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Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman HAWAII Relocations & Real Estate

Aiea Heights Real Estate Home Sales | Aiea Pearlridge Information

Aiea (pronounce eye eh ah) Heights is the residential area following the ridgeline high above the town of Aiea. This is an old residential neighborhood

Keaiwa Heiau (an Ancient Hawaiian Temple) is located at the top of Aiea Heights Drive in the Keaiwa (pronounced Kay ah ee va and known as the temple of life) Heiau State Recreation Area. It is believed to be built around the 1600's and where the 'Kahuna' (priest, minister) practiced the art of healing. The park also has 4 camp sites, recreation areas for picnics and breathtaking views from atop the mountain of Pearl Harbor in the distance below. READ MORE HERE>> Keaiwa Heiau State Recreation Area - Aiea

Aiea Loop, Aiea Ridge, Kalauo hiking trails all start at the upper parking lot in Keaiwa Heiau State Recreational Area at the end of Aiea Heights Drive (above Aiea Heights residential area) Great Hiking!

Singer and Actress Bette Midler was raised in Aiea too!

Aiea Heights Single Family Home Market Report YTD 2009: We currently have 13 Active Listings for Aiea Heights residential area. There are 8 in contract and 8 sold. Sold home prices ranged from $480,000 to $1,050,000. The Average Days on Market before getting into contract were 115.

Other Points of Interest in the Aiea area:

Pearlridge - Kam Swap Meet - Open Market is a local style swap meet with all the souvenirs, all kinds of clothing, jewelry, arts, polynesian style crafts and such but also with the vegetables, fish, food, plants and some used stuff on the back rows.

Pearlridge (Shopping) Center is the largest INDOOR shopping mall on Oahu (Honolulu County) and located in Aiea and you can read more here>>> Monorail Rides, Murals & More at Pearlridge Center- Aiea- Hawaii

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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

Overlapping Real Estate Job Descriptions

Over the years I've learned that being a good Realtor Associate® means I know every aspect of our market and all involved in the real estate transaction process. I know the duties for each and how it's imperative that we all work together as a team to meet a common goal.

A closed transaction.

  • Escrow is the third neutral party that takes care of all paperwork, monies and disbursements. They can even go as far as schedule termite inspections, surveys, condo docs and so forth. They order the preliminary title report and identify any problems that the clients/Realtors® must know and take care of.
  • Loan Officers know the interest rates, the loan programs, numbers, figures, loan locks, GFE's, TIL Statements, the local/state real estate laws, your Purchase Contract and time lines. A good loan officer will let the buyer know if they qualify....or NOT.
  • Home Inspectors know every aspect of a condo /home and what to look out for and be able to identify the electrical, plumbing, hazardous or structural problems and let the buyer /agent know so they can proceed accordingly with the transaction.
  • Termite and Pest Professional will be able to identify any pending problems, damage and/or further treatment needed. The Termite Inspection Report is due within the last two weeks before closing.
  • Surveyors will determine the accurate boundary and land parcel corners. They will do a report with a diagram to give to all parties involved in the transaction to show if the property has any boundary encroachments.
  • Appraisers will go out the property and determine the real value of the property and will take into consideration everything from upgrades to comps and sq/ft. It's decision making process of a home value to say the least and it will determine if the purchase price of the property is on target for the loan amount.

We learn what to look for so we are thinking in the best interests of our clients. We quickly identify problems as they may occur and remedy them. And then there comes a point when we all know where our boundaries lie. We respect other industry professional's and their boundaries as well and as long as they are doing their job well we stay in the realm of our own profession.

It's when we overstep our boundaries into another's profession TOO much....

is when it becomes a problem.

