So Your Thinking About Moving to Maui?
Moving to Maui has a certain illusion that draws you to thinking of living in the islands. Trading in the old life of driving on crowded freeways, long lines shopping at stores, or maybe just to get away from cold winter months. These are all good reasons to want a lifestyle of change. Many people dream of living close to the beach within walking distance, maybe a part-time winter home or condos.
These are among the many reasons people on a regular basis decide to sell the home that they have lived in for 35 years and come to Maui. Not a bad idea and many people take the plunge and go for the lifestyle change. I have sold countless homes and condos to many clients that have found this to be a remarkable experience.
So I want to share some of my thoughts on what you should consider if you’re thinking about making a move to Maui.
First off you need to find a Realtor on Maui that knows his way around the block. A Realtor that understands and can educate the buyer about local communities, and by asking questions and listening to the buyer’s needs can help them in the process of assessing the buyer’s needs. Having live on Maui for 45 years, 22 years selling Maui real estate, 16 years a contractor, and having built five different homes I understand the process from the grown up to the roof. A qualified Maui agent can guide you through the process and it can make a big difference in the end result.
The second thing that should be on your list is how are you going to purchase the property on Maui. Are you going to pay in cash, possible 1031 exchange, or a conventional loan? First off as they say cash is King, it does put you in a stronger position when your making offers. So whether you’re paying in cash or other financings it still has to be a realistic offer, considering market values in a strong market.
If you are looking at 1031 exchange I can recommend an exchange company working through escrow that makes this a smooth transaction. Lastly, you really should talk to a local lender, they understand the challenges of buying a home on agricultural land and purchasing a condo from condo-tel that mainland lenders are unfamiliar with Hawaii laws and zoning. You also want to have a pre-approval in your hands for three reasons. Once you know the loan amount you can borrow and two if the monthly mortgage payments fit in your budget and lastly it will make your offer to purchase a Maui property a lot stronger when presenting an offer to the seller.
So you found your Realtor, and have your financing lined up. The next step is to start the search. If you are still living on the mainland you need to start your search on-line. After you identified what type of property you’re looking for home or condo, a home on a small lot or on 2-aces so you can grow some Protea flowers and some veggies, or owning a condo in Kihei Maui maybe something to consider.
Do you want an investment property which a condominium that can generate income and give you use of your investment property, What about location, one or two bedrooms? What about which community you might want to own real estate on Maui, places like Wailea, Kihei to Kaanapali Maui. If you are on island then we can begin searching Maui properties that fit your descriptions.. Once we have identified the right real estate properties then we can start the process of writing offers.
So let’s say we have an accepted offer. At this point, we shift gears to start by hiring a qualified home inspector to review the property. There are condo docs to review, termite inspections, and if its land it will need to be surveyed. You will also receive a property disclosure that will reveal the history of the home. So it’s a Realtor job to guide you through the process of inspecting the property and all pertinent facts associated with the property.
Okay now we are heading into the closing process, all the inspection has been completed. Before closing you need to set up your homeowner’s insurance policy, set up your utilities, trash service and you have your final loan approval ready to go. Again this is where a local seasoned Maui Realtor can walk you through the process to a smooth escrow closing.
So it’s a journey from start to finish, starting with finding a trusted Realtor on Maui. With Steve expect nothing less than a seasoned Maui Realtor. My job is to make your real estate experience buying a home or condo on Maui as smooth as possible. I work with Elite Pacific Properties, #1 in luxury home sales in Hawaii. Elite offers in-house escrow coordinators, as well as marketing support team. Once you commit to working with me, you have 100% of my undivided attention from the bringing of the process of looking for the right property for you to a successful closing of your new home or condo.
So let me know when you’re ready to start the process of buying a home or condo on Maui. I am looking forward to starting working for you to help you realize your dreams of owning a home on the island of Maui. I work with Elite Pacific Properties, #1 in luxury home sales in Hawaii.
You can begin your search in Wailea real estate market, homes, and condos in Kihei Maui. Kaanapali offers luxury homes and condos for sale. Upcountry Maui offers homes for sale in Kula and Pukalani. And let’s not forget the Northshore with Paia, Spreckelsville and Haiku Maui. Sign up to receive email updates on all Maui real estate for sale islandwide.
Aloha,
Steven Nickens RS-54097 GRI ABR
Elite Pacific Properties
Cell: 808-280-2208
Email: nickensmaui@gmail.com
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