Amanda shared her thoughts on some of the small (400 – 1000 sq.ft.) nooks and creative ways her readers had rigged up beds to maximize their living space. I found her talk quite useful as I learned a couple of tricks using design and color to make a space look roomier.  She prefers to use photos that show the actual size of the space and emphasizes to her photographers that she does not want to use photos which rely on lens and camera tricks that make a small space look larger than life.

Dwell tip: Use of pop of Color

Putting away “stuff” behind doors or curtains to get rid of visual distractions helps tremendously if you cannot seem to part with inherited items or memorabilia.   Another way to make a tiny space feel nice:  Use a pop of color to accent a focal point. She gave another tip:  find furniture that has dual purposes.

One of the things about living in a small space is that you soon begin to look outside of your space as part of your living environment.  And that is what smart people are discovering is fun…connecting with people and adventuring beyond your four walls.

So happy to live on a beautiful island such as Hawaii…

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If you imagine selling a home as if you’re selling a puppy or a dog, you’ll know that it’s probably better to give your pet a bath and clean their ears, eyes, breath, and paws.  A nice trim also works to make your adorable pet even more adorable. This is true if you’re going to a job interview.  You will want to bathe or shower, shave, and wear pressed clothes.  More often than not, I see young people going to a college or job interview in a suit.  They might normally run around the house in a t-shirt and shorts, but off to work they must go and so extra care goes into what color tie to wear (ha!), what suit to wear, and of course, stop by a barber a few days before to look tidy and groomed.

This is the same concept for your home.

When I refer to “staging”, I mean we will declutter, clean, polish and then add some magic tips to focus on best features of your home.  This could mean bringing in lighting, colors, or textures to make your home look “polished” and stand out amongst the other properties on the market.

An easy way to remember the word “staging” is by remembering an empty theater stage is just that: an empty stage.  Yet with lighting and props, a mood is created, the setting is set and the audience is taken to another time and place.

Call me if you’re thinking of selling and aren’t sure what to do, what to get rid of, or whether to refresh, renovate or remodel prior to selling.

New flooring, lighting and accessories add warmth to the room

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This was a real question and concern posed to me once.  A buyer moving from the West Coast had a cat who would consistently sit by the Bay Window and watch the sun set every day.  What a fortunate cat!

The easy answer is to look at our Home Page and take a look at the island with all the regions.  See the mountain ranges on the island?  You will want to make sure you are west and south of the mountain ranges so you can see the sunset lower into the Pacific Ocean.

Some neighborhoods to look at are the ones along the coastline in Waianae, Kapolei, the southwestside of the mountain ranges of Makakilo, the homes along Oahu’s southwest coastline, the south west side of the  little hill neighborhoods such as Aiea Heights, Kamehameha Heights, some areas of St. Louis Heights, Maunalani Heights, Waialae Iki, Hawaii Loa Ridge, Portlock Area, Waikiki.

You will not be able to see a sunset from the “Windward side” (which includes Kaneohe, Kailua, Kaawa, Waimanalo)…

It will be an interesting statistic to see how many cats enjoy the sunset in the Southwest side of the island!

The post I just arrived and want to look at homes! Where can I live where my cat sees the sunset? appeared first on Ronda Ching Day.

I’ve had many clients remark out of frustration that the experience is like going to another country as most of the street names are Hawaiian words.

To make matters more complicated, most of the names look or sound the same…they usually start with K and have a lot of vowels.  Or they just don’t sound the way Siri says them.  So, if a local person tells you where to go and how to get there, it can be confusing listening to Siri.

The other challenge is reading the street sign when you’re driving at the speed limit, especially IF you’re still trying to figure out which street you are supposed to turn on…

Was it Kaihohonu, Kaiopua, Kaihee, Kekaiholu, Kaiakua, Kaiapo, Kaihee, Kalakaua, Kapiolani, Kalanianaole, Kamehameha, Kapolei, Kaneohe, Kailua, Kalihi, Kalama Valley, Kuliouou, Kaimuki, Kahala, Kalani, Kuhio, Kaawa, Kaikoele?…Well, you get the drift.

The easiest way to pronounce a Hawaiian word is to remember to pronounce each vowel or syllable using short vowels.  The vowel “e” is pronounced ‘eh” as in elephant and “i” is pronounced “ee” as in bee.

The other thing complicated is that Oahu is divided into Regions, then Neighborhoods.  We have many neighborhoods and then communities within a neighborhood or sub-neighborhood.

