Click the link for an insightful Associated Press article.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_ECONOMY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-01-28-16-54-09
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Big Developer, Selling Off Property...
Properties available in Waihee, Wailuku, Kihei and even in Kona on the Big Island.
If you have any questions about Commercial Real Estate available on Maui, please call Bob Hansen, BROKER at 808.283.9456 or Donna D. Hansen, Realtor (S) at 808.280.1650.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Dollhouse in Piilani Village
This single level home has a spacious great room with large kitchen island, a dining room area, large master suite, two other bedrooms in separate wing and an adorable garden. Tenants would love to stay on and rent while taking great care of this fabulous home. This is a perfect opportunity for an investor or someone wishing to purchase a home now at today’s great prices, rent it out to the perfect tenant until the time to move over permanently comes along.
Call Bob Hansen, BROKER @ 808.283.9456 or Donna D. Hansen, Realtor (S) @ 808.280.1650 to schedule a showing appointment.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Hawaii Had Over 7 Million Visitors in 2010 and Spending Rose 16.2%
Hawaii attracted 7 million visitors, $11.4 billion in spending in 2010
By Allison Schaefers
Article from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Jan 26, 2011
Visitor arrivals to Hawaii grew by 8.7 percent to nearly 7.1 million in 2010 and spending rose 16.2 percent to $11.4 billion.
Arrivals in December grew for the fourteenth straight month and overall spending rose by double-digit increases for the eighth straight month, according to data released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Total arrivals rose 9.6 percent to 633,730 visitors in December and total spending by these visitors increased 17.9 percent to $1.1 billion. Arrivals in all major markets posted December gains. Visitors from the U.S. West rose by 8.4 percent, visitors from the U.S. East grew by 10.1 percent, visitors from Canada grew by 16.6 percent, visitors from Japan increased by 8.6 percent and cruise ship traffic was up 11.5 percent.
While the results are solid indicators that Hawaii tourism is continuing to gain momentum, the state still has a way to go to achieve full recovery, said Mike McCartney, HTA’s president and chief executive officer.
By Allison Schaefers
Article from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Jan 26, 2011
Visitor arrivals to Hawaii grew by 8.7 percent to nearly 7.1 million in 2010 and spending rose 16.2 percent to $11.4 billion.
Arrivals in December grew for the fourteenth straight month and overall spending rose by double-digit increases for the eighth straight month, according to data released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Total arrivals rose 9.6 percent to 633,730 visitors in December and total spending by these visitors increased 17.9 percent to $1.1 billion. Arrivals in all major markets posted December gains. Visitors from the U.S. West rose by 8.4 percent, visitors from the U.S. East grew by 10.1 percent, visitors from Canada grew by 16.6 percent, visitors from Japan increased by 8.6 percent and cruise ship traffic was up 11.5 percent.
While the results are solid indicators that Hawaii tourism is continuing to gain momentum, the state still has a way to go to achieve full recovery, said Mike McCartney, HTA’s president and chief executive officer.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Missing Something? How To Find Out If You Have Unclaimed Property
State acquires almost $18M in forgotten funds
Unclaimed property went up in the last fiscal year, compared with the previous year
By Kristen Consillio
Article from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser
The state collected $17.7 million in unclaimed property, including bank accounts, uncashed checks and stocks, last fiscal year — the highest accumulated in a decade.
The state’s Unclaimed Property Program acquired nearly $1.2 million more in the fiscal year ended June 30 compared with the previous year, while paying out $5.7 million to 7,452 claimants, up from nearly $5.5 million paid to 7,681 people the year before.
The average claim since 2006, when the state launched an outreach program to encourage more people to retrieve forgotten funds, was $672.
The lowest claim, which was mailed to the office, was for 19 cents, while the highest in recent years was about $112,000, according to Scott Kami, administrator of the Financial Administration Division at the state Department of Budget and Finance.
“Some people want to make sure the government isn’t holding any of their money,” Kami said.
The reason for the increase in collections is due in part to outreach efforts both to companies that report the overlooked funds as well as prospective claimants, he said.
Unclaimed funds typically consist of bank accounts, stocks, uncashed business checks, safety deposit boxes and various types of insurance proceeds.
COME AND GET IT
Types of unclaimed property:
» Safety deposit boxes
» Deposits held by utility companies
» Dormant savings and checking accounts
» Insurance and medical refunds
» Shares of stock
» Uncashed traveler’s checks, money orders, dividend checks, payroll checks
Source: State Department of Budget and Finance Unclaimed Property Program
MISSING SOMETHING?
How to find out whether you have unclaimed property:
In Hawaii
» Search for your name at www.ehawaii.gov/lilo/app.
» E-mail unclaimedproperty@hawaii.gov.
» Call the state unclaimed property office at 586-1589
Outside Hawaii
» Visit www.unclaimed.org or http://www.missingmoney.com/.
“Where we see a lot of unclaimed property in part because of your tourism (industry) is going to be with the transient work force,” said Valerie Jundt, president of Boston-based nonprofit Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization, which has more than 300 members that include banks, insurance companies, oil and gas firms, and retailers.
Unclaimed property scenarios include people who have multiple jobs and do not notify employers when they move; shareholders of a company that merge with another firm; or part-time residents using Hawaii as a second home who forget about bank accounts here, she said.
The company also sees high unclaimed property rates in college towns as students forget to collect deposits for utilities or cable, she added.
“Especially with all the identity theft that’s been going on in recent years with technology, people don’t necessarily share as openly with their personal lives, and they aren’t going to be as open where they have certain accounts or have transactions that occur,” Jundt said.
Makiki resident Celia Suzuki, 54, retrieved about $200 last year for herself, her parents and two siblings. While her portion was only $9.50 for uncollected dividends, Suzuki said, “every penny counts.”
She even checked the state website for friends who might have forgotten funds.
“One classmate and his wife on Maui had $1,000 in savings they totally had forgotten about,” Suzuki said.
If the property is not claimed, it goes to the state budget. The program pays all proven claims each year. If there is more than $1.3 million left after paying the claims, the excess goes to the general fund, a statutory requirement.
Approximately $12 million in unclaimed property was transferred to the general fund last fiscal year, up from about $10 million in fiscal 2009.
“It’s one of the ways that states are supplementing their revenue,” said Kim Sawyer, president and general counsel for Locator Services Group Ltd., a Boston-based firm that helps corporate clients recover unclaimed funds.
“The perspective states take is it shouldn’t be a windfall to private companies that are holding onto dormant assets. Rather, citizens of states should benefit by state governments having the ability to utilize these funds until the rightful owners come forward.”
Hawaii has no statute of limitations for unclaimed property and does not charge a fee to claimants, who must fill out a form with personal information, including Social Security number and explanation of ownership.
The state faces challenges at times, especially when people have common names, but said most claims are returned.
“We do get a lot of claims for John Smith,” Kami said. “You could have one John Smith file a claim for all John Smiths. We need to make sure we are getting it to the right people.”
Nationally, at least $32.9 billion is collectively being held by states and other agencies for 117 million accounts, according to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators.
The state program, which has nine workers, is currently focusing efforts on catching up on claims processing. It can go back 20 years to try and verify ownership through a people finder subscription website.
Unclaimed property went up in the last fiscal year, compared with the previous year
By Kristen Consillio
Article from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser
The state collected $17.7 million in unclaimed property, including bank accounts, uncashed checks and stocks, last fiscal year — the highest accumulated in a decade.
The state’s Unclaimed Property Program acquired nearly $1.2 million more in the fiscal year ended June 30 compared with the previous year, while paying out $5.7 million to 7,452 claimants, up from nearly $5.5 million paid to 7,681 people the year before.
The average claim since 2006, when the state launched an outreach program to encourage more people to retrieve forgotten funds, was $672.
The lowest claim, which was mailed to the office, was for 19 cents, while the highest in recent years was about $112,000, according to Scott Kami, administrator of the Financial Administration Division at the state Department of Budget and Finance.
“Some people want to make sure the government isn’t holding any of their money,” Kami said.
The reason for the increase in collections is due in part to outreach efforts both to companies that report the overlooked funds as well as prospective claimants, he said.
Unclaimed funds typically consist of bank accounts, stocks, uncashed business checks, safety deposit boxes and various types of insurance proceeds.
COME AND GET IT
Types of unclaimed property:
» Safety deposit boxes
» Deposits held by utility companies
» Dormant savings and checking accounts
» Insurance and medical refunds
» Shares of stock
» Uncashed traveler’s checks, money orders, dividend checks, payroll checks
Source: State Department of Budget and Finance Unclaimed Property Program
MISSING SOMETHING?
How to find out whether you have unclaimed property:
In Hawaii
» Search for your name at www.ehawaii.gov/lilo/app.
» E-mail unclaimedproperty@hawaii.gov.
» Call the state unclaimed property office at 586-1589
Outside Hawaii
» Visit www.unclaimed.org or http://www.missingmoney.com/.
“Where we see a lot of unclaimed property in part because of your tourism (industry) is going to be with the transient work force,” said Valerie Jundt, president of Boston-based nonprofit Unclaimed Property Professionals Organization, which has more than 300 members that include banks, insurance companies, oil and gas firms, and retailers.
Unclaimed property scenarios include people who have multiple jobs and do not notify employers when they move; shareholders of a company that merge with another firm; or part-time residents using Hawaii as a second home who forget about bank accounts here, she said.
The company also sees high unclaimed property rates in college towns as students forget to collect deposits for utilities or cable, she added.
“Especially with all the identity theft that’s been going on in recent years with technology, people don’t necessarily share as openly with their personal lives, and they aren’t going to be as open where they have certain accounts or have transactions that occur,” Jundt said.
Makiki resident Celia Suzuki, 54, retrieved about $200 last year for herself, her parents and two siblings. While her portion was only $9.50 for uncollected dividends, Suzuki said, “every penny counts.”
She even checked the state website for friends who might have forgotten funds.
“One classmate and his wife on Maui had $1,000 in savings they totally had forgotten about,” Suzuki said.
If the property is not claimed, it goes to the state budget. The program pays all proven claims each year. If there is more than $1.3 million left after paying the claims, the excess goes to the general fund, a statutory requirement.
Approximately $12 million in unclaimed property was transferred to the general fund last fiscal year, up from about $10 million in fiscal 2009.
“It’s one of the ways that states are supplementing their revenue,” said Kim Sawyer, president and general counsel for Locator Services Group Ltd., a Boston-based firm that helps corporate clients recover unclaimed funds.
“The perspective states take is it shouldn’t be a windfall to private companies that are holding onto dormant assets. Rather, citizens of states should benefit by state governments having the ability to utilize these funds until the rightful owners come forward.”
Hawaii has no statute of limitations for unclaimed property and does not charge a fee to claimants, who must fill out a form with personal information, including Social Security number and explanation of ownership.
The state faces challenges at times, especially when people have common names, but said most claims are returned.
“We do get a lot of claims for John Smith,” Kami said. “You could have one John Smith file a claim for all John Smiths. We need to make sure we are getting it to the right people.”
Nationally, at least $32.9 billion is collectively being held by states and other agencies for 117 million accounts, according to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators.
The state program, which has nine workers, is currently focusing efforts on catching up on claims processing. It can go back 20 years to try and verify ownership through a people finder subscription website.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Maui Memorial Medical Center Adds Two New Interventional Cardiologists To Staff
MMMC poised to be among state’s largest heart programs
Improving viability
By CLAUDINE SAN NICOLAS, Staff Writer
Article from: The Maui News
WAILUKU – With two new interventional cardiologists on staff, Maui Memorial Medical Center recorded its first angioplasty just three days into the new year.
Two more procedures – used to open blocked or narrowed coronary arteries – were successfully done at the end of last week, with the number of angioplasties projecting to run as high as 200 on Maui by the close of 2011.
“This is huge,” said Maui Memorial Chief Executive Officer Wesley Lo. “It’s something we’ve been working to do for a long time.”
Last November, Drs. Colin Lee and Joseph Chambers – colleagues who attended the same medical school – joined the cardiology and cardiovascular team of physicians at Maui’s only acute-care hospital.
“The center is poised to become one of the largest and most comprehensive heart programs in the state,” read an announcement of the latest development at Maui Memorial’s Heart Brain and Vascular Center.
Lee and Chambers spent their first eight weeks at work meeting with staff and orienting medical personnel to the angioplasty procedure and what it can do for patients.
Angioplasty is a common medical procedure, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, that may be used to:
* Improve symptoms of chest pain or discomfort.
* Reduce damage to the heart muscle caused by a heart attack.
* Reduce the risk of death in some patients.
Lee and Chambers each have more than 20 years of experience in angioplasty, treating thousands of patients on the Mainland. More than a million people annually in the United States undergo angioplasty, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
Under Lo’s leadership, the hospital received final approval for a state certificate of need in July 2007 to offer cardiac procedures including angioplasty and open heart surgery.
Maui Memorial estimates that as many as 400 cardiovascular cases have been transferred off-island annually in the last two or three years because of the hospital’s inability to provide acute interventional care such as angioplasty. The medivac expense alone costs approximately $18,000 per patient, Lo said.
With angioplasty now offered at Maui Memorial, Lo said residents can be treated near their homes and be spared the transportation costs of being flown elsewhere. Angioplasties are covered by most medical insurance plans, and Lo’s office has already contacted the state’s major health insurers to inform them of Maui Memorial’s newest cardiac services.
In developing its cardiac unit, Lo brought on board cardiac surgeon Dr. Pat Cochran to lead the heart center and a team of cardiovascular doctors. Cochran served as the standby surgeon while the first angioplasty was performed at Maui Memorial.
Since Cochran’s hiring, two other noninvasive cardiologists have been added to the hospital’s staff – Drs. Jonathan Allen and Leslie Oberst. Dr. Koonlawee Nademanee, a renowned physician in cardiac electrophysiology, also is listed as part of the cardiac team and sees patients at Maui Memorial several times a year.
