Betty Sakamoto: Aloha and welcome to Betty's Real Estate Corner, brought to you by Sakamoto Properties where prestige is our business, reputation our foundation. Today, my husband, Roy Sakamoto is here with me and we're going to try and fill you in on some things going on in the community, what's going on in the life of Sakamoto Properties, what's selling, more or less, and just some ideas that we've got. So, Roy?

Roy Sakamoto: Good morning.

B: Good morning!

R: Ok, why don't we get started with about the 6th Annual Legacy Cup.

B: I think that's really important. Anyone that's heard The Legacy Cup, should know that it's really a golf tournament that's being played for the benefit, as most of these tournaments are, they're a benefit for some "charity" and this one is going to be for the Lahainaluna High School Project Graduation which is an alcohol-free graduation program. Extremely important. Anyone that would want to contribute to that could reach, probably the best person might be Joel Navarro at 661-1223 if you just wanted to contribute or the same thing would be if you were trying to put a team on. We're set for two teams, right Roy?

R: And I believe one of our teams won this a couple of years ago.

B: Yes, the girls won beating out the boys and everybody else. But we did come in first, we had the trophy for a year. We were pretty sure we would win it the next year, but I don't know. We failed. But the boys didn't win, so that was all that really mattered. We're the only ones that have held the trophy?the girls.

R: Anyway, a great cause, it's for Project Graduation for Lahainaluna and Title Guaranty Escrow is sponsoring the tournament. Joel Navarro, 661-1223, is the contact person and talk a second about Project Graduation, what is it all about?

B: You know, I'm actually looking at something, which is really clear and I didn't see this until this minute. But it's an event held for the graduating class to keep them safe in a party environment. And they mention that the leading killer of teens is car accidents due to drinking and driving. So, what they've got is a program, which is planned by the parents with the help and support of the school, administration, and the community members. And it really has been an unbelieveable thing so that the kids, following graduation, maybe they've had a little bit of bonding time with their families, that the ones who have signed up, and I think now that it's a good deal of the students are signed up, but they've done things like they might have a bus will take everyone up to Haleakala for sunrise, but prior to doing that they may be at one of the hotels. And they're at the hotel, everyone's partying and dancing, and there's music, and probably a DJ. Maybe they take them to two places, one where there's Hawaiian music another where they're all dancing. And they keep moving them around, you know, so that the kids are having fun, they're having a ball, they get lots of food and it's an alcohol free environement. I'm sure there's some kids who aren't going to go and it's not going to work for them. But my understanding is that for the years that this tournament has gone on, and the Project Graduation predates that, so, what they're just saying is all they need to do is if we all pool together to raise these funds, we can continue this amazing legacy of responsibility for Maui graduates and in particular this one is Lahainaluna.

R: And that's an all-night affair, if I remember.

B: It is. It's all night. So the kids get to do what they want to do to begin with: They get to stay out all night. They just want to be together, they want to laugh, they want to run. It'll take them almost anywhere, but they'll have a plan in place and, the kids will, from the time?Lahainaluna graduation to begin with is one of the most phenomenal events. And at graduation it's, you know, it's the Maui thing to end up with leis that are suffocating you and over your head. At one point in the graduation ceremony as they sing the Lahainaluna Alma Mater, which as freshmen everybody learns in Hawaiian, the?who goes up to the?

R: The boarders and alumni that go up and light the "L" at night and as they're singing the alma mater, the "L" is lit up with torches, it's a real chicken skin moment.

B: It really is, I mean when you look up there it is just ablaze. There's this flaming "L" up in the mountains. And it looks bigger than it is, it's bigger than life, and there's barely a dry eye at the high school when the graduation is taking place and when the kids are singing. It is a great school with great spirit and whether it's Lahainaluna or Baldwin or Maui High or whatever the school is, Saint Anthony, none of us want to see one more of our children die in an automobile accident. And it does happen and graduation is a classic time that it happens because everyone is so excited and the kids at this age and following graduation, they're invincible. Nothing could hurt them, let alone kill them. And, they somehow, when you get to be our ages, we know that's not true. We all know that traditionally some child on Maui is going to die over graduation or over that period of time. So, Project Graduation is vitally important to our community.

