Betty Sakamoto: Aloha and welcome to Betty’s Real Estate Corner brought to you by Roy and Betty Sakamoto. Sakamoto Properties Coldwell Banker Kapalua. We got a big new handle there.
Roy Sakamoto: Yes we do and happy April fool’s day.
BS: That’s right. It is April fool’s day.
RS: Yeah.
BS: We are going to have Dr. Norman Estin on again today and he is going to fill us in on exactly what’s happening with the corona virus, with vaccinations, with testing, etc. It’s really exciting information for everybody and hopefully it’s the thing that will kind of drag us out of the stigma of the corona virus.
RS: Yes
BS: It’s up to all of us.
RS: It would be interesting to get updated, see what’s happening. I think he is calling in from the UH Maui testing site or vaccination site.
BS: Yeah, he is. He is at the University of Hawaii Maui campus and he is very excited about everything going on.
RS: Right and should be. Norm has done a whole lot along with Dr. Pang our Maui Director of Health and boy, I don’t know when they have any time to sleep.
BS: No. I don’t think they do. He also has opened up a separate building across from his office which is at the Time Supermarket in West Maui Shopping Center. It is really a fabulous setup. He is doing testing there which was again a huge commitment of time and energy. They had to do some fix up to be able to do something medical there. It was impossible for them to actually start to do vaccines in their office which is also relatively small. Again, he is making a lot of major commitments. The doctor’s on-call office Norm Estin, MD and his staff. They are really doing so much for the West Maui community. For all of us in West Maui the more times that we have to drive back and forth to Kahului and Wailuku which we all have to do, it gets hard because you are working and a lot of people with young children, etc. This is a very hard time. Hard time for many people.
RS: Yeah and again we passed the lineup of cars at the Citizens Church in Kahana. WOW! What a line above cars?
BS: It is. It’s a gun. It’s tragic in a way and yet it is an uplifting community moment when you see the number of people that are there that really need something. I’ve heard some people say, well I mean some people are just in that line and they don’t need to be. Maybe there is but I’d say that 99% at least of the people in that line would never stay in that line and wait for food if they didn’t feel they needed it for their family. We should also congratulate them because it’s hard to admit that you need something. I really respect every person that is in that line and everyone that’s involved in seeing to it that they’re able to give boxes of food and different supplies, etc for the community in West Maui.
RS: Yes. You know, it is funny. I’ve heard realtors comment on about our show, that wow you guys are doing a real estate show but boy you sure talk a lot about a lot of different things. Yeah, that’s because we live on Maui. We love Maui. Lucky we live Maui so we are happy. We like to share whatever information we can about different not for profit organizations, about different drives going on for the community. It is more than a real estate show.
BS: It is and for those who don’t know, Roy Sakamoto did graduate from Lahainaluna High School. Was born and raised on Maui at 463 Lahainaluna Road. Has done everything that he can and I’ve joined him in that to see to it that we support Lahainaluna High School and our community and it matters so much. The support and love and friendship that we get from everybody in West Maui is somewhat epic. I mean, I couldn’t enjoy it more. I couldn’t have come to a better community and made my life here, like 40 some years now.
RS: It’s been interesting we have the daughter of a good friend of ours who is in town right now. She is going to college. Ray is a sophomore?
BS: Sophomore
RS: We had dinner with her the other evening and very enlightening to find out what younger people are thinking about their plans, their ambitions and their thoughts. On top of everything, she is also a goalie on the Japanese women’s hockey team.
BS: Yes. She may be in the Olympics. It really is interesting. She is a major player. She played originally in Japan, growing up. She is an American citizen and a Japanese citizen. Her parents are one Japanese, kind of like us. It’s kind of the same.
RS: She’s got dual citizenship.
BS: She has dual citizenship. An amazing young woman. She played on the boys hockey team as a goalie when she was in grammar school.
RS: Yes
BS: Now she played in High School in mostly in Boston I believe but on the girls. She kind of says she probably isn’t to the level of the women’s hockey team for the Olympics in the United States but she does seem to be a good possibility right now.
RS: For the Japanese team for the Olympics next year.
BS: Yes. That’s really exciting.
RS: Yeah. It will be great. We had planned on hopefully having her on the show today but her schooling kind of interfered with that. She is doing remote classes. She is going to, is it Wellesley?
BS: Wellesley yes.
