Home  About Me  Big Island FAQ  Big Island Information & Maps  Big Island Real Estate   Buyers Resources  Hawaii Books Guides  Real Estate Listings  Referral Resources

Kevin E Lewis, Seller's Agent on the Big Island of Hawaii "Helping Clients Sell Homes and Land in Hilo Hamakua Puna and the Big Island since 2000."

The Goal:  My goal is to help understand your goals, and sell the property so you can move forward into your next adventure.

The Agent:  Kevin E. Lewis - Real Estate Professional with a Good Track Record.  I'm a full time Hawaii real estate agent and have been active in the Big Island real estate market since 2000.  I graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, and hold Enrolled Agent and Certified Financial Planner™ designations.  I have built good networking relationships with other Hawaii real estate agents through many sales transactions, by serving on the Hawaii Island Board of Realtors® Board of Directors and committees, and have been developing strong negotiation skills by serving as a volunteer mediator in my local community.   While I cannot guarantee a fast sale, I can promise that I work honestly with my clients and hope to earn your referrals and repeat business.   Client Recommendations

The Agency:  Prudential Orchid Isle Properties - Recognition and Reputation.  Our office is located near downtown Hilo, and has been recognized as the top selling real estate office (by number of closed sales) for all of Hawaii County in 2008 and 2009. (Source: Hawaii Information Service.)  We have an active local website RealEstateHawaii.com, a full-time marketing director to help promote your listing through internet and local advertising, including our Prudential Buyer's Guide of Listings.  Prudential Real Estate has nationwide recognition and substantial internet presence where our listings are featured through a variety of real estate websites such as Prudential Properties, Aloha Living, Realtor.com, Trulia, Yahoo Real Estate, and Zillow.

The Market:  Is it a Buyer's Market or Seller's Market in Hawaii?  Real Estate markets are cyclical by nature, and there are always Buyers in the market looking for a good deal.   Big Island Real Estate Market Report

The Marketing:  It's about getting seen.  Part of my job is to get your property seen by potential Buyers, and the 1,700 or so licensed real estate agents on the Big Island of Hawaii.  A Seller's agent rarely "brings in the Buyer."  The Buyer will most likely be working with their own agent.

The Secret to Selling: Being Competitive.  We'll go over the numbers of what has sold in recent months, and how your property compares to your competition.  The Seller sets the asking price and the Buyer (aka, the Market) creates the Sale price, which is the successful agreement between what a Buyer will pay and the Seller will accept.  Once in a while I come into competition with an occasional agent who will "bid up the listing price" just to get your business.  Asking an above market price does not mean that you will sell the property for more money.  You either price your property to sell with a little bit of negotiation room, or the property generally sits on the market until the better values have sold first.

The Buyer:  Today's Buyer is shopping to find the best deal.  If you overprice when you first go on the market, interested Buyers will often wait until you lower the price closer to your competition, then try a low ball offer thinking you must be desperate to sell after so many months on the market.  Been there, seen it happen too many times.  If we price too low, we might get a bidding war going!  All Buyers love what they perceive is a bargain... that is how most properties sell.

The Rest of My Job is helping my Seller with showings, negotiate through offers and the escrow process.  It's sometimes a balancing act to work with a Buyer (or their Agent), Seller, Title Company, Lender, Home Inspector, Insurance company, Surveyor, Termite Inspector... so that everyone does what they are supposed to do to be able to close an escrow on time!

I hope to be the agent that you decide to work with.  Please feel free to call or email me with questions, and thank you for visiting my website.  Aloha,  Kevin

Common Problems in Hawaii Homes   HARPTA   Hawaii Fair Housing Laws   Hawaii Home Sales Statistics   Housing Market Predictor

Home Buying & Selling Essentials   Move Advocate Relocation Assistance   Real Estate Books   Why Use a Realtor?   1031 Exchange

Short Sales and Foreclosures

Foreclosure:  Foreclosure is an involuntary process whereby a lender repossesses property that was pledged as collateral for mortgage debt. Foreclosure can occur judicially (i.e. through a court action) or non-judicially, where a third party, such as a trustee, has the power to conduct a sale of the property after the lender has declared a default of the loan.   Hawaii Foreclosure Law   What is a Foreclosure?

Short Sale:  A short sale occurs when an owner sells property for less than the debt owed on the property. The lender must consent to the sale, agree to accept less than the full loan amount, and agree to release the property from the mortgage lien.   Short Sale Help   What is a Short Sale?

Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure:  A deed in lieu of foreclosure occurs when an owner conveys property to the existing lender in exchange for cancellation of the mortgage debt—i.e. “in lieu” of a foreclosure by the lender.   Canceled Debt Mortgage Forgiveness   Recourse Loans

Credit Scores Can Drop After Getting Loan Help   Fannie Mae Gets Tough on Homeowners Who Walk Away   You Lost Your House But You Still Have to Pay