R: You know, I'm sure other high schools on Maui have a similar program, one with Baldwin and Maui High, Seabury, or Saint Anthony, and whatever your affiliation, please support this. It's a great Title Guaranty cause, it's a great legacy for the graduates and it's something they'll remember for the rest of their lives and will help keep them safe.

B: That's actually a great statement and Joel Navarro may even know if there's something other than the one on this side of the island. But, I think, if you just call the high school and if this is a cause that you would like to help with, call whatever school you've been tied to and talk to them and just say, "I'd like to support Project Graduation, an alcohol-free party for the graduating seniors," and see if something is going on, which I'm sure there is, and help because it is. It's the saddest moment. None of us would ever want to pick up a newspaper and see that a child or three kids in a car have died and maybe it's only because they're exhausted. You know, they've stayed up all night, maybe they drove to Haleakala, they're coming down. Maybe it wasn't even alcohol. But whatever it is, this is going to save our kids. And it will also save them from drinking, at least on that one very, very, important night. Anything else you can think of for the Project Graduation?

R: No, but while we're on the topic of Lahainaluna, how about the Foundation?

B: OK, there we go, another thing. I'm a member of the Lahainaluna High School Foundation. And we've been working for a long time trying to raise funds for the stadium project there. And most of you know the stadium, the football field has been built, the track is there, it's for soccer, football, there's a lot of sports that are going on there. Track teams are there all the time. Now we're really building the stadium part and the bleachers are going in. So there will be seating for over 3,000 people in some amazing, amazing bleachers. Also, there'll be an entrance, there'll be a pressbox, there'll be restrooms, everything that you can think of. But as happens as you come down to the end of something we need more money. So we're really trying to shout out to anybody that can help us with our fundraising projects there.

R: What is their website? I think it's Lahainaluna?www.Lahainaluna.org?

B: I think, actually, it's LahainalunaHighSchoolFoundation.org.

R: Dot Org? Ok, anyway, I believe we have a link to it on our website if you go to SakamotoProperties.com, if we don't have a link, we'll certainly put one up. And you know, it takes a team to put up a radio show like this and in the studio with us is Chris Meyer from Meyer Computer. Chris is taping this to put up on our website, so if you like to see what we look like and listen to our shows again, head on our website: www.SakamotoProperties.com and our in-studio engineer is Gary, who's been with us since day one and an invaluable member of our team.

B: It is pretty amazing, but you're right, it does take everybody to pull off everything that any of us are doing in our businesses. But if you're looking for any help with a website, call Meyer Computer. And MeyerComputer.com is an easy way to find them. But they've been really great to us and they're doing their best to get us into the current century and it's been working amazingly well. So, the minute we were here that's something we were talking about with Chris here. You know, what else we need. We need these photos, we need this, we need that, and he really sees to it. Him and Jesse from his place of business. So hopefully we're getting the things they need and if you look at our website you can get to every listing that's on the market through the Maui Board of Realtors. So you can see every property, every location, and you can find them very easily so check that out. Again, SakamotoProperties.com, you can follow us on Twitter @BettyMauiRadio and hashtag?I've forgot it. I blew it. I've got it here somewhere, but we'll say, find us. Chris Meyer: The hashtag is #BettyMauiRadio.

B: OK.

R: Alright. Anyway, people have asked us why we talk about community affairs and so forth, are you or are you not a real estate show? And we feel it's important to point out that we're a member of the community and as members we're very proud to support various causes. Maui has some great charities, some great causes, and I think we owe it to our community to contribute to publicize events and so forth. So if any of you charities out there are looking a little bit of airtime, please head on our website SakamotoProperties.com, hit on the info button and you've got a fair coming up or some kind of a fundraiser, let us know what you're doing, what you plan to do and we'll give you some airtime.

B: Absolutely, I think that's a great idea, Roy. It is. It does matter to us, all of these things, and we've even found over the years that we've sold some amazing properties, very, very expensive. And we've also sold owner/occupant properties, we've done a lot of different types of deals. But when the thing that's kind of happened over the years is that a lot of our clients that are mainland people, that only come here for, you know, weeks at a time or maybe a month at the longest, they really want to be a part of the community and it matters to them that we care about our community. And they've also been willing to support the charities that we've been involved in. So we've had some amazing support for Hale Makua, Roy's been on the board there for 30 years. For Lahainaluna High School, which is West Maui. I mean, everybody?if you're talking to anybody working in West Maui and you ask them where they went to high school, there's a pretty good chance they went to Lahainaluna High School. And it's an amazing thing, the school is so important to all of us. It's important to our visitors because those are the kids that are going to be working in all of the jobs. Lahainaluna High School, the Foundation, and they've had a great scholarship program happening. And this year?the number of scholarships goes up and up every year. Some of them are relatively small but, again, to me they're amazing because now that the kids can go to University of Hawaii Maui Campus, and a lot of them are, if they get a $1,000 scholarship, $1,500, it really can help them in gas for a car or to buy a small used car to be able to get back and forth from Lahaina. So, Lahainaluna High School Foundation.