RS: College back East. What a nice lady. Ray Halloran hopefully you’ll be on our next
show.
BS: I think she will be. She is here for quite a while again finishing up some of
her courses here. It’s going to be really fun. We also have talked to somebody from Lahainaluna about possibly having one of the Lahainaluna students come on the show with us one day.
RS: That would be great.
BS: Kind of talk about we’ve been involved in Lahainaluna for a long time. I think it’s really important that we also help them. We have been involved in some of the scholarship activities. Recently, we have set up a scholarship that’s kind of in honor of Charley Pride the country Western singer. He always said Charley with an EY. He is just passed away. It was hard to not say, he is an amazing person but he passed away from the corona virus and just a tragedy for his family. We wanted to be able to do something and that’s what we’re going to do for this year in his honor. I think a lot of the kids are real excited about the possibility.
RS: Yeah. We are starting a scholarship in Charley Pride’s name. Charley was a good friend of ours. Just a nice man. He and his wife Rozene were just super people, their kids. You even went to their, was it 50th?
BS: 50th wedding anniversary in Texas.
RS: Betty flew to Dallas to join their 50th wedding anniversary.
BS: There was more great music going on at that than you will ever see in your life.
RS: Yeah
BS: It was so fun. It was really great. What a family.
RS: The whole family fantastic people. Just lovely people.
BS: Yeah. It’s just so sad talking to her right now but we better get upbeat.
RS: Yeah
BS: Let’s sell a little bit of real estate.
RS: Yeah.
BS: What are you thinking?
RS: While we are waiting for Dr. Norm’s phone call which should be forthcoming let’s chat about real estate.
BS: You brought a bunch of different things here. We’ve been involved recently with a lot of the upper end of the market in sales at Kapalua. Interesting for everyone to note that pretty soon the upper end of the market could be sold out. It’s just happening so quickly.
RS: What’s interesting and I think we mentioned it in previous shows. A good market indicator was on Maui at least. If we had 500 plus or minus escrows at any given time we had a good market. Believe it or not we are like at as of this morning like 850 escrows right now and the market is unbelievably robust, listings are just flying into escrow. It’s just unbelievable. We are bringing you a couple of interesting listings to consider if you are in the market for buying anything and you should be.
BS: It can help everybody. Let’s say we just pulled up today a whole lot of the properties that are let’s call them somewhat affordable nothing is that simple. Like at Hale Ono Loa, $588,000 for a one bedroom ,one bath, fee simple condominium. It is a great property, it is very low rise and it is. They call it the jewel of the resort and it seems to me it is from the photographs of it. I think that’s another property. It’s new granite in the unit, nice waterproof plank flooring throughout. Again, there’s so many things there. Chip Anderson from Coldwell Banker has that listing and he can be reached at 740 -2100 or call us if you don’t get the names of who the people are and we will refresh it for you and get you who the listing agent is on it. That’s Chip Anderson and he has some great listings and the Hale Ono Loa I think is really a good property.
RS: It is. Elizabeth Quayle also has a great listing unit number 104 also at Hale Ono Loa and this is listed at $467,000. Elizabeth will be more than happy to show it to you. Her number 276 – 6061. Give her a call.
BS: Kaleialoha another property that I like. It’s considered to be to a lot of us that have been selling a lot of the Kapalua properties lower end however it is listed at $399,000. One bedroom, one bath almost 600 sf and again Robert Myers has that listed. Robert is the king of the very top listings at Kapalua and Kaanapali. He’s got this one and I’m sure it’s great. I haven’t seen it, maybe you have Roy? Kaleialoha really nice property.
RS: Yeah, it is a great property and here is one that has got to sell shortly. It is listed by Kristen Kingwell, Honokawai East Apartment. It is a one bedroom, one bath listed at $99, 000 under a $100,000. It is leasehold but the lease is quite favorable so give Kristen a call. Her number 281-7313 and tell her you heard about Honokawai East Apartment number 312 listed at $99 000. Heck of a buy.
BS: She also has Lahaina Shores, unit 203 listed at $579,000 another great property. We happen to have lived there temporarily when we were really young. We didn’t know we were so young then but we were really young. It was really a fabulous place to live because you could just walk anywhere. I think, it’s great for a visitor. It is a one bedroom, one bath, 923 sf which is a nice large property. I would call Kristen Kingwell on that, 281- 7313. If you forget any of these call us, Roy is (808) 870-7060 and we will direct you to the listing agent on them.