The first angioplasty procedure at Maui Memorial was completed Jan. 3 on 72-year-old Ruth Shorting, a visitor from Canada who experienced chest pains during a trip to Maui.
Shorting was admitted through the emergency room after reporting worsening chest pains. After a consultation with Oberst, Shorting was referred for a diagnostic angiogram with doctors determining that she needed an angioplasty.
Together, Lee and Chambers performed the procedure to treat what appeared to be a critical coronary blockage in Shorting.
The patient’s chest pain was resolved with no heart damage, and she was discharged after two days of observation.
Contacted in Canada, Shorting was grateful for her treatment.
“I could not have asked for a better hospital, and my daughter works in a hospital, so I know,” she said. “From the doctor’s office to the ER and procedure, everything just went so smoothly. It was just an amazing experience.”
Lee and Chambers described Maui Memorial’s cardiac center and its equipment as “state of the art.” They acknowledged that they had established medical practices and careers on the Mainland – Lee in Idaho, and Chambers in Oregon, but they wanted to come to Maui so they could focus on medicine.
“This is a rare opportunity because the services are needed. I figure why not do it where it’s important,” Chambers said.
For Lee, a 1974 Punahou School graduate, coming to Maui allowed him to fulfill a dream he had as a youngster to work and then retire on the Valley Isle.
“I’m really thrilled about the opportunity to contribute to the community,” he said.
Lo said the cardiac center and angioplasty procedures themselves could generate thousands of dollars for Maui Memorial, a state community hospital, and help reduce its annual budget deficits.
“This should have a major impact on us over time,” Lo said. “Certainly, it’s a start in the right direction toward improving our viability. Whether we’ll be entirely out of a deficit, I don’t know,” he said.
Lee and Chambers said angioplasties will require a referral from a patient’s primary physician. “We say to people this is not an easy fix,” Lee said.
About one in 500 angioplasties result in serious complications; and about one in 1,000 result in death, Lee said. The procedure takes about 90 minutes to complete. A patient would need to stay in the hospital for one to three days after the procedure.
Improving viability
By CLAUDINE SAN NICOLAS, Staff Writer
Article from: The Maui News
WAILUKU – With two new interventional cardiologists on staff, Maui Memorial Medical Center recorded its first angioplasty just three days into the new year.
Two more procedures – used to open blocked or narrowed coronary arteries – were successfully done at the end of last week, with the number of angioplasties projecting to run as high as 200 on Maui by the close of 2011.
“This is huge,” said Maui Memorial Chief Executive Officer Wesley Lo. “It’s something we’ve been working to do for a long time.”
Last November, Drs. Colin Lee and Joseph Chambers – colleagues who attended the same medical school – joined the cardiology and cardiovascular team of physicians at Maui’s only acute-care hospital.
“The center is poised to become one of the largest and most comprehensive heart programs in the state,” read an announcement of the latest development at Maui Memorial’s Heart Brain and Vascular Center.
Lee and Chambers spent their first eight weeks at work meeting with staff and orienting medical personnel to the angioplasty procedure and what it can do for patients.
Angioplasty is a common medical procedure, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, that may be used to:
* Improve symptoms of chest pain or discomfort.
* Reduce damage to the heart muscle caused by a heart attack.
* Reduce the risk of death in some patients.
Lee and Chambers each have more than 20 years of experience in angioplasty, treating thousands of patients on the Mainland. More than a million people annually in the United States undergo angioplasty, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.
Under Lo’s leadership, the hospital received final approval for a state certificate of need in July 2007 to offer cardiac procedures including angioplasty and open heart surgery.
Maui Memorial estimates that as many as 400 cardiovascular cases have been transferred off-island annually in the last two or three years because of the hospital’s inability to provide acute interventional care such as angioplasty. The medivac expense alone costs approximately $18,000 per patient, Lo said.
With angioplasty now offered at Maui Memorial, Lo said residents can be treated near their homes and be spared the transportation costs of being flown elsewhere. Angioplasties are covered by most medical insurance plans, and Lo’s office has already contacted the state’s major health insurers to inform them of Maui Memorial’s newest cardiac services.
In developing its cardiac unit, Lo brought on board cardiac surgeon Dr. Pat Cochran to lead the heart center and a team of cardiovascular doctors. Cochran served as the standby surgeon while the first angioplasty was performed at Maui Memorial.
Since Cochran’s hiring, two other noninvasive cardiologists have been added to the hospital’s staff – Drs. Jonathan Allen and Leslie Oberst. Dr. Koonlawee Nademanee, a renowned physician in cardiac electrophysiology, also is listed as part of the cardiac team and sees patients at Maui Memorial several times a year.
The first angioplasty procedure at Maui Memorial was completed Jan. 3 on 72-year-old Ruth Shorting, a visitor from Canada who experienced chest pains during a trip to Maui.
Shorting was admitted through the emergency room after reporting worsening chest pains. After a consultation with Oberst, Shorting was referred for a diagnostic angiogram with doctors determining that she needed an angioplasty.
Together, Lee and Chambers performed the procedure to treat what appeared to be a critical coronary blockage in Shorting.
The patient’s chest pain was resolved with no heart damage, and she was discharged after two days of observation.
Contacted in Canada, Shorting was grateful for her treatment.
“I could not have asked for a better hospital, and my daughter works in a hospital, so I know,” she said. “From the doctor’s office to the ER and procedure, everything just went so smoothly. It was just an amazing experience.”
Lee and Chambers described Maui Memorial’s cardiac center and its equipment as “state of the art.” They acknowledged that they had established medical practices and careers on the Mainland – Lee in Idaho, and Chambers in Oregon, but they wanted to come to Maui so they could focus on medicine.
“This is a rare opportunity because the services are needed. I figure why not do it where it’s important,” Chambers said.
For Lee, a 1974 Punahou School graduate, coming to Maui allowed him to fulfill a dream he had as a youngster to work and then retire on the Valley Isle.
“I’m really thrilled about the opportunity to contribute to the community,” he said.
Lo said the cardiac center and angioplasty procedures themselves could generate thousands of dollars for Maui Memorial, a state community hospital, and help reduce its annual budget deficits.
“This should have a major impact on us over time,” Lo said. “Certainly, it’s a start in the right direction toward improving our viability. Whether we’ll be entirely out of a deficit, I don’t know,” he said.
Lee and Chambers said angioplasties will require a referral from a patient’s primary physician. “We say to people this is not an easy fix,” Lee said.
About one in 500 angioplasties result in serious complications; and about one in 1,000 result in death, Lee said. The procedure takes about 90 minutes to complete. A patient would need to stay in the hospital for one to three days after the procedure.
Friday, January 21, 2011
First Hawaiian Bank’s Profits Rose 4% in the Fourth Quarter
The state’s largest bank grew its assets to a record $15.2B in 2010 despite the economy
By Dave Segal
Article from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser
First Hawaiian Bank’s earnings rose 4 percent in the fourth quarter to $50.2 million and its assets reached a record $15.2 billion despite an economy that Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Don Horner expects to remain sluggish through 2011.
The state’s largest bank in terms of assets said yesterday it ended the year with $212.6 million in net income, down 7.8 percent over a $230.5 million profit in 2009 that included a one-time leverage lease tax gain of $29.4 million for the sale of leased equipment.
Excluding the tax gain, First Hawaiian’s core earnings for 2010 were up 5.8 percent from $201 million in 2009. In the fourth quarter of 2009, First Hawaiian earned $48.3 million.
Horner said he expects the state economy to remain sluggish this year because businesses remain in a wait-and-see mode despite signs of recovery.
“They have not begun to reinvest in their businesses because they’re remaining cautious,” Horner said. “Therefore, they are not adding to inventory or hiring or beginning construction projects because they’re still not confident in the future. There’s more cautious optimism in 2011 than there was in 2010, but that optimism is, at best, guarded because they still have this attitude of wait and see.”
Still, First Hawaiian was able to increase its portfolio of total loans and leases 3.3 percent to $8.3 billion from 2009 when it reached $8 billion for the first time. During 2010, the bank made in excess of $2.5 billion in new loans compared with more than $2 billion in 2009.
“Even though the bank had an uptick in loan demand and was one of the few banks in the state that grew its portfolio, the increase was fairly modest,” Horner said. “When we see loan growth in the 5 percent growth area, I will be more optimistic that the business investment community has gotten off the bench and gotten back into the game. Most businesses in the state continue to be very conservative and cautious and actually continue to pare down their expenses on the balance sheet as opposed to making investments.”
First Hawaiian’s assets were up 10.9 percent at year-end from $13.7 billion a year earlier while total deposits rose 2.7 percent to $10.5 billion from $10.2 billion. During the quarter, the bank set aside $12.9 million to cover potential loan losses compared with $11.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Nonperforming assets to total assets remained low at 0.25 percent compared with 0.27 percent a year earlier.
First Hawaiian, a wholly owned subsidiary of French banking giant BNP Paribas, is not required to separately report its earnings but does so voluntarily each quarter.
The Honolulu-based bank, founded in 1858, has 58 branches in Hawaii, three on Guam and two on Saipan.
By Dave Segal
Article from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser
First Hawaiian Bank’s earnings rose 4 percent in the fourth quarter to $50.2 million and its assets reached a record $15.2 billion despite an economy that Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Don Horner expects to remain sluggish through 2011.
The state’s largest bank in terms of assets said yesterday it ended the year with $212.6 million in net income, down 7.8 percent over a $230.5 million profit in 2009 that included a one-time leverage lease tax gain of $29.4 million for the sale of leased equipment.
Excluding the tax gain, First Hawaiian’s core earnings for 2010 were up 5.8 percent from $201 million in 2009. In the fourth quarter of 2009, First Hawaiian earned $48.3 million.
Horner said he expects the state economy to remain sluggish this year because businesses remain in a wait-and-see mode despite signs of recovery.
“They have not begun to reinvest in their businesses because they’re remaining cautious,” Horner said. “Therefore, they are not adding to inventory or hiring or beginning construction projects because they’re still not confident in the future. There’s more cautious optimism in 2011 than there was in 2010, but that optimism is, at best, guarded because they still have this attitude of wait and see.”
Still, First Hawaiian was able to increase its portfolio of total loans and leases 3.3 percent to $8.3 billion from 2009 when it reached $8 billion for the first time. During 2010, the bank made in excess of $2.5 billion in new loans compared with more than $2 billion in 2009.
“Even though the bank had an uptick in loan demand and was one of the few banks in the state that grew its portfolio, the increase was fairly modest,” Horner said. “When we see loan growth in the 5 percent growth area, I will be more optimistic that the business investment community has gotten off the bench and gotten back into the game. Most businesses in the state continue to be very conservative and cautious and actually continue to pare down their expenses on the balance sheet as opposed to making investments.”
First Hawaiian’s assets were up 10.9 percent at year-end from $13.7 billion a year earlier while total deposits rose 2.7 percent to $10.5 billion from $10.2 billion. During the quarter, the bank set aside $12.9 million to cover potential loan losses compared with $11.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2009.
Nonperforming assets to total assets remained low at 0.25 percent compared with 0.27 percent a year earlier.
First Hawaiian, a wholly owned subsidiary of French banking giant BNP Paribas, is not required to separately report its earnings but does so voluntarily each quarter.
The Honolulu-based bank, founded in 1858, has 58 branches in Hawaii, three on Guam and two on Saipan.
Local Developer Plans Sale Of More Than 700 Acres on Maui and The Big Island
Betsill plans ‘aggressive’ sale
90% of properties are on the market
January 21, 2011 – By MELISSA TANJI, Staff Writer
Article from: The Maui News
Betsill Brothers Construction Co. has put up 90 percent of its property holdings for sale – from undeveloped oceanfront lots to possible commercial developments on Maui and the Big Island – to “reduce the debt and overhead” of the company, the Realtor for the Maui-based company said Thursday afternoon.
“This is just a prudent act by the Betsills to strengthen their financial position,” said Allen Yap, senior vice president and principal broker with Clearly Maui, an entity of Betsill holdings.
Yap said other developers in Hawaii have done the same.
“We just waited a little too long. We should have done this a while ago,” he added.
Attempts to reach Betsill officials were unsuccessful Thursday afternoon.
Because of the soft economy, companies like Betsill are stuck paying mortgages and taxes for properties that are just sitting, said Yap.
He said the appraised value of the more than 700 acres for sale on Maui and the Big Island is about $47 million, but the properties are being listed at reduced prices.
For example, a 2.4-acre vacant lot on Heona Place in Kihei, appraised at $970,000, is being listed for $500,000, according to data from Clearly Maui. A 6.6-acre property in Kona, which includes entitlements for a 149-unit multifamily project, is valued at $6.4 million but is on the market for $2.9 million.
“Cash and short escrows will produce investment-grade prices,” Yap said.
Still, he stressed that this is not a “distress” or “fire” sale but one that reflects an “aggressive” marketing approach by the Betsills.
“We’ve been quietly marketing for a while,” he said. “Now what we are going to do is become more aggressive.”
He said the properties have been listed with CB Richard Ellis, where Yap will be headed to next month to become a vice president after Clearly Maui is closed.
Yap wrote in an e-mail that Clearly Maui is closing because of “lack of necessity.”
Betsill does not have any projects scheduled for completion for the next year or two, and the primary purpose of Clearly Maui was to assist Betsill with the marketing of the company’s developed projects.
It also provided consulting services to Betsill and its partners regarding projects, Yap wrote.
Ten properties being sold are in Waihee and surrounding areas, five others are in Kihei, one is in Wailuku and four are in Kona, the property listings show.
**For information on the Maui market or for questions on these and other opportunities please email Clint Hansen at ClintHansen33@gmail.com**
90% of properties are on the market
January 21, 2011 – By MELISSA TANJI, Staff Writer
Article from: The Maui News
Betsill Brothers Construction Co. has put up 90 percent of its property holdings for sale – from undeveloped oceanfront lots to possible commercial developments on Maui and the Big Island – to “reduce the debt and overhead” of the company, the Realtor for the Maui-based company said Thursday afternoon.
