Betty Sakamoto: Aloha and I love Hawaii, I love hearing that song and kind of doing my own little shimmy shimmy shake shake to it but I love, love, love the song. Today my husband’s here with me in the studio, Roy Sakamoto, and we’re going to try to fill you in on what’s going on in real estate and a lot of other things. We’re going to talk a little about the election and how everybody, we’ve got to vote, all of us. So I don’t know that we can say that enough but if we just say it once and somebody thinks about it, so let’s all do that let’s make good decisions let’s talk to people. Let’s try to understand the issues and decide who we think will be best, so I think that’s about it, Roy.
Roy Sakamoto: I’ve got one comment to make we’re taping this also. Jesse from Meyer Computer is here and we’re taping this. And I hope you got Betty dancing Jesse because she rocks with Danny Couch.
BS: Love Danny I do love Danny Couch he’s a special man.
RS: Yeah, super guy. Yeah, wonder what he’s doing now.
BS: I don’t know, I haven’t seen much of them. I google every so often and there was a point that he had a couple of gigs going in Honolulu but I’d love to find out sometime. Maybe he would come over again for the…he did a couple of the different luaus for Hale Makua and that was really, they were fabulous. So I’d love to see him come back again and do something with us.
RS: And speaking of Hale Makua, we all have our favorite charities and please support your favorite charity. Everybody needs help in these times and you know, I think we as a village as a community need to support our various charities.
BS: Absolutely. You know one of the things we saw today…there was someone again, right not again but I mean there’s so many different places that are trying to help with food and different things that people need. And I think that is an area that we should all pay as much attention as we can. We’re the fortunate ones who are still able to take care of all of our own needs but that isn’t true for a lot of people and especially people with young children where housing has been a problem etc. We really need to act more like a village again and be sure that we give to each one of these things and or just your neighbors I mean we all know who the person is depending on where we’re living that maybe needs a little help needs a drop off from whole foods or from Costco or whatever we can all think of, can’t hurt us to get a couple of. I don’t know what I’m saying right now but I just think we all try.
RS: Yeah and Maui is a small community, we help each other. The Maui Food Bank is an excellent, excellent organization and they are doing wonders in these times, and let’s support Maui food bank. Let’s support Hale Makua. Let’s support your favorite charity.
BS: You know, the board of realtors actually the Maui board of realtors does a lot with the I believe the food bank, and or do you know exactly which is? Is it food bank?
RS: Yeah, various charities.
BS: Yeah, but they do various charities but I know that they have touched on that issue strongly. You know Roy, if you would, would you talk about your recent closing the upcountry?
RS: Yeah, this was a 3,300 acre ranch. Uh, I think most time, most old-time Mauians remember this as the Erehwon Ranch. Which is nowhere spelled backwards. Owned by the Vontempsky family many years ago, and after a three-year escrow we just sold it to the trust for public land, it’s a great joint effort. It’s a Department of Land and Natural Resources is now technically the owner and there’s going to be a huge reforestation project on the upper eleven hundred acres. Trees, sandalwood, it goes all the way up from almost to the observatory at Haleakala and then the lower 2200 acres are going to be preserved for hiking, camping and you know, areas for the public, and that’s going to be under DLNR and Maui county.
BS: And there’s a lot of different planting, plants that are there that are really going to continue to be protected?
RS: Yes.
BS: The trees, I mean there were so many things about the property that were amazing. That it is great that it has been saved.
RS: Yeah, when our clients bought it. I don’t know, 15 years ago or whatever. We did an environmental study, we did archaeological study and basically you know a complete due diligence and we found like the silver sword was found in the upper areas and a rare Hawaiian geranium which people only thought really existed anymore on the high slopes in Peru were found in the upper areas so it’s great that this will be preserved.
BS: And the hoary bat.
RS: And the Hawaiian hoary bat.
BS: That’s been protected there also, and they’re going to do their best to see to it that. I don’t, of course, know what the hoary bat is but it is something that anything like that could become extinct. And will be saved because of a property like this, it’s a miracle really.
RS: No. It’s amazing.
BS: That somehow everybody came together.
RS: Yeah, and Patty Chaney from Island Sotheby’s was my co-lister, and she worked really really hard. And I want to thank Steve Rafferty from the trust for public land, he was kind of the glue that helped to hold it together with the state and the federal government.
BS: A three-year escrow.
RS: Three-year escrow.
BS: That’s epic.
RS: What a great purpose.