RS: Here’s one by Robert Myers. This is at Kaanapali Alii, apartment number II-604.
It’s a one bedroom, two bath listed at a $1,395,000. Kaanapali Alii is right within the Kaanapali resort, ocean front, right next to Whalers Village. It is awesome. It’s something you should look into definitely. Robert is 283-3067. 283-3067 that’s Robert Myers and ask him about 264 at Kaanapali Alii, listed at a $1,395,000. That’s another one that won’t last very long.
BS: Well, I just discovered that Dr. Estin doesn’t have the phone number so I’ve texted it to him. He will probably get to us hopefully momentarily so that we can get the whole scoop from him.
RS: Okay
BS: Aloha
Dr. Norman Estin: Aloha
BS: Hey Norm, we introduced you a few minutes ago but want to tell everyone. Again, this is Dr. Norman Estin whose offices are in Kaanapali and currently they seem to be all over Maui everywhere you can go. He is calling us from the University of Hawaii Maui campus with an amazing update and a lot of new information on the corona virus. Norm, it’s very exciting for all of us so let’s give it to him.
NE: Good morning Betty, aloha. It is great, we’ve turned the corner on this. The vaccinations are going great. We are running a fantastic vaccination operation here at the University of Hawaii Maui campus. Today, until 2:30 and it’s free. We are doing the Moderna vaccine for anybody over 18 and we will be doing it twice next week. Wednesday from 8:30 to 2:30 and Friday from 8:30 to 2:30. You have the phone number to tell people to call. They have to book to make a reservation and then they just show up at the University of Hawaii Maui campus. Check their registration and get the vaccination. We watch them for 15 minutes. We’ve got no serious reactions, no bad side effects and then they can be protected. They come back in a month for the 2nd shot that gives them the extra protection and they are good to go. We did 808 yesterday which is great for Hawaii.
BS: Wow, that’s super.
NE: 808 of them and we’ve already done 500 today and it’s only noon so we’ve got a couple of hours to go we are well on track. Again, there will be these vaccination clinics open to anybody next Wednesday 8:30 to 2:30 and next Friday 8:30 to 2:30. There will also be some information on it in the paper.
BS: Hey Norm, give us the phone number because I don’t have it in front of me. I failed also on phone number.
NE: Okay and I will get it for you. It is (808) 984-3780 that’s the Hawaii Department of Health here on Maui.
BS: Can somebody make an appointment or should they just go there?
NE: They should make an appointment.
BS: Okay
NE: They can show up and register but it’s better if they call that number make an appointment and it works a lot smoother and saves them time. In addition, for those of you listeners who are Upcountry we are doing a special vaccination clinic on Saturday the 10th up at King K High School. That will also be 8:30 to 2:30 and that will be the Johnson & Johnson single dose vaccine. They can also make a reservation and for that at the same phone number on the Department of Health website if they want to go online as well. Everybody can get covered, everybody can get vaccinated. It couldn’t be easier. It is safe, it is dramatically effective. It is been rolled out so fast and so safely. The best vaccine ever made. The acceptance has been great. People feel so happy being protected and it’s going to get us back to our normal life very quickly in a matter of weeks from now.
BS: We mentioned a few minutes ago that your main office which is in Kaanapali at The Time Supermarket Shopping Center. That you opened up actually a vaccination center across from where your office is. Is that actually open and running now?
NE: It is on and off. There’s so much demand that we’ve got a lot of vaccine areas that we’re providing the vaccine in. We are doing in over there. We are doing it in Kahului. We will be opening up soon at the shops of Wailea. We have an urgent care center that will also be doing covid testing as well as vaccination and of course the hospital and Maui health is providing the Pfizer vaccine there. The Kaiser facilities and the Maui medical group facilities. It doesn’t matter which vaccine somebody gets whether it’s the Pfizer or the Moderna and the Johnson & Johnson. They are all 3 of them are fantastic. They are all safe. There is no side effects, they are all free. All of us can feel protected and not only are we protecting ourselves, we are taking our family, our community, our Kupuna and we can get back to a normal life again.
RS: Did you say anybody over 18 Norm?
NE: Yes. We are now down to anybody over 18.
RS: Fantastic.
BS: That’s really amazing.