“This is just a prudent act by the Betsills to strengthen their financial position,” said Allen Yap, senior vice president and principal broker with Clearly Maui, an entity of Betsill holdings.
Yap said other developers in Hawaii have done the same.
“We just waited a little too long. We should have done this a while ago,” he added.
Attempts to reach Betsill officials were unsuccessful Thursday afternoon.
Because of the soft economy, companies like Betsill are stuck paying mortgages and taxes for properties that are just sitting, said Yap.
He said the appraised value of the more than 700 acres for sale on Maui and the Big Island is about $47 million, but the properties are being listed at reduced prices.
For example, a 2.4-acre vacant lot on Heona Place in Kihei, appraised at $970,000, is being listed for $500,000, according to data from Clearly Maui. A 6.6-acre property in Kona, which includes entitlements for a 149-unit multifamily project, is valued at $6.4 million but is on the market for $2.9 million.
“Cash and short escrows will produce investment-grade prices,” Yap said.
Still, he stressed that this is not a “distress” or “fire” sale but one that reflects an “aggressive” marketing approach by the Betsills.
“We’ve been quietly marketing for a while,” he said. “Now what we are going to do is become more aggressive.”
He said the properties have been listed with CB Richard Ellis, where Yap will be headed to next month to become a vice president after Clearly Maui is closed.
Yap wrote in an e-mail that Clearly Maui is closing because of “lack of necessity.”
Betsill does not have any projects scheduled for completion for the next year or two, and the primary purpose of Clearly Maui was to assist Betsill with the marketing of the company’s developed projects.
It also provided consulting services to Betsill and its partners regarding projects, Yap wrote.
Ten properties being sold are in Waihee and surrounding areas, five others are in Kihei, one is in Wailuku and four are in Kona, the property listings show.
**For information on the Maui market or for questions on these and other opportunities please email Clint Hansen at ClintHansen33@gmail.com**
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Are You Looking For A Bank Owned Condo?
The list below contains vaction rentable and non-vacation rentable condominiums. Call Donna D. Hansen, Realtor (S) at 808-280-1650 or Bob Hansen, BROKER at 808-283-9456 for more information.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Interested in Bank Owned Properties??
Please contact Donna D. Hansen, Realtor (S) at 808.280.1650 or Bob Hansen, Broker, at 808. 283.9456 for more information on the Maui residences listed below.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Exquisite Views at Malaihi
COUNTRY LIVING AT ITS BEST!
Incredible estate perched on over 4 acres of level land in a beautiful area of Maui. Magnificent ocean views over pasture lands as well as views of the incredible West Maui Mountains are yours.
This custom home offers you every amenity with top-of-the-line custom materials such as limestone floors, cherry wood cabinets, stairs and handrails.
Enjoy 11 foot ceilings, a master suite with private balcony where morning coffee while viewing ocean waves can be enjoyed. The media room is set for great viewing and the equipment is included with the purchase of this dream home.
The garage if oversized and the 1146 sf barn makes extra storage needs easily met. There is also a dark room, alarm system, sprinkler system. The property is fully fenced with security gate.
For showings call Donna D. Hansen, (S) Realtor @ 808.280.1650 or
Bob Hansen, BROKER @ 808.283.9456.
Breaking A Bag Habit Takes Time ~ Remember To B.Y.O.B.
Breaking a bag habit takes time
Shoppers on Maui and Kauai switch to paper or reusable sacks to carry their purchases
By Rosemarie Bernardo
Associated Press
Article From: Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Some supermarkets in Maui and Kauai counties are hoping more customers will get into the habit of bringing reusable bags, as stores and shoppers experienced the first week of the new ban on plastic shopping bags.
For now, many retailers are absorbing the higher cost of providing paper bags.
“Paper bags are more expensive. It’s three or four times more (than plastic),” said Rod Sueoka, manager of Sueoka Store on Kauai.
Beginning last Tuesday, no business in Maui County, including restaurants, may provide nonbiodegradable bags to customers at checkout. Businesses are required to provide recyclable paper or reusable bags for sale or at no charge.
In Kauai County, all commercial businesses, including restaurants and takeout food businesses, are required to replace plastic with recyclable or biodegradable bags. Businesses that fail to comply with the new law face fines of up to $1,000 a day.
Sueoka’s, a family-run business in Koloa, provides paper bags at no charge for customers who don’t have a reusable bag. So far, a lot of customers have not brought bring their own reusable bags. Sueoka said he hopes they will get into the habit of bringing them to lessen the cost for retailers.
Kilauea Town Market charges its customers 19 cents for each thick, paper bag — a couple cents more than the wholesale cost to the retailer — since the ban took effect. A couple of customers have been bringing in some of their old plastic bags to carry out their groceries, said store manager Rosie Morimoto.
Her advice to customers: “You have old tank tops at home, sew the bottom together,” she said, recommending converting cotton tops to hold items.
Retailers have heard a number of customers say they miss the plastic bags because they would reuse them to line small trash containers in their bathrooms or to pick up after their dogs during walks.
On Maui, shoppers at Ah Fook’s Supermarket, a family-run market at the Kahului Shopping Center, receive a 5-cent credit when they use a reusable bag. Shoppers who do not have a reusable bag are charged a nickel for a paper bag. Though most customers are aware of the ban, they still forget to bring reusable bags, general manager Raymond Hew said.
Like Sueoka, Hew hopes more customers bring reusable bags to lessen the paper bag cost to retailers.
Gary Hanagami, executive director of the Hawaii Food Industry Association, said, “If a consumer is going to need paper, it’s going to cost the retailer more. It will then be passed on to the consumer.”
Incentives like the 5-cent credit at Ah Fook’s and reusable bags sold at discounted prices are being offered by retailers to help change consumer habits.
“Our retailers understand there’s an environmental problem, especially on the neighbor islands because we don’t have HPOWER,” Hanagami said.
At the family-owned Pukalani Superette in Makawao, Maui, 95 percent of the customers are aware of the new law, but a majority “have not got into the habit of bringing (reusable bags),” said store owner Myles Nakashima, anticipating that it will take a few months for customers to adjust to the new law.
For Pukalani customers, shoppers who spend $20 worth of items can buy a reusable bag for 50 cents. If the total is under $20, reusable bags can be purchased for 99 cents, 26 cents more than the wholesale cost to the retailer.
Nakashima suggested customers leave 10 reusable bags in their car, as customers have told him they left their bags at home after putting away groceries. “I got a dozen of them in my car,” he said.
Paper bags are provided at no charge to Pukalani customers who don’t have reusable bags. But the free paper bags will likely be temporary, as the store plans to eventually charge customers because of the higher cost for paper bags. “I don’t think we’ll be able to keep this up,” Nakashima said.
Shoppers on Maui and Kauai switch to paper or reusable sacks to carry their purchases
By Rosemarie Bernardo
Associated Press
Article From: Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Some supermarkets in Maui and Kauai counties are hoping more customers will get into the habit of bringing reusable bags, as stores and shoppers experienced the first week of the new ban on plastic shopping bags.
For now, many retailers are absorbing the higher cost of providing paper bags.
“Paper bags are more expensive. It’s three or four times more (than plastic),” said Rod Sueoka, manager of Sueoka Store on Kauai.
Beginning last Tuesday, no business in Maui County, including restaurants, may provide nonbiodegradable bags to customers at checkout. Businesses are required to provide recyclable paper or reusable bags for sale or at no charge.
In Kauai County, all commercial businesses, including restaurants and takeout food businesses, are required to replace plastic with recyclable or biodegradable bags. Businesses that fail to comply with the new law face fines of up to $1,000 a day.
Sueoka’s, a family-run business in Koloa, provides paper bags at no charge for customers who don’t have a reusable bag. So far, a lot of customers have not brought bring their own reusable bags. Sueoka said he hopes they will get into the habit of bringing them to lessen the cost for retailers.
Kilauea Town Market charges its customers 19 cents for each thick, paper bag — a couple cents more than the wholesale cost to the retailer — since the ban took effect. A couple of customers have been bringing in some of their old plastic bags to carry out their groceries, said store manager Rosie Morimoto.
Her advice to customers: “You have old tank tops at home, sew the bottom together,” she said, recommending converting cotton tops to hold items.
Retailers have heard a number of customers say they miss the plastic bags because they would reuse them to line small trash containers in their bathrooms or to pick up after their dogs during walks.
On Maui, shoppers at Ah Fook’s Supermarket, a family-run market at the Kahului Shopping Center, receive a 5-cent credit when they use a reusable bag. Shoppers who do not have a reusable bag are charged a nickel for a paper bag. Though most customers are aware of the ban, they still forget to bring reusable bags, general manager Raymond Hew said.
Like Sueoka, Hew hopes more customers bring reusable bags to lessen the paper bag cost to retailers.
Gary Hanagami, executive director of the Hawaii Food Industry Association, said, “If a consumer is going to need paper, it’s going to cost the retailer more. It will then be passed on to the consumer.”
Incentives like the 5-cent credit at Ah Fook’s and reusable bags sold at discounted prices are being offered by retailers to help change consumer habits.
“Our retailers understand there’s an environmental problem, especially on the neighbor islands because we don’t have HPOWER,” Hanagami said.
At the family-owned Pukalani Superette in Makawao, Maui, 95 percent of the customers are aware of the new law, but a majority “have not got into the habit of bringing (reusable bags),” said store owner Myles Nakashima, anticipating that it will take a few months for customers to adjust to the new law.
For Pukalani customers, shoppers who spend $20 worth of items can buy a reusable bag for 50 cents. If the total is under $20, reusable bags can be purchased for 99 cents, 26 cents more than the wholesale cost to the retailer.
Nakashima suggested customers leave 10 reusable bags in their car, as customers have told him they left their bags at home after putting away groceries. “I got a dozen of them in my car,” he said.
Paper bags are provided at no charge to Pukalani customers who don’t have reusable bags. But the free paper bags will likely be temporary, as the store plans to eventually charge customers because of the higher cost for paper bags. “I don’t think we’ll be able to keep this up,” Nakashima said.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
New Hawaiian Air Flights to Korea Expected to Generate $86.4 Million in Annual Visitor Spending
Hawaiian starts flights to S. Korea
The nonstop service is expected to generate $86.4 million in annual visitor spending here
By Dave Segal
Article from: The Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Hawaiian Airlines, expanding its reach into Asia for the second time in less than two months, launched its inaugural flight to South Korea yesterday as the fast-growing carrier marked another milestone in its 81-year history.
The new nonstop, four-times-a-week service will bring 54,000 seats a year into the Hawaii market and is expected to generate about $86.4 million in annual visitor spending, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority. South Korea’s inclusion in November 2008 in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which allows Koreans to travel to the U.S. without a visa, opened the door for Hawaiian to expand in Asia beyond Manila (April 2008) and Tokyo (November).
“As we think about where the growth opportunities are for us in the coming years, we’re already the undisputed leader in interisland travel, we’re the leader in travel between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland, and the natural spot for us, where we see a lot of growth in tourism coming to Hawaii, is from Asia,” Hawaiian Chief Financial Officer Peter Ingram said. “Today is a big step in terms of us becoming a leader in air travel between Hawaii and Asia.”
With Hawaiian music, hula, a blessing and a Korean cultural dance commemorating the occasion, just under 100 passengers comprising mostly business leaders and professionals boarded the afternoon flight for the 11-hour, 39-minute trip to Incheon International Airport, just outside Seoul. When they left Honolulu, the temperature was about 79 degrees under rainy conditions. The expected high today when they arrived in Seoul, which is 19 hours ahead of Hawaii, was 32 degrees with the temperature dropping to a low of 8 degrees.
About 240 passengers are expected on the seven-hour, 45-minute return leg on the 264-seat Boeing 767-300ER flight that is due to arrive in Honolulu at 11 a.m. tomorrow.
“Today’s launch of direct service to Incheon International Airport in Seoul is positive news for Hawaii’s visitor industry and another sign that our tourism economy is continuing to recover,” HTA President and Chief Executive Officer Mike McCartney said.
With Korean Air scheduled to increase its weekly flights between Seoul and Honolulu to 14 from 10 in February, that means the state will be on the receiving end of 18 flights a week from South Korea.
“This is another history-making day for Hawaiian as we expand even farther into Asia with our new flights to Seoul and introduce our unique brand of in-flight service that promotes the Hawaii and travel experience,” said Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian president and CEO, in a statement. Dunkerley flew to Seoul ahead of Hawaiian’s inaugural flight for meetings and to greet the flight upon its arrival.
Through the first 11 months of 2010, 79,131 Koreans visited Hawaii, up 75.3 percent from 45,148 during the same period a year earlier, according to the HTA. For all of 2010, the HTA is projecting 92,180 visitors, a 79.5 percent increase over 51,353 in 2009.
The HTA is projecting 115,225 Koreans will visit Hawaii this year, up 25 percent from its 2010 projection, and forecasts visitor spending from Korea to increase 38.2 percent this year to $230.2 million from a projected $166.6 million in 2010.
Dennis Teranishi, CEO of Hawaiian Host Inc., said his company’s business will get a boost from the Hawaii-Seoul flight because Hawaiian will be serving Hawaiian Host chocolates with meals in both economy and first class. Hawaiian also serves Hawaiian Host chocolates on its flights to Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport.
“We’re also on Korean Airlines, but those are in-flight sales where they’re selling our chocolates on the airplane as gifts,” he said.
Austin Kang, president of Coral Creek Golf Course in Ewa Beach, said he’s ready for an influx of Korean visitors and has a Korean brochure and website ready as well as Korean staff that can take phone calls.
“The numbers show how many people are coming from Korea, and they’re spending,” Kang said. “The only market booming right now is the Korean market and it’s increasing more than 50 percent a year. So we’re expecting many people to come to Hawaii and help our state.”
Ingram, the CFO, said Hawaiian likely will announce another flight to Asia, most likely to Japan, later this year. Hawaiian began flying to Haneda in November after winning one of four slots that were awarded to U.S. carriers.
