About Honolulu County, HI

It's that time of the year when we start thinking about the holidays approaching and in just a few days we have Thanksgiving Day. On each third Thursday of November, tradition tells us that it's time to give thanks for the 'harvest' and everything else that I have to be grateful for.

Things I'm thankful for:

• I have my health
• My family and their love and support for each other
• That I made it through the hardest year I have ever had in real estate
• I have my bills paid
• That I continue to believe that success starts from within
• That I am humble and have patience
• That I have slept well at night
• That everyone I know who has had a hard time have found their way into the light.
• That I have friends here on ActiveRain who keep in contact with me
• That I am busy again.

And most of all..................

That I have husband who likes to bake pumpkin pies way before Thanksgiving!

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Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman is a Realtor-Associate with Century 21 Liberty Homes in Mililani, Hawaii. With a sharp understanding that a listening ear is the key to a client's needs, she serves the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and all Hawaii Military Relocating to Hawaii, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents.

Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com

Supporting Hawaii Local Businesses!

A new forecast released by the University of Hawai'i Economic Research Organization says some smaller Asian economies are leading a rebound, but that larger nations, notably the U.S. and Japan, will have less growth.

"The anticipated slow pace of global growth will likely mean a sub-par recovery for Hawai'i," said the report being released today. The forecast concentrates on global economics and is a predecessor to one focusing solely on Hawai'i that will be released next month. One positive is the stronger yen against the dollar, which might result in higher Japanese tourist spending.

Experts agree that Hawaii's rebound from the economic doldrums will depend on the state's leading industry, tourism. "Growth has also returned to the U.S. and Japan, but the depth of the decline, lost household wealth, and lingering credit problems mean that full recovery will take a number of years," the UHERO forecast said.

Read more at Honolulu Advertiser.

With the tax incentives for buyers and homeowners just passed into law, it's a great time to take advantage of our high inventory and reduced prices. It's only a matter of time before our economy - and housing prices - recover. Don't lose this opportunity.

November 20th, 2009 categories: Honolulu Real Estate 101, Rants & Riffs

The Honolulu Advertiser headline reads, “Foreclosure in Isles 10^th worst in nation” and its first paragraph articulates the following.

“Slightly fewer home foreclosure cases in Hawai’i were begun in the third quarter compared with the second quarter, but the number of pending foreclosures and the number of delinquent mortgages that aren’t yet in foreclosure both rose.” CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE HONOLULU ADVERTISER ARTICLE

As a Honolulu real estate broker, I see both good and bad news in the numbers. My beef...

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST.

Do Your Clients Bathroom or Kitchen Cabinets Need a Face Lift?

Often times a small remodeling budget precludes any cabinet updating save for a few coats of paint. If you have dowdy laminate cabinets, paint usually doesn't make the grade when trying to give an attractive update to an old kitchen or bathroom, mainly because laminate does not hold the paint very well and can peal off easily and or bubble in humid environments. The steam from your shower or boiling pot of pasta can ruin the paint job faster than you can say spaghetti carbonara.

As most sellers are under a tight budget these days a cost effective alternative to cabinet replacement or painting is hardwood veneer laminate. Not only does it improve the look of old cabinets it can add quantifiable value to your property for sale. I recently fell in love with a company called Treefrog that offers a surprising array of amazing exotic and modern hardwood laminates to compliment and enhance any interior space. Of course hardwood veneer laminates can be used in many applications aside from just cabinet refacing. Let your imagination run wild with Zebrawood or Wenge and take your Real Estate Merchandising to a whole new plain of posibilities.

Learn more at treefrogveneer.com.

JDS Consulting- Hawaii Home Staging and Decor Design. Providing Real Estate Merchandising services including: Home Staging, Interior Decor, Turn Key, Landscaping, Remodeling, & Open House Hosting. Diamond Head, Kahala, Waikiki, Kapahulu, Kailua, Makiki, Tantalus, Hawaii Kai, Manoa, Nu'uanu, Ala Moana, Waialua, Haleiwa, North Shore, Kapolei, Makaha, Honolulu.

www.Staged.Homestead.com tel.+1.808.344.1264 Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2009

November 19th, 2009 categories: Honolulu Real Estate 101

I could have told you this, but BusinessWeek did the work to confirm it (as reported in Pacific Business News).

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST.