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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Hawaii Unemployment – Honolulu Job Market Improving in April 2012

According to a report released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Honolulu’s unemployment rate fell to 5.3 percent in April 2012.  This was a significant decrease from the 5.7 percent reported a month before in March and ranks Honolulu as the 46th lowest unemployment rate out of the 372 major metropolitan areas studied by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  The report further states that the total number of unemployed individuals in Honolulu was approximately 24,300 in April 2012.  The total labor work force for the city was approximately 458,200 during that same period.
In comparison, Hawaii County (Big Island) had a 8.7 unemployment rate.  Kauai County had a 7.7 percent unemployment rate.  Maui County had a 6.5 percent unemployment rate.  Statewide, the unemployment rate was 6.3 percent.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-31-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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NFL Pro Bowl to Be Held In Hawaii Again in 2013

The National Football League has announced that Hawaii will be hosting its all-star Pro Bowl game once again in 2013.  However, NFL officials have not commented about what will happen past 2013 and there has been speculation that the NFL may decide to cancel the Pro Bowl event completely.  Brian McCarthy, spokesman for the NFL stated, “We’ll evaluate the event after (next) year’s game before making any decision about its future.  The players expressed interest in improving the quality of play and playing the game in Hawaii.We’ll work closely with them to develop ways to improve the game’s competitiveness, which, we all agree, is not up to NFL standards.”
Domonique Foxworth, the president of the National Football League’s Players Association, added, “The players believe that the Pro Bowl is an important tradition. We worked hard with the league to make sure the best players in the NFL are honored for their achievements on the field.”
Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie commented, “This is wonderful news for football fans in Hawaii and elsewhere who love watching the game.  It’s also great news for NFL players and their families who enjoy coming to our Aloha State.”
According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the Pro Bowl generated approximately $25.8 million in visitor spending last year and approximately $2.8 million in taxes.  More importantly, the attracts over 12.5 million people watched the Pro Bowl on television, which the Hawaii Tourism Authority argues is fantastic advertising.  The state in turn paid the National Football League $4.15 million in 2012 to have the rights to host the Pro Bowl game.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-31-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Lower Revenue Projects Means State to Cut Back Spending

The State of Hawaii’s Council on Revenues has just lowered their forecasted tax collection for the 2013 fiscal year from a predicted 7.5 percent growth rate to a 5.3 percent growth rate.  This predicted decrease equates to an estimated loss of $110 million in terms of the state budget.  According to Kalbert Young, the State’s Budget Director, this financial set back will probably be solved by holding off filling some vacant or new jobs and may mean that some state projects would have to be put on hold.  Young stated, “I think right now the play that we’re going to employ is we’re going to hold on some modest positions and strategies — nothing drastic, at least for the next three months.  But it also means that you’re not going to see a whole lot of restorations coming back at the rate that we thought.”
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-30-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

North Shore Real Estate – Kawailoa Wind Project Begins Construction on North Shore

The Kawailoa Wind project has just announced that they have begun its heavy construction of its facility on the North Shore of Oahu.  This project will be the laregst wind energy project in the state and use a total of 30 wind turbines to generate enough electricity to power approximately 14,500 homes on the island.  Michael Alvarez, president and chief financial officer of First Wind, the developer of the project, stated. “We appreciate the cooperation and support of the Hawaiian regulatory officials, local government, landowners, neighbors and our construction team in safely building Hawaii’s largest renewable energy facility to date.”  The energy generated by the turbines will be sold to the Hawaii Electric Company, which will in turn provide electricity at a reduced rate to consumers.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-29-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Sunday, May 27, 2012

Honolulu Rail Project – What Would Happen to the Rail Project if Cayetano Becomes Mayor?