DIRECTION TIP:  If you stop someone on the street to ask for directions if you don’t have a smart phone or your cell phone died, and someone tells you to “drive ewa or go diamond head”… they mean drive out towards ewa beach or the westside or head towards the monument/extinct volcano cone Diamond Head near the Honolulu Zoo/Waikiki.  They might also say, “head mauka” or “it’s on the makai side”.  They mean travel towards the mountain (“mauka”) or you will find it on the “makai side” (ocean side) of the street, etc.

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You may have heard that we’re building a Rail transit system from Kapolei to Honolulu. This construction project is adding to the traffic issues during pre-and post- work rush hour if you live West of Honolulu along the H1 freeway. Meaning, the commute from Kapolei or Ewa Beach to Honolulu can be an hour if you travel during the 7-8 AM before school starts. If you can have flexible arrangements with work, then many people opt to live in the new or nearly new construction communities in Ewa Beach and Kapolei.

You can also live in a place that has contra-flow traffic patterns. For example, some people who work at Schofield Barracks have expressed a desire to live in Waikiki.

You will want to let us know when you need to report to work and we can help figure out the time on the road if you don’t have a work mate who lives in the same area you wish to live.

You also need to stay abreast of any road closures (including highways) for marathons or watermain breaks.

You’ll quickly find that the traffic report becomes one of your Alerts!

Freeway closed due to Honolulu Marathon

Here’s some traffic reporting links for you to use:

Live Traffic http://khon2.com/live-traffic/

Traffic Hawaii News Now http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/category/313923/traffic

Traffic Staradvertiser http://www.staradvertiser.com/traffic/

The other factor besides  Traffic, is housing payment.  Whether you rent or pay a mortgage, your budget will determine your options.  A good realtor can help you identify some locations.  Call us and we can also recommend some great loan officers and mortgage brokers who can tell you what you can afford comfortably or at your max limit.  There are so many programs today that include downpayment assistance, 1% FHA, 100% VA financing, or 100% USDA Rural financing.

We host financing workshops to teach people how to improve credit scores,  prepare for buying a home, and making the home buying process easier.

Message me if you’re interested in attending any of our workshops.

Ronda

The post Wondering where to Live on Oahu? How far is it from Work? appeared first on Ronda Ching Day.

47-060 Kamehameha Hwy

It’s made up of two parcels..one which is deeded access from the highway to the ocean. THINK OF THE Dock = Boat Access possibilities. Hmm, I guess you’ll have to like fishing, boating, or the ocean. If you’re not a salt water baby, there’s always the pool close to the two story home… Hope to see you then!

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Malulani St, Kaneohe

This location is so desirable, a landlord could have over dozens of prospective tenants calling on an ad.

Kaneohe is often known to be on the Windward side of the island and is located on the North East side of Oahu next to Kailua.  Kaneohe receives the wind coming across the ocean and sees more rainfall than the south side of island.   The town is a fairly quiet, relaxed, bedroom community with most of its small businesses, restaurants, a couple of shopping malls, auto dealership, golf courses along Kamehameha Highway.

If you enjoy golfing, you might like Kaneohe…the golf courses in Kaneohe are:

1. often referred to as the world’s best military course, the Kaneohe Klipper Course http://mccshawaii.com/golf/
2. The Bay View Golf Course http://bayviewgolfcourse.us/
3. the public Pali Golf Course https://www.honolulu.gov/des/golf/pali.html
4. The Kaneohe Golf Coursehttps://www.koolaugolfclub.com/

Many tourists drive through lush Kaneohe and take a boat ride to lunch at the famed sand bar in the Bay, or visit Kualoa Ranch http://www.kualoa.com/ and the Byodo-In Temple at the Valley of the Temples. http://www.byodo-in.com/   You will often see waterfalls along the majestic Koolau Mountains.

One of the favorite runs on the island is held in February, the Kaneohe Bay Hawaii Swamp Run,http://www.mudrunguide.com/event/kaneohe-bay-hawaii-swamp-romp-2017/   If you like to run, you’ll want to sign up for this one.

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The home may not, however, be conveniently located within your relative price range. Indeed, while you may be more than ready to settle down in the home of your dreams, your pocketbook and family budget may not be at all ready to support that move.

Please rest assured that, with a little creativity and just the right mindset, you can update just about any house into the beautiful—and livable—home of your dreams.

There are many different financing programs available to first time home buyers, investors seeking to renovate, and international buyers.

Consult a Hawaii, Full-time Real Estate Agent

You just knew we’d say that right off the bat, now didn’t you? Seriously though, regardless of your price range a trained and experienced Real estate agent should be able to find you the home of your dreams—even if it’s on a slightly reduced scale.

Real estate agents have access to a vast network of sellers and their homes—and, much like a personal shopper, he/she will work hard to pinpoint a selection of homes within your budget and specifications.