R: That's right.

B: You can check us on, Google Lahainaluna High School Foundation and you'll find the website for sure.

R: Or you can call our office also 24-hours, 669-0070 and leave a message if we're not there and we'll be more than happy to help you.

B: You know, one of the things, Roy, if we talk, if we talk real estate today.

R: Well, probably should.

B: Probably should. We talked about the Golf Villas when we were driving over. And we've got a couple of really amazing new listings at the Kapalua Golf Villas. I thought it would be interesting to talk a little about because we actually have lived there, not currently, but we have lived there so we know, and we know through real estate, obviously, but it's an amazing property. There's four swimming pools, great management there, good management team.

R: It's low-rise. You're surrounded by holes number 11 and number 10 on the Bay Course. Most of these units have great Molokai and Lanai view sunsets and ocean. So one, for instance, is brand-new listing, just coming onto the market right now, 26V1. It's a one-bedroom, one and a half bath listed at $675,000, it's a top floor, corner unit, highly upgraded. I think it's limestone floors, granite countertops, beautiful, beautiful view right on number 11 fairway of the Bay Course and, again, listed at $675,000 and we can gladly show this to you, call our office 669-0070. And it isn't even up on our website yet, but soon will be and that's SakamotoProperties.com.

B: That really is a great unit and the Golf Villas in general. You've gotta take a look, if you were there a few years back, you don't know anything. You've gotta come over and drive through the Golf Villas. There's been a major remodel happen. Renovation/remodel. The units?everything looks different. The color system's different, they took out a lot of the wood that wasn't doing well, put in new product. The stucco's been fixed again.

R: How about the landscaping, wow.

B: Landscaping.

R: Beautiful landscaping.

B: Yep. They did a great job of landscaping. A lot of the individual owners like the owners in this particular unit, they've done a great remodel inside and some haven't so you may be able to buy one and do the remodel that you want to do, but they're amazing properties. Views are great. Wouldn't you say great rental programs available today?

R: Variety of great rental programs, and very popular for rentals for short term rentals, for vacation rentals. And I think the golf villas would rank very high amongst anything on Maui.

B: One of our listings is a two-bedroom two-bath unit, that's walk-in level. You know, so you walk in, the lanai is elevated when you're looking out to the view so you kind of, the way the unit is set up, you walk in road level, end-unit. Fabulous views, winter whale watching couldn't be better. You've got Lanai, Molokai, and again a highly upgraded, fabulous unit.

R: And Marcy from our office has a new listing. It's building 23, it's a ground floor, two-bedroom, two-bath, highly, very highly upgraded, and that's on the market for $929,000.

B: Yeah, these are really great units, they're fairly large. Just really worth coming over and taking a good look at them. So give us a call, I think I'll stick with the office number, 669-0070. And one of us will be available to show them to you or other properties that you might want to look at. You know, Roy, we keep talking and we should probably say it one more time, directed to anyone that happens to be listening. If you've given any thought to buying a property on Maui, give us a call, one of us will meet with you, you could come into our office, and we can help you to have you talk with a lender to really think about what you want to do. And even if it's not this year, if you're trying to figure out, "OK we want to retire here," or, "We live here, we want to know how we can have our dream house. How we can make that happen." It takes preparation in most cases, so it's with talking to us, trying to figure out what you want, what you need. And then let us help you with a lender and see what you can qualify for because it's better to get in now, than it's going to be later. So, give us a call and let us help you out, 669-0070. 808-669-0070.

R: And you know what we're seeing more of now, are people looking to upgrade. Say you do own a one bedroom or two bedroom condominium and you're looking to upgrade and maybe upgrade to a three bedroom, but you need to sell your one bedroom or two bedroom first. Well, we can help you with that. We'll do some consulting with you, show you different paths to follow, and then let you make your decision, and work with you all the way through. So, it's impossible to negotiate by yourself through all the various steps and we'll be more than happy to help you.