NE: It will be a little while till we have one for kids. They are testing the ones for people under 18 and then testing ones for infants and little children as well as pregnant women. That testing is going to take a few more months but right now anybody over 18.
BS: Norm, the number of people you are getting vaccinated in the big picture that helps even the children and the babies, doesn’t it? The more everybody’s vaccinated.
NE: Absolutely. Every time somebody’s vaccinated that protects not only them but it cuts down on the number of people. It could be spread to and have an outbreak. You are never going to get a 100% total protection. There’s always going to be a couple of people that get sick but what you really care about is having a big outbreak where you have hundreds or thousands of people sick and you overwhelm a health care system or hospital. We are well beyond that now. We do have a few cases in the hospital, we do have a couple of people on ventilators but it’s well under control. If we are doing a thousand or more vaccinations every day we are going to chop into the number of those people that aren’t vaccinated very quickly.
BS: We had commented a few minutes ago I was telling our listeners that what you’ve been doing and where your office is but I also said that anymore like your office is somewhat island wide you are everywhere. When we are looking for you every time I find you, you are either Upcountry. I don’t think you have been to Hana but maybe you have.
NE: No, that’s right. I think with the cell phone it’s easy to be available. Easy to set up centers or clinics, easy to go out to people’s homes. The hardest and most challenging thing are the elderly care homes where there may have only 1 or 2 people in a home so it takes a whole team to go out there. If you have congregate living or nursing homes where there’s a lot of people there it’s easier to send a team out and get a lot of people. We are getting people, we also have a special program for the homeless. We use the Johnson & Johnson vaccine which is single dose. We have a special program for travelers from out of the country and that we are trying to get as well because you know they can spread this at the same time that they are here. It’s a pretty comprehensive effort and it’s a tremendous credit to everybody involved. Mayor Victorino and the County, the Department of Health under Dr. Pang, the DNLR under Lance, the entire National Guard, the UHMC campus, the nursing school, the hospital and regions of volunteers have all come together to make this happen.
BS: That’s a true so amazing. We are now down to our 3 minute warning so we are going to go ahead and get closed out. Norm, thank you so much and I’m sorry that I didn’t text the number to you earlier.
RS: Thanks for all you are doing Norm.
NE: Thank you so much. Aloha.
BS: Aloha
RS: Aloha
BS: You know Roy as much as we still have a lot of real estate we could talk about I was thinking a lot about the golf tournament this weekend. Joel Navarro is involved in it who’s with Central Pacific Bank and it is benefiting a project graduation at Lahainaluna High School. The other Maui schools I think the High Schools have all got some sort of a project graduation but it’s basically for an alcohol free graduation. I just think it’s vitally important for our young people. Although, everybody isn’t going to play in a golf tournament I think anyone that hears about it if you’re able to make a small contribution to the best in my understanding at least at Lahainaluna since this project graduation started. There hasn’t been any major injury of one of our high school children and they are still children on graduation night. There’s been times that children have passed away and auto accidents etc and maybe not always alcohol related but we just have to be sure that everybody supports that. It will be a great golf tournament and thanks Joel Navarro.
RS: Yeah. Thanks Joel. Actually we will have 2 teams and son of a gun the women have won this tournament before.
BS: Yes, the boys haven’t.
RS: The boys haven’t.
BS: We did hold the trophy for 1 year.
RS: Yeah
BS: And then they made fun of our handicaps of course.
RS: Of course.
BS: Yeah
RS: And you never let us live that down.
BS: No, I don’t think they can’t. We should actually get our own trophy because they took it away at the end of the year.
RS: That’s right.
BS: Maybe we will get our own just to keep it around the office.
RS: This Saturday at Kaanapali will be the project graduation benefit golf tournament.
BS: Meanwhile call us, Roy and Betty Sakamoto. (808) 870-7060 for Roy, 870-7062 for Betty. If we can help you with any of your real estate needs. You know, we’ll either help you, ourselves. We have a great staff at our new office at Kapalua, Coldwell Banker Kapalua and we are having a fabulous time and tons of sales. We are able to help you in any community so call us.
RS: And there’s Danny.
BS: There it is, Danny Couch. I love Hawaii and everybody buy that record.
RS: We all love Hawaii.
BS: We all love Hawaii. We are fortunate.
RS: Yeah
BS: Aloha
RS: Aloha
BS: and Thank you so much.
