Betty Sakamoto: Aloha and welcome to Betty’s Real Estate Corner brought to you by Coldwell Banker Sakamoto Properties. Here we are again both Roy and Betty Sakamoto in the studio trying to bring you lots of updates and talk about things. I purposely today wore, this does come out on our website eventually my American flag scarf. Partially, just because I feel a sense of patriotism more and more these days. I just care so much about our country and we all come together as one as best we can. We’ll never all share the same ideas and that’s okay, that’s part of a democracy. I just hope that we can all do our best to get along and take care of one another. Be patient, be tolerant, be loving, etc. Anyway.
Roy Sakamoto: Plus it’s a cold rainy day.
BS: Plus it’s a cold rainy day and I am warm and toasty. Loved of course again Danny Couch as we get started here with I love Hawaii which is a great love of mine. Roy was born and raised here so he’s gotten to live the dream for a lifetime. I’ve been here more than I feel like now most people have been alive. That’s a good thing. I’m not saying at the moment the exact age but it’s creeping up really fast. We are here thinking we’ve got a whole lot of different properties. We are going to mention different real estate ideas but one of the things we both wanted to talk about a little bit was today will be 4 days since Sue Cooley passed away.
RS: 4 years.
BS: 4 years. What did I say?
RS: 4 days.
BS: Oh my God.
RS: That’s okay.
BS: It is something that mattered to me a lot and will make me always sad. As it came up today, I talked to Sue’s daughter briefly and we’re all having the same feeling. For those of you that don’t know Sue Cooley was the one who basically built the stadium at Lahainaluna High School. In a way, it’s in my opinion it changed so many lives. The football team there they were her boys and had been her boys through the whole thing as they were trying to raise funds. She pretty much single-handedly built it with a donation of by the end approximately close to $8,000,000. The stadium I think has made so many young people excellent. I mean, it’s given them a feeling of excellence and they’ve been able to do so much more, every sport, I think every student.
RS: Sure. Yeah, but you know Sue never looked on it as her money. She would always thank the members of the community for whatever they could contribute and the fact that she was able to donate a huge sum was fantastic. She thought the people that donated $10, $20, $40 whatever they could that was fantastic and that was their theme throughout her life. What a great lady.
BS: If she would there were young people that brought in like little banks and things and tossed it all in or pockets full of change and that really impressed her too because that gave of their hearts and it was exactly what they had at the moment. Her mantra more or less would be somebody would thank her for building the stadium and she’d say, no thank you if it wasn’t for the community and the people here that I’ve grown to love I wouldn’t have been doing that. If it wasn’t for being able to see the football team hear them sing their alma mater which always brought us all to tears. There’s so many stories but we’ve told them repeatedly and we won’t keep it going today but for those of you that know thank you everybody for all your kindness to Sue for making her Maui experience the greatest. Thank you.
RS: Yeah and it wasn’t only confined to Lahaina or Lahainaluna. Her contributions were wide-ranging everywhere here on Maui. I know Hale Makua was a great benefactor of Sue’s generosity. Let’s see..
BS: Do you remember the school?
RS: IAO school I believe, right?
BS: Right.
RS: They were raising funds to go on a trip somewhere and Sue was able to anonymously donate a good portion of the funds I believe.
BS: I think she did. She had asked me at some point the teacher’s name was in the newspaper and she asked if I would call the teacher and find out what they needed. I talked to the teacher who said there was a certain amount of money not a huge amount but with that she’d be able to be sure all the kids got to go on this trip. Sue immediately had a check written and got it delivered to the teacher and all the kids got to go. That was who Sue Cooley was. She took care of tons and tons of different little things that nobody ever would have known about.
RS: Yeah, absolutely. Sue D. Cooley, thank you Sue. I know you’re up there looking down on us. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
BS: Sue, I couldn’t miss you anymore so I don’t know what else to say. I guess we’ve got to just stop.
RS: Well, obviously we’re not only a real estate show. It’s not only Betty’s real estate corner, it’s also some personal stuff that we’re adding in here.
