“World's Most Complete Neighborpedia”
Sponsor a Community — What is Localism? | Register or Sign In
Explore:   What's happening in your neck of the woods?
HomeHawaiiHonolulu CountyHonolulu

Honolulu, HI

Blog_tag

My Favorite Honolulu Neighborhoods: Napali Haweo, in the Hawaii Kai Region of Honolulu

02-13-12
Douglas Fischer
Douglas Fischer: Real Estate Agent in Honolulu, HI
  • view my blog
  • Office: (808) 396-2000
  • Mobile: (808) 497-3810

My Favorite Honolulu Neighborhoods: Napali Haweo, in the Hawaii Kai Region of Honolulu

Located on the Kamehame Ridge, Napali Haweo consists of mostly custom built homes, many with some of the best views found on Oahu. Fairly strict codes are enforced by a Home Owner’s Association that enforces covenants and building restrictions which results in not only a tidy but fairly upgraded and well maintained neighborhood.

This elite residential area consists of 193 homes and rises from 400 feet to 700 feet above sea level. Homes range in size from 3,000 square feet and lot sizes average 10,000 square feet or larger.
Home building in this area was finished in 1994, however building still continues. In fact, one unique feature about Napali Haweo is you can still find unfinished lots for sale in this area.

Napali Haweo in the ntive Hawaiian Language translate to “Cliffs of Distinction.”

View Current Homes for Sale in the Napali Haweo Neighborhood of the Hawaii Kai Region of Honolulu

View Other Hawaii Kai Neighborhoods of Honolulu

Save Your Searches, Save Your Favorites, Emailed Alerts for New Listing Matches
0 Comments
Blog_tag

My Favorite Honolulu Neighborhoods: Portlock, in the Hawaii Kai Region

02-10-12
Douglas Fischer
Douglas Fischer: Real Estate Agent in Honolulu, HI
  • view my blog
  • Office: (808) 396-2000
  • Mobile: (808) 497-3810

My Favorite Honolulu Neighborhoods: Portlock, in the Hawaii Kai Region

Without question Portlock is one of the most affluent neighborhoods found on Oahu. Located on a peninsula overlooking the ocean on the southwestern slopes of Koko head, Portlock offers some absolutely spectacular ocean, cliff and mountain views. As you drive to Hanauma Bay, this neighborhood would be located on your right, with beach front estates, ocean view mansions and more luxury homes on the slopes. The location is convenient to all that Hawaii Kai has to offer and is just minutes from Hawaii Kai Town Center, the Koko Marina Shopping Center and more.

Portlock is perhaps one of the most prestigious areas of Hawaii Kai, and with no future plans to develop any higher up on the slopes of Koko Head, the exclusiveness of this area is retained. In fact, Henry Kaiser himself, who developed and built Hawaii Kai, built his own huge estate there, overlooking Maunalua Bay and Diamond Head. Homes in this neighborhood were built on large lots, mostly 12,000 to 15,000 square feet in size where homes average roughly $4 million in price.

Portlock Road runs parallel to the beautiful blue waters of Maunalua Bay. Homes on the water side enjoy gorgeous views of the Bay and Diamond Head and many have white, sandy beaches. There is a decent surf break not far just offshore, and also a small public beach that is primarily used by local residents. With this neighborhood located just off Kalanianaole Highway, it’s an easy drive to the freeway (H1) and downtown Honolulu. Heading east, residents can enjoy Hanamua Bay, the Makapuu Lighthouse and even drive a short distance to the windward side of the island. Residents of Portlock can easily enjoy all that suburban Hawaii Kai has to offer, but yet be just fifteen minutes from busy Metropolitan Honolulu and Waikiki.

View Current Homes for Sale in the Portlock Neighborhood of the Hawaii Kai Region of Honolulu

View Other Hawaii Kai Neighborhoods of Honolulu

Save Your Searches, Save Your Favorites, Emailed Alerts for New Listing Matches
0 Comments
Blog_tag

Selling Real Estate and the Art of Storytelling: adding narrative to your sales pitch!

02-09-12
Kimo Stowell - Real Estate Merchandiser
Kimo Stowell - Real Estate Merchandiser: Home Stager in Honolulu, HI
  • view my blog
  • Office: (808) 927-9162
  • Secondary: (808) 941-6672


A good story doesn't cost a thing...so what's your story?


Lets face it just about everyone enjoys a good story, even the potential buyers looking at your property for sale. In Hawaii we call it Talking Story which colloquially means both story telling and social conversation. When it comes to Real Estate Merchandising and Marketing, storytelling or in this case Story-SELLING is more than just anecdotal ice breakers or idle gossip but a highly evolved art of association that casts the potential buyer as the protagonist in the drama that is your property for sale.

