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        <title>Aloha Tony's Oahu Real Estate Blog</title>
        <link>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/how-to-make-your-home-stand-out/</link>
        <description>Honolulu Hawaii real estate updates and information for both buyers and sellers from one of Hawaii's top real estate agents.</description>
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            <guid>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/the-best-repairs-to-sell-your-home-faster.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/the-best-repairs-to-sell-your-home-faster.html</link>
            <author>alohatony@gmail.com (Tony Kawaguchi, RA)</author>
            <title>The Best Repairs to Sell Your Home Faster</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Getting a home sold is rarely a simple task. This is particularly true when in the midst of a buyer&rsquo;s market, such as the one we are experiencing right now. When the market is saturated with relatively low-cost homes for sale, it is more important than ever to find ways to make a home stand out. 

Making a few simple and inexpensive repairs can significantly improve a home owner's chances of getting their home sold quickly. Whether you're selling in Hawaii or Downtown Austin, it's a good idea... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:27:28 -1000</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/remodel-or-sell-your-hawaii-real-estate-as-is.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/remodel-or-sell-your-hawaii-real-estate-as-is.html</link>
            <author>alohatony@gmail.com (Tony Kawaguchi, RA)</author>
            <title>Remodel or sell your Hawaii real estate as-is?</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
I just got a call from a client that has owned a house for 25 years.&nbsp; He plans to sell next year and asked what he should do - leave the house has is or do some remodeling and then sell? 

The answer is almost always to do some inexpensive remodeling. If the house is in the median range between $500k and $1 million, you will almost always get more money by spending some money. That's because buyers want to get paid for their time if they have to remodel a house after they buy it. They don't ju... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:36:47 -1000</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/hawaii-home-sales-up-big-in-september.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/hawaii-home-sales-up-big-in-september.html</link>
            <author>alohatony@gmail.com (Tony Kawaguchi, RA)</author>
            <title>Hawaii home sales up BIG in September</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
In May of 2009, I called the bottom of the Hawaii real estate market, and in January through May of this year, I posted several times about the coming market rise.&nbsp; Well, the September sales numbers are out for Hawaii homes, and the numbers are pretty impressive.&nbsp; 

Here are some highlights:


There were 274 sales of single-family homes on Oahu in September, an 8 percent rise compared to last year.

The Oahu median price of single family homes was $622,450, up 3 percent from $605,000 last yea... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 07 Oct 2010 00:46:23 -1000</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/multiple-offers-on-listings-around-oahu.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/multiple-offers-on-listings-around-oahu.html</link>
            <author>alohatony@gmail.com (Tony Kawaguchi, RA)</author>
            <title>Multiple offers on listings around Oahu</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Even in a buyer's market, a down market, a down economy, you can get multiple offers on properties. I have 2 listings on opposite sides of the island with multiple offers right now. 

How is this possible?&nbsp; WE PRICED THE HOMES FOR THE MARKET!&nbsp; It's simple - look at the active listings, the comps within 3 months (used to be 6 months but no longer) and put a price on the house that makes it a good buy for any buyer.&nbsp; Make the decision easy for buyers.&nbsp; By looking at the active... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:05:03 -1000</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/10-things-that-buyers-hate-how-to-not-sell-your-hawaii-house.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/10-things-that-buyers-hate-how-to-not-sell-your-hawaii-house.html</link>
            <author>alohatony@gmail.com (Tony Kawaguchi, RA)</author>
            <title>10 things that buyers hate - how to not sell your Hawaii house</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
I was showing some homes to a client this week and walked into a home that smelled like flowers. All 3 of us made comments about how nice it smelled and felt happy the whole time we were there. I saw that the owner had lit some candles to make the home smell nice.

Then it hit me - why doesn't everyone try hard to make their home buyer friendly? Why is there so much weird stuff I see, smell, and hear when I walk into a house? So here are 10 things that buyers hate. 10 things that will keep your... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:24:11 -1000</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/price-reductions-all-over-oahu.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/price-reductions-all-over-oahu.html</link>
            <author>alohatony@gmail.com (Tony Kawaguchi, RA)</author>
            <title>PRICE REDUCTIONS all over Oahu!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Some of my clients around Oahu have reduced prices on their homes this week, with the market seemingly slowing. The price reductions indicate a decline in the market and a coming to reality for sellers.

Usually when a seller wants to sell their home in Oahu, they assume that they won't get full price, and so they price it just above what they feel the sale price will be. Seems reasonable to most people that you don't always get full price. However, that tactic is backfiring on a lot of people ... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:52:05 -1000</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/mainland-lenders-will-sabotage-hawaii-real-estate-purchase-on-accident.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/mainland-lenders-will-sabotage-hawaii-real-estate-purchase-on-accident.html</link>
            <author>alohatony@gmail.com (Tony Kawaguchi, RA)</author>
            <title>Mainland lenders will sabotage Hawaii real estate purchase, on accident</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
It's happened to me too many times to count now. When buyers come to Hawaii from the mainland, they often want to use the lender they are familiar with from their home state. Some want to use a lender they found on the internet.

Nearly every time I have worked with a lender from mainland, something has gone wrong. The last time was a purchase of $775k in Kaneohe, a beautiful tropical retreat purchased by a great young couple from the mainland. Their lender, who happened to be from New York and... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2009 21:02:20 -1000</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/the-re-refi-boom-in-hawaii.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/the-re-refi-boom-in-hawaii.html</link>
            <author>alohatony@gmail.com (Tony Kawaguchi, RA)</author>
            <title>The re-refi boom in Hawaii</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Appraisers are swamped, lenders are working long hours, and home owners are rejoicing at lower payments. Refinancing helps the real estate market as home owners have an easier time owning their property, and some that might have defaulted or needed to sell can now stay in their home.

There will also be owners of rental properties who might have had to sell, who now can afford to keep their property and continue to rent it out.I've spoken to several lenders and heard they are now suddenly backl... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2009 19:12:28 -1000</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/dont-clean-your-own-house-when-you-sell-it.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/dont-clean-your-own-house-when-you-sell-it.html</link>
            <author>alohatony@gmail.com (Tony Kawaguchi, RA)</author>
            <title>Don't clean your own house when you sell it.</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
The Hawaii real estate purchase contract asks sellers to clean their home after they move out, have it cleaned professionally, or pay for a cleaning credit. Let me state my case for NEVER cleaning the house yourself.

I always tell my sellers that it's best to just pay a credit in escrow for whatever amount it will cost to get the house cleaned. For your average 1800sqft 3bedroom home in Oahu, that might be around $400. In my experience, the level of &quot;clean&quot; of a home is far too subje... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 11 May 2009 16:28:17 -1000</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/order-your-property-survey-early.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.alohatony.com/blog/order-your-property-survey-early.html</link>
            <author> ( )</author>
            <title>Order your property survey early</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
The Hawaii real estate purchase contract allows for buyers to review the survey of any single family home or land for a number of days agreed upon by the buyer and seller. If you wait until you find a buyer for your home, the buyer can take a look at something on the survey and decide to cancel the transaction, especially if he is already looking for a way to cancel. I instruct sellers to get the survey done at the beginning of a listing to avoid problems.

Here is what the Hawaii contract actu... ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2009 13:29:51 -1000</pubDate>
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