  • The loan officer who insists to the buyer that they need to tell their real estate agent how to write the Purchase Contract in asking for a obscene amount of credit so they end up not getting the contract accepted.
  • The real estate agent who wants to keep ‘helping' a client shop around for loans when they are already in contract. The agent keeps calling around to get rates and numbers to relay to the client and the loan process is held up....therefore, the timelines and transaction process will be held up as well.
  • The buyer who insists they do not need a home inspection because they already flushed toilets and turned on lights when they first viewed the property. They insist that the money spent on a home inspection is money wasted.
  • The Seller who believes that they know better about the market and even if their home is a tear down they believe they can sell it at market value.
  • The Termite Inspector that writes in his report that the cosmetic work (cabinets, counters, lighting, fixtures) are not put together well by the person who did it.
  • The Surveyor that puts that there are encroachments for a property that has a 12 foot retainer wall for the property below it and the best thing to do is tear down the retainer wall and rebuild it.
  • The Escrow Officer that send your client a notice saying there's a lien for child support and they don't even (or ever had) children and keep insisting that it's them without doing a thorough check.
  • The appraiser who goes out to the property and starts listing stuff like: Kitchen light needs to be replaced as it doesn't match the scheme of the kitchen. The drapes should be changed to blinds in the bedroom.

Bottom line, when professionals start overlapping into others professions with no apparent reason (other than an individual who believes they know it all) is when transactions get delayed or cancelled for no fault but the one who incited the confusion.

We do our job and do it well...and take care not to try and do everyone else's job

Lest we create more chaos.

And THAT is not thinking in the best interests of your client.

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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

Mililani Condos Homes | Mililani Real Estate Market | Mililani Town Community Information

In 1971 the Mililani Condos and Homes prices were definitely a far cry away from the prices today. My parents bought their home back then for $48,000 and Mililani was in the beginning stages of a 40 year Master Planned Community. Today the land alone on my mom's property is worth over $500,000 for a bit over 9,000 sq/ft. of land.

Mililani Town is the only community in Hawaii in 1986 to receive the distinction of "All American City" and is centrally located on the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) and to all US Military Bases as well. About 5-10 minutes up Highway 99 is Schofield Barracks (Army) and Wheeler AAF (Army), Hickam AFB and Pearl Harbor Navy Base is about 20-25 minutes down H-2 to H-1 Freeway. Kaneohe Marine Corp Air Station is up and over the H-3 Freeway.

Year to Date Market Report for Mililani Condos, Townhouses, Homes

Mililani Single Family Home Market Report YTD 2009: We have 49 Active Listings Year to Date for 2009 with 31 in contract and 119 sold. Mililani Single Family Home activity is picking up with more in contract for June 2009 (you can check out the report here>> Mililani Real Estate | Mililani Condos Homes | Market Report for June 2009). Sales Prices Ranged from $500,000 (2 bedrooms) to $830,000 (4 bedrooms).

Mililani Condo Statistics for YTD 2009: There are 93 Active condos/townhouses on the market, 45 in contract and 130 sold for the period January to June of 2009. Looks like our Mililani Condo/Townhouse market is picking up with more units condos and accepted contracts. Sales Prices ranged from $160,000 (1 bedroom condo) to $495,00 (2 bdrm luxury townhouse).

Picture Above: JUST SOLD! Recorded yesterday for Hawaii Relocation Clients on a Mililani Townhouse for $360,000. From left, Ron & Zeny (clients), Sally (me), and Bryon Tucker, Loan Officer for Everygreen Home Loans. Written permission given by clients and loan officer to use their picture :)

Other Mililani Info:

Mililani Recreation Centers and Fun for All Ages! With SEVEN Recreation Centers there is fun for all ages. For Tiny Tots (18 mos. to 3 years) there is circle time, arts and crafts. Then there is Tai Chi, Karate, Yoga, Self Defense and Hula (Hawaiian Dance) for all ages. There is Movie Night and Teen Nights too! Homeowners can join in on plenty of activities in our community! Mililani Recreation Centers

Assagio's Restaurant at the Town Center in Mililani Assagio's in Mililani opened in 1994 and our family has enjoyed many meals over the years. Italian pasta dishes, linguini chicken anchovy olio to filet mignon; Assagio's is fine dining at its best! And if your preference is a Ceasar salad it is prepared table side.

