Maui Realtor Elizabeth Quayle Interview: Hawaii Real Estate Agent

Sakamoto Properties Maui Video Blog

Home » Sakamoto Properties Maui Video Blog

Interviewing Maui Realtor Elizabeth Quayle
January 16, 2017

Maui Video Blog brought to you by Sakamoto Properties. Betty interviews Maui Realtor Elizabeth Quayle. Learn what she does, how long she's been in real estate and what her motto, "I'm one of the lucky people that gets to live here on Maui full time," means to her. - Ask our Maui experts!

Betty: Welcome to the Sakamoto Properties Website. Today we are in the process of trying to update, come into the century, seems like every time we blink we’re out of the century and we’re working on video blogging. Today we just wanted to update, answer a bunch of questions that are coming in to us from you and introduce you to, on video blog, Elizabeth Quayle, with Sakamoto Properties. Hello Elizabeth.

Elizabeth: Hello, I’m here. Still here. After six years.

B: I think it’s actually a little over six years but let’s go with that. So what we’re trying to do is, I want you to know a little bit about Elizabeth what she does, how long she’s been in real estate. She also has some great television advertising, where she says… What’s your motto on there?

E: I’m one of the lucky people that gets to live here on Maui full time.

B: Yeah, I mean every time somebody repeats that to me, they say, “every time I hear that, that’s what I want to be. I want to be one of Elizabeth Quayle’s lucky people that gets to live on Maui full time.” It’s fabulous.

E: Well gratitude is everything. In order to really thrive in life whether it’s business, love, family, to me that underlying issue is always what propels you into happiness, which then spreads and comes back to you.

B: It does. So meanwhile, what I kind of would like to talk a little bit about with Elizabeth… Elizabeth is one of our great agents, she is, she’s done top sales, she’s sold oceanfront properties. Amazing. She’s kept at heart with what’s really going on in Maui where the first time homebuyer, the person that really needs a home, and you step in with that person whether they walk into the office or call you. I’ve seen you with people and how much it matters, whether it’s helping someone sell property that's been in the family for a long time or the first time homebuyer buying a property such as that.

E: Well, I think that we have so many choices of very high-end properties because the end of the island where we live tends to be very luxurious but there’s always that first time homebuyer. I was a single parent with two teenage children when I moved here. I know what it takes to have to work to buy a home for your family, two to three jobs, etc. etc. To me, there is no greater joy than helping somebody get their first home, actually whether it's a little condominium for somebody dipping their toe in the water or possibly being here full time, for somebody who lives here and they’re working two to three jobs so they can get their first home, I love being able to do this. I think it makes me feel like I’m a part of the community and in most cases people are going to step up and or move at one point. We have a very limited inventory and with affordable housing it’s very easy to determine exactly where it is that my client is going to fit. It could be in Kahului, it could be in Wailuku, it could be in Haiku, it could be in Makawao. Most of the time, we tend to work in West Maui, but we’re never afraid to reach out because it’s all about what they want.

B: You know one of the questions that I’ve heard you talk to people about is financing. So the minute someone has walked in and is talking to any one of us, and I’m going to say right now, Elizabeth, how do they get started, how do they possibly get started with trying to buy a property on Maui and I think one of your first answers is always “we need to get you qualified with a lender.”

E: Absolutely. You have to know your parameters, you have to be able to hold somebody’s hand through the process if they’re not familiar with it, but that is the most important part you need to know how much you can spend so then we can turn around and go find the exact piece of property for you. We’re very lucky in that we have some excellent, very reputable lenders on this island, and they will too put their arms around your client and help it happen for them.

B: I think some of the lenders that we’re working with which would be things like First Hawaiian Mortgage, First Hawaiian Bank, Bank of Hawaii, there is a number of different lenders that we refer someone to. I think a really interesting thing is, you know, getting the person in there, sitting down and figuring out the parameters as you said just a minute ago and figuring out as close to an exact figure. Don’t you feel it kind of breaks someone’s heart when you try to show them properties first and then it’s totally out of their price range?

E: Yeah, I just don’t think that that’s the way you approach it because instead of giving them a solution, you’re handing them a problem. People need to have answers and that’s our job. It’s our job to make sure they see a clear picture and that somebody is holding their hand to make it through the process.