Former Governor Ben Cayetano is running for the position of Honolulu Mayor primarily under an anti-rail platform.  He has firmly stated that if he is elected as Mayor by the people of Oahu, he will do everything in his power to shut down the $5.27 billion rail project.  This brings about the question, “What will happen to the rail project if Cayetano does win?”
According to a report released by the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, the City and County of Honolulu has already spent $503 million since the project was begun in 2006.  This money was spent on planning, design, buying property and some of the construction work that has already been started.  The city has also awarded $2.17 billion in contracts to various companies.  Executive Director of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transporation, Daniel Grabauskas, stated, “I know this much. I know we would pay lawyers a boatload of cash to either try to settle or litigate the claims.  I don’t know what that number is. Honestly, you could come up with a whole range.”
Legal and political experts agree that if the mayor of Honolulu does have the power to end the rail project, or at least make it extremely difficult for the Federal Government to feel comfortable awarding federal funds necessary to keep complete the project. It is generally agreed upon that if Cayetano does get elected as mayor, the rail project will probably fold.
Cayetano has asked the city why it has awarded billions of dollars in rail contracts and started construction before obtaining formal guarantees from the Federal Transit Administration that the federal government will help pay for the project.  Cayetano argues that companies that have rail contracts will only be entitled to payment for work that they have actually completed, which will be a small fraction of the $2.17 billion awarded.  When asked, what if the contractors decided to sue the city, Cayetano added, “If a reasonable agreement can be reached based on actual costs and work performed, why would a local contractor sue the city and then expect future work?”
Supporters of the rail project have argued that stopping rail would create thousands to tens of thousands of lost jobs for the state and would hurt the economy for years to come.  Cayetano noted that only 500 jobs have been created by the rail project thus far and that he would divert funding from the rail project to fixing the sewer, water system and road system on Oahu.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-27-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Saturday, May 26, 2012

Honolulu Rail Project – City Council Committee Approves $450 Million Line of Credit

A City and County of Honolulu committee has given their approval for a bill which will allow the Honolulu Rail Project to have an additional $450 million in of credit available to them in the event that they run out of money.  According to the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transporation, the Federal Transit Authority is requiring that the city has these extra funds prior to giving their support for the $5.27 billion project.  The entire City Council will still have to give their approval to the bill before it is given to the Mayor for his approval.
Daniel Grabauskas, the Executive Director for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transporation, reaffirmed that the project is well funded and should proceed to completion under budget.  However, the extra $450 million would only be used if something goes wrong.  Grabauskas stated, “If at some point there is some dramatic, unexpected, unforseen circumstance, they (Federal Transit Authority) would like to see the City and County of Honolulu has the commitment that they would complete the project, and what we need to demonstrate in this is that we have ready access to some funding to do that.”
Rail opponents argue that it is unclear how the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transporation would repay the $450 million if it spent.  They argued that the Hawaii tax payer may simply be left holding the bag with regards to repaying the money.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-26-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Friday, May 25, 2012

Three Hawaii Beaches Make Dr. Beach's Top Ten List

Each year, Florida International University Professor, Stephen Leatherman, also known as “Dr. Beach”, comes up with a top ten list of best beach in the United States.  Dr. Beach basis his rankings on a wide range of factors including envirnomental quality, sand quality, and safety for swimmers.  Once a beach hits the #1 ranking, they are ineligible to make the top ten in future years.  This year, three beaches in the Hawaiian islands have made his top ten list.  They include Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki (#2), Hamoa Beach in Hana, Maui (#5) and Waimanalo Bay Beach Park (#7).
Since Dr. Beach has been conducting his survery in 1991, a total of 12 beaches in Hawaii have hit the #1 spot.  The include Hanalei Bay (Kauai), Fleming Beach Park (Maui), Hanauma Bay (Oahu), Kailua Beach Park (Oahu), Lanikai Beach Park (Oahu), Kaanapali (Big Island), Poipu Beach (Big Island), Kaunaoa Beach (Big ISland), Wailea Beach (Big Island), Hulope (Big Island), Hapuna (Big ISland), and Kapalua Bay Beach (Big Island).
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-25-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Thursday, May 24, 2012

