Tumbleweed Realty Maui

 Tomorrow at 10am at Hookipa Beach Park the 2nd Annual Butterfly Effect event will take place. This is an all-girl watersport event, not a competition or race, but where female water enthusiasts launch from Hookipa and go to Kanaha.  It includes windsurfers, kitesurfers, stand up paddlers, and kayakers.  This a great event for the various sports to enjoy the water and scenery together.  It’s such a great idea because there has always been a little riff between windsurfers and kiters, or should I say kiters and all the other sports. 

Not that we are bad group.  Many non-kiters are very intimidated by the kite lines, and fear decapitation or lost limbs.  Kitesurfing is a younger sport than windsurfing, insofar as how long the sport has been around.  Kiting only came out in 1999.  Windsurfing has been around since the 70s.  Stand-up paddling is the newest board sport in the water and the latest craze.  Today I drove to Lahaina and saw a lot of stand up paddlers at all the surf breaks.

Additionally, kiters are prohibited from launching and kiting at various beaches on Maui, and restricted to kite only after 11am.  Hookipa is one of those spots that is usually off-limits for kiters.  The fact that this event is being opened up to kiters and includes mingling between all the water sportswomen is a small step towards progress and total acceptance.

Unfortunately, I will not be participating in the Butterfly Event.  I just found out about it today, and I had already booked 2 appointments for Saturday.  Even if I was not working, I’m not sure if I would do it.  I never launched from Hookipa before and it sure is a long haul to Kanaha.  I haven’t done a downwinder for at least 6 months either. 

I think this summer I will start going out again at Sugar Cove.  Today I practiced my toeside turns and pulled it off one way.  I am better doing it going out to sea.  When I try to do it coming in to shore I blow up.  It feels so unnatural because I am goofy.  But since there aren’t any more waves until Thanksgiving I’ll have something to do. 

Good luck to all the women who participate tomorrow!  I may show up at the beach late to see how it went. 

An oh so true article from Pacific Business News on April 4, 2008.

It says that even though everyone has a digital camera, most realtors aren’t trained as photographers to take the best photos.  Fortunately you have the best of both worlds with Tumbleweed Realty

The article quotes a Honolulu Realtor whom I admire, Patricia Choi. The photos she uses in her marketing are breathtaking and I’m striving to achieve that caliber of wow in my photos as well.

You’ve only got one chance to make a good first impression.  The list price of the property shouldn’t be a determining factor of whether to get professional photos and/or virtual tour and video done.  As Pat Choi points out, the small expense is well worth attracting buyers and a successful closing. 

After trying out numerous restaurants on Maui, I have come to the conclusion that Cafe O Lei is the best value for your money.  It has ambiance, great service, and good food.  In all of their restaurants, the quality was consistent with great selection.  I love their Caesar salad, Onion soup with puff pastry topper, and basically everything else. 

No wonder they have restaurants all over Maui: Kihei, Wailuku, Kahului, and I think Lahaina.  Some restaurants don’t care if they impress their customers because the customers are tourists who won’t come back anyhow.  Not Cafe O Lei.  It’s nice to know you won’t have any unpleasant surprises no matter what branch you go to. 

We finally finished the remodel of this unit.  I think it came out great, and hopefully will find a buyer. 

One of a kind remodeled and furnished condo with custom features: eco soy stained concrete floors, Kraftmaid cherry cabinets, Silestone quartz counters, stainless appliances, cherry shoji doors, rail track lighting w/ pendants. Bonus bar area, lots of storage space.

Furnishings included: Bali teak bed (queen), leather sofa w/ chaise, recliner chair, rugs, patio furniture, linens, cookware, dishes, stools, artwork and decor. Convenient location near bus, restaurants, doctors, government offices and businesses. Elevator.

Enjoy beautiful mountain and ocean views. Low maintenance fees only $200/month. Concrete secured building. Enjoy the tasteful urban chic style of this unit in the heart of Uptown Wailuku.

Offered at $350,000.  See the virtual tour for more information

This house was built in 2004 and has 3 bedrooms 2 baths with garage.   The seller is motivated as this is a short sale.  The original price was $649,000.   Call Angela at 344-5066 for more information.

Here are 2 photos of Haleakala from our front yard.  It’s a beautiful sight!

These photos were taken today as I was kitesurfing at Kanaha. Great little camera is waterproof so I hope to get more beach and nature shots and video on this blog. Stay tuned!

The prognosis about the health of Maui’s real estate were released in this article from Maui News.  The good news is that our real estate market is basically staying level despite drastic crashes elsewhere in the nation. 

 One of the indicators that the market is still healthy is that construction has not slowed down. 

Many visitors who come to Maui tell me how bad the real estate market on the mainland is, and that 1 out of 4 homes are in foreclosure.  I have not analyzed the number of foreclosures in Maui yet, and I’m sure there are more than before.  However, we have a unique economy here that seems to self-sustain.  Perhaps it’s because Maui is one of the world’s top destinations, and perhaps it’s because we have a diversified mix of people, jobs, and income streams.  

In any event, many speculators are still waiting for the other shoe to drop, but some investors are taking advantage of the low interest rates to scoop up the deals that are out there. 

Sellers need to be aware that price reductions could be necessary to move their property into escrow.  Every listing should use e-marketing such as virtual tours, video, professional photographs, and e-mail flyers, as well as open houses for maximum exposure. 

It’s nice to know that Kaheawa Wind Farm produced 125,000 megawatt-hours in 2007.  This computes to saving 236,000 barrels of petroleum to produce the same amount of energy!  Another way of looking at it is that the wind farm produced enough energy to supply 11,000 homes. 

 Just think if politics didn’t get in the way of common sense, our world could be so much more efficient and cleaner.  Solar and wind are 2 huge resources we have in Hawaii and should be harnessed to make us less reliant on petroleum products. 

Anybody been a little chilly lately?  I feel like the Michelin Man bundled up against the cold, yes I said cold air…64F yesterday at Kahului Airport.   Folks upcountry felt extra perky at lower temperatures of 47F.   At the top of Haleakala Crater, it went down to 28F and the ground was covered in frost at sunrise. 

The first time I saw snow was in 1984 on the summit of Mauna Kea.  It was hard pack but still a fun experience.  This year the summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa both had early snow and last I heard it was still there. 

Some beautiful photos and information on Haleakala Crater by QT Luong