Mililani Boasts Three Shopping Centers: Mililani Town Center - 95-1249 Meheula Parkway , Mililani Shopping Center - 95-221 Kipapa Drive (where Century 21 Liberty Homes resides), and Mililani Marketplace - 94-780 Meheula Pkwy.

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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

Wanna Be a Hawaii Real Estate Agent? Get Your Wallet Out!

So, you want to be a Hawaii Real Estate Agent? You have an interview with a Broker at XXX company and the only thing on your mind is $$$$. Well, there's always commission because you're an independent contractor. There is no two week or twice a month paycheck. You get paid when you sell a home.

You have income, taxes and expenses.

What they don't tell you before you get into real estate is that you will need money to start up with. "In order to make money you have to put out money". Like with any business you have to have ‘start up' money to get going and keep putting money into your business just like any other.

The following list will give you an idea of what to save up for so you aren't going into the industry blindly and KNOW what YOUR expenses and responsibilities are as a Real Estate Agent.

In the beginning:

  • Real Estate School
  • State Exam (If you pass the school)
  • Licensing (If you pass the school and exam)

Starting Out and Ongoing Stuff:

  • Multiple Listing Service, Realtor® Dues, Local Board Dues
  • Business Cards (and if you want a professional shot go to a photo studio)
  • Signs (Open House signs to start with) and if your company does not provide property signs you'll need a few of those too.
  • Announcements and postage (you do want to get the word out to family and friends to start with)
  • A good PC and equipment. (you will spend the majority of your time on your pc so make sure it's in good working order or buy a new one)
  • Office Supplies (this can range from paper clips to a great all in one printer, scanner, fax, copier)
  • Your Website (research different website companies, designers and so forth to see which will best suit your needs.
  • A good blogging site. (ActiveRain is just $29.95 a month for a Rainmaker account!)
  • A good virtual tour site (my favorite is www.realestateshows.com )
  • Additional Education (process, financing, escrow, listings, purchases, marketing and more!)
  • Gas, Car, Insurance, Upkeep (you will be using your vehicle more than usual ...obviously)
  • Advertising (depending on the type there are costs for newspapers, magazines, books, websites)Savings in the bank of at least three to six months as it will take some time to create business.
  • Errors and Omissions Insurance
  • Some companies may charge office and desk fees.
  • For every dollar you make there are taxes to pay. In Hawaii we have to pay not only federal and state estimated self employment taxes quarterely but have our General Excise Tax to pay as well.

Make sure you know everything there is to know BEFORE you pursue a career in Real Estate. You have responsibilities as an independent contractor and you pay your own taxes and expenses. READ MORE HERE>>> Real Estate is NOT JUST A PAYCHECK Be proactive in your research so you aren't going into the industry blindly and thinking you're making oodles of money with no expenses or responsibilities.

Oh, and the biggest item you will need of all.

TIME. LOTS of TIME.

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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

Mililani Townhouse For Sale | Mililani Real Estate | 94-727 Meheula Parkway, Mililani HI 96789

Mililani Townhouse for Sale! Great for the first time homebuyer who is looking for a 2 bedroom townhouse with low maintenance fees and property taxes along with TWO assigned parking stalls too!

Don't forget that if you have not owned a home within the last three years that you have up until November 30, 2009 to utlize that First Time Homebuyer 'up to' $8,000 credit. For more information on the tax credit go here>>> First-Time Homebuyer Credit The credit is claimed using Form 5405.

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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 all Hawaii Home Buyers and Sellers on the island of Oahu (Honolulu County) inclujding all Hawaii Military Relocating to Hawaii, Hawaii Retirees, Hawaii Job Transfers and Hawaii Residents. Website: www.hawaiihomesmarket.com