One of the significant developments in Maui real estate we ascertained over the last eighteen months or so is how flexible buyers have become. It used to be there were (using shorthand) Wailea people and Kapalua ™ people and North Shore people etc. Folks had already focused on a specific part of the island or a specific neighborhood or complex and wouldn't consider buying outside it. That point of view has really changed. More and more in 2009 and today potential buyers are seeking value first and are showing more flexibility the neighborhood or area they will consider. In our vernacular, buyers have become "deal hounds." For sellers this means your property is no longer just competing with the one down the street. Now you are competing with other parts of the island as well and must show a value in that context to obtain significant interest. For buyers this means your Realtors must have broader knowledge than ever before.  

• Existing Homes Sales declined significantly from November to December as the Federal Tax Incentive ended
• Compared to December 2008, national home sales increased 15%.
• Sale prices increased 1.5% from last December
• Standard and Poors released their Case Shiller Index for November
• The attached chart shows that pricing seem to be stabilizing
• Nationally prices are now at late 2003 levels

If you’re in the market for a new home or condominium in Hawaii, have you considered buying a brand new home?  Not only do you get a home that’s as close to custom-built as possible, you also get energy efficiency, modern floor plans and excellent value!

Here are 9 fantastic reasons why you consider buying a brand new home rather than a pre-existing, used home.

1. Competitive Pricing

Compare prices of existing homes to those of comparably-sized new homes!  In today’s real estate market, home builders are competing for your business, and when builders compete, you benefit.  Most home owners looking to sell their homes cannot offer incentives or attractive financing options like builders can.

2. Choices

When shopping among existing homes, buyers have to take the previous owners’ style into consideration.  Do you pay even more to redecorate or do you make do with someone else’s choices? With a new home, however, you have choices in design, color and material options.  Having the luxury to tailor a home to your tastes can be one of the greatest features of buying a new home.

3. Home Location

Location, location, location. New home buyers often get to choose which individual unit they prefer within a new home development.  Would you prefer your bedroom get morning sun or afternoon sun? Would you prefer to live near the pool or closer to the beach in Maui?

4. Convenient Financing

In today’s market, securing financing for home ownership can be tedious and stressful.  Many new home communities have simplified this process in order to provide you the best deal possible that gets you into your new quickly and easily.

5. Low Maintenance

Why worry about upgrading or constantly maintaining your home if you don’t have to?  New developments like Kai Ani Village use the latest and greatest materials that technology can offer.  The result?  New homes are virtually maintenance-free for many years.

6. Floor Plans

Never thought about the convenience of modern floor plans?  Take a tour of many existing condos and you’ll find bad layouts and wasted or unusable space.  New home buyers, however, benefit from modern layouts suitable for today’s lifestyle.

7. Energy Efficiency

New communities are required by law to meet stricter energy codes than in the past, which benefits YOU, the consumer.  This is an enormous cost-saving benefit when considering the costs of fuel and energy today.  Many existing homes were built when energy codes were either more lenient or nonexistent.

8. Modern Appliances

Appliance manufacturers introduce new models every year and new home communities are able to offer the latest state-of-the-art equipment at the time of completing a new home.  And, because builders buy for the entire production of new home, the purchasing power often reduces the buyers’ costs.

9. Appreciation

The typical home needs remodeling after 25-30 years. Since new homes have an assured longer life, appraisals are generally higher than on comparable existing homes.  That means new homes will likely sell for a higher value in the future.

How far have you walked today?

Besides the shuffle from your bed to your bathroom, or from your car to your office desk, how far have you really walked? Most people don’t spend enough time enjoying the world’s oldest cardiovascular exercise, shunning numerous opportunities to put one foot in front of the other and actually going out of their way not to walk (yeah, we know you’ve waited an extra 5 minutes for that close parking space at the mall to keep from walking an extra 20 feet).

But did you know there are those among us who actually enjoy walking and prefer living in a walkable community?

It’s true!

There are places, like the brand new Kai Ani Village in Kihei, Maui, where most of your daily needs are mere steps away and where you rarely need to use a car.

Not only are walkable communities good for your health (duh!), they are also good for the environment. Walkable communities:

• Reduce air pollution
• Reduce traffic congestion
• Conserve energy

In addition, walkable communities promote spending in local businesses, keeping local dollars local to enhance an area’s economic vitality.

When looking at new housing options, be sure to consider your new community’s walkability quotient.

Are there recreational areas within walking distance? What about shops, entertainment districts and restaurants? Are there opportunities to work near or in your new home?

And when evaluating costs, be sure to consider your reduced automobile costs – maintenance, insurance and gas – and time saved during commutes and errand runs.

Purchasing a new home in a walkable community can save your waistline, but it can also help protect the environment and add to your family’s bottom line as well.