mikey's Blog: House deals

We all know someone who wants a fixer upper right?  How about a fixer upper in Honolulu?  I can't even recall the number of people who've told me they want a fixer upper in Honolulu.  Well, here it is!

This is a two story home on the hillside in Kalihi Valley.  Total living area is approximately 1,670 square feet.  The house has three bedrooms, one bath upstairs and two bedrooms, one bath downstairs.  Upstairs there's a full kitchen and the downstairs has a kitchenette.  Three lanais extend from the bedrooms for residents of this home to enjoy.  It's possible to live on one floor and fix up the other, then switch sides and finish the remodel! This could be a great rental property. 

As you can see in the picture, the lot is steep terrain.  There are…

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This house on Kilauea Avenue in Kaimuki was on the market in 2008, initially priced at $829,900.  There were several price reductions and it didn't sell.  The house went into foreclosure, now it's back on the market as a lender sale.

The home has five bedrooms, three and a half baths with 1,824 square feet interior area.  The lot is small but adequate, 2,900 square feet.  This location is terrific!  It's right across the street from Kapiolani Community College and near Leahi Hospital.  The list price is $649,900.

There's some work to be done.  Countertops and cabinets were removed by the former owner, along with the appliances.

I looked at this house in 2008 for a customer and made a video.  Please disregard the MLS number in the video, the new MLS…

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Here's an interesting property on the windward side of Oahu.  A small house sits on this 3/4 acre beachfront lot.  The house is definitely a fixer, although habitable.  The current owners have lived in the house for several years. 

This listing will attract a lot of attention because of its price.  Originally listed at $175,000, the owners have dropped the price all the way down to $99,000.   Normally, a sandy beachfront lot of 1/4 acre and larger on Oahu would start at a minimum of $1,500,000 and higher. The reason for the difference?   This property is sold leasehold - that is, the current "owners" are actually lessees. 

The lessor is the Bishop Estate, a large charitable trust established to educate native Hawaiian children.  The estate charges…

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Here's a deal at Makaha Valley Towers!  This is a two bedroom, one bath condo with views of two golf courses, the ocean and the mountains.  The building has central air conditioning and it's kept in great shape.

This used to be my listing.  The buyers got into financial troubles and we tried to sell it.  The condo went to foreclosure auction and the bank set the minimum bid at $275,000.  A few people were interested, but not at that price.  The bank took the condo back and it's been relisted.

Makaha is on the west side of Oahu.  This is a quiet area and sparsely populated, unlike Honolulu.  The drive into Honolulu is about 35 miles.  This is a great building, however it's not close to town.

Comparable units in this building were selling for $300,000+…

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We recently looked at this house in Kaimuki.   It was built in 1939 on a large 8,570 square foot lot.  The house appears to have been expanded at some point and now has 1,832 square feet interior area within its four bedrooms with one and a half baths.  There's also a separate carport with a bathroom and laundry room. 

The yard has a tropical look with a mango tree, laua'e, crotons and ti plants surrounding the home.  The front side has double-entry doors.  The living room is carpeted and the kitchen has vinyl flooring.  Most of the other rooms have hardwood flooring, which appears to be original.

 

Another neat touch is this bureau built into the wall

 

This house is located on Hookipa Way in Kaimuki.  It's a quiet side street with easy access to…

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A new listing is coming up at Castle Surf, a condo on the beach at Diamond Head.  This unit is on the fourth floor.  It has ocean and sunset views.  Castle Surf is right across the street from the Dillingham Fountain, a famous landmark at Diamond Head.

Besides being on the beachfront at Diamond Head, there are several other important features about this property.  Castle Surf has two elevators, one at the front of the building and another at the ocean side.   The maintenance fee is relatively low at $390 per month and it includes electricity.  The unit includes a covered parking stall - several other buildings at Diamond Head do not have parking spaces for each unit.

This listing has 700 square feet interior, 98 square feet on the lanai, a washer/dryer…

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For those of us looking for fixer upper homes in Hawaii, here's a good one in Kailua.  Located on Mokapu Boulevard, it's near Kailua's famous sandy beaches and Kaneohe Marine Corps Base. 

  View of the home from the street corner.  The tall hedge provides privacy to the back yard and interior of the home.  

 

The home has three bedrooms, two baths and 1,355 square feet of interior area.  It's on a large lot, approximately 8,600 square feet and there's a two car garage.  The living room ceiling is open beam, providing a spacious feeling and helping to keep the home cool during the summer. 

As a fixer upper, most of what this…

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This listing was listed on November 2nd, 2008.   The Saint Louis Heights home features three bedrooms with one and a half baths. Interior area is approximately 1,208 square feet on 6,000 square foot lot.  There's a garage suitable for one car.  Street parking is ample. 

The home was built in 1942 and remodeled in 2008.  Condition is above average and it's one of the lowest priced homes in Saint Louis Heights at  $699,000. 

A large deck attached to the living room is great for barbecues and relaxing.  The backyard is outstanding.   The large lot is spacious for kids to play and there's a beautiful view of Diamond Head.

Visit our St. Louis Heights webpage to see the listing with more photos, a map and public school information.

Contact Mike for more…

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