Kauai’s only daily newspaper, The Garden Island, has been in circulation since 1902 and is published by Kauai Publishing Company, a subsidiary of Lee Enterprises www.lee.net.  In addition to the daily newsprint copy, an online copy is also published daily on their website at www.TheGardenIsland.com.

 

This Friday, July 30th, The Garden Island will launch its new full size “Real Estate” section which will be published every Friday thereafter.  For those agents participating in the Real Estate section they will be able to feature their listings with color property photos, open house dates and times, along with their agent/office information.  The online edition will feature the same information, although electronically, with links to property MLS information, additional photos, and much more.  With a circulation of approximately 9,800 – 10,500 daily copies for the print edition, and the online site having nearly 2.7 million visitors from over 200 countries in 2009, this new Real Estate section of The Garden Island is sure to be an extremely valuable advertising/marketing tool for Sellers and a useful search tool for Buyers as well.

 

If you’re considering selling your Kauai property and want to work with an agent who is committed to featuring your property’s listing information, photos, and open house dates in the weekly Real Estate section of The Garden Island print and online versions, contact Kymry A. Perez (RA) at 808-635-1490 or Kymry@KymryPerez.com. 

 

 

I’ve received several emails and calls from clients interested in purchasing a lot in the newly developed Poipu Beach Estates subdivision which doesn’t surprise me since there is very little land inventory left in the Visitor Destination Zoned Area (VDA) of Poipu.  This subdivision is exceptionally nice and in an ideal location so close to the ocean, beach, shopping, restaurants, and the new Kukui`ula Village www.KukuiulaVillage.com. 

If you’ve been keeping an eye on the recent listings and sales at Poipu Beach Estates but haven’t purchased your lot yet, now is your chance to get one at the bargain price of $298,000!  Just back on the market today this is the only lot for sale under $300,000 and allows for a main residence and additional dwelling unit (ADU).  Don’t miss out on this deal because all the other listings start in the mid $300’s and go up to the high $700’s.  If you would like detailed information, photos, and video of this lot or if you would like more information about the Poipu Beach Estates subdivision call or email me today.  Kymry@SleepingGiant.com or 808-635-1490.   

Looking for a rental property on Kauai?  Searching on www.Craigslist.com, the popular website which offers free online classified advertising?  If so, you need to be aware of a not-so-new rental scam that’s recently targeted people looking to rent on Kauai.

 The scam works like this…you find a nice property for rent on Craigslist that is advertised for an unbelievably low price.  It’s such a great deal it sounds almost too good to be true so you quickly send an email to the email address posted on the ad inquiring about the availability of the rental.  The so called owner/landlord responds explaining they are out of the country, usually in Nigeria, and they often say they are there on a missionary trip.  After asking you for some basic personal information via email they then ask that you wire a deposit and first months rent to them in Nigeria and once received they promise to send you the keys to the home.  Once you wire the money, you wait for the keys which never arrive.  You attempt to email the so called owner/landlord but they never respond. As a Realtor I regularly use Craigslist to post my legitimate rentals and also properties I have listed for sale.  Unbeknown to me, one of the perpetrators of this rental scam recently copied the photos from one of my legitimate listings of a home I have listed for sale in Kapaa and created a fraudulent rental listing using my photos and verbiage about the property.  After discovering the fraudulent posting unfortunately I have since found out that some people were scammed by this ad wiring their hard earned money to Nigeria thinking they were securing a nice home to rent. If you are looking for rental property via online classified ads be cautious, ask lots of questions of the landlord, and if they insist you must wire money out of the country beware!  That should be a red flag that the ad is probably not a legitimate rental.  Also if you know anyone looking for rental property the best thing you can do is to tell them about this scam and make sure they are aware so they don’t become the latest victim.  If you have been a victim of this scam yourself you should notify local police and also report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, www.ic3.gov.  If you would like help from a Realtor in finding a rental on Kauai or confirming if a rental you have found is a legitimate rental, contact me via email at Kymry@SleepingGiant.com or by phone at 808-635-1490.  