Island Air to Add Flights from Honolulu to Kapalua

Island Air has announced that they will be adding two additional flights per day between Honolulu International Airport on Oahu and Kapalua Airport located in West Maui.  This announcement comes just two days after Mokulele Airlines has announced that it will be starting a new route between Honolulu and Kapalua starting in July 1, 2012.  According to Island Air’s Chief Executive Officer, Lesley Kaneshiro, “In mid-April, we filed additional service for Kapalua based on improving market performance.  The West Maui traveling community has been solid and we’ve been anticipating growth for quite some time. Our expanded Kapalua service enhances what West Maui already has to offer.”
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-24-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Seibu Group May Sell Up to Four Luxury Hotels in Hawaii

The Seibu Group has announced that they have put three luxury hotels located in the Hawaiian Islands on the market for sale.  The properties include the Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki on the island of Oahu, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel both located on the Big Island of Hawaii.  Company officials have also stated that may consider selling the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel and Spa on Maui.  It is estimated that the sale of these hotels could generate up to $1 billion for the Seibu Group.
The Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki has 578 rooms and would also include a 27-hole golf course located in Ewa.  The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel has a total of 258 rooms and the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel has another 350 rooms.  These two Big Island of Hawaii properties are located on a 1,839 acre property and share two 18-hole golf courses.  The Grand Wailea on the Maui has a total of 780 rooms.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-24-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Honolulu Rail Project – Caldwell Criticizes Mayor Carlisle and Suggests Design Changes for Downtown

Both Kirk Caldwell, a Honolulu mayoral candidate, and current Mayor Peter Carlisle have been strong supporters of the Honolulu Rail Project.  However, at a recent press conference, Kirk Caldwell noted that when he was the acting mayor in 2010, support for the project was at an all time high.  Since then, support has drastically fallen for the project.  Caldwell pointed his finger at the current administration and stated, ”I think what has changed is the lack of engagement with the public. The mayor (Carlisle) is not discussing the project. The mayor is kind of just letting things operate on automatic pilot, and as a result it’s moved backward. It has not been hands-on. It has not been answering the questions. We have not been transparent. He has not gone out to the community and addressed the kind of concerns I have been talking about today.”
Kirk Caldwell is also suggesting that city leaders should review the downtown and Kakaako portions of the rail project now before the project fully gets underway.  Many residents have expressed their concerns about view planes that the elevated rail guideways might obstruct.  Caldwell added, ”I think by doing it now you’re going to save costs and you’re going to save time, particularly if we’re going to change what we’re doing, and I think we need to do that, we need to engage the downtown community.  We need to see if we can’t design this thing better and do rail better.”
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-23-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Honolulu Rail Project – Rail Supporters Point to National Traffic Study