BS: One of the other things I saw this today that you and I talked about a long time ago but it has to do with Sue. It’s partially just that Roy and I have believed there’s so many other ways to give not just writing a check, using a credit card. There’s so many other things that we can do. Sometimes as small as putting together books or something and delivering it to someone who’s somewhat shut in or delivering it to a school for a small library when they don’t have a lot. I think there’s just so many ideas that people need things. Sometimes, it can be just helping a neighbor when they need someone to watch their kids for a little bit or offer to pick up some things at the grocery store for them especially now in a pandemic. If we just all love one another and try to do little things whenever we can, not big giant things. I think little things make as big a difference as the $8,000,000 because that’s what Sue said.
RS: Yes
BS: It does make a difference.
RS: Absolutely.
BS: What about real estate?
RS: Yeah. One more thing though, again we passed the Citizens Church on our way to the station today. A big shout out to Citizens Church in Kahana for the food that they are giving out. A long line of cars that were waiting in and it looked like the national guard was out there helping also direct traffic. A big shout out to Citizens Church in Kahana.
BS: For all of us to remember as you go by there that nobody wants to be in that line and that we all have to give everybody the utmost respect. It is hard I mean, I’m sure some families take a long time to actually give in and feel like they’re going to go stand in line but I give the utmost respect to people. There’s obviously a lot of children, a lot of people who are hungry right now and anything any of us can do but you’re right Roy the Citizens Church. That line has to go 2 miles long.
RS: Oh, yeah.
BS: Easy
RS: Oh, yeah.
BS: It’s from Kahana pretty much into Kaanapali.
RS: Right
BS: It’s a long line anyway. We are fortunate so many churches are doing something similar but that one always gets to us because we happen to drive by and it’s amazing to see what’s going on.
RS: Yeah and thanks to the Maui Food Bank and all the volunteers that help at the Maui Food Bank and all the Maui charities. A lot of volunteers needed for all of the Maui charities. Thank you volunteers.
BS: Absolutely. You know, also the world of realtors as much as this is a little self-serving to bring up the realtors. The realtors of Maui often are so involved in different charities and I know a number of them have really pushed and helped all of these issues right now where people need food. The food bank etc.
RS: The program with backpack buddies through the Realtors Association of Maui where they make sure that the kids in school have enough food over the weekend. They’ll make sure that they have these little backpacks full of food for the kids for the weekend.
BS: I think none of us ever think about the fact that on a weekend a child might not have food. That they are somehow in school and they are getting food in the morning somebody gives them a lunch etc but then they often go home especially the weekend and nobody’s around and they don’t have anything. These kids actually get a little backpack they take it home with them. It’s full of all sorts of things for them for the weekend, primarily food and then they bring it back at the end of the weekend and then they pick it up again on Friday. I think that’s really an unbelievably great idea.
RS: Fantastic and thanks to all the realtors out there who are contributing to backpack buddies.
BS: Backpack buddies.
RS: Yeah
BS: Maybe we should do a few real estate items.
RS: Absolutely. How about our 9 Kapalua place listing. This is getting a lot of attention. It’s a 4 bedroom, 5 1/2 bath right on Oneloa Bay at Kapalua. It’s about 7,400 square feet under roof and asking price on this is $16,000,000 which sounds like a lot but for the location and for the house which has really been upgraded. It’s fantastic.
BS: It does sound like a lot Roy.
RS: Yeah.
BS: It is a lot but it is spectacular.
RS: It is a lot but it is special.
BS: Yeah, special.
RS: Totally special and we can show that to you so call us 870-7060 for Roy, 870- 7062 for Betty.
BS: Even if we just kind of drift around a little from resort to resort or Lahaina, etc.
RS: Yeah
BS: There’s so many great possibilities and the market is disappearing. Anybody right now that’s thinking purchase it’s going to be a little bit difficult. There’s a lot of people trying to buy homes right now but if you want to give it a shot give us a call we will find someone that can help you with everything in regard to a possible purchase. Interest rates are so amazing right now that it really can offset the fact that maybe prices are up a little. For anyone that’s really wanted to own a home it really could be worthwhile right now to try to get into the market not going to be simple but again give us a call. 870-7060 for Roy or 870-7062 and we have a team of really amazing realtors at Coldwell Banker that are ready to help anybody find a home right now.