BS: Yeah. We ended up with like probably four file boxes full of stuff.
RS: More.
BS: And God forbid anybody ask us for any one document it would take us possibly a week to find any one thing.
RS: Yes.
BS: We’ll do it if we need it.
RS: Right.
BS: And it was fun. And it was fun to go up there.
RS: And a big shout out also Ron Fukumoto. Ron Fukumoto Engineering here on Maui was an extremely big help for us.
BS: Yeah, there were a lot of people that came into it.
RS: Yeah.
BS: And it was an amazing property. It was fun to just go up there and have to drive around and walk around and check things out.
RS: Still is.
BS: Still is.The old house on the property really is still amazing.
RS: Yeah, yeah.
BS: Anyway.
RS: That’s a separate parcel now.
BS: I know.
RS: Yeah.
BS: But it was an older house that you’d walk into and you would love to be able to renovate it or just live there. But again it was going to take a lot, you know, so that in order to actually make that all happen. It would really take a lot more energy than I think I have today.
RS: Yeah. It was a heck of a house in the day. Yeah built in the 1920s, kind of a Tudor style.
BS: Yeah. I just loved it. I loved going in, right? It had…one of those…it had like what I call a presence. When you walked in there and walked…if I were alone and Roy were maybe still out on the property, and I’m walking and I would always go in kind of slowly there was just something that was there and I loved it. I mean it wasn’t, it was spooky in a way but you loved it. I mean not that I was petrified.
RS: No ghosts.
BS: Oh. I don’t know, there was something there, it was special. So anyway.
RS: No buckies.
BS: So, what else? What else for real estate today? Let’s go to something still for sale.
RS: Well.
BS: We must have something.
RS: No, it was one more charity I wanted to mention was the, just came to my attention. It’s the Napili Bay Foundation and they’re on a project to save the sand. Restore the sand into Napili Bay. It’s not a matter of taking sand from somewhere else, from Molokai or wherever, all the sand is out in the bay, in the Napili bay and for those of us who live on Maui, we know how beautiful Napili bay is and the sand restoration project be great and the idea is to bring in the sand from that’s offshore right now and have it piled back up on onshore. gives us a good 30-40 yards of sandy beach like it used to be. And if you can go to NapiliBayFoundation.org you can find all the information on that and they’re looking for help also financially.
BS: A great opportunity to go to the sea house restaurant, they are open for breakfast lunch and an early dinner and when you look out there, you know, you want to be back in the ocean again, so anything we have to do to be sure the beach is protected and restored to its glory. Is major.
RS: Yes. Yes, so NapiliBayFoundation.org check it out.
BS: So, we talked all the way driving over here about some of the Kapalua properties. There was a couple of the Pineapple Hill houses you were thinking about.
RS: Yeah. There’s one, a big one. It’s a eight bedroom, eight and a half bath, 1212 Summer Road and it’s on about three quarters of an acre. The owner actually combined three lots into one and just about three quarters of an acre. The house itself is a shade over eight thousand square feet, and listed price is $5,900,000. And Roy or Betty can show it to you anytime.
BS: We’ll be there.
RS: Yep. My number is 870-7060 and Betty 870-7062.
BS: A couple of other things that are worth noting right now as Coldwell Banker Kapalua. We’ve suddenly had a great new addition Robert Myers, who has spent most of his career in West Maui. A great realtor has come on board, so he also has some great Kapalua listings, one the Jim Furyk house 229 Plantation Club Drive, spectacular home. Price has just been reduced to $3,999,000 or let’s say four million but it’s…
RS: Right.
BS: Really a great home. It’s got an ohana over the garage.
RS: It’s a two bedroom, two bath, ohana right over the garage. The house itself is three bedrooms and the location you’re not on the golf course per se but you’re looking for the golfers in your family. You’re looking directly at the third hole on the plantation course and fantastic views. Great privacy. Construction is awesome.
BS: Huge, huge ocean views.
RS: Right.
BS: It’s really spectacular. Very well built home and ready to occupy so it’s something easy to see. That’s probably priced the best home for what it is. It’s amazing for the acreage etc.
RS: Right.
BS: It’s more like a price we’ve had. You know, at pineapple hill prices in that range. To have the acreage really is a great one. Anyway, welcome on board Robert Myers for Coldwell banker Kapalua.
RS: Right and if Robert is, I think most of you especially on the west side know Robert. He used to be with Coldwell Banker, left a few years ago to join another company and is now back with Coldwell Bankers. Welcome back Robert.
