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Big Island Hawaii Real Estate - Sellers Resources

Five Tips for Home Sellers

#1 - Be competitive in pricing. Overpriced homes are often overlooked by potential Buyers.
#2 - Be prepared to negotiate, sometimes more than once.
#3 - Keep the house and yard clean and clear of clutter, to give a good first impression at that unexpected showing.
#4 - Disclose the issues to the best of your knowledge. It is non-disclosure that creates the problem.
#5 - Sell before you buy the next home, or you may end up taking a "dump it fast" offer.

The Goal:  My mission is to work with you to sell the property so you can move forward to your next life adventure.   What is my home worth?

The Agent:  Kevin E. Lewis, a friendly and resourceful Hawaii Real Estate agent with a proven sales track record.  I'm a full time Hilo based real estate agent and have been active in the Big Island real estate market since 2000.  I'm a graduate from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.  I have built good networking relationships with other Hawaii real estate agents through my many sales transactions, and by having served as past Treasurer, on the Board of Directors, and on various committees with the Hawaii Island Realtors®.  I have been developing strong negotiation skills by serving as a volunteer mediator in my local community.  While I cannot guarantee a fast sale, I can promise that I work honestly with my clients and hope to earn your referrals and repeat business.   Client Recommended

The Agency:  Coldwell Banker Island Properties has high local Recognition and a Reputation for Excellence.  In our local market, our office has been recognized as one of the top selling real estate offices for all of Hawaii County.  We have an active website and an on-site marketing director to help promote your listing through internet and local advertising.  Coldwell Banker Island Properties (who recently acquired Clark Realty) has substantial internet presence all over the country, where our listings are featured through a variety of real estate websites such as Coldwell Banker, Aloha Living, Google, Homes & Land, Realtor.com, Trulia, Yahoo, and Zillow.    

The Real Estate Market:  Is it a Buyer's Market or Seller's Market in Hawaii?  Real Estate markets are cyclical by nature, and there are always Buyers in the market looking for a good deal.   Real Estate Market Report

The Buyer:  Buyers today are shopping to find the best buy for the money.  If you overprice when you first go on the market, interested Buyers will often wait until you lower the price, then try a low ball offer thinking you must be desperate to sell after so many months on the market.  Been there, seen it happen too many times.  If we price too low, we might get a bidding war going!  All Buyers love what they perceive is a bargain... that is when most properties sell.  It might be helpful to think about what you had in mind when YOU bought your property.

The Marketing:  It's about getting seen.  Part of my job is to get your property seen by potential Buyers, as well as by the 1,500 or so licensed real estate agents in Hawaii County.  A Seller's agent rarely "brings in the Buyer."  The Buyer will most likely be working with their own agent.  I am active with the Hawaii Island Realtors® where I network with local agents, and participate in our local Hilo and Puna real estate caravans of the latest residential listings.

• Buyers are shopping online, and I help your listing be seen all over the world wide web.  Our Multiple Listing Service (Hawaii Information Service) allows your listing to be seen through several real estate website feeds.  Sometimes that is not enough.  I subscribe to have my listings show up as "Featured Listing" on websites such as Realtor.com, and Coldwell Banker features our listings through their website network.  This gives potential Buyers additional opportunities to see your listing.   See My Listings
  

• Buyers want to see good photos of a property.  I go to all of my properties and take descriptive photos, put up signs (where possible), and post directions to my land listings.  It makes your listing appear more attractive online, and someone can locate it more easily.  This is where those photography classes I took have helped!
  

• I maintain my own real estate website, Hiloagent.com, as you see here!  I get quite a few inquiries from potential Buyers from all over the world, who are investigating buying property on the Big Island of Hawaii.  In addition, I have agent websites including Coldwell Banker Island Properties - Hawaii Island, Aloha Living, BigIslandAgent.com, Realtor.com, Trulia, Zillow, and other real estate pages online.

1031 Exchange   HARPTA   Hawaii Fair Housing Laws   Hawaii Home Sales Statistics   Home Buying and Selling Essentials

Housing Market Predictor   Move Relocation Assistance   Real Estate Legal Issues   Seller's Disclosure   Why Use a Realtor®

In Hawaii, “Act 137: Mortgage Rescue Fraud Prevention Act” limits the role of a Real Estate agent in a Short Sale or Foreclosure situation.  We can assist in a sales transaction, but cannot act as a consultant to provide loan or legal advice if we are not licensed in these areas.  I have done some research, however, to locate helpful Short Sale and Foreclosure information links for my clients.  These resources are thought to be reliable, but the information or services cannot be guaranteed.   Hawaii Foreclosure Law  Recourse Loans  Short Sale Help  Short Sale vs. Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure

Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure:  A deed in lieu of foreclosure occurs when an owner conveys property to the existing lender in exchange for cancellation of the mortgage debt.

Foreclosure:  Foreclosure is an involuntary process whereby a lender repossesses property that was pledged as collateral for mortgage debt. Foreclosure can occur judicially (i.e. through a court action) or non-judicially, where a third party, such as a trustee, has the power to conduct a sale of the property after the lender has declared a default of the loan.

Short Sale:  A short sale occurs when an owner sells property for less than the debt owed on the property.  The lender consents to release the property from the mortgage lien, however, they may or may not agree to accept less the escrow proceeds as payment in full.  There are income tax considerations if the lien-holder does forgive mortgage debt.

Canceled Mortgage Debt Forgiveness   Tax Consequences: Short Sale vs. Foreclosure   Credit Scores Can Drop After Getting Loan Help

Fannie Mae Gets Tough on Homeowners Who Walk Away   What Happens When You Walk Away from Your Home   You Lost Your House But You Still Have to Pay

I'm a friendly agent active in East Hawaii real estate sales 2000. I'd like to help you sell your property.