“We do see some other options and some alternatives for growth in Japan,” he said. “We think there are some very viable alternatives and we would like to be announcing something in the next several months and hopefully be flying that route before the end of 2011. Obviously, flying to Tokyo is one alternative, but there are other places in Japan that would like our service.”
The nonstop service is expected to generate $86.4 million in annual visitor spending here
By Dave Segal
Article from: The Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Hawaiian Airlines, expanding its reach into Asia for the second time in less than two months, launched its inaugural flight to South Korea yesterday as the fast-growing carrier marked another milestone in its 81-year history.
The new nonstop, four-times-a-week service will bring 54,000 seats a year into the Hawaii market and is expected to generate about $86.4 million in annual visitor spending, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority. South Korea’s inclusion in November 2008 in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which allows Koreans to travel to the U.S. without a visa, opened the door for Hawaiian to expand in Asia beyond Manila (April 2008) and Tokyo (November).
“As we think about where the growth opportunities are for us in the coming years, we’re already the undisputed leader in interisland travel, we’re the leader in travel between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland, and the natural spot for us, where we see a lot of growth in tourism coming to Hawaii, is from Asia,” Hawaiian Chief Financial Officer Peter Ingram said. “Today is a big step in terms of us becoming a leader in air travel between Hawaii and Asia.”
With Hawaiian music, hula, a blessing and a Korean cultural dance commemorating the occasion, just under 100 passengers comprising mostly business leaders and professionals boarded the afternoon flight for the 11-hour, 39-minute trip to Incheon International Airport, just outside Seoul. When they left Honolulu, the temperature was about 79 degrees under rainy conditions. The expected high today when they arrived in Seoul, which is 19 hours ahead of Hawaii, was 32 degrees with the temperature dropping to a low of 8 degrees.
About 240 passengers are expected on the seven-hour, 45-minute return leg on the 264-seat Boeing 767-300ER flight that is due to arrive in Honolulu at 11 a.m. tomorrow.
“Today’s launch of direct service to Incheon International Airport in Seoul is positive news for Hawaii’s visitor industry and another sign that our tourism economy is continuing to recover,” HTA President and Chief Executive Officer Mike McCartney said.
With Korean Air scheduled to increase its weekly flights between Seoul and Honolulu to 14 from 10 in February, that means the state will be on the receiving end of 18 flights a week from South Korea.
“This is another history-making day for Hawaiian as we expand even farther into Asia with our new flights to Seoul and introduce our unique brand of in-flight service that promotes the Hawaii and travel experience,” said Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian president and CEO, in a statement. Dunkerley flew to Seoul ahead of Hawaiian’s inaugural flight for meetings and to greet the flight upon its arrival.
Through the first 11 months of 2010, 79,131 Koreans visited Hawaii, up 75.3 percent from 45,148 during the same period a year earlier, according to the HTA. For all of 2010, the HTA is projecting 92,180 visitors, a 79.5 percent increase over 51,353 in 2009.
The HTA is projecting 115,225 Koreans will visit Hawaii this year, up 25 percent from its 2010 projection, and forecasts visitor spending from Korea to increase 38.2 percent this year to $230.2 million from a projected $166.6 million in 2010.
Dennis Teranishi, CEO of Hawaiian Host Inc., said his company’s business will get a boost from the Hawaii-Seoul flight because Hawaiian will be serving Hawaiian Host chocolates with meals in both economy and first class. Hawaiian also serves Hawaiian Host chocolates on its flights to Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport.
“We’re also on Korean Airlines, but those are in-flight sales where they’re selling our chocolates on the airplane as gifts,” he said.
Austin Kang, president of Coral Creek Golf Course in Ewa Beach, said he’s ready for an influx of Korean visitors and has a Korean brochure and website ready as well as Korean staff that can take phone calls.
“The numbers show how many people are coming from Korea, and they’re spending,” Kang said. “The only market booming right now is the Korean market and it’s increasing more than 50 percent a year. So we’re expecting many people to come to Hawaii and help our state.”
Ingram, the CFO, said Hawaiian likely will announce another flight to Asia, most likely to Japan, later this year. Hawaiian began flying to Haneda in November after winning one of four slots that were awarded to U.S. carriers.
“We do see some other options and some alternatives for growth in Japan,” he said. “We think there are some very viable alternatives and we would like to be announcing something in the next several months and hopefully be flying that route before the end of 2011. Obviously, flying to Tokyo is one alternative, but there are other places in Japan that would like our service.”
Don't Miss Out. Call the Hansen Ohana for more information!
Click on the link below for a list of Bank Owned Homes on Maui or call 808-879-3667.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
There are many ‘good’ reasons to make Maui home
By TRICIA MORRIS
President Premiere Mortgage
Entering the New Year in the midst of the Hawaiian season of Makahiki, a time of peace, spirituality, games and celebration, I watched the news as our friends in New York City tried to dig out of a massive Northeast snowstorm and I once again realized why we live on Maui.
Although today the temperature is 81 degrees with light trade winds cooling the heat of the day while naturally freshening the air, it wasn’t that we were warm and the city was cold. The lovely days and nights on Maui are a blessing and not a prize to be kept from the enjoyment of others.
As the real estate market moderates, prices are increasingly bringing smart buyers into the market. Realtors tell me it is not unusual to receive multiple offers on their best properties, as the realization grows that a good deal won’t last long.
Value and investment opportunities are good reasons to be in the real estate market as our recovery slowly continues to build strength. They are also excellent reasons to buy on Maui. But, there is more to the Maui story. Maui is also a location for friends and family to come together and share memories like no other.
Some say, “You do not choose Maui, Maui chooses you.” She chooses you with her diverse, talented and energetic people. Maui is in recovery faster than the rest of the state and has steadily improved relative to the mainland.
Maui chooses when the generosity of the community is shown time and time again as those in need or perhaps facing a life crisis are helped by their neighbors and friends, including the efforts of countless members of the Realtors Association of Maui.
The lingering sunsets choose you. Long walks on the beach, the full moon settling into the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean, the return of playful whales each winter, all are offered to those who live on Maui.
Want to go out to dinner? The variety to choose from is as diverse as the people of Maui themselves. A quick list—not meant to be all-inclusive—might include Japanese, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, French, Filipino, with even more in between. Add to that world-class resorts that include award-winning restaurants and Maui brings a wonderful variety of tastes to the senses.
The Maui lifestyle is a healthy life style. Farmer’s markets have blossomed in recent years until now not a day goes by where there is not a Farmer’s Market open and doing a brisk business somewhere on the island. Hawaii is the leading state in terms of longevity at 81.7 years compared to 78.0 years nationally, according to Kaiser heath state facts.
Maui also supports several successful markets offering organic vegetables, meat, fish, poultry and many other fine products. The market for fresh locally grown produce and locally produced products is expected to continue to grow as the island embraces the idea of sustainability and more reliance on local resources.
An example of this trend is the increasing use of photovoltaic installations on the roofs of building (both commercial and residential) to generate electrical power for their needs. And no, you’re eyes aren’t playing tricks on you; those really are windmills on the mountain with more planned in hidden spots Upcountry. Maui is one of the leaders in Hawaii in the use of wind power as an alternative energy source, saving millions of gallons of oil each year.
Maui offers a number of music, theater, film, dance and cultural options. Festivals fill the months, many with free admission and great local food. Top attractions and performers visit the Maui Arts and Cultural Center on a regular basis. One recent appearance was by the actor Hal Holbrook in his presentation of “Mark Twain Tonight,” complete with his uncanny appearance and the wit of the original Mr. Twain.
Grammy Award winning Hawaiian musicians entertain throughout the island in clubs, restaurants and resorts. The Maui Film Festival each year bring the stars out at night with wonderful films and award presentations. Clint Eastwood is one of the award winners in recent years.
Local theater is alive and well on Maui and we even have our own historic theater for plays, events and movies, in Wailuku on Market Street. The Iao Theater is reported to have been a location for the premiere of theDevil at Four O’Clock starring Spencer Tracy and Frank Sinatra and filmed on Maui in 1961.
Don’t forget the canoe races that captivate the island each spring, summer and fall. The competitions between the various canoe clubs on Maui and between Maui and the other islands is stiff but always done fairly. There is also windsurfing, paddle boarding (Maui is the home to the origin of the sport), kite surfing, snorkeling, diving, fishing, golf and tennis. If you enjoys sports, Maui may choose you if you aren’t careful.
With the New Year come new beginnings. Even in Washington, DC, they may start talking to each other and getting the work done. Maybe not everyone wins all the time, but we can do it together.
It has been a good year and this one will be even better. That’s the Maui message and a good one to choose to share —from our family to yours.
Happy New Year.
Hawaii’s Premiere Mortgage Company, with offices on Maui and Kaua‘i, offers extensive loan options through both broker and banking services. Tricia Morris and her team of professionals may be reached on Maui, in Kihei, at 874-8800, in Wailea, at 891-8900, in West Maui at 665-8800, on Kaua‘i at 808-822-2300, or toll free at (800)813-7711
President Premiere Mortgage
Although today the temperature is 81 degrees with light trade winds cooling the heat of the day while naturally freshening the air, it wasn’t that we were warm and the city was cold. The lovely days and nights on Maui are a blessing and not a prize to be kept from the enjoyment of others.
As the real estate market moderates, prices are increasingly bringing smart buyers into the market. Realtors tell me it is not unusual to receive multiple offers on their best properties, as the realization grows that a good deal won’t last long.
Value and investment opportunities are good reasons to be in the real estate market as our recovery slowly continues to build strength. They are also excellent reasons to buy on Maui. But, there is more to the Maui story. Maui is also a location for friends and family to come together and share memories like no other.
Some say, “You do not choose Maui, Maui chooses you.” She chooses you with her diverse, talented and energetic people. Maui is in recovery faster than the rest of the state and has steadily improved relative to the mainland.
Maui chooses when the generosity of the community is shown time and time again as those in need or perhaps facing a life crisis are helped by their neighbors and friends, including the efforts of countless members of the Realtors Association of Maui.
The lingering sunsets choose you. Long walks on the beach, the full moon settling into the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean, the return of playful whales each winter, all are offered to those who live on Maui.
Want to go out to dinner? The variety to choose from is as diverse as the people of Maui themselves. A quick list—not meant to be all-inclusive—might include Japanese, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Mexican, Thai, Chinese, French, Filipino, with even more in between. Add to that world-class resorts that include award-winning restaurants and Maui brings a wonderful variety of tastes to the senses.
The Maui lifestyle is a healthy life style. Farmer’s markets have blossomed in recent years until now not a day goes by where there is not a Farmer’s Market open and doing a brisk business somewhere on the island. Hawaii is the leading state in terms of longevity at 81.7 years compared to 78.0 years nationally, according to Kaiser heath state facts.
Maui also supports several successful markets offering organic vegetables, meat, fish, poultry and many other fine products. The market for fresh locally grown produce and locally produced products is expected to continue to grow as the island embraces the idea of sustainability and more reliance on local resources.
An example of this trend is the increasing use of photovoltaic installations on the roofs of building (both commercial and residential) to generate electrical power for their needs. And no, you’re eyes aren’t playing tricks on you; those really are windmills on the mountain with more planned in hidden spots Upcountry. Maui is one of the leaders in Hawaii in the use of wind power as an alternative energy source, saving millions of gallons of oil each year.
Maui offers a number of music, theater, film, dance and cultural options. Festivals fill the months, many with free admission and great local food. Top attractions and performers visit the Maui Arts and Cultural Center on a regular basis. One recent appearance was by the actor Hal Holbrook in his presentation of “Mark Twain Tonight,” complete with his uncanny appearance and the wit of the original Mr. Twain.
Grammy Award winning Hawaiian musicians entertain throughout the island in clubs, restaurants and resorts. The Maui Film Festival each year bring the stars out at night with wonderful films and award presentations. Clint Eastwood is one of the award winners in recent years.
Local theater is alive and well on Maui and we even have our own historic theater for plays, events and movies, in Wailuku on Market Street. The Iao Theater is reported to have been a location for the premiere of theDevil at Four O’Clock starring Spencer Tracy and Frank Sinatra and filmed on Maui in 1961.
Don’t forget the canoe races that captivate the island each spring, summer and fall. The competitions between the various canoe clubs on Maui and between Maui and the other islands is stiff but always done fairly. There is also windsurfing, paddle boarding (Maui is the home to the origin of the sport), kite surfing, snorkeling, diving, fishing, golf and tennis. If you enjoys sports, Maui may choose you if you aren’t careful.
With the New Year come new beginnings. Even in Washington, DC, they may start talking to each other and getting the work done. Maybe not everyone wins all the time, but we can do it together.
It has been a good year and this one will be even better. That’s the Maui message and a good one to choose to share —from our family to yours.
Happy New Year.
Hawaii’s Premiere Mortgage Company, with offices on Maui and Kaua‘i, offers extensive loan options through both broker and banking services. Tricia Morris and her team of professionals may be reached on Maui, in Kihei, at 874-8800, in Wailea, at 891-8900, in West Maui at 665-8800, on Kaua‘i at 808-822-2300, or toll free at (800)813-7711
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Maui’s December 2010 Real Estate Statistics
Brief Maui Statistics Overview:
December’s Sales Volume – End of the year figures reflect a push to close transactions by year’s end. Residential Sales rose to 70 homes sold, while Condo Sales increased to 92 units sold. Land sales came in at 14 lots sold.
December’s Median SALES prices – Home median prices rose to $465,706 and Condo median prices rose slightly to $355,747. Land median price was $394,850.
Days on Market for Residential homes = 139 DOM, Condos = 171 DOM, Land = 190 DOM. (General DOM Note: this is the average DOM for the properties that SOLD. If predominantly OLD inventory sells, it can move this indicator upward, and vice versa. RAM’s Days on Market are calculated from List Date to Closing Date [not contract date]. As such, it includes approximately 60 days of escrow time.) Also – Short Sales transactions can often take 4-6 months to close thereby extending the marketplace’s average DOM.
