Property Buying FAQs

• Why should I buy a house/property in Hawaii?
• How long will it take to buy a house?
• What do Leasehold and Fee Simple mean?
• Why should I have YOU help me buy a house or a piece of property?
• What are the property tax rates?
• I've heard that the Big Island has affordable real estate, is this true?

Why should I buy a house/property in Hawaii?

I hope this would be obvious, but one of my favorite reasons is simple: This Is Paradise!!! I have plenty of other reasons in case you're not sold there, such as how affordable the price of property and houses are, the diverse and very comfortable climate, and the warm and welcoming people here - nto to mention the ocean, beaches, surfing and mountains !  If you are new to the Islands, take a look at our Links page to find more information about our wonderful State and all that it has to offer.

What do Leasehold and Fee Simple mean?

This can be a little confusing at first, so - although you won't find Leasehold property on Kauai or the Big Island very often - but here is the explanation. If you purchase a fee simple property, you own the land and the improvements upon it. This is the standard way of owning a property. However, if you purchase a leasehold property, you are buying a lease for the land and, usually, you own the improvements. A residential leasehold might have been set for 55 years but if the ground lease is 30 years old, there would be 25 years left on the lease. Most banks require a minimum number of years remaining on the lease before they will agree to lend on the property. Some require that the lease be renegotiated with the ground lessor, often a family trust or large landholding estate. This can take more time than you expect and, in fact, lessors are not obliged to extend or renegotiate the lease.

With all this, why would anyone buy a leasehold property? Because it is often less expensive to purchase and the lease is depreciable, which may have some tax advantages for you.

As always, before purchasing any property, you should consult with your tax adviser and your attorney about how to protect your tax position and your estate.

How long will it take to buy a house?

This depends on quite a few things, so it's not a quick and simple answer. If your lender works quickly and the sellers have already accepted your offer you will generally have a much better idea as to how much longer things will take. In general, one could say that escrows are somewhere around 45-60 days, but, realistically, just as your property and your sale are unique, so will be your timeline. We assure you that we will do what we can to expedite the transaction however possible.

Why should I use YOU to help me buy a house or property?

Simple, we do our very best to be kind, courteous, and professional, and worked hard so that we can help you find exactly what you are looking for efficiently.  We also know a great deal of information which can help you avoid many of the pitfalls of purchasing property in Hawaii.  We have more details to help you understand the responsibilities of a real estate agent in Hawaii here.

What are the property tax rates ?

Kauai:

Hawaii Island:

 I've heard that the Big Island has affordable real estate, is this true?

Housing costs vary greatly from community to community on all of the Islands.  In general, the Big Island has less expensive properties than you would find on Kauai - but that is not a hard and fast rule and depends on the area of the Islands, the neighborhoods and propinquity to a beach, stream, etc. The best way to get an idea of current property costs is to browse through the "Property Listings " section of this web site, exploring different locations as you go. You'll be able to see everything that's presently for sale through the Multiple Listing Service because our site links directly to the MLS database.

The easiest thing to do is contact me and I can help you figure out the areas that might work for you and help you find your dream home or property!