Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:27:56 -0800WeeblyWed, 12 Oct 2011 21:10:06 -0800http://www.vivianfranco.net/6/post/2011/10/maui-real-estate-statistics2.htmlFor the latest Maui Real Estate Statistics, go to http://www.ramaui.com/UserFiles/File/Stats/All-Sept2011.pdf ]]>Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:07:55 -0800http://www.vivianfranco.net/6/post/2011/10/turn-trash-into-cash-this-holiday-season-and-help-lokelani-school.htmlSend your Box Tops!

Did you know that each Box Top printed on many of the labels or boxes of the products you already have at home are worth 10 Cents to local schools?

Vivian Franco, a Realtor with Windermere Valley Isle Properties at The Shops at Wailea, is collecting Box Tops for Lokelani Intermediate, and would appreciate your help: Before you toss or recycle that cereal box, or Kleenex wrapper, cut off the Box Tops labels and send them to:

Vivian Franco, Realtor (S)

c/o Windermere Valley Isle Properties

The Shops at Wailea

3750 Wailea Alanui Dr., Suite 22 EW

Wailea, HI 96753

For more information, and to see a list of all participating products, go to http://www.boxtops4education.com

If you have any questions, contact Vivian Franco at vivian.franco@windermere.com

]]>Wed, 20 Jul 2011 22:20:38 -0800http://www.vivianfranco.net/6/post/2011/07/selling-a-home-in-maui-successfully-marketing-your-home-online.htmlSelling a home is always an important task that has a lot of risks and rewards involved with it.

With more than 89% of home buyers using the internet to do research and look at homes, the online marketing of homes for sale in Maui, HI is critical.

In this article we will look at the 3 most important factors in online marketing of real estate and how they can be used to better market your property and get more people to contact your agent and then physically see your home.

According to the National Association of Realtors 2010 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, the 3 most important features of a real estate website for buyers are:

1.       Photos of your home

2.       Detailed information of your home

3.       A Virtual Tour of your home

The key to successfully marketing your home online is to get potential buyers off the computer and into your home is using proven strategies of online marketing that are so often missing in real estate!

The first goal is to get buyers to contact your agent about your home; the second goal is to get buyers to contact your agent, period, so that the agent can schedule a showing of your home with the buyer.

Marketing Your Home to attract buyers

1.       Make sure that good pictures of your home are taken so that when buyers see your home online, that the pictures show your home to its’ fullest potential. Tips for this include to make sure that there is good outside lighting and that interior lights are turned on, that everything is picked up so that there is no clutter in the kitchen, bathrooms, living room, etc. and that multiple pictures are taken of every room so that the best of each can be selected for the marketing of your home.

2.       Be sure that all the details of your home are given to your Realtor and that they use this in their marketing. More and more, buyers want information and data, and making sure your Realtor and buyers have all the information and data for your home is critical.

3.       Bring both the great photos and information about your home alive by having a virtual tour created that lets buyers get a sense of your home in a way that is impossible except to actually be there themselves.

A serious flaw that most Realtors make when creating a virtual tour is including music with it!

Many people look at homes while at work or while doing other things, and having unwanted music blasting over their computer while they are just trying to look at the photos and information of your home is a great  way to lose them immediately the one time they will see your home’s photos and information! Do not risk getting the dreaded back button clicked or the internet browser closed all together during the best opportunity you have for showing off your home to potential buyers.

Get on the Buyers Short List….or at least get them to contact your agent!

Buyers will look at hundreds of homes online and it is impossible for them to see every one of them, even ones that might be exactly what they are looking for. By the time even a short number of homes have been viewed, it is easy for buyers to miss the fact that your home is one they should schedule a viewing with to see!

This is where using the principles of online marketing can help sell your home.

By offering buyers more information they likely want, your agent can get buyers to contact them and then schedule a showing with the buyer for your home. If the buyer never contacts your agent in the first place, then it is impossible for your agent to even attempt to schedule a showing of your property with potentially the perfect buyers!

Imagine a typical case of buyers looking at homes online in Maui, HI.

Having looked at 25 other homes for sale in Maui, HI, a buyer sees your home online, but is tired from seeing so many homes and quickly glances at a few pictures and almost instinctively clicks the ‘next’ button. Does this sound familiar?!

A way to get the buyer to stop and make contact with your agent is to make a number of offers for other information that will then allow your agent to schedule a showing of your property with the buyer.

Offers such as a list of homes for sale that meet their profile in Maui, HI, a free list of foreclosed homes for sale (buyers in all price points love deals and do not realize the issues with buying foreclosures and most quickly give up the notion and buy listed homes for resale), a home market analysis (most people selling are doing so to buy another!) and so on.

By combining good photos of your home with all the information about it and creating a virtual tour and then putting that virtual tour all over the internet via the MLS and other online marketing channels available to Realtors combined with additional offers prompting buyers to contact your agent, the process of selling your home can be made easier and faster than otherwise possible.