Year Too Date: Residential unit sales rose (+17%), average sold price = $747,891 (+5%), median price = $460,000 (-8%) and total dollar volume sold = $608,783,134 (+23%).
Condo unit sales increased (39%), average sold price = $648,043 (-10%), median price = $377,500 (-16%). Total Condo dollar volume sold = $743,305,403 (+25%).
Land – NOTE: Land Lot sales are such a small sampling that statistics in this property class are not necessarily reliable indicators. Land lot sales increased (+14%), average sold price = $513,571 (-53%), median price = $405,000 (-19%), Total dollar volume = $56,223,494 (-47%).
Also, total sales for immediately past 12 months: Residential = 812, Condo = 1,148, Land = 127.
January 10, 2011 - Active/Pending/Contingent status inventory:
Jan. ‘11 Dec. Nov. Oct. Sept. Aug. July June May April Mar. Feb. Jan. ‘10
Homes 963 974 976 1,001 981 994 1,008 1,007 1,040 1,059 1,043 1,040 996
Condos 1,383 1,371 1,347 1,394 1,455 1,503 1,412 1,423 1,449 1,494 1,567 1,541 1,495
Land 569 601 596 601 620 604 601 591 579 585 568 561 522
Disclaimer: Zooming in on the figures of a specific geographic area or property type may lead to different conclusions than the overall view. Maui’s market place is much smaller than Oahu’s, and a few high or low sales have a greater effect on the statistical numbers without necessarily indicating a big market swing one way or another.
SOURCE: REALTORS Association of Maui - http://www.ramaui.com/
MLS Sales data - Information deemed reliable, however not guaranteed
**Additional statistics and graphs for 2010 are available for specific regions and for the island as a whole. If you would like additional graphs and/or information please email Clinthansen33@gmail.com
December’s Sales Volume – End of the year figures reflect a push to close transactions by year’s end. Residential Sales rose to 70 homes sold, while Condo Sales increased to 92 units sold. Land sales came in at 14 lots sold.
December’s Median SALES prices – Home median prices rose to $465,706 and Condo median prices rose slightly to $355,747. Land median price was $394,850.
Days on Market for Residential homes = 139 DOM, Condos = 171 DOM, Land = 190 DOM. (General DOM Note: this is the average DOM for the properties that SOLD. If predominantly OLD inventory sells, it can move this indicator upward, and vice versa. RAM’s Days on Market are calculated from List Date to Closing Date [not contract date]. As such, it includes approximately 60 days of escrow time.) Also – Short Sales transactions can often take 4-6 months to close thereby extending the marketplace’s average DOM.
Year Too Date: Residential unit sales rose (+17%), average sold price = $747,891 (+5%), median price = $460,000 (-8%) and total dollar volume sold = $608,783,134 (+23%).
Condo unit sales increased (39%), average sold price = $648,043 (-10%), median price = $377,500 (-16%). Total Condo dollar volume sold = $743,305,403 (+25%).
Land – NOTE: Land Lot sales are such a small sampling that statistics in this property class are not necessarily reliable indicators. Land lot sales increased (+14%), average sold price = $513,571 (-53%), median price = $405,000 (-19%), Total dollar volume = $56,223,494 (-47%).
Also, total sales for immediately past 12 months: Residential = 812, Condo = 1,148, Land = 127.
January 10, 2011 - Active/Pending/Contingent status inventory:
Jan. ‘11 Dec. Nov. Oct. Sept. Aug. July June May April Mar. Feb. Jan. ‘10
Homes 963 974 976 1,001 981 994 1,008 1,007 1,040 1,059 1,043 1,040 996
Condos 1,383 1,371 1,347 1,394 1,455 1,503 1,412 1,423 1,449 1,494 1,567 1,541 1,495
Land 569 601 596 601 620 604 601 591 579 585 568 561 522
Disclaimer: Zooming in on the figures of a specific geographic area or property type may lead to different conclusions than the overall view. Maui’s market place is much smaller than Oahu’s, and a few high or low sales have a greater effect on the statistical numbers without necessarily indicating a big market swing one way or another.
SOURCE: REALTORS Association of Maui - http://www.ramaui.com/
MLS Sales data - Information deemed reliable, however not guaranteed
**Additional statistics and graphs for 2010 are available for specific regions and for the island as a whole. If you would like additional graphs and/or information please email Clinthansen33@gmail.com
Monday, January 10, 2011
Jonathan Byrd Wins the PGA Season Opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Maui
Early Byrd
Jonathan Byrd is the PGA’s first winner of the season after taking the Hyundai
By Ann Miller
Article from: The Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Jan 10, 2011
KAPALUA, MAUI » It took an All-American effort for an American to finally win the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
Jonathan Byrd outlasted Robert Garrigus yesterday, capturing a weeklong shootout with par on the second playoff hole at Kapalua’s Plantation Course.
It was his second win in as many starts. Byrd qualified for Kapalua in his final 2010 event, when he became the first golfer to win a playoff with a hole-in-one. Going into the Fall Series, he was in danger of losing his playing privileges.
So was Garrigus, which only made the two Americans appreciate yesterday’s drama more.
“I’m just thankful,” Byrd said. “I’m overwhelmed, I’m grateful. All of the above.”
So was Garrigus, gracious to what could have been a bitter end, if he had let it.
On the final playoff hole — No. 1, which Garrigus bogeyed yesterday and double-bogeyed Saturday — Byrd nearly drained a 53-foot birdie putt. Then Garrigus three-putted for bogey.
He lipped out a 3 1/2-foot par putt to make Byrd the first American TOC champion since Jim Furyk in 2001.
“I just hit that putt too hard,” said the irrepressible Garrigus, who was signing autographs and giving away all his golf balls while waiting to see how Byrd would finish regulation. “I was trying to take all the break out of it, played it straight and pushed it a centimeter and it hit that lip and didn’t go in.”
Both fired 6-under-par 67s in yesterday’s final round to close at 24-under 268. It was the third-best winning score since the TOC moved here in 1999.
The low scores were a testament to Kapalua’s idyllic conditions and the golfers’ brilliance in the 2011 season opener. Garrigus and Byrd poured in birdies, and a few eagles, all week and so did pretty much everybody else.
The golf was so good that U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell was out of it minutes after tying the course record with an outrageous 11-under-par 62. His remarkable day ended anticlimactically when he parred the 18th for the fourth straight round and came up a shot short of the playoff.
The Plantation’s stunning closing hole proved anticlimactic for everybody yesterday.
Garrigus, who led the tour in driving last year, was 4 under on the 663-yard final hole this week. But he missed a 12-foot eagle putt that could have won it in regulation yesterday.
Byrd, who shared the lead with Garrigus and Steve Stricker going into the day, had a birdie putt to win on the last hole. He came up short on the 18-footer.
Garrigus and Byrd went back up to the 18th tee and tried it again on the first playoff hole. This time Garrigus could not get there in two, and his distance advantage suddenly became a disadvantage.
He was the only one in the 32-man field to reach the 18th three times this week and had never had the chip he faced. He left it 17 feet from the hole and needed a 3-footer coming back to extend the playoff.
He made that one, but missed the next. And smiled, still.
“It was a great week,” he insisted. “I mean, I shot 6 under today and was in a playoff. I felt like I won the tournament within the tournament for myself because I told myself if I could shoot 6 under I could win.
“That’s golf. I’ve lost about 133 golf tournaments and it’s not that big a deal.”
Byrd has been there. This was his fifth win, but he went nearly three years without one until that extraordinary hole-in-one.
“I have to say it was God’s blessing,” Byrd said. “Every good and perfect thing comes from Him, good and bad. It all comes in different packages so I have to give credit where it is due.
“And perseverance. I’ve worked hard. … not changing anything, just keep working at it, keep plugging. I just kept doing that at the end of the year and it paid off.”
Again and again, now.
Byrd pointed to his second shot at the 10th — after a “little shank-cut” off the tee — that led to birdie as a critical swing yesterday. He converted the 11-foot putt to ease the sting of missing a 4-footer the previous hole.
Then, on the 15th, he hit it within 5 feet to get to 24-under. It would become the magic number after Garrigus was left to lament a missed 4-footer at No. 10 and the eagle that got away, and that pesky first hole.
He still walked away with a huge grin, and $635,000 — about what he earned in 2008 and 2009. Since he won at Disney in his last start last year, he is a new man.
“It’s mental,” he said. “Just thinking in my brain that I am better than everybody on the course; regardless if I may be, I have to feel like I am better than every single person mentally and talent-wise. … It’s a lot of fun to think you’re good and actually do it. It’s a blast.”
He was better than almost everyone here, including McDowell, who is ranked fifth in the world and tied his career low yesterday. Only Byrd, who has spent the last few months trying to simplify his golf life, could claim anything else.
Byrd birdied the first hole and led for the first 3 hours yesterday. McDowell and Garrigus finally caught him, but could never overtake him. Byrd rode his 2010 momentum to a $1.12 million payday in 2011.
“You get to a point where you kind of have a gut check,” Byrd said. “You get to a point where you might lose your card, which is where I was last year, and it forces you to find a way to play well.”
Now, the plan is not to change anything at this week’s Sony Open in Hawaii. Garrigus, who will also be at Waialae Country Club, would only like to change the ending.
Jonathan Byrd is the PGA’s first winner of the season after taking the Hyundai
By Ann Miller
Article from: The Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Jan 10, 2011
KAPALUA, MAUI » It took an All-American effort for an American to finally win the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
Jonathan Byrd outlasted Robert Garrigus yesterday, capturing a weeklong shootout with par on the second playoff hole at Kapalua’s Plantation Course.
It was his second win in as many starts. Byrd qualified for Kapalua in his final 2010 event, when he became the first golfer to win a playoff with a hole-in-one. Going into the Fall Series, he was in danger of losing his playing privileges.
So was Garrigus, which only made the two Americans appreciate yesterday’s drama more.
“I’m just thankful,” Byrd said. “I’m overwhelmed, I’m grateful. All of the above.”
So was Garrigus, gracious to what could have been a bitter end, if he had let it.
On the final playoff hole — No. 1, which Garrigus bogeyed yesterday and double-bogeyed Saturday — Byrd nearly drained a 53-foot birdie putt. Then Garrigus three-putted for bogey.
He lipped out a 3 1/2-foot par putt to make Byrd the first American TOC champion since Jim Furyk in 2001.
“I just hit that putt too hard,” said the irrepressible Garrigus, who was signing autographs and giving away all his golf balls while waiting to see how Byrd would finish regulation. “I was trying to take all the break out of it, played it straight and pushed it a centimeter and it hit that lip and didn’t go in.”
Both fired 6-under-par 67s in yesterday’s final round to close at 24-under 268. It was the third-best winning score since the TOC moved here in 1999.
The low scores were a testament to Kapalua’s idyllic conditions and the golfers’ brilliance in the 2011 season opener. Garrigus and Byrd poured in birdies, and a few eagles, all week and so did pretty much everybody else.
The golf was so good that U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell was out of it minutes after tying the course record with an outrageous 11-under-par 62. His remarkable day ended anticlimactically when he parred the 18th for the fourth straight round and came up a shot short of the playoff.
The Plantation’s stunning closing hole proved anticlimactic for everybody yesterday.
Garrigus, who led the tour in driving last year, was 4 under on the 663-yard final hole this week. But he missed a 12-foot eagle putt that could have won it in regulation yesterday.
Byrd, who shared the lead with Garrigus and Steve Stricker going into the day, had a birdie putt to win on the last hole. He came up short on the 18-footer.
Garrigus and Byrd went back up to the 18th tee and tried it again on the first playoff hole. This time Garrigus could not get there in two, and his distance advantage suddenly became a disadvantage.
He was the only one in the 32-man field to reach the 18th three times this week and had never had the chip he faced. He left it 17 feet from the hole and needed a 3-footer coming back to extend the playoff.
He made that one, but missed the next. And smiled, still.
“It was a great week,” he insisted. “I mean, I shot 6 under today and was in a playoff. I felt like I won the tournament within the tournament for myself because I told myself if I could shoot 6 under I could win.
“That’s golf. I’ve lost about 133 golf tournaments and it’s not that big a deal.”
Byrd has been there. This was his fifth win, but he went nearly three years without one until that extraordinary hole-in-one.
“I have to say it was God’s blessing,” Byrd said. “Every good and perfect thing comes from Him, good and bad. It all comes in different packages so I have to give credit where it is due.
“And perseverance. I’ve worked hard. … not changing anything, just keep working at it, keep plugging. I just kept doing that at the end of the year and it paid off.”
Again and again, now.
Byrd pointed to his second shot at the 10th — after a “little shank-cut” off the tee — that led to birdie as a critical swing yesterday. He converted the 11-foot putt to ease the sting of missing a 4-footer the previous hole.
Then, on the 15th, he hit it within 5 feet to get to 24-under. It would become the magic number after Garrigus was left to lament a missed 4-footer at No. 10 and the eagle that got away, and that pesky first hole.
He still walked away with a huge grin, and $635,000 — about what he earned in 2008 and 2009. Since he won at Disney in his last start last year, he is a new man.
“It’s mental,” he said. “Just thinking in my brain that I am better than everybody on the course; regardless if I may be, I have to feel like I am better than every single person mentally and talent-wise. … It’s a lot of fun to think you’re good and actually do it. It’s a blast.”
He was better than almost everyone here, including McDowell, who is ranked fifth in the world and tied his career low yesterday. Only Byrd, who has spent the last few months trying to simplify his golf life, could claim anything else.
Byrd birdied the first hole and led for the first 3 hours yesterday. McDowell and Garrigus finally caught him, but could never overtake him. Byrd rode his 2010 momentum to a $1.12 million payday in 2011.
“You get to a point where you kind of have a gut check,” Byrd said. “You get to a point where you might lose your card, which is where I was last year, and it forces you to find a way to play well.”