B: And it's a fun process. Nothing is more fun than when you walk into your own home. And you look around and you think, "I can pick up paint, I can do this, I can do that." Or sometimes you can't afford to do something right away. You just go in with a little bit of elbow grease, you clean everything, you make it look fabulous, and so that no matter who it is, owner occupancy, is what you want to do. So give us a call and let us help you out in that regard.

R: And like anything else we have a great team of professionals we can refer you to, whether it's financing, escrow estate planning, for instance. We've got some great referrals for you, so call us: 669-0070, or you can look us up on our website again, SakamotoProperties.com.

B: You know, one other place, Kaanapali: The Masters.

R: Yes.

B: Really nice. We've got a couple of really great listings in there. But one is unit 1402. Highly, highly, upgraded. Beautiful condition. Listed at $1,150,000. Two bedroom, two bath, end unit. Huge, huge ocean views even from the kitchen you've got a great view looking up on the Fairways. It's one of the best properties available right now, so give us a call on it. And it's one you should really look up. The Masters. Amazing property, it's not really geared towards short-term rentals?

R: Which is great.

B: Which is great.

R: It's more residential in nature, and 1402 has got to be one of the next ones to sell. The Masters has been very, very active in terms of sales and a lot of owner occupants, it's a great property.

B: Absolutely, Roy. I think The Masters is pretty spectacular. Great pools, everything about it is pretty amazing.

R: And this is one, again, we can show with very little notice. So call us: 669-0070.

B: You're right about that, Roy. It's the perfect one, easy to view, the owners live there and they make it available to us almost anytime. When they leave the house in the morning, they usually give us a call. They're people that are just kind of looking to just kind of change. They're going to live over here more than they were, so it was probably 50/50 and now it's probably going to get to 75/25 so they really need a bigger place at this point for their lifestyle. So they're just trying to get something bigger, but it's important to them to get this sold. But we're looking at property so that they will be ready to transition as soon as we find the perfect buyer for that. And we're walking them through it, working with them as we would for you.

R: You know, I know one thing a lot of realtors here on Maui listen to our show.

B: Yes.

R: For realtors out there, make a note of this. This is a very easy property to show 1402 at The Masters, listed at $1,150,000, two-bedrooms, two-baths, unsurpassed views, unbelieveable views.

B: You know, that's actually a great statement because we do hear from a lot of real estate brokers that, you know, are maybe out on the road, tune in, hear a little bit something, but keep in mind at Kapalua, we have something to show fairly easily, and almost every property in the Golf Villas we do, in The Ridge we do, at the Ironwoods we do, at Coconut Grove, at Pineapple Hill at the Plantation. So if you've got a Kapalua buyer and you call us, we will do our best to get you into one of our listings and direct you in any way that we can. And, you know, and you do to, but let's just say that we usually know what's going on with the inventory, we can direct you to the other listings that other brokers have if you are looking for anything else, but we would love to show you our properties. You know, Roy, we have hit the two minute warning.

R: I could plug in for one more property, then.

B: Yes.

R: It's 480 Haniu.

B: Yes.

R: This is in Launiupoko, it's a huge 5 acre estate-size property, really. With two-bedroom, two-bath Ohana, and there's also about a 1,600 squarefoot workshop. It's an air conditioned workshop which also has a bath. It used to have a working nursery, the owners have discontinued the nursery, but all the equipment is there for you to revitalize the nursery again. Unbelieveable views, you've got Lanai sitting out there in front of you, Kahoolawe, sunsets pretty much all year round, and, again, 5 acres. Wow, that's a huge property.

B: It's an amazing property. And like you say, the view is where it's really at. And it's set for you to step in and build a primary residence which, I think, will be amazing. But you'll have a place right now. And you could be there, you could live there for however long you want in the smaller property. But you can, at some point, come up with a fabulous home and use the other as a rental property if you want it. I think you can up there, can't you?

R: Yeah.

B: Yeah, so anyway, aloha, thank you for being here Danny Couch is coming back with "I Love Hawaii."

R: Mahalo. "I Love Hawaii."

B: Aloha.

R: Aloha.