Supporters of the Honolulu Rail Project are pointing to a new national study which shows that Honolulu has the worst traffic congestion amongst all American cities in 2011. The report, released by INRIX Inc. had Honolulu’s raking jump 36 places in a year to number 1 in the nation mainly due to a change in methodology.  It was shown that the average Honolulu driver spend 58 hours a year stuck in gridlock.
According to the study, the two worst sections of the city included a 3.9 mile eastbound part of the H-1 freeway from Vineyard Boulevard to Ward Avenue and a 7.3 mile westbound section of the H-1 freeway stretching to Moanalua Road.  Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, Daniel Grabauskas, commented, “Traffic is getting worse and everybody knows that.  There’s a lot of times you want to be No. 1, like in football. Where you don’t want to be No. 1 is in gas prices, and you don’t want to be No. 1 in congestion, you know, wasted time in traffic. We’ve got that double whammy here in Honolulu.”
Honolulu Mayor, Peter Carlisle has publicly stated that he is a strong supporter of the rail project.  Carlisle noted, “The bad news is the scorecard analyzed the 100 largest metropolitan areas in our country and the worst traffic city in the nation is Honolulu, even worse than Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. The good news is that right now we are building the solution. The Honolulu rail project is under construction. On April 23rd construction began on columns and foundations. Sen. Inouye has confirmed that the only thing that will keep the project from receiving $1.55 billion in federal funding is World War III.” The total cost for the rail project is estimated at over $5.2 billion.
Kirk Caldwell, who is running for mayor, added, ”We sit in traffic for 58 hours a year, wasting time, wasting energy, not being home with family, not being at work being productive.  I think rail is about a solution to our traffic problem. This is only going to grow worse without rail.”. Caldwell has been a strong supporter of the rail project since it’s inception.
University of Hawaii civil and environmental engineering professor and critic of the rail project, Panos Prevedourous, stated that rail supporters “tried so hard to use Honolulu’s INRIX No. 1 ranking in traffic congestion as a reason that Honolulu needs rail to solve its traffic problem. But most cities on the list of worst cities for traffic congestion have rail! What did rail do for their congestion? It squandered billions, which could have been used for real traffic relief.”  Prevedourous also added,   "I do not give heavy credibility to the study.  You cannot assess an entire island based on one of the worst bottlenecks in the nation around the Middle Street merge. It is overblowing the situation.”
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-23-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Honolulu Rail Project – Honolulu Most Traffic Congested City in United States

According a report released by Inrix Inc. Honolulu has replaced Los Angeles, California as the most congested city in the United States.  The report stated that the average Hawaii resident wasted an average of 58 hours stuck in traffic in 2011 as compared to 56 hours in Los Angeles.  Honolulu had jumped up 36 ranks in 2011, mainly because of change in Inrix’s congestion counting methods.  Jim Bak, one of the co-authors of the report, stated, “We’ve shifted to focus on travel time for individual drivers, rather than overall congestion.  L.A. has 15 times more people and 20 times the roadways of Honolulu, so at the system level, it obviously has much greater overall congestion.”
Supporters of the Honolulu Rail Project point to the growing traffic problems of the island of Oahu as one of their main arguements to build the $5.4 billion project.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-22-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Mokulele Airlines Adds Route from Honolulu to West Maui

Mokulele Airlines has announced that it will be adding a new route from Honolulu International Airport to Kapalua Airport, located in West Maui.  The airline will offer four flights per day starting on July 1, 2012, between the two airports.  Chief Executive Officer, Ron Hansen, stated, “As we expand our fleet, we will continue connecting the dots in Hawaii.  The new flights will provide customers with additional options when traveling to and from Maui at affordable prices.”
Hansen also added that Mokulele would like to continue to expand and offer new routes.  Hansen stated, “We’ve hired several more pilots and customer service people, adding people in just about all departments.  So contrary to the rest of the economy, we’re expanding.”
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-22-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Monday, May 21, 2012

40th Anniversery Celebration for Elvis Presley’s Aloha from Hawaii Concert Planned

On January 14, 1973, musician Elvis Presley held his “Aloha from Hawaii” concert which reached an estimated 1.5 billion people as the first concert ever broadcasted globally via satellite.  The Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc. has just announced that they will be selling week long packages for fans for the 40th anniversery celebration next January.  The event will last from January 10th to the 15th 2013, and there will be daily events and activities including pool parties, dance functions, live concerts, and tours to see the sites frequented by the king of rock ‘n’ roll.  Vice president of sales and marketing for Elvis Presley Enterprises, Scott Williams, stated, “There are a handful of cities that can claim Elvis as their own. Elvis absolutely had an affinity for the islands.  It’s such an interesting part of Elvis’ life and such a unique opportunity, it will no doubt spark lots of great events and ways for fans to celebrate both in Hawaii and around the world.”
Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau’s senior vice president, Jay Talwar, stated that this event will be very positive for teh stated.  Talwar added, “It really is going to depend on how that gets amplified and promoted. The opportunity is there because Hawaii and Elvis are both newsworthy, so if they’re able to promote it in a way that it gains publicity, that will only help Hawaii’s tourism down the road.”
President of the Elvis Memorial Fan Club Hawaii, Charlie Ross, commented that the club’s 50 local members are very excited about the upcoming event.  Ross stated, “We love him like the rest of the world loves him, but he loved Hawaii so there’s a special thing.  I loved him the first time I saw him on stage. I still love his music. He was a wonderful singer, wonderful person. He really loved Hawaii, and he was good to the people when he was here.”
Additional information can be found at www.elvis.com/aloha
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-21-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Sunday, May 20, 2012

