Barbara Abe

Honolulu Magazine had an excellent section this month on Green Hawaii, a 32-page guide to living green. Here are some of their ideas, some of which you may not have considered.

1. Remove your shoes at home: dirt on your shoes can carry disease organisms, and reducing dirt lowers the amount of chemicals needed to clean plus vacuum time.

2. Test your refrigerator: test the seal by closing the door over a dollar bill. If it slips out easily, you are losing cool air and wasting electricity.

3. Test your toilet: pour a few drops of food coloring into the tank and wait a couple of hours. If color seeps into the bowl, your toilet flapper is leaking, wasting precious water.

4. Study the lint trap on your dryer: not only clean the lint filter every use, but clean the dryer vent now and then, to increase the efficiency of the dryer (and remove a fire hazard).

5. Use the dishwasher: washing a full load is much more efficient for water and electricity than doing the same amount of dishes by hand. If dishes aren't real dirty, don't rinse them, use the short cycle, and turn off the heated dryer for maximum efficiency.

6. Use dryer balls: these are reusable, non-toxic balls that replace softener sheets. They cut drying time by 25%. Available at Walgreen's.

7. Junk Mail: yikes! The average American receives 41 pounds of junk mail every year! Tonic Mailstopper can help you remove your name from mailing lists you don't want and monitor them to make sure you stay off. They also plant 10 trees for each kit they sell. Visit MailStopper.tonic.com. Or check out CatalogChoice.org which will empty your mailbox for free.

8. Use paper products: 48% of paper can be recovered to make new products, and only 25% can be recovered from plastic. Best - use reusable dishes, towels, etc.

9. Freecyle: stop throwing away those things you don't want, from clothes to household goods. Our economy is depressed, remember? There are plenty of folks who need things, for free! Use Craigslist, Freecycle, Salvation Army, Goodwill, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, your local church, etc. etc. Think 3R: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

10. Unplug those electric chargers: turn off the computer, the printer, the cell phone, the PDA, the music player and unplug their chargers. These "insignificant loads" use more electricity in the hours they are not in use than they do when in use.

This is my own - #11 - look around your home, and think again of the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. What can you do to help keep Hawaii Kai green, to reduce your energy costs, and help others in need?

Barbara Abe, Realtor
barbara@barbarashawaii.com
www.movetohawaiikai.com

For a second month in a row, Hawai'i was in the bottom half of states with the worst April foreclosure rates, as growth in local foreclosure filings continued to outpace the national average.

There were 684 foreclosure filings in Hawai'i last month, more than triple the 216 in the same month last year, according to real estate research firm RealtyTrac.

The number of filings was down from 724 in March, but was the second most since RealtyTrac began collecting and reporting data in January 2005.

Among counties, Honolulu had the highest overall number of filings at 290, but the lowest rate per households at one filing per 1,154 households.

According to Honolulu Advertiser, "Part of the reason for Hawai'i's fallen position is that housing markets in many other states previously crashed and now are faring better, while Hawai'i's housing market has experienced a moderate downturn that is still building modestly...Despite the rapid growth in Hawai'i foreclosures, the Islands still have a foreclosure rate well below the national average and hardest-hit states."

As of May 1, in Hawaii Kai, 6 active single family listings, out of 121 total, were listed as "foreclosure, lender sale, or short sale." Another 2 are in escrow. Counting both active and under contract listings, Hawaii Kai has about 5.2% in distressed property listings. This compares to 355 of 2308 total island listings, active and under contract, or 15.4%.

We are fortunate in Hawaii Kai to have lower than average foreclosure and preforeclosure properties, but if you find yourself struggling to make the mortgage payments - and you own a home in Hawaii Kai - contact me right away. There are options other than foreclosure!

Barbara Abe, Realtor
808-226-2537
barbara@barbarashawaii.com
www.movetohawaiikai.com
www.barbarashawaii.com

The legislature, in their final days, overrode Gov. Lingle's vetoes and passed four measures that will increase taxes to balance the state budget.

Democratic legislators increased state income taxes on the wealthy, the hotel-room tax, the conveyance tax on the sale of luxury and second homes, and a tax on tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco and cigars.

Lingle vetoed the tax increases, saying they would discourage investment, hurt small-business owners and hamper the visitor industry at a time when it is struggling.

On Thursday, the state House and Senate gave final approval to a two-year state budget that contains $800 million in general-fund spending cuts and the elimination of 200 mostly vacant state jobs.

According to the Honolulu Advertiser, lawmakers could not have balanced the budget without $942 million in federal stimulus money and the roughly $250 million in tax increases.

The debate and votes were very much Republicans (no tax increases) vs Democrats.

Here is a synopsis of the new taxes, as presented by the Honolulu Advertiser:

Regardless of how you feel about the tax increases, as a visitor or resident, Hawaii Kai will still be a beautiful place to live, and will hold it's value. The community will always attract residents who value the quality of life and outstanding ambience which makes Hawaii Kai property so special. If you are thinking of relocation or a visit soon to look around, contact me for details on our Hawaii Kai real estate market.

Barbara Abe, Realtor
808-226-2537
barbara@barbarashawaii.com
www.movetohawaiikai.com
www.barbarashawaii.com

There's been a lot of controversy the last couple of weeks over a dive operator's proposal to begin shark-feeding tours in the waters of Maunalua Bay. Happily, the Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board voted this week to adopt a resolution calling for a total statewide ban on shark tours (read my blog about the details on my web site). As Relocation Specialist for Hawaii Kai, I feel better knowing our waters are safe for all users, and - although there are sharks in Hawaiian waters naturally - at least we aren't encouraging them to come close to shore.

But speaking of sharks, that get their share of bad press, I wanted to pass on this extraordinary email. Who knows if it is true, but the photos are really stunning.

Here's the email message:

It's happening off the South Australian coast, near Port Lincoln ...

Interesting, yes?

Barbara Abe

The House and Senate have passed a bill to raise income taxes on roughly the top 2.6% of the state's taxpayers. It would create three new income tax brackets in filing categories and gradually adjust the state's highest tax rate from the existing 8.25 percent to 11 percent depending on income.

Single taxpayers who earn less than $150,000 a year, heads of households who make less than $225,000 a year and couples filing jointly who earn less than $300,000 a year would see no tax increase under the bill. Lawmakers estimate the higher income taxes would generate $48 million a year to help balance the state's budget.

"We're asking everybody to give a little. And we felt this income bracket could help a little," said state Rep. Pono Chong, D-49th (Maunawili, Olomana, Enchanted Lake). "We don't think it's that big of an increase."

According to 2005 figures from the state Department of Taxation, the latest available, 12,039 - or 2.6 percent - of 459,649 taxable returns would have been covered by the new tax rates. A similar percentage was found among preliminary 2006 figures.

Under the new tax rates, according to the state House Finance Committee, a single taxpayer earning $200,000 would pay $625 more in income taxes, a head of household making $300,000 would pay $938 more in taxes, and a couple earning $400,000 would pay $1,250 more in taxes.

Starting in 2011, the bill would also increase the state's personal exemption and the standard deduction, which would help taxpayers reduce the amount of their taxable income.

There are other provisions - read the whole story on the Honolulu Advertiser. If you have an opinion, contact Gov. Linda Lingle. It's on her desk to sign. governor.lingle@hawaii.gov

Barbara Abe, Realtor