RS: It’s a great market for people looking to move up too perhaps you have a smaller home that you’re now outgrown and it’s a great time to move on up and get a bigger home. Again, interest rates are fantastic, the market is great for selling your current home. Give us a call at again 870-7060 for Roy, 870-7062 for Betty.
BS: Okay. Then we were going to go through some of these others. One of the listings there that Elizabeth Quayle who’s been with Roy and I for a long time. She is absolutely amazing and she covers the market in general. She has taken Napili Ridge and has made a career out of it in a way and I don’t think she’ll ever give it up. Now she is often selling multi-million dollar homes etc but she doesn’t forget that market and the ability to get someone into their 1st time home which could be like a small studio but it gives you today with the interest rates. Typically you would be paying hopefully less than you’d be paying in rent today. Elizabeth give her a call she’s really great at everything and her number is 276-6061 so 808-276-6061. Any others Roy?
RS: Yeah, quick quote on the overall market for the 1st time that I can ever remember and we’ve been in the business a long time there’s over 700 escrows on Maui and that is a phenomenal number. Usually in a good market we’d have over 500 or thereabouts escrows at any given time. To be over 700 is wow. That’s a high water mark for sure.
BS: Absolutely and it does say that it’s time to really start looking at this because they’re not building a lot of other properties right now. Hopefully, we will see especially a group of affordable housing items come on or workforce housing and everybody can be ready for that. Unfortunately it might not be at the same time that interest rates are so low. Right now again you may be able to find something you really want. Something you’re going to live in for a while or until something else comes up. I think absolutely worth your while looking and you may not buy right now, you might not buy for 3 to 5 years but we’ll see to it you work with someone that’s going to hang in there with you and get you through those years if you can’t do it right now. We’ll have you talk to lenders and start paying attention to your finances and your credit cards and being sure that your credit score goes up and that really helps a lot for people because it’ll get you the best interest rate of all. Again, sitting down with a realtor and it could be anyone that you’ve talked to in the past do it. Sit down, talk to somebody and just say I can’t do it right now at least I don’t think I can but work with me and kind of send me in a direction and then let’s talk every 6 months or whenever it happens. Let’s just give it a shot.
RS: Yeah. We’ve got some great lenders we work with. You may have your own but it’s a great time to talk to lenders. They are busy but the few that we have that we work with a lot are more than willing to sit down with you and go through your situation and come up with a solution for you. Great time.
BS: I talked to Fran today at First Hawaiian Mortgage the number is 661-8886 but I could be wrong. Fran is First Hawaiian Mortgage and she really does a great job and she is dealing with someone now that had been dealing with another person but it seems like she’s able to take a good look at what’s going on. It is going to be able to pull them into a loan that’s going to allow them to purchase a certain property. Again, she’s someone that often will step in when where others fear to go, something like that anyway because she does make it happen. RS: She’s been great. Her whole company has. Robert Myers is another one of our very active agents. Wasn’t Robert the Marlboro man at one time?
BS: That’s right. He was the Marlboro man. I guess there were a number over the years that those ads were running of Marlboro men and they didn’t even he was on a huge horse riding and at one time anyway it was pretty fun. I mean really attractive young guy and it was a series of different people that filled the role over probably 20 years.
RS: Yeah
Betty Sakamoto : Nobody advertises cigarettes anymore.
RS: No
BS: Thank goodness.
RS: Thank goodness. Robert is very active, very knowledgeable in the market. His number is 283-3067 and one of his listings is at 960 Front Street in basically downtown Lahaina just about. It’s an older 3 bedroom, 2 bath home right across the street from the ocean listed at $2,200,000 with great views for all intents and purposes you are oceanfront. Robert also has a lot of listings at the Masters which has been one of the more active condominium developments in West Maui.
BS: Yeah, he has been someone. Elizabeth Quayle also has been active in the Masters recently and I think between the 2 of them there they can really get you set up an understanding of what it would mean to live at the Masters and what a great place it is. It’s not one that does short term rentals or vacation rentals but I think it is a great place. There’s more and more owner occupants there which I think is for a lot of residents now. Everyone is getting away from wanting to live in a place that has a lot of short term rentals and visitors coming and going. There’s so many great hotels here that some of these that used to do short term rentals and aren’t doing it anymore. It become really fabulous homes.