Now, the plan is not to change anything at this week’s Sony Open in Hawaii. Garrigus, who will also be at Waialae Country Club, would only like to change the ending.
Getting to Know The Hansen Ohana
The Hansen Ohana
CONSISTENTLY MAUI’S TOP REAL ESTATE PRODUCERS
Robert Hansen, Realtor Broker
Bob’s first long standing career was in the banking industry. He retired in 1984, after spending over seventeen years in the industry, with his last position as President of a Billion Dollar Bank. Bob then spread his wings and obtained his Series 7 Securities and Real Estate Broker’s licenses in California and his Broker’s license in Hawaii. Bob’s financial expertise, background in economics, and business education and knowledge lead our Ohana. In addition to his deep love of family, Bob dedicates time on the Governmental Affairs Real Estate Board and Na Hale O Maui, which assists in low income housing. His favorite sport is outrigger paddling.
Donna D. Hansen, Reator(S)
Donna has been involved in the Real Estate business for over thirty years. She joined Bob in establishing Hansen Financial Services and branched out as Hansen Properties soon after. Donna is a Real Estate Broker in California and has a Realtor’s sales license in Hawaii. She has been active in many Real Estate Boards and continues to retain her membership in the San Francisco/Bay Area Multiple Listing Service, creating increased accessibility to West Coast buyers. Donna’s passions will always include her love of family, including their ten grandchildren and real estate. She also holds many advocacy positions for the less privileged children on Maui and the mentally ill for whom she serves on the State and Maui Service Area Boards. Donna loves silk painting and ceramics.
Clint Hansen, Realtor(S)
Clint, with a degree in Business Management from Southern Oregon University, has had his Real Estate license for 10 years. Raised on Maui, he graduated from Seabury Hall and understands the unique dynamic between the resort community and Maui’s traditional cultural values. He represents and embodies a true sense of balance with his strong work ethic, entrepreneurial endeavors, and dedication to his family, including his wife Carolyn and their dog. Clint enjoys activity sports including rock climbing and hiking. His fresh approach and insight round out our Ohana’s success.
Rorie K. Suda, Realtor(S)
Rorie was born and raised on Maui and has strong family roots in the community. Her family is well known for being a crucial part of South Maui’s growth. Rorie and her husband Shannon, a high school teacher, are the proud parents of a daughter and two sons. She has been licensed for four years with the Hansen Ohana. Her outstanding organizational skills and ability to get the job done are a tremendous asset for our clients. She is highly regarded in Maui’s real estate community.
Current and past affiliations: Realtors Association of Maui, Inc.: Board of Directors, MLS Selection Committee and Governmental Affairs Committee, National Association of Realtors, Hawaii Association of Realtors, California Association of Realtors, American Investment Exchange Committee, San Mateo-Burlingame Real Estate Board, Menlo Park-Atherton Real Estate Board, San Francisco Peninsula Exchangers, Independent Brokers, Global Listing Service, Worldwide Properties Unlimited, International Listing Service, Maui Chamber of Commerce, San Mateo-Burlingame Board I-C-E Committee Member and Property Management Committee, Menlo Park-Atherton Board Education Committee, Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center, Maui Mental Health Advisory Board, Children’s Advocacy Center, and Homeless Outreach Programs.
The Hansens have a strong belief in the importance of family ties and community service. Three out of the Hansens four sons with their families call Maui their home and enjoy spending quality time together. The Hansen Ohana is always there to lend a helping hand to one another as well as many Maui charities. Giving back is an integral part of their lives. For fun, outrigger canoeing is a big part of their recreational activities. The Hansens own their own 6-person outrigger canoe and enjoy being on the warm waters off the gentle southern shores of Maui early in the morning.
Maui’s family tradition for Real Estate.
Generations of Turning Maui Ownership Dreams Into Reality!
CONSISTENTLY MAUI’S TOP REAL ESTATE PRODUCERS
Awarded “Maui’s #1 Top Producers” by Hawaii Business 2009, 2010
Certified Resort and Recreation Property Specialists
Certified E-Marketing Specialists
Previews International Specialists
Maintain Cutting Edge in Technology
Extensive Experience with International Clients
Maui Estates International, LLC in Wailea Town Center
Robert Hansen, Realtor Broker
Bob’s first long standing career was in the banking industry. He retired in 1984, after spending over seventeen years in the industry, with his last position as President of a Billion Dollar Bank. Bob then spread his wings and obtained his Series 7 Securities and Real Estate Broker’s licenses in California and his Broker’s license in Hawaii. Bob’s financial expertise, background in economics, and business education and knowledge lead our Ohana. In addition to his deep love of family, Bob dedicates time on the Governmental Affairs Real Estate Board and Na Hale O Maui, which assists in low income housing. His favorite sport is outrigger paddling.
Donna D. Hansen, Reator(S)
Donna has been involved in the Real Estate business for over thirty years. She joined Bob in establishing Hansen Financial Services and branched out as Hansen Properties soon after. Donna is a Real Estate Broker in California and has a Realtor’s sales license in Hawaii. She has been active in many Real Estate Boards and continues to retain her membership in the San Francisco/Bay Area Multiple Listing Service, creating increased accessibility to West Coast buyers. Donna’s passions will always include her love of family, including their ten grandchildren and real estate. She also holds many advocacy positions for the less privileged children on Maui and the mentally ill for whom she serves on the State and Maui Service Area Boards. Donna loves silk painting and ceramics.
Clint Hansen, Realtor(S)
Clint, with a degree in Business Management from Southern Oregon University, has had his Real Estate license for 10 years. Raised on Maui, he graduated from Seabury Hall and understands the unique dynamic between the resort community and Maui’s traditional cultural values. He represents and embodies a true sense of balance with his strong work ethic, entrepreneurial endeavors, and dedication to his family, including his wife Carolyn and their dog. Clint enjoys activity sports including rock climbing and hiking. His fresh approach and insight round out our Ohana’s success.
Rorie K. Suda, Realtor(S)
Rorie was born and raised on Maui and has strong family roots in the community. Her family is well known for being a crucial part of South Maui’s growth. Rorie and her husband Shannon, a high school teacher, are the proud parents of a daughter and two sons. She has been licensed for four years with the Hansen Ohana. Her outstanding organizational skills and ability to get the job done are a tremendous asset for our clients. She is highly regarded in Maui’s real estate community.
Current and past affiliations: Realtors Association of Maui, Inc.: Board of Directors, MLS Selection Committee and Governmental Affairs Committee, National Association of Realtors, Hawaii Association of Realtors, California Association of Realtors, American Investment Exchange Committee, San Mateo-Burlingame Real Estate Board, Menlo Park-Atherton Real Estate Board, San Francisco Peninsula Exchangers, Independent Brokers, Global Listing Service, Worldwide Properties Unlimited, International Listing Service, Maui Chamber of Commerce, San Mateo-Burlingame Board I-C-E Committee Member and Property Management Committee, Menlo Park-Atherton Board Education Committee, Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center, Maui Mental Health Advisory Board, Children’s Advocacy Center, and Homeless Outreach Programs.
The Hansens have a strong belief in the importance of family ties and community service. Three out of the Hansens four sons with their families call Maui their home and enjoy spending quality time together. The Hansen Ohana is always there to lend a helping hand to one another as well as many Maui charities. Giving back is an integral part of their lives. For fun, outrigger canoeing is a big part of their recreational activities. The Hansens own their own 6-person outrigger canoe and enjoy being on the warm waters off the gentle southern shores of Maui early in the morning.
Maui’s family tradition for Real Estate.
Generations of Turning Maui Ownership Dreams Into Reality!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Alaska Airlines Begins Direct Service from Bellingham to Honolulu
Article from the Maui News
HONOLULU - Alaska Airlines has begun new service between Bellingham, Wash., and Honolulu.
The Seattle-based carrier is offering introductory $149 one-way fares for tickets purchased by Jan. 18 for flights taken between Feb. 14 and June 9, and for travel from Honolulu to Bellingham between Monday and June 9.
The flight from Bellingham leaves at 5:20 p.m. and arrives at 9:40 p.m. The Honolulu leg to Bellingham leaves at 10:30 p.m. and arrives at 6:10 a.m. the next day.
**For people wishing to travel on to Maui multiple interisland flights occur daily from Honolulu to Kahului, Maui on various airlines**
HONOLULU - Alaska Airlines has begun new service between Bellingham, Wash., and Honolulu.
The Seattle-based carrier is offering introductory $149 one-way fares for tickets purchased by Jan. 18 for flights taken between Feb. 14 and June 9, and for travel from Honolulu to Bellingham between Monday and June 9.
The flight from Bellingham leaves at 5:20 p.m. and arrives at 9:40 p.m. The Honolulu leg to Bellingham leaves at 10:30 p.m. and arrives at 6:10 a.m. the next day.
**For people wishing to travel on to Maui multiple interisland flights occur daily from Honolulu to Kahului, Maui on various airlines**
Friday, January 7, 2011
Another Great Reason to Come to Maui - Elton John to Perform at the MACC February 25th
Elton John to christen new MACC pavilion
His ‘Greatest Hits Live’ concert set for Feb. 25
January 7, 2011 - By RICK CHATENEVER, Entertainment Editor
Article from: The Maui News
KAHULUI - One of the biggest names in the music industry will launch the next chapter of history at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center when Elton John and his band inaugurate the new Yokouchi Pavilion with a “Greatest Hits Live” concert at 7 p.m. Feb. 25.
“Elton John is an icon in the music industry, and his music has stayed classic throughout the decades,” said center Chief Executive Officer and President Art Vento on Thursday.
Over his five-decade career, which includes a British knighthood, the piano-playing singer/ songwriter’s classic hits include “Your Song,” “Daniel,” “Rocket Man,” “Bennie and the Jets” and the proverbial many more. His “Candle in the Wind ‘97″ was the biggest-selling single of all time, with 37 million copies. With 35 gold and 25 platinum albums, he has sold more than 250 million records worldwide.
Presented by Concerts West, Tom Moffatt Productions and the MACC, the event will be the only Hawaii appearance for Sir Elton and his band, including Davey Johnstone on guitar, Bob Birch on bass, John Mahon on percussion, Nigel Olsson on drums and Kim Bullard on keyboards. It also will be John’s first performance on Maui, according to Vento.
John’s shows with the band are known for having audiences standing, dancing and singing along. The song list also includes selections from “The UNION,” his Grammy-nominated collaboration with Leon Russell.
“The Maui Arts & Cultural Center is ecstatic to have Elton John perform in the new Yokouchi Pavilion. It is an honor to add the MACC to the list of venues in which Elton John has performed during his incredible career,” Vento said.
Ticket prices are $77, $97, $152 and $252, with applicable fees added to each ticket. Tickets go on sale to MACC members at 10 a.m. Tuesday, continuing through noon Jan. 14. They go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Jan. 15.
“We highly encourage becoming a MACC member before tickets go on sale Tuesday,” said Box Office Manager Jason Carbajal.
The maximum number of tickets that can be purchased by an individual will be determined by the level of membership, from two to six. There also will be a six-ticket limit per customer when tickets go on sale to the general public.
Tickets and more information will be available from the MACC box office, online at mauiarts.org/tickets or by phone at 242-7469.
John’s appearance will be the first public event in the glass-roofed, $12.8 million pavilion that has transformed the outdoor space previously known as Yokouchi Founders Court. Occupying the same footprint as the previous stage, the capacity of the A&B Amphitheater remains the same, at around 5,000. Vento said fundraising for the pavilion project is ongoing and about $750,000 short of the amount needed.
Vento attributed booking an artist of John’s stature to fortuitous timing.
“We were just lucky,” he said. “We had been talking over a series of months. There was the possibility that Elton would come to Hawaii at the beginning of the year, and Maui had made the investment in upgrading the facility that would possibly be completed during that time frame. So we very aggressively pursued the idea. We kept in dialogue as we were building, and the timing became a realistic possibility. The fact that the pavilion is built and able to handle a show of this magnitude allowed for the discussions to continue.”
The center’s staff is inviting audiences to “celebrate a new beginning with the opening of the Yokouchi Pavilion,” which will bring state-of-the-art capabilities to producing outdoor shows.
Work on the pavilion has been going on over the last 20 months, generating about 155 jobs. Vento had called the project “a leap of faith” on the part of the MACC’s board of directors, embarking on major construction during a recession.
While he observed last summer that it had helped “put Maui back to work,” he also noted it was the worst of times to try to fundraise.
Now that the pavilion is complete, he pointed out, “The stage doesn’t stick out any further than it did before, and the rock wall at the back didn’t move. It’s just that there’s a real concert pavilion there now, able to accept shows with larger production capabilities.”
He saw the project as continuing the legacy of its namesake, Pundy Yokouchi, the visionary cultural trailblazer who shaped every aspect of the unique facility, generated support for it and oversaw its construction to fruition.
Likening it a “Field of Dreams” approach - if you build it, they will come - Vento described Yokouchi’s approach as “build it right, build it once.” It was a bold approach that resulted in putting Maui on the map of world culture.
“Why build the Castle Theater in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in the first place? And why invest $13 million in a 16-year-old facility?” Vento asked rhetorically.
“The complete package allows us to move forward for the next 16 years. We have to keep reinventing ourselves.”
* Rick Chatenever can be reached at scene@maui news.com.
His ‘Greatest Hits Live’ concert set for Feb. 25
January 7, 2011 - By RICK CHATENEVER, Entertainment Editor
Article from: The Maui News
KAHULUI - One of the biggest names in the music industry will launch the next chapter of history at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center when Elton John and his band inaugurate the new Yokouchi Pavilion with a “Greatest Hits Live” concert at 7 p.m. Feb. 25.
“Elton John is an icon in the music industry, and his music has stayed classic throughout the decades,” said center Chief Executive Officer and President Art Vento on Thursday.
Over his five-decade career, which includes a British knighthood, the piano-playing singer/ songwriter’s classic hits include “Your Song,” “Daniel,” “Rocket Man,” “Bennie and the Jets” and the proverbial many more. His “Candle in the Wind ‘97″ was the biggest-selling single of all time, with 37 million copies. With 35 gold and 25 platinum albums, he has sold more than 250 million records worldwide.