And since so few real estate professionals market homes this way, you will be at an advantage over all the other sellers currently in the market trying to sell their homes!



Vivian Franco, M.S.
Realtor (S), e-Pro
Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource Certified (SFR)
Windermere Valley Isle Properties
The Shops at Wailea
3750 Wailea Alanui Dr., Suite 22 EW
Wailea, HI 96753
E-Mail: vivian.franco@windermere.com
Website: www.MyMauiOpenHouse.com

]]>Fri, 10 Jun 2011 20:09:27 -0800http://www.vivianfranco.net/6/post/2011/06/helping-kamalii-students-learn-about-plants.htmlCheck out this article published by the Maui News last Saturday, June 4, 2011.
Patrick Kilbride, of Title Guaranty, and myself, helped a group of first graders at Kamalii Elementary plant a herb garden in the school.
Joseph Bean wrote a beautiful article telling this story, hoping that others will be inspired to share some of their time with the Maui keiki. ]]>Fri, 27 May 2011 10:38:46 -0800http://www.vivianfranco.net/6/post/2011/05/thinking-about-making-an-offer-make-the-offer-and-then.htmlAloha!

The real estate market on Maui has
changed significantly in the past few months. Two years ago, properties were on
the market for weeks if not months, with no offers.

Today, the best deals
don't last more than a week on the market: They receive offers almost
immediately.

In Hawaii, after an offer is accepted, you have an
inspection period (usually 15 days) during which you can have a professional
home inspector check the property, and you can think about your decision. If you
find anything that will make you change your mind, you can cancel your offer
before the inspection period is over.

If you ask me to send you automatic
uptades on new listings on a certain condo complex or neighborhood, you'll
receive an e-mail with property information within minutes of being listed in
the MLS. If you see something you "might" like, call me and schedule an
appointment right away. If you're off island, ask me to prepare a Purchase
Contract for you.

If the new listing is a good deal, I assure you it
won't be long before someone makes an offer, and you want to be the first to do
so.

Of course, I would not encourage you to make offers just to see what
happens, because that would be a waste of time for all involved (you, me and the
listing agent). But if you're seriously considering buying a certain property,
waiting doesn't work any more.

Call me now at (808) 214-3818 or send me
an e-mail at alohafromvivian@aol.com and tell me what you're
looking for. I'll set up an automatic notification system for that condo or
neighborhood, and you'll be among the first to know what's new in the
market.

Aloha!

Vivian ]]>Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:53:21 -0800http://www.vivianfranco.net/6/post/2011/01/come-help-clean-up-kalama-park1.htmlTue, 25 Jan 2011 12:53:17 -0800http://www.vivianfranco.net/6/post/2011/01/come-help-clean-up-kalama-park.htmlSouth Maui Volunteers and the County of Maui Parks & Recreation are in desperate need of volunteers this week Wednesday and Thursday. They will be working on various areas of Kalama Park that still need to cleaned following the flash flood two weeks ago.

They will be focusing on the sidewalks, playground, and featured whale area. To clean those areas they will be using shovels to remove the dry, caked mud and stiff brooms to remove the debris.

They will be working on Wednesday and Thursday and are asking for people to help, even if they only have an hour.

Call Bob Richardson at 264-1798 for more information and to volunteer for a shift.

Mahalo, Volunteers!

]]>Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:17:20 -0800http://www.vivianfranco.net/6/post/2010/08/maui-real-estate-statistics1.htmlTo see monthly and year-end statistics for Maui real estate, go to http://www.mymauiopenhouse.com/Maui_Market_Data.html]]>Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:16:18 -0800http://www.vivianfranco.net/6/post/2010/08/sold-homes-and-condos-on-maui.htmlTo see properties sold within last year on Maui,  register at http://www.mymauiopenhouse.com/Contact_Us.html 


Check it out today!

Vivian]]>Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:06:44 -0800http://www.vivianfranco.net/6/post/2010/08/tour-de-kihei-bike-for-a-greener-maui.htmlAugust, 28, 9:00am at Kamaole Beach Park III.  Participate in a FREE, organized ride from Kamaole III beach park to St. Theresa Church and back.  Riders of all experience levels are welcome.  Ride on South Kihei Road, Halama Street, and the Kalama Park Pedestrian Trail, and experience Kihei’s real life riding conditions.  The ride is 5.3 miles long should take less than one hour to complete.

The ride will promote bike awareness and bike safety as well as the Kihei Greenway.  Elected officials and candidates have been invited to join us to familiarize them with the bicycling needs of South Maui. At the end of the ride, political candidates are invited to talk story with participants.

http://www.gokihei.org/news/tour-de-kihei-bike-ride-set


Pupu will be provided at Kamaole III at the end of the ride.  We look forward to riding with you.

Bike helmets will be required for all riders.  Please bring your own bike and helmet.

Special thanks to: Kihei Community Association, South Maui Bicycles, South Maui Bicycle Coalition, South Maui Sustainability and the local bike riding community for their support and attendance.
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