Build or Buy Existing Home?

[mella l]

So Cindy tell us how is your project coming? Any info to share? What have your experiences been. What progress are you making? Curious minds love to hear!! Mahalo, Mella L

mella l

[jdirgo]

Paradise Pools has done a good job for me on a catchment in the past. Others that have used them for "real pools" speak highly of them as well.

John Dirgo, RA, ABR, e-PRO
RE/MAX Properties
808-987-9243 cell

[allensylves]

Cindy V,
I second John's recommendation of Paradise Pools. They replaced a catchment tank for me and put a cover on another tank and I am very satisfied with Mike's work.

Allen
Baton Rouge, LA & HPP

[Cindy V]

Progress to report, allot but not to the naked eye or any other eye. Permits are moving through the county ~ 3 wks yet. Materials are ready to be ordered the end of this month. We'll be there (not perm. yet, we are still surviving (barely) in CA) April 7th. Busy 10 days planned, the dirt work starts, survey for staking (house is close to setbacks) after that. we need to order our catchment system, thanks will go with our first impression of Mike at PP too! Our 2 daughters 19 &25 are coming with to see if they want to move with us. Meeting with our contractor, picking out flooring, counter tops, and looking at lighting. Will try to work fun in there some how. We're renting a house in Leilani Estates ~ 3/4 mile from the lot on Hookupu. No pics yet, but maybe after the trip I'll send some of the lot before and after. A beginning!!!

Aloha
Cindy

[John S. Rabi]

I bought one lot there 10 months ago for $45K and if it is now worth $59K "only" I still made 30% return on it.

Aloha,
John S. Rabi, ABR,CM,CRB,FHS,PB,RB
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
75-5870 Walua Road, Suite 101
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
(808)327-3185

[jdirgo]

Just a warning to anyone considering an incomplete or to-be-constructed home with active permits. If those permits are owner-builder, you could end up with RICO (Regulated Industries Complaints Office) investigating the sale. I recently represented a buyer that bought an incomplete home with active owner-builder permits and he just got a letter from RICO saying that they are investigating the sale. He's fine, there won't be problems for him (as far as we can tell) but it could complicate things for the seller and the seller's agent. Just an FYI...

John Dirgo, RA, ABR, e-PRO
RE/MAX Properties
808-987-9243 cell

[toucano]

John - I'm curious to know what problems you are referring to in your posting and just what compelling reason the government has to care about the sale of property having a valid owner-builder permit. I don't think that I've ever heard of this as an issue anywhere else.

[John S. Rabi]

It's a law that has been on the books for forever. If you get an "Owner Builder" permit you can not sell your house for one year from the date of completion according to the Hawaii Revised Statues. In fact, you can not even offer it for sale. The penalties for breaking the law are pretty severe. The only exemption to this law is "Extreme Hardship" but that is not defined in the HRS.

Aloha,
John S. Rabi, ABR,CM,CRB,FHS,PB,RB
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
75-5870 Walua Road, Suite 101
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
(808)327-3185

[toucano]

John - I think the concern is probably to stop the "professional" owner-builder who wants to avoid being a licensed contractor. Much the same as many states say that if you sell X number of cars in a year, you need to register as a car dealer.

[Kelena]

An agent on another island told me that the purpose of this law is to protect full-time developers from "mom and pop" developers, by tying the hands of the owner-builder for a period of one year. They do pursue violations, I am told (a house I was interested in fell out of escrow for that reason).