Presented by Concerts West, Tom Moffatt Productions and the MACC, the event will be the only Hawaii appearance for Sir Elton and his band, including Davey Johnstone on guitar, Bob Birch on bass, John Mahon on percussion, Nigel Olsson on drums and Kim Bullard on keyboards. It also will be John’s first performance on Maui, according to Vento.
John’s shows with the band are known for having audiences standing, dancing and singing along. The song list also includes selections from “The UNION,” his Grammy-nominated collaboration with Leon Russell.
“The Maui Arts & Cultural Center is ecstatic to have Elton John perform in the new Yokouchi Pavilion. It is an honor to add the MACC to the list of venues in which Elton John has performed during his incredible career,” Vento said.
Ticket prices are $77, $97, $152 and $252, with applicable fees added to each ticket. Tickets go on sale to MACC members at 10 a.m. Tuesday, continuing through noon Jan. 14. They go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Jan. 15.
“We highly encourage becoming a MACC member before tickets go on sale Tuesday,” said Box Office Manager Jason Carbajal.
The maximum number of tickets that can be purchased by an individual will be determined by the level of membership, from two to six. There also will be a six-ticket limit per customer when tickets go on sale to the general public.
Tickets and more information will be available from the MACC box office, online at mauiarts.org/tickets or by phone at 242-7469.
John’s appearance will be the first public event in the glass-roofed, $12.8 million pavilion that has transformed the outdoor space previously known as Yokouchi Founders Court. Occupying the same footprint as the previous stage, the capacity of the A&B Amphitheater remains the same, at around 5,000. Vento said fundraising for the pavilion project is ongoing and about $750,000 short of the amount needed.
Vento attributed booking an artist of John’s stature to fortuitous timing.
“We were just lucky,” he said. “We had been talking over a series of months. There was the possibility that Elton would come to Hawaii at the beginning of the year, and Maui had made the investment in upgrading the facility that would possibly be completed during that time frame. So we very aggressively pursued the idea. We kept in dialogue as we were building, and the timing became a realistic possibility. The fact that the pavilion is built and able to handle a show of this magnitude allowed for the discussions to continue.”
The center’s staff is inviting audiences to “celebrate a new beginning with the opening of the Yokouchi Pavilion,” which will bring state-of-the-art capabilities to producing outdoor shows.
Work on the pavilion has been going on over the last 20 months, generating about 155 jobs. Vento had called the project “a leap of faith” on the part of the MACC’s board of directors, embarking on major construction during a recession.
While he observed last summer that it had helped “put Maui back to work,” he also noted it was the worst of times to try to fundraise.
Now that the pavilion is complete, he pointed out, “The stage doesn’t stick out any further than it did before, and the rock wall at the back didn’t move. It’s just that there’s a real concert pavilion there now, able to accept shows with larger production capabilities.”
He saw the project as continuing the legacy of its namesake, Pundy Yokouchi, the visionary cultural trailblazer who shaped every aspect of the unique facility, generated support for it and oversaw its construction to fruition.
Likening it a “Field of Dreams” approach - if you build it, they will come - Vento described Yokouchi’s approach as “build it right, build it once.” It was a bold approach that resulted in putting Maui on the map of world culture.
“Why build the Castle Theater in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in the first place? And why invest $13 million in a 16-year-old facility?” Vento asked rhetorically.
“The complete package allows us to move forward for the next 16 years. We have to keep reinventing ourselves.”
* Rick Chatenever can be reached at scene@maui news.com.
Positive Signs for the Economy in the Nation’s December Employment Report
U.S. jobless rate falls to lowest level in 19 months
By Associated Press
Jan 07, 2011
Article from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser
WASHINGTON >> The nation’s economy added 103,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate dropped to 9.4 percent last month, its lowest level in 19 months.
But the job growth fell short of expectations based on a strengthening economy. And the drop in unemployment was partly because people stopped looking for work.
Private employers added a net total of 113,000 jobs last month and the government shed 10,000 jobs, the Labor Department said Friday.
“It’s a bit of a mixed bag,” said Ryan Sweet, an economist at Moody’s Analytics. Many analysts hoped to see larger job gains, and the drop in the unemployment rate is unlikely to be sustained, he said.
“The labor market ended last year with a bit of a thud,” he said. “But I think things will get much better this year.”
The economy has shown signs of steady improvement in recent weeks, leading many economists to expect more job creation. The Labor Department said Thursday that fewer people applied for unemployment benefits over the month than in any four-week period in more than two years. An increase in consumer spending made this past holiday season the best in four years.
There were positive signs in the December jobs report. Government revisions showed more people were hired in previous months than the government first estimated. The economy added 210,000 jobs in October, above the previous figure of 172,000. November’s total was revised to 71,000, up from 39,000.
President Barack Obama said the new jobs report shows the economy is moving in the right direction. But he acknowledged that hiring and growth must still accelerate.
Over the past three months, the economy has added an average of 128,000 jobs. That’s just enough to keep up with the population growth. Nearly double is generally needed to significantly reduce the unemployment rate.
But other factors can affect the unemployment rate, at least temporarily. One key reason for the drop was that the government no longer counts people as unemployed when they stop looking for work.
Fewer people said they were out of work last month. The number of unemployed fell by more than 500,000 to just under 14.5 million, the lowest since April 2009.
Still, the unemployment rate has topped 9 percent for 20 months, the longest such streak on record. And even with last year’s job gains, the unemployment rate fell only from 9.7 percent to 9.4 percent.
Stocks edged lower after the disappointing report was released The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 44 points in midday trading.
Through all of 2010, the nation added 1.1 million jobs, or an average of 94,000 jobs a month.
Economists expect hiring will ramp up this year, with some predicting double last year’s total of jobs or more. A tax cut package that goes into effect this month should boost consumer and business spending.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke offered a more optimistic outlook for the economy during testimony before the Senate Banking Committee. Still, Bernanke said it could take four to five years for unemployment to drop to a historically normal rate of around 6 percent.
“Persistently high unemployment, by damping household income and confidence could threaten the strength and sustainability of the recovery,” he warned.
The health care and leisure and hospitality sectors showed the strongest job gains last month. Health care added about 36,000 jobs, while restaurants and hotels hired more than 29,000 new workers.
Retailers added 12,000 net new jobs, after shedding jobs the previous month. Manufacturers hired a net total of 10,000 new workers, after losing jobs for four straight months. The bleeding continued in construction, which cut 16,000 jobs.
Companies hired nearly 16,000 temporary workers, the fewest since July.
Including those who are working part time but would prefer full-time work, and those who have given up looking for work, the underemployment rate was 16.7 percent last month. That’s down from 17 percent in November.
The average work week didn’t increase, remaining at 34.3 for the third straight month. But average weekly earnings ticked up by just over a dollar, to $781.35. The additional jobs and slightly higher pay translates into a modest gain in incomes, economists said, which could bolster future spending.
By Associated Press
Jan 07, 2011
Article from: Honolulu Star-Advertiser
WASHINGTON >> The nation’s economy added 103,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate dropped to 9.4 percent last month, its lowest level in 19 months.
But the job growth fell short of expectations based on a strengthening economy. And the drop in unemployment was partly because people stopped looking for work.
Private employers added a net total of 113,000 jobs last month and the government shed 10,000 jobs, the Labor Department said Friday.
“It’s a bit of a mixed bag,” said Ryan Sweet, an economist at Moody’s Analytics. Many analysts hoped to see larger job gains, and the drop in the unemployment rate is unlikely to be sustained, he said.
“The labor market ended last year with a bit of a thud,” he said. “But I think things will get much better this year.”
The economy has shown signs of steady improvement in recent weeks, leading many economists to expect more job creation. The Labor Department said Thursday that fewer people applied for unemployment benefits over the month than in any four-week period in more than two years. An increase in consumer spending made this past holiday season the best in four years.
There were positive signs in the December jobs report. Government revisions showed more people were hired in previous months than the government first estimated. The economy added 210,000 jobs in October, above the previous figure of 172,000. November’s total was revised to 71,000, up from 39,000.
President Barack Obama said the new jobs report shows the economy is moving in the right direction. But he acknowledged that hiring and growth must still accelerate.
Over the past three months, the economy has added an average of 128,000 jobs. That’s just enough to keep up with the population growth. Nearly double is generally needed to significantly reduce the unemployment rate.
But other factors can affect the unemployment rate, at least temporarily. One key reason for the drop was that the government no longer counts people as unemployed when they stop looking for work.
Fewer people said they were out of work last month. The number of unemployed fell by more than 500,000 to just under 14.5 million, the lowest since April 2009.
Still, the unemployment rate has topped 9 percent for 20 months, the longest such streak on record. And even with last year’s job gains, the unemployment rate fell only from 9.7 percent to 9.4 percent.
Stocks edged lower after the disappointing report was released The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 44 points in midday trading.
Through all of 2010, the nation added 1.1 million jobs, or an average of 94,000 jobs a month.
Economists expect hiring will ramp up this year, with some predicting double last year’s total of jobs or more. A tax cut package that goes into effect this month should boost consumer and business spending.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke offered a more optimistic outlook for the economy during testimony before the Senate Banking Committee. Still, Bernanke said it could take four to five years for unemployment to drop to a historically normal rate of around 6 percent.
“Persistently high unemployment, by damping household income and confidence could threaten the strength and sustainability of the recovery,” he warned.
The health care and leisure and hospitality sectors showed the strongest job gains last month. Health care added about 36,000 jobs, while restaurants and hotels hired more than 29,000 new workers.
Retailers added 12,000 net new jobs, after shedding jobs the previous month. Manufacturers hired a net total of 10,000 new workers, after losing jobs for four straight months. The bleeding continued in construction, which cut 16,000 jobs.
Companies hired nearly 16,000 temporary workers, the fewest since July.
Including those who are working part time but would prefer full-time work, and those who have given up looking for work, the underemployment rate was 16.7 percent last month. That’s down from 17 percent in November.
The average work week didn’t increase, remaining at 34.3 for the third straight month. But average weekly earnings ticked up by just over a dollar, to $781.35. The additional jobs and slightly higher pay translates into a modest gain in incomes, economists said, which could bolster future spending.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Just steps from Keawekapu...
This awesome condo with fantastic ocean views is just steps to world renown Keawakapu Beach.
This magnificent two bedroom two bath top floor unit is perfectly located to enjoy great views and fantastic beach and pool time.
Wailea Ekahi is known for great facilities including ocean front pool pavilion and is close to all Wailea amenities including tennis, golf, 5 star dining and The Shops at Wailea.
Please contact Donna D. Hansen, Realtor, (S) @ 808.280.1650 or Bob Hansen, BROKER (R) @ 808.283.9456
New Housing Units in Central,South and West Maui Will Soon Have to Pay New Impact Fees
Developers to be assessed impact fees for new schools
January 6, 2011 - By ILIMA LOOMIS, Staff Writer
Article from: The Maui News
WAILUKU - Landowners who want to build new housing units in Central, South and West Maui will soon have to pay new “impact fees” for the construction of new school facilities.
The state Department of Education announced Wednesday that it would immediately begin collecting the fees, which range from $5,373 to $5,778 per single-family home, and from $2,055 to $2,451 for each new multifamily unit.
Previously, developers could be required to pay school impact fees as a condition of county or state land-use approvals. But a 2007 law gave the DOE the power to collect the fees directly in areas that are expected to see a rapid growth in school populations. Maui is the first place in the state to see the new fees implemented, with West Hawaii expected to be the next in line.
“These are all areas where we anticipate the next big wave of residential growth,” said Heidi Meeker of the DOE Facilities Development Branch.
On Maui, all properties in the Maui, Baldwin and Lahainaluna high school complexes will be affected.
That means anyone seeking to build in an area served by those schools will be required to pay the fee - including both large developers and individual homeowners, Meeker said.
Major projects would likely trigger the requirement when they start to apply for permits with the county Planning Department, while small landowners would be required to pay when they come in for building permits, she said.
Public hearings on the proposed fees were held in October at Lahainaluna High School and Pomaikai Elementary School.
Meeker said she couldn’t estimate the amount of money that would be collected through the program.
“It’s really going to depend on the rate at which things are built,” she said.
While the fees would not cover the total cost of building new schools, they would help provide classrooms for a growing population, she said.
“It’s just a little bit of assurance that we will have adequate land for new schools, and some amount of construction money,” she said.
* Ilima Loomis can be reached at iloomis@mauinews.com.
January 6, 2011 - By ILIMA LOOMIS, Staff Writer
Article from: The Maui News
WAILUKU - Landowners who want to build new housing units in Central, South and West Maui will soon have to pay new “impact fees” for the construction of new school facilities.
The state Department of Education announced Wednesday that it would immediately begin collecting the fees, which range from $5,373 to $5,778 per single-family home, and from $2,055 to $2,451 for each new multifamily unit.
Previously, developers could be required to pay school impact fees as a condition of county or state land-use approvals. But a 2007 law gave the DOE the power to collect the fees directly in areas that are expected to see a rapid growth in school populations. Maui is the first place in the state to see the new fees implemented, with West Hawaii expected to be the next in line.
“These are all areas where we anticipate the next big wave of residential growth,” said Heidi Meeker of the DOE Facilities Development Branch.
On Maui, all properties in the Maui, Baldwin and Lahainaluna high school complexes will be affected.
That means anyone seeking to build in an area served by those schools will be required to pay the fee - including both large developers and individual homeowners, Meeker said.
Major projects would likely trigger the requirement when they start to apply for permits with the county Planning Department, while small landowners would be required to pay when they come in for building permits, she said.
Public hearings on the proposed fees were held in October at Lahainaluna High School and Pomaikai Elementary School.
Meeker said she couldn’t estimate the amount of money that would be collected through the program.
“It’s really going to depend on the rate at which things are built,” she said.
