KE Team Hawaii Real Estate Blog: Kailua-Kona Market Trends & Insights
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14 posts in Seller
Hawaii Real Estate 101 : Escrow Explained for Mainland & International Buyers
“What’s Escrow?” A Must-Know for Buyers & Sellers from Non-Escrow States and outside the US. If you’re from New York, Texas, Illinois, or overseas, like Japan, you may be surprised by how real estate transactions work in Hawaii. That’s because Hawaii is what’s called an “Escrow State.” Unlike states where attorneys handle closings, Hawaii uses […]
Hawaii Real Estate 101: What Is the Escrow Period in Hawaii?
Kai Ioh | Nov 2025 If you’re buying or selling real estate in Hawaii for the first time, you might be wondering: “What happens between offer acceptance and closing?”Or: “What exactly is the escrow period?” In Hawaii (an escrow state), we don’t use attorneys to close real estate deals. Instead, a licensed escrow company acts […]
What You Need to Know About Hawaii’s Real Estate Withholding Tax When Selling
Kai Ioh | November 2025 If you’re a non-resident of Hawaii, or a foreign national planning to sell property here, there’s an important tax-related detail you’ll want to understand upfront: There is no special tax for non-residents. But Hawaii, along with the U.S. federal government, requires certain sellers to prepay taxes through withholding at the […]
How We Delivered the Highest Price Per Square Foot in Iolani | Big Island Real Estate
Case Study: Panorama A Record Sale with Vision, Strategy, and Precision at 76-881 N. Pueo Place Just Sold | Iolani | $3.1M — Highest Price-Per-Square-Foot Ever in the Community VISION Maximize value and maintain control for a modern ocean-view home during a shifting market. When the owners of “Panorama,” a 2018-built contemporary home with sweeping […]
Don’t Let a Platform Set Your Strategy: Understanding NAR, Zillow, and the Real Power Behind the Sale
In April, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) quietly announced some meaningful changes to its Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP)—the kind that may not make headlines but absolutely shape how your home gets sold. Here’s what changed: Office Exclusives can now be shared one-on-one across brokerages. This major update allows for a more private, curated marketing […]
What NAR’s Clear Cooperation Policy Changes Mean for Big Island Home Sellers
Discretion, strategy, and flexibility are vital components of how homes should be marketed. This is especially true for luxury properties. So when industry-wide policies restrict how sellers can bring their homes to the market, it raises a key question: Is this really in the client’s best interest? Last week, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) introduced […]
Making Sense of Price Per Square Foot (PPSF) in Kailua-Kona
Price per square foot (PPSF) is often the first metric buyers and sellers look at when evaluating a home’s value. When used correctly, PPSF can provide valuable insights but relying on it too heavily can be misleading. So what else should you focus on when there are so many other factors that can impact a […]
How KE Team’s 3-Phase Marketing Strategy Maximizes Your Home Sale
At KE Team, we don’t wait for buyers to come to us. We understand that selling luxury real estate on the Big Island requires more than just listing a home—it demands a thoughtful and strategic approach. We proactively position your property for success from the beginning with Compass’s exclusive 3-Phase Marketing Strategy. By rolling out […]
How to Protect your Real Estate Transactions from Escrow Fraud in Hawaii
Recent Trends in Real Estate Escrow Fraud Real estate transactions have always been a prime target for fraudsters, but the sophistication of their schemes has reached alarming levels. Earlier this year, we encountered a fraudulent seller situation—our first involving impersonation. Thanks to the vigilance of our team and escrow company, the scheme was detected and […]
Understanding the Real Estate Practice Changes Effective August 17th, 2024
On March 15, 2024, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) reached a settlement agreement with plaintiffs that could potentially end ongoing litigation regarding broker commissions. The $418M antitrust settlement took effect on August 17, 2024, and the final approval hearing is scheduled for November 26, 2024. It’s important to note that consumers will continue to […]