RS: Yeah and you know what’s been interesting, excuse me go ahead.
BS: Okay. Well, I’m not sure the direction he was going in but let’s go back to some of the homes right now that are listed in Kaanapali. There’s some really great homes and the price range has gone up drastically recently. I didn’t happen to bring them but as we were talking about Robert and Elizabeth it made me think of some of these homes and the price ranges although the houses typically are really nice but I think you’ve hit the point now that a probably a million three-ish is as low as it will be. There’s some huge spectacular homes that have been built that are probably up to $5,000,000 not ocean front necessarily just really great properties. Again, a great area.
RS: It is.
BS: You know Kaanapali.
RS: Yeah. Now, what I was going to say is what’s interesting is a few of our listings that have been on the market for a while are now turning over. We’ve opened escrow 3 or 4 times in the last week or week and a half on properties that have been kind of sitting and been marketed actively but nothing’s happened. One is at 271 Front Street which is a old plantation style house on about a quarter of an acre with 180 feet ocean frontage in Lahaina.
BS: Absolutely where Roy used to swim because his best friend lived there.
RS: Many years ago.
BS: Yes
RS: Right, in grade school. We had this on the market for a while it’s got some hoops you have to go through to improve. It doesn’t have a historical designation but being an older home 1942 circa nothing you’re going to be able to tear down and so forth. We found a buyer through another agent that is perfect for this. They have a history of rehabbing historical homes and they are very excited we are now in escrow. We had been listed at $2,950,000. I’m looking forward to seeing what these new buyers do with this property because I know they’re going to keep the original structure pretty much remodeled around the old plantation style architecture and they are excited. I’m excited to see what they do and it’s great.
BS: Totally agree with you.
RS: Yeah
BS: I mean these people are really special and they’ve done this where they live and I don’t remember right now where they’ve moved from.
RS: In Massachusetts.
BS: Yeah. Anyway, really amazing people but I think they’re going to really care
about the integrity. They love all the old stories of Lahaina and everything that’s happened. I think they’re going to be very respectful of what’s happening.
RS: They are.
BS: And not try to bend all the rules and make everything you know a flashy home. It’s going to be a beautiful home.
RS: Right, so keep an eye on 271 front street. We are going to see a transformation there and it’s all going to be for the better. Thank you to the Macmillan’s the people who are buying this. It’s great.
BS: Really nice people. I never mentioned we’re down to about 2.5 minutes so we’re going to get beeped off the air in a minute. One of the things would be, I started to say Elizabeth Quayle’s listings at Napili Ridge. She has won really nice 1 bedroom, 1 bath listed at $360,000 fee simple. Really worth a look at for somebody that wants to have a nice home. It actually could be rented also as a short-term rental but another whole story in that case.
RS: Yeah, it’s also a great investment if you’re looking to buy something and rent it out either short-term or long-term.
BS: Meanwhile, we’re coming up pretty quickly in 2 minutes now to Danny Couch again. We were hoping Dr. Norm Estin who was on the show with us 2 weeks ago was going to kind of fill us up in again about what’s going on with the corona virus and the shots whether when somebody’s going to be ready. He is worked really diligently on that testing etc which so many of our medical people are involved in. We should make a great thank you to everybody that’s working so hard to get people vaccinated and everybody that’s being patient waiting their turn. I think turns are going to start coming up a little bit faster so don’t get disillusioned. Do it. When your time comes get ready and let’s do it because we all need to be in this. We need to be in this together. We need to take care of one another and that’s how we do it.
RS: Big thank you to Dr. Estin and a big thank you to Dr. Pang the Maui Director for Health. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
BS: Thank you. Dr. Pang has been amazing. Okay, Danny Couch is back so it’s time for us to sing again. Anybody that’s ever looking for Danny Couch give it a try, Google his albums. He is amazing. Thank you all for listening.
RS: Aloha
BS: Aloha.