BS: That’s great. You know the other person with us that I think right now, I was going to mention one of her listings at the golf villa which is the kind of opposite end of the market 12 t1 at the golf villas listed at 735,000. That’s Marcy Rhodey who also had been with Kapalua over the years. Did a great stint with us at Sakamoto Properties and now we’re all back together at Coldwell Banker Kapalua. And we’re thrilled to have Marcy on board but that’s one of her new listings. A really…a great property, very well decorated.
RS: Highly upgraded. It’s a real sleeper and this is right on the golf course. Right on the Bay Course. Awesome views, everything included furnished completely.
BS: And great rental. I mean not right now.
RS: No, not right now but yeah.
BS: There’s another thing right now, Coldwell Banker is going to be really spearheading and starting a new rental program. Will cover long-term and also short-term rentals, so if you check with us on that…if you’ve got a property you want to get into what’s going to be a very active and amazing rental program call us about that too Roy 870-7060 and Betty 870-7062. I think that we can all help you in that area too when you’re looking for something. We’ll direct you to the people who are actually running the rental program for Coldwell Banker.
RS: Yes, our offices are actually at 700 Office Road in Kapalua. The sales department occupies the first floor, the rental department will be on the second floor and they’re in the process of setting that up right now. As Betty mentioned, it’s short-term and long-term rentals so check with us. We’ll help you whether you own property that you want to rent out or you want a vacation rental or a long-term rental. Call us please.
BS: It’ll be really going to be fabulous. We’re right now in the middle of kind of a renovation of everything and it’s moving a little bit slow but yet it’s moving along pretty good. We’re getting a lot of the advertising things set up. We finally got the sign up inside Coldwell Banker Kapalua, the outside signs aren’t up yet but people are stopping by that, see what’s going on there and it’s been kind of exciting. We’re right next to the Poor House restaurant which has become one of our favorite eating spots because we can grab something on the way home and have a pasta and a major salad ready for us.
RS: Yeah. Great food.
BS: That’s really good and then the other side the florist.
RS: The florist and two doors down is Sansei restaurant which unfortunately is closed right now but hopefully with the opening of the state on October 15th we’ll see Sansei back in action again.
BS: I hope so, that’s one of our all-time favorite and our kids, grandkids.
RS: Grandkids.
BS: Sansei, we can spend a fortune there when we’ve got kids and grandkids there, so that’s really amazing and the florist we’re hoping as soon as we get ourselves in a little bit better state. We’re going to have the florist deliver flowers to us so that every week we’ll have something really great in the office. So that when people come in it’ll be a little touch of Hawaii everywhere.
RS: Right, and again we’re Coldwell Banker Island Properties Kapalua and 700 office road. Come see us.
BS: One more property, as long as we’re on the property list.
RS: Okay
BS: 271 Front Street is one that we mentioned a little bit about.
RS: Yeah.
BS: Roy grew up with his best friend, live there, and it’s listed now at three million but when someone’s asking us what Roy knows about it in the water and swimming etc. It’s a big thing to be able to tell that, that you were out there swimming as a kid. You know exactly what they do there.
RS: A lot of moons ago but we won’t talk about how long ago. It’s great, it’s an old plantation style house. It’s got I think the largest frontage of any property on Front Street. A 180 feet, 60 yards of ocean frontage and you don’t find that anymore.
BS: The house was built, what did we think? 1940’s-1942.
RS: Right.
BS: They say at that time the wood for the house was cured by putting it into the ocean.
RS: Exactly.
BS: So that the house itself has held up really well.
RS: Really well.
BS: All things considered. Yeah, I mean it’s really in great shape. You could occupy it as it is most people tend to look at it as a remodel, which it will be. But I think it is livable and it would be fun to have somebody actually try to take it and just bring it back to the glory days but that’s going to take a huge commitment.
RS: Right. It has a historical designation, so there’s a few hoops to go through. For anyone wanting to knock it down probably not be able to do with that. You know, it’s with this historic valuation and so forth but remodel. Yes, absolutely.
BS: And remodel, you can do a lot. I believe.
RS: Yes.
BS: You know, you end up having to. Well, I shouldn’t be the expert here, we should have you talk to an architect but we’ve had a number of people involved in it. Looks like you’ll be able to keep a certain amount of the house and then totally rebuild. You can make it bigger, go up a second floor. There’s going to be hopefully a lot of things that someone can do or redecorate it and move in.