While the fees would not cover the total cost of building new schools, they would help provide classrooms for a growing population, she said.
“It’s just a little bit of assurance that we will have adequate land for new schools, and some amount of construction money,” she said.
* Ilima Loomis can be reached at iloomis@mauinews.com.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Rare Oceanview, Wailea Kai
OCEAN VIEWS IN WAILEA KAI!
Come see this unique home. Beautiful view deck with wet bar and BBQ area for entertaining while enjoying lovely ocean views and sunsets. This electronically gated and secluded home in cul-de-sac locale has been beautifully maintained.
Step down living room with beautiful secluded pool is heated & salt water. Built-in Polaris cleaner tropical gardens fully automatic irrigation system Ceramic tile, concrete & flagstone walkways around house & garage a unique rooftop lanai w/180 degree panoramic ocean view. Built- in wet bar entertaining station Private gated.
One of the three bedrooms has converted the closet to be used for a Murphy bed. There is a formal dining room area and breakfast room, both with lush garden views. The tropical gardens allow for private sitting areas or private sunbathing by the pool. This very large lot with long driveway is ideal for the person looking for privacy yet convenient stroll to world famous Keawakapu Beach.
It just doesn’t get any better.
Please contact Donna D. Hansen, Realtor (S) @ 808.280.1650 or
Bob Hansen, BROKER @ 808.283.9456
Loonie Edges Higher & U.S. Posts Good News on Employment in the Service Sector
Canadian dollar heads higher amid strong American data on jobs, service sector
Malcolm Morrison, The Canadian Press, On Wednesday January 5, 2011
Article From: www.yahoo.ca
TORONTO - The Canadian dollar moved higher against the American currency Wednesday amid good news on employment and expansion in the U.S. service sector.
The greenback gained against other currencies but the loonie ended the session up 0.21 of a cent to 100.36 cents US.
The Canadian currency had been below parity earlier in the day but strengthened after U.S. payroll company ADP estimated that the American economy created 297,000 jobs during December.
That’s nearly higher than the general forecast by economists.
“The Canadian dollar is doing better because a good U.S. number should be good for Canada,” said John Curran, senior vice-president at CanadianForex.
“If you get a good number out of the U.S., it’s going to basically flow into Canada at some point.”
The ADP data was released two days before the release of the U.S. non-farm payrolls report for December. Economists expect the official data to show that the U.S. economy created about 150,000 jobs during December.
Other data showed a strong reading in the Institute for Supply Management’s non-manufacturing index for December, which rose to 57.1, a faster pace of expansion than the 55.3 reading that was expected.
On Monday, the ISM’s manufacturing index for December came in at a six-month high of 57, which raised hopes for economic growth in the neighbourhood of four per cent.
Also supporting the loonie was a turnaround in oil and copper prices.
Oil prices started to turn around amid data showing a larger than forecast drop in U.S. oil consumption last week, pushing the February contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange ahead 92 cents to US$90.30 a barrel.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a bigger than expected decline in U.S. crude-oil inventories for last week, dropping 4.2 million barrels, almost double the decline that analysts had expected.
Copper finished higher with the March contract on the Nymex up four cents to US$4.41 a pound while gold prices continued to fall back as the positive economic data strengthened the U.S. dollar against many currencies and persuaded investors to trim their bullion holdings. The February bullion contract in New York lost $5.10 to US$1,373.70 an ounce.
Malcolm Morrison, The Canadian Press, On Wednesday January 5, 2011
Article From: www.yahoo.ca
TORONTO - The Canadian dollar moved higher against the American currency Wednesday amid good news on employment and expansion in the U.S. service sector.
The greenback gained against other currencies but the loonie ended the session up 0.21 of a cent to 100.36 cents US.
The Canadian currency had been below parity earlier in the day but strengthened after U.S. payroll company ADP estimated that the American economy created 297,000 jobs during December.
That’s nearly higher than the general forecast by economists.
“The Canadian dollar is doing better because a good U.S. number should be good for Canada,” said John Curran, senior vice-president at CanadianForex.
“If you get a good number out of the U.S., it’s going to basically flow into Canada at some point.”
The ADP data was released two days before the release of the U.S. non-farm payrolls report for December. Economists expect the official data to show that the U.S. economy created about 150,000 jobs during December.
Other data showed a strong reading in the Institute for Supply Management’s non-manufacturing index for December, which rose to 57.1, a faster pace of expansion than the 55.3 reading that was expected.
On Monday, the ISM’s manufacturing index for December came in at a six-month high of 57, which raised hopes for economic growth in the neighbourhood of four per cent.
Also supporting the loonie was a turnaround in oil and copper prices.
Oil prices started to turn around amid data showing a larger than forecast drop in U.S. oil consumption last week, pushing the February contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange ahead 92 cents to US$90.30 a barrel.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a bigger than expected decline in U.S. crude-oil inventories for last week, dropping 4.2 million barrels, almost double the decline that analysts had expected.
Copper finished higher with the March contract on the Nymex up four cents to US$4.41 a pound while gold prices continued to fall back as the positive economic data strengthened the U.S. dollar against many currencies and persuaded investors to trim their bullion holdings. The February bullion contract in New York lost $5.10 to US$1,373.70 an ounce.
Molokai Ranch Owners Seek Ruling On Land Use
Molokai Ranch owners seek ruling on land use
The filing asks that 5,000 acres used for cattle ranching be designated as agricultural land
By Andrew Gomes
Article from: Star-Advertiser
Molokai’s largest landowner is seeking to designate nearly 5,000 acres of property mostly used for cattle ranching as important agricultural land that would qualify the owner for state benefits.
Molokai Properties Ltd., better known as Molokai Ranch, has applied to the state Land Use Commission to preserve 4,919 acres for agricultural use under a 3-year-old state law that provides financial incentives for preserving ag land.
Cheryl Corbiell, a director for the nonprofit Molokai Land Trust, said that while details of the case have yet to be determined, in general the idea of preserving agriculture land from development is good. “I think any kind of conservation in the state is good news,” she said.
Molokai Properties’ application to preserve the land, filed Nov. 30, became the third case to use the new law, but it is the first attempting to protect land better suited for cattle than crops.
Alexander & Baldwin Inc. received commission approval in 2009 to protect 27,105 acres on Maui used by subsidiary Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. and 3,773 acres on Kauai used mostly by subsidiary Kauai Coffee Co.
The law provides incentives for dedicating land for agriculture in perpetuity.
Incentives include $7.5 million in annual tax credits for investments in agriculture facilities, a $2.5 million loan guarantee program, expedited ag processing facility permits and allowance of employee housing on prime ag land.
There is also a controversial benefit that allows owners of prime agricultural land to urbanize land equivalent to 15 percent of the acreage protected for other uses, including housing.
But like A&B, Molokai Properties in its application waived any rights to claim the benefit for urbanizing land.
A Molokai Properties official could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Some longtime opponents of Molokai Properties question whether a company should derive benefits from preserving what they see as low-quality ag land. Others say helping sustain ranching will benefit Hawaii’s most economically depressed neighbor island, where unemployment is about double the state average.
In its application, Molokai Properties said the benefits of the law will help secure and expand ranch operations on an island where ranching has historically been important both culturally and economically.
“The protection and preservation of Molokai’s cattle ranching heritage and tradition is a vital goal of this petition,” the company said in the filing.
The company said ranching on Molokai dates back to 1833 when about 200 longhorn cattle were introduced by Kamehameha III. Molokai Ranch was formed in 1897 on about 100,000 acres. Disease threats devastated the industry in the 1980s.
Then three years ago, after much rebuilding effort, Molokai Properties quit ranching. The company shut down operations — including a luxury hotel — after failing to win enough community support for a plan to finance investments in its strained resort and ranch operations by developing 200 lots for luxury oceanfront homes at Laau Point.
The development plan included conveying 50,000 acres to a community land trust for perpetual protection, but opponents said the trade-off was not worth it.
The company laid off about 120 employees and shuttered most of its business. But cattle operations were turned over to longtime ranch manager Jimmy Duvauchelle.
Duvauchelle, a fourth-generation Molokai cowboy, established Pohakuloa Ranch and manages about 500 cows on about 3,000 acres leased from Molokai Properties.
The operation is the largest ranch on Molokai, but Duvauchelle said the last two years have been rough.
“I’m doing the best I can now, but I’m too small,” he said. “In the cattle business, volume helps. Without the volume, it’s not working as far as making money.”
Much of the difficulty for Pohakuloa Ranch, according to Duvauchelle, is that it ships most young cattle to the mainland to be fattened up and slaughtered. Rising shipping costs and falling cattle prices have hurt operations.
Duvauchelle said he wants to keep more cattle on Molokai for Hawaii consumption, but to do that he needs more land for grazing and has to invest in other improvements. His goal is to double the number of cows and export only half his animals for fattening and slaughter on the mainland.
Under the expansion plan, Pohakuloa Ranch would lease more Molokai Properties land and take over another ranch, Diamond B Ranch, which Duvauchelle manages for a Maui owner. Diamond B operates on about 1,000 acres leased from Molokai Properties.
Molokai Properties in its application said it will grant Duvauchelle a 20-year lease for roughly 5,000 acres and grant a 99-year easement to Molokai Land Trust to ensure the land is restricted for agricultural use.
Molokai Properties also said the land holds future potential for large-scale crop production, perhaps for biofuels or seed corn, if sufficient water could be provided.
Presently, the water supply to the land comes from mountain streams and can sustain cattle but not crops, though pineapple, a dry-land crop, was once grown on much of the land.
Molokai Properties said breakthroughs in technology such as desalination combined with wind power could create an economical water supply for the land to sustain crops.
The filing asks that 5,000 acres used for cattle ranching be designated as agricultural land
By Andrew Gomes
Article from: Star-Advertiser
Molokai’s largest landowner is seeking to designate nearly 5,000 acres of property mostly used for cattle ranching as important agricultural land that would qualify the owner for state benefits.
Molokai Properties Ltd., better known as Molokai Ranch, has applied to the state Land Use Commission to preserve 4,919 acres for agricultural use under a 3-year-old state law that provides financial incentives for preserving ag land.
Cheryl Corbiell, a director for the nonprofit Molokai Land Trust, said that while details of the case have yet to be determined, in general the idea of preserving agriculture land from development is good. “I think any kind of conservation in the state is good news,” she said.
Molokai Properties’ application to preserve the land, filed Nov. 30, became the third case to use the new law, but it is the first attempting to protect land better suited for cattle than crops.
Alexander & Baldwin Inc. received commission approval in 2009 to protect 27,105 acres on Maui used by subsidiary Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. and 3,773 acres on Kauai used mostly by subsidiary Kauai Coffee Co.
The law provides incentives for dedicating land for agriculture in perpetuity.
Incentives include $7.5 million in annual tax credits for investments in agriculture facilities, a $2.5 million loan guarantee program, expedited ag processing facility permits and allowance of employee housing on prime ag land.
There is also a controversial benefit that allows owners of prime agricultural land to urbanize land equivalent to 15 percent of the acreage protected for other uses, including housing.
But like A&B, Molokai Properties in its application waived any rights to claim the benefit for urbanizing land.
A Molokai Properties official could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Some longtime opponents of Molokai Properties question whether a company should derive benefits from preserving what they see as low-quality ag land. Others say helping sustain ranching will benefit Hawaii’s most economically depressed neighbor island, where unemployment is about double the state average.
In its application, Molokai Properties said the benefits of the law will help secure and expand ranch operations on an island where ranching has historically been important both culturally and economically.
“The protection and preservation of Molokai’s cattle ranching heritage and tradition is a vital goal of this petition,” the company said in the filing.
The company said ranching on Molokai dates back to 1833 when about 200 longhorn cattle were introduced by Kamehameha III. Molokai Ranch was formed in 1897 on about 100,000 acres. Disease threats devastated the industry in the 1980s.
Then three years ago, after much rebuilding effort, Molokai Properties quit ranching. The company shut down operations — including a luxury hotel — after failing to win enough community support for a plan to finance investments in its strained resort and ranch operations by developing 200 lots for luxury oceanfront homes at Laau Point.
The development plan included conveying 50,000 acres to a community land trust for perpetual protection, but opponents said the trade-off was not worth it.
The company laid off about 120 employees and shuttered most of its business. But cattle operations were turned over to longtime ranch manager Jimmy Duvauchelle.
Duvauchelle, a fourth-generation Molokai cowboy, established Pohakuloa Ranch and manages about 500 cows on about 3,000 acres leased from Molokai Properties.
The operation is the largest ranch on Molokai, but Duvauchelle said the last two years have been rough.
“I’m doing the best I can now, but I’m too small,” he said. “In the cattle business, volume helps. Without the volume, it’s not working as far as making money.”
Much of the difficulty for Pohakuloa Ranch, according to Duvauchelle, is that it ships most young cattle to the mainland to be fattened up and slaughtered. Rising shipping costs and falling cattle prices have hurt operations.
Duvauchelle said he wants to keep more cattle on Molokai for Hawaii consumption, but to do that he needs more land for grazing and has to invest in other improvements. His goal is to double the number of cows and export only half his animals for fattening and slaughter on the mainland.
Under the expansion plan, Pohakuloa Ranch would lease more Molokai Properties land and take over another ranch, Diamond B Ranch, which Duvauchelle manages for a Maui owner. Diamond B operates on about 1,000 acres leased from Molokai Properties.
Molokai Properties in its application said it will grant Duvauchelle a 20-year lease for roughly 5,000 acres and grant a 99-year easement to Molokai Land Trust to ensure the land is restricted for agricultural use.
Molokai Properties also said the land holds future potential for large-scale crop production, perhaps for biofuels or seed corn, if sufficient water could be provided.
Presently, the water supply to the land comes from mountain streams and can sustain cattle but not crops, though pineapple, a dry-land crop, was once grown on much of the land.
Molokai Properties said breakthroughs in technology such as desalination combined with wind power could create an economical water supply for the land to sustain crops.
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