NOTE:  When you’re ready to start looking for your dream home, I would be glad to serve you.   Click here for a free consultation. 

Knowing Where to Look

Hawaii is an expensive place to live, and the real estate is no different.  It’s just plain expensive to live here, but don’t let that bring you down.

You may not be able to afford that extravagant Mansion on the beach in Kahala—but would you like a beautiful single family home in Manoa? What about a great condo in Mililani?

You likely could find your preferred style of home in just about any price range.

Found your Hawaii Home?

Now it’s your turn.

If you manage to purchase a fixer upper,  you have an amazing opportunity to make it yours.  Hawaii has some amazing homes, and almost all of them are amazing because of the owners vision of what the property and house could be when they bought it.

Let your imagination go free..

Once you buy the home, you get to improve it (maybe a remodel) from the inside out. It could be that all your home needs is a fresh coat of paint on the exterior or some new carpet and furnishings on the interior to become this amazing dream house.

And even if your just getting started,  it’s your HOME and you get to make it yours.

You live in Paradise…enjoy it!

Your home is clean, structurally sound and located in a safe neighborhood.  You live in Hawaii, in the tropics, and you have a house here. How amazing is that!

Any house can become a beloved home with the addition of a few key ingredients: namely, your family, your pets, your stories and memories, and—of course—you!

Aloha!

P.S.  If you need to sell your home in order to purchase your next home, please call me so I can visit then help you write up a short list of proven cost effective tips to improve house pricing or value.  Or you are welcome to use my Ultimate Sellers Guide.  I’ve compiled my top list of suggestions for your easy convenience.

The post Buying a home in Hawaii: Make any house the home of your dreams appeared first on Ronda Ching Day.

Waking up early, you can smell the ocean.  The lush Koolau mountain provide dramatic views for all to enjoy.

The opportunity to have a family home in Hawaii is truly amazing, and getting a good idea of the wants, needs, and desires of everyone is very important to ensure a smooth move.

“Have you talked to _________”.   Your wife, your husband, your significant other…

No doubt you have heard this particular phrase many a time—perhaps loudly and repeatedly– throughout the course of your earthly existence.

This is never more true or applicable than when it comes to buying a home.

For while you might have a clear and defined vision of the home of your dreams, remember that you will be sharing your home with your family.

I know this sounds obvious, but…

Be certain to ask the opinion of your wife, your husband, your children, or pretty much anyone who will be sharing this house for any length of time.

Before you make the final decision on the place of your future residence, be sure to take the time to talk to these family members…

NOTE:  If you want to get more information, and want to find the best home for your family.   Let’s chat!

Talk to your spouse

Chances are that your husband or wife will be paying half the home price and/or covering part of the mortgage that comes attached to your new place of residence. And even if they don’t, they will be helping to maintain the homes.

With only so much new construction on Hawaii, there are a lot of opportunities to find a home at a good price that needs some work.

In short and to put it simply, they have to live here too. So be sure to ask for their input in selecting that exciting new spot to live and grow.

What is their idea of a dream house? Is it an exotic Beach house on the north shore or a house surrounded by the lush trees and valley of Manoa? Or perhaps the new family house, right square at the center of Eva? Work as a team with your spouse to create the vision of the ideal dream home.

Gather input from your children

People always remember their childhood homes; and really, your children stand the best chance of loving and recalling this landmark home if they like the house from the moment they set foot in it.

And while you be unable to fulfill their fantasy of building an exact replica of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts Academy or of Barbie’s Dreamhouse, you may be able to provide them with individual living spaces that are fully, truly and even magically their own.

In addition to a room that fits their personal style and addresses their interests, would they like a playroom, a study room, a rec room, a big back yard play area complete with gym equipment? Always consider the kids.

Consider the needs of your other family, your pets

Not what you were expecting?

Do your dogs, cats, and other four-legged friends need a home surrounded in full by wide open spaces?  (That’s a tough find in Hawaii!)

What about being close to a park to play with other pet owners?

Does your yard need to be fenced in?

Does your new home’s interior need specified spaces where your pet can eat and play?

I know many mom’s and dad’s would do anything to take care of their “kids”, so be sure you understand the needs of ALL your family members.

Make a list of your needs, wants, and desires

As you’re talking to everyone, write down their needs, wants, and desires.

Finding the perfect home is hard, and many times we run out of money before we run out of wants.  This activity will give you a great starting point.

Spend the time to talk things over, and develop your list into the specific buckets.  Now your realtor can help you find a home that meets your needs, AND some of your wants and desires.

This makes your home buying experience much more

Make home buying a family affair, and you’ll truly enjoy your new home.

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