good price will attract customers and make them fight for your property because they see such great value in it. Pricing attractively takes strategy and you must know the Hawaii real estate market well in order to create a good price for a home. Contact us about our pricing strategy that is meant to sell your home quickly and for the most amount of money.
    
2. Product: When it comes to Hawaii real estate, the product is your home. We always recommend that our clients clean, declutter, and depersonalize their properties before they list them for sale. Nobody wants to buy a dirty home, and if a home isn't sparkling clean during a showing you are only distracting your potential buyers with the various objects that are strewn about your home. You want potential buyers to be able to imagine themselves living in your property. It is hard for them to do this when all of your belongings are laying around everywhere in your home.
    
3. Promotions: We will promote your home with a video tour. Consumers go crazy for video tours, but almost no real estate agents offer them. We also have a unique opportunity in the fact that we have a radio show where we can talk about your home and get it major attention through the airwaves.
    

So, don't forget to catch our radio show on Thursdays from noon-1pm on AM 1110 KAOI on Maui or Saturdays from 11am-noon on AM 830 KHVH on Oahu.
 
We hope that you have found this information to be useful. If you have any further questions you can reach us via phone or email. We would be happy to set aside a time where we can discuss your personal needs.

As always, if you're searching for real estate in Hawaii, consider us your #1 option!

Meet Our Only Recommend Vendor For Cleaning Your Home

Looking to buy or sell a home in Hawaii? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (808) 426-7211 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.  

 

Make Your Home Shine

People ask us all the time what cleaning service we recommend, and our answer is Spott's Cleaning Service. Today we have the general manager from Spott's, and his name is Marcello.

Spott's Cleaning service takes a lot of pride in catering to all of a client's needs. They listen to your needs to provide a personal service that will leave you satisfied. Spott's is a one-stop cleaning service providing both residential and commercial clients with detailed cleaning services, carpet shampooing, window cleaning, floor care, pressure washing, strip & waxing and much more.

Spott's recently took care of one of our clients from the Lally Team. The house was a mess and needed to be cleaned and organized, and by listening to what the client needed, Spott's team got her house cleaned, organized, and ready for sale.

Professionally cleaned homes show better, and homes that show better always get offers faster and closer to asking price, as well as multiple offers that will allow your home to sell for more money.

When in Escrow, a professional cleaning avoids the subjective argument between the buyer and seller on if the home is clean or not.

Spott's is the only cleaning company that we recommend to you. This is also the only company that I use to clean my properties and also my own home.

For more information on Spott's, visit their website (www.spottshawaii.com) or give them a call at (808) 383-5843.

Also remember to tune in to our radio show every Saturday at 11 a.m. on AM 830 KHVH on Oahu or at noon on Thursdays on 1110 AM KAHO on Maui.

As always, if you need any assistance with real estate in Hawaii, feel free to give us a call at (808) 799-9596 or visit us at www.TeamLally.com

Avoid a Crazy Hoarder Tenant with a Professional Property Manager

Looking to buy or sell a home in Hawaii? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (808) 426-7211 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.  

A lot of people assume that they can buy a property and rent it out with no problem. This, however, is not the case. Just like you need a real estate professional to buy or sell a home, you need a professional to manage your property.

Introducing Duke Kimhan, our Preferred Property Manager

There are a plethora of reasons why you should use Duke Kimhan of Keller Williams Realty, but here are just a few:

• He will find the right tenant for you by screening all of the candidates. This will include a credit check and a follow up where he contacts all of a tenant's references.
• He will use his experience to gauge a great tenant from a more troublesome one.
• His expertise in managing properties effectively helps to preserve the value of your property.

Duke also has an insane guarantee: He promises to rent your property for an agreed amount within 30 days of your decision or he will pay your rent!

Let us repeat that one more time: Duke promises to rent your property for an agreed amount within 30 days of your decision or he will pay your rent!

For more information, visit his website: KellerWilliamsHonoluluPropertyManagement.com or call the rental hotline at 808-445-9223

If you are looking for a property manager, here are some other things that you'll want to see:

1. The property must be cleaned prior to a move in: This is a fairly basic requirement, but also one that is often not totally taken care of. Having a new tenant complain of a dirty residence is a terrible way for them to become acquainted with a property.
2. Make a move-in checklist with the tenant: This checklist will expose any damaged or defective parts of a residence when a tenant moves in. This checklist should also be completed a few days after moving in. Then, when they move out, a tenant can be held liable for any damages that occurred during their stay.
3. Be very responsive to repair requests: Once again, you do not want to anger your tenant. Your property manager should do everything necessary to cater to your tenants' needs, because they are your livelihood. Also, an angry tenant is less likely to pay rent on time, so avoid that unnecessary problem.

Hopefully this information has been helpful to you. If you would like any assistance please do not hesitate to contact us at (808) 799-9596 or visit www.TeamLally.com

Also, don't forget to catch our radio show, the Team Lally Real Estate Show - Home of the Guaranteed SOLD Program or We’ll Buy It - every Saturday at 11AM - 12PM on KHVH 830 and KIKI 990. If you are interested in learning more about buying or selling real estate in the Honolulu area we have a free book available online. To receive your free book please visit http://www.teamlally.com/book

To get your free book all about Honolulu Real Estate written by Adrienne and Attilio click here!