RS: Right. Actually you know for people who are curious about this we are having an open house there. Just about daily at 271 Front Street. Alex is the agent that’s a sitting open house, , stop by and see Alex. Come, see this property. It’s wow, fantastic. I’d love to have it.
BS: Ii would love to. We had sold these houses 15 years ago or so 20 years ago.
RS: Yeah.
BS: 20 plus.
RS: Pioneer Mill .
BS: They were owned by Pioneer Mill and at the time we were selling them there was 271, 281 and 291 Front Street and we had kind of assumed that whoever bought them would end up tearing them down and build something as it turned out that didn’t happen. Three different types of people, all amazing. They bought them and ended up just living in them or renting them. You know, from time to time but really utilizing them themselves. They did some renovations but I really do think it was totally different than we had expected and the same thing could happen now. It could be just people that are going to do a minor renovation. What about going the opposite way as far as we can on the ocean? Sea wylie?
RS: Oh yeah. Okay yeah
BS: 6291 Honoapiilani Road, Fabulous home.
RS: It’s just before you get to slaughterhouse. The locals will know where slaughterhouse is. Just before you get to slaughterhouse beach, is this fantastic oceanfront estate.
BS: It’s listed at 9.9 million. It’s over three acres of land, the home is about 43,400 square feet and it’s really beautiful. It’s a spectacular home.
RS: Extremely private. It’s got views looking back towards Kapalua Bay, just you know for the surfers. Honolua Bay is also right next door.
BS: Four bedrooms, four and a half baths. It’s got everything. Huge living area, fabulous kitchen and then, just spectacular land. When you’re there looking out, it couldn’t be any better.
RS: No. No, the privacy is fantastic too.
BS: The privacy there is great.
RS: Right.
BS: You’re right about that.
RS: Yeah, yeah.
BS: So what else? You had a couple of others that we were driving here we were talking about some of the other properties that we’ve worked on. You recently had an appeal villas sale. We’ve done quite a few of the homes or the condos at Napili ridge. Have been great investment possibilities.
RS: Here’s the listing. It’s a fantastic listing. It’s a one bedroom, one bath at Honokowai East. Listed price is $129,000. Honokowai East is just steps away from the Honokowai Beach Park. You’ve got the market right there. Fantastic location. One of our agents, Kristen Kingwell is the agent listing this property, her number is 281-7313. Kristen Kingwell, so call Kristen. Come, take a look at this, one bedroom, one bath at Honokowai East, $129,000, a lot of owner occupants in this development.
BS: Looks like we are winding down quickly. It seems like we just started this today and…
RS: We’ve got time to put in a couple more.
BS: Let’s go for one more.
RS: Yeah.
BS: Maybe two.
RS: Well, yeah. Let’s see, here’s Napili shores also and this is also Kristine.
BS: I don’t have that one.
RS: Oh, okay.
BS: Sorry about that.
RS: Uh, 281 7313 and let’s see, this is unit number B110 at Napili shores. It’s a one bedroom, one bath. Napili shores is great, in fact our wedding reception was there.
BS: It was.
RS: At the Gazebo.
BS: We actually had lived there but the Gazebo wasn’t a restaurant then, it was just kind of a part of the Napili shores, so when we got married that’s where our wedding reception was. It was pretty spectacular.
RS: At the Gazebo restaurant. Is now the gazebo restaurant.
BS: Yeah.
RS: It was just the Gazebo then.
BS: Yeah, I guess. Yeah, because it wasn’t a restaurant.
RS: Yeah.
BS: We had to bring in everything that we wanted. Sunny night was there.
RS: Yeah.
BS: Ben L. Mason, some great music. It was fabulous.
RS: Yeah. So Kristen Kingwell again has this great Napili shores unit, 281-7313 to reach Kristine and let’s see.
BS: Why don’t we end with the Golf Villas 15v1?
RS: Okay.
BS: One of our listings listed at $635,000 and it’s really a great, great place, great deal for someone and call Roy Sakamoto on that one at 870- 7060 or check our website SakamotoProperties.com.
RS: We still have the website.
BS: We still have the same website because it’s been extremely successful. Meyer Computer has done that with us. Jesse who’s here right now kind of recording this to put on the website. They’ve done a great job for us and people keep finding it and talking to us. One of our top sales over the last few years came out of our website because of something that they recorded for us. But now we are at the end so we’ve got Danny Couch back. Come on, get with it.
RS: And Betty’s dancing again.
HAPPINESS AND LOVE EVERYWHERE.