Have you ever seen “this house is close to everything” or “centrally located” in advertisements for Kauai real estate listings?  Well, on Kauai, I have several listings but the only two that I advertise with that particular tag line are in Lihue.  
                                                    
What exactly does that mean?   Lihueis our County seat and you will find County and State government offices, our main hospital, Costco, our main shopping center; Kukui Grove, Home Depot, Wal- Mart, restaurants, lots of shopping, great schools and several good golf courses and beaches, not to mention our airport and Nawiliwili Harbor!

Since we are on an island with only 60,000 people and limited to approximately 50 square miles of land, it makes sense that we have only one central area for business.  However, that doesn’t mean that businesses and restaurants don’t exist all around the island; they do.  We just don’t have room for more than one major district like Lihue.  But don’t be fooled, Lihue is far from what other cities are like.  We are rural through and through, island wide.  Both of my listings noted here are in uniquely rural spots in the Lihue area, making them very desirable. 

 

The Menehune Bluffs Estate is listed for $1,499,000 (MLS 218279) is in a gated community with an incredible rural feel with privacy and gorgeous views.  Recently appraised for $1,700,000.  Seller wants out and is pricing aggressively!

 

 

This Lihue Riverfront home is listed for $950,000 (MLS 217179) is on the water; the Huleia River that opens out to the harbor and the ocean and offers beautiful kayaking to the Menehune Fish Pond.  It is a distressed property!  Make an offer!

Who looks for houses which are centrally located?  Pilots, medical personnel, business people, families, or those who want to be close to everything and enjoy what our “city” has to offer yet still be in beautiful rural surroundings.  I get asked this question a lot:  “how close is the airport to here?”  If you are in Lihue, it’s within 5-7 minutes from any given start point throughout Lihue.   

Lihue Statistics: 

Population: 5,674

Elevation: 206 feet

Median Age: 44 years

Size: 6 square miles

Average Rainfall: approx. 30 Inches a year  

“Stop Dreaming. Start Bidding” is the theme for the upcoming auction taking place on March 8, 2010!  Previously offered for $9,995,000 this spaciously stunning, premiere, private, gated estate and guest house will sell at Auction with a reserve of only $2,000,000!  Designed by one of the most renowned architects in the state of Hawaii, Alwynn Trigg-Smith, and built by Kauai’s premiere builder, R.S. Weir, this majestic estate property is situated on a 5.79 acre ocean bluff lot perched just above Kuna Bay (Donkey Beach) in Kealia; the gateway to the north shore.  The lot provides for direct beach access to Donkey Beach and Kealia Beach. 

 

The adjacent 5 acre ocean bluff parcel will also be sold at Auction with no minimum price or reserve!  Cleared and ready for construction, the pre-sale estimate on the adjacent lot is only $500,000 - $1,500,000, which would be a huge reduction from what the owner’s paid many years ago. 

 

If you are interested in obtaining more information about the property being auctioned email or call me today.  I have a pdf package of detailed information I can send you!

 

  

Many curious clients have been asking me why there are so many condo units for sale at Waipouli Beach Resort.  Built by Unlimited Construction Services, Inc. in 2006, this 196 unit beachfront resort is located on the eastern shore of Kauai in a small town called Waipouli which is situated between Wailua and Kapaa; approximately 7 miles from the Lihue Airport.  The resort has several amenities from a large, winding lagoon style pool, to a full service Aveda Salon & Spa.  The units are modern and spacious ranging in size from a 323sf studio to 1,414sf 2BR/3BA.  But why are there so many for sale?  When searching Kauai Multiple Listing Service (MLS) at first glance it does appear that with 55 active listings, nearly 28% of the resort’s units are currently for sale!  Upon closer examination however, we see that only 28 of the 55 active listings are actually re-sales while the other 27 are units being offered by the Developer’s real estate company.  With only two re-sales on record so far this year, no units currently in escrow, and 55 active listings on MLS, it would appear to be a great opportunity for potential Buyer’s.  Prices range from $233,795 - $2,200,000 for studio, one bedroom, and two bedroom units.