In the antiques and diamond selling business it's called provenance. Similar to a chain of title in Real Estate terms the provenance of a unique and valuable asset is the history of it's ownership from it's creation to it's current owner. Sometimes it is the very history of the object that closes the deal for the purchaser and not so surprisingly it is the emotional connection to the narrative that often motivates the purchase. Case in point the infamous Hope Diamond has an astonishing and storied provenance and a purportedly notorious curse. The large blue diamond was first introduced to Evelyn McClean, Washington socialite and owner of the Washington Post, by renowned French jeweler Pierre Cartier. Knowing the power of storytelling, Monsieur Cartier cleverly presented the diamond wrapped in paper and did not reveal the stone until he told it's storied and colorful past, at which point Mrs. McClean demanded to see it. Although, Cartier did not make the sale that day, Mrs. McClean did purchase the legendary gem shortly there after and it is said she did so largely because of it's story and curse.
Ok so your property is more diamond in the rough than big bling. No worries, not all properties for sale have an interesting back-story with famous inhabitants, scandalous events, or momentous occasions but you would be surprised to find out just how many actually do. All you need to do is little research and you might be pleasantly pleased by some of the interesting gems of local history and colorful characters that potential buyers are eager to hear about, giving some "personality" to your property for sale. Start with the chain of title and go from there, the more flesh and blood details the more interesting the brick and mortar. Ask neighbors and long time residents what they know of the property, they often are eager to share what they have witnessed and heard especially if it's interesting or even better scandalous.
Talking story to potential buyers can instantly push the purchase potential from luke warm to hot to trot and the reasoning behind this is: consumers like to feel emotionally connected to their environments. If you have ever walked into a home that is several hundred years or older there is often a revelation of the humanity associated with the space and the many generations that have lived there. It is here that the story teller turns wear and tear into nostalgia; an empty room into the birth place of a dynasty; a dank basement into a former speakeasy; and a cool consumer into a burning buyer. The narrative should of course be truthful but it doesn't have to include famous people, major events, or end happily for that matter. It just has to convey emotion in a way that is relatable to the buyer. Granted you will probably want to leave certain information as a discreet disclosure as necessary. It doesn't take a Stephen King to know that horror as a genre may sell movies and books but not necessarily homes, obviously discretion should be used.
So how do you create a narrative for your property for sale? Find out who designed and built the property; who's owned it; was the property used for purposes other than what it was intended; were special events held there i.e. weddings, party's, civic meetings, musical performances, movies filmed, etc. Did anyone famous "sleep" there. When showing the property to potential buyers use it's features and details in the story itself and include the buyer too; So and so used this room to write their memoirs aren't you writing a book? What elements of the property were specifically created to meet the needs of it's inhabitant. i.e. the original owner had polio so he built the in-ground pool, the first in the neighborhood. Just about everything and anything can be woven into an informative and interesting story giving your property for sale a life of it's own; ready to embrace a new chapter and buyer.


and the story continues... Selling Real Estate and the Art of Storytelling: adding narrative to your sales pitch!
22 Comments
Blog_tag

My Favorite Honolulu Neighborhoods: Mariners Ridge, in the Hawaii Kai Region

02-07-12
Douglas Fischer
Douglas Fischer: Real Estate Agent in Honolulu, HI
  • view my blog
  • Office: (808) 396-2000
  • Mobile: (808) 497-3810

My Favorite Honolulu Neighborhoods: Mariners Ridge, in the Hawaii Kai Region

This hillside neighborhood is located just past the Hawaii Kai Post Office and is reached via Kaluanui Road and climbs a ridge of the Koolau mountains and overlooks Hahione Valley. House lots in this neighborhood are generally hilly or sloped. Because of this, views of the ocean, Koko Head, Koko Crater, Hawaii Kai and the inner harbor and canals are outstanding, many are panoramic.

Most of the homes built in Mariner’s Ridge were built in the early 1970′s. Roughly 275 homes were built by a California developer in the lower two thirds of the ridge at this time. In later years over 150 lots were sold in the upper section of the ridge, where owners built custom homes. Today homes in this area total 429.

The average home is roughly 1,600 to 2,800 square feet in size with lots average 9,000 to 10,000 sqaure feet and many, because of such steep sloping lots, have multiple stories or floors, taking advantage of the hillside and views.

View Current Homes for Sale in the Mariners Ridge Neighborhood of the Hawaii Kai Region of Honolulu

View Other Hawaii Kai Neighborhoods of Honolulu

Save Your Searches, Save Your Favorites, Emailed Alerts for New Listing Matches
0 Comments
Blog_tag

My Favorite Honolulu Neighborhoods: Koko Villas, in the Hawaii Kai Region

02-06-12
Douglas Fischer
Douglas Fischer: Real Estate Agent in Honolulu, HI
  • view my blog
  • Office: (808) 396-2000
  • Mobile: (808) 497-3810

My Favorite Honolulu Neighborhoods: Koko Villas, in the Hawaii Kai Region

Koko Villas is located on the east side of Koko Crater right next to the Hawaii Kai Golf Course and the communities of Queens Gate and Laulima. Seventy homes were built between 2005 and 2006 featuring three to four bedroom homes ranging in size from about 2,000 to 3,100 square feet with 7,000 square foot lots.

This is one of the newest and more modern neighborhoods in Hawaii Kai, with a plantation style of architecture, many homes have large roof overhangs, large windows, high ceilings and large yards.

Some homes have views of the Hawaii Kai Golf Course and some will have ocean views looking over Sandy Beach.

View Current Homes for Sale in the Koko Villas Neighborhood of the Hawaii Kai Region of Honolulu

View Other Hawaii Kai Neighborhoods of Honolulu

Save Your Searches, Save Your Favorites, Emailed Alerts for New Listing Matches
0 Comments