Barbara Abe, Your Hawaii Kai Realtor

With housing recovering slowly, most economists predicted in a recent survey that it will take at least five years for average home prices to climb back to the levels they commanded in 2006. This year, some hard-hit areas may see another dip, but properties values will most likely rise. "Softness in the summer months will be followed by ...

A recent article in the StarAdvertiser explained why the foreclosure problem is hurting Hawaii condos even more than single family housing.  There are 2 main reasons.  When an owner stops paying the association fees, this hurts all owners in the project, and may force the complex to raise fees.  Also, when units sell for low prices ...

The outdoor kitchen is rapidly becoming the social hub of the home, and is a trend especially popular in areas where the climate favors outdoor living almost year-round - what better place than Hawaii Kai!  The outdoor kitchen is now more than a grill and a sink in the corner; it is an entertainment center, complete with storage, TV, seating, ...

A report on NewsGeni.us was not encouraging for the real estate industry.  While prices are up from last year, there is no clear trend toward a solid recover. Here are some excerpts from the article. "In the latest sign of renewed turbulence in the housing market, an industry group said Thursday that sales of existing homes fell 5.1% in ...

Building and modifying homes to accommodate multiple generations is increasingly popular as more Americans struggle to accommodate both their older parents and their grown children under the same roof.The National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders Show this year featured a single-level residence with a master suite at each ...

According to the National Association of Realtors , existing-home sales remained at elevated levels in May on buyer response to the tax credit, characterized by stabilizing home prices and historically low mortgage interest rates. Gains in the West and South were offset by a decline in the Northeast; the Midwest was steady. Lawrence Yun, NAR ...

According to detailed information about the characteristics of new homes completed in 2009 that was released recently by the Census Bureau, the size of new single-family homes completed declined last year, dropping to a nationwide average of 2,438 square feet. After increasing continually for nearly three decades, the average size of ...

Foreclosures in Hawaii hit a 2010 high in April, even as the overall economy shows signs of modest recovery.  The number in Hawaii runs counter to the trend nationwide, where the numbers dipped for the first time in 2 years. Our real estate market is still being affected by the unemployment numbers in the state and the drop in values in many ...

CoreLogic reports that 9.8% of all mortgages in Hawaii had negative equity in the 2010 first quarter, the 10th lowest percentage of any state in the country.  Negative equity means the borrower owes more on the loan than the value of the home. The company also reported that in Honolulu 7.5% or 12,113 of all residential properties with a ...

I'm asked the general question, "How's the market?" a lot, but interestingly, people don't really want a general answer.  They want to know how the real estate market is in Hawaii Kai, or Portlock, or the Commodore condo building.  So when asked, I try not to say, "It's slow" or "Prices are down ...