Hawaii Supreme Court Extends Landfill Site Deadline

The Hawaii Supreme Court has ruled that the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill must continue to accept garbage after July 31, 2012.  The landfill, which was first established in 1989, had previously told the City and County of Honolulu that they had reached capacity and would close their doors to the city at that deadline.  Department of Environmental Services Director Tim Steinberger stated, ”We’re still moving forward with looking at either a replacement or supplemental site.  Although the pressure to do so by July 31 is certainly not there, which allows you to do a better, proper job.”
The city continues to search for a new landfill location on the island.  Currently, there are two locations in Kahuku on the North Shore of Oahu which seem to be possible sites, but the residents in those neighborhoods are very much against the idea.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-20-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Saturday, May 19, 2012

North Shore Oahu Real Estate – Dillingham Ranch for Sale

The Dillingham Ranch, which is located on the North Shore of Oahu, is once again available on the market.  The asking price for the 2,700 acre ranch is only being released to qualified buyers, but according to the State Tax Records, the last recorded sale was in 2006 for $26 million.  The current owner, Kennedy Wilson, had proposed developing 77 home lots on 400 acres of the ranch in 2008.  However, this project failed to develop.  Included in the sale are a polo field, an equestrian center, a coconut grove and 19 acres of beachfront land.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-19-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Friday, May 18, 2012

Honolulu Rail Project – Federal Approval Given to Prepare for Elevated Guideway

The Federal Transit Administration has given the City and County of Honolulu the right to start producing the 30-foot-wide pieces needed to build the elevated guideway for the Honolulu Rail Project.  Per a letter given by the FTA, the city is allowed to spend up to $21.8 million to build and equip a precast yard in Campbell Industrial Park.  Executive Director for the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation, Daniel Grabauskas, stated, “This is excellent news for Honolulu.  It reflects the further confidence the FTA has in this project. With the work on the columns under way, this approval will clear the way for us to have the contractor begin work on constructing the guideway and helps ensure we keep the project on time and on budget.”
According to HART, the precast yard will employ approximately 70 workers and will operate 24 hours a day.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-18-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Neighbor Island Economic Conditions Improving Slowly

According to a report released by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO), economic conditions on the neighbor islands will start to show signs of rebound over the next few years.  The report stated that the construction industry on the neighbor islands has finally reached its bottom, and there will be a slow amount of expansion in both residential and commercial sectors in the near future.  The tourism industry is also seeing some signs of life, especially from international markets other than Japan. 
The following quotation is taken directly from the UHERO report: “Construction will finally turn the corner on the neighbor islands, and Oahu will feel the positive effect of renewed commercial activity and the initial phases of work on rail rapid transit.  In broad brushstrokes the recovery in Hawaii’s counties is progressing more or less as we expected.  The visitor industry is doing a bit better than anticipated, and it is taking longer than we had hoped to see job growth spread beyond the tourism sectors. But we always knew this would be an uphill struggle to see adequate growth restored in the wake of the financial crisis.”
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-18-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Hawaii Unemployment – Rate falls to 6.3 Percent in April 2012

The State of Hawaii’s unemployment rate fell to 6.3 percent in April 2012, which was a decrease from 6.4 percent posted in March 2012.  This number actually represented the lowest unemployment rate that the state has seen in over 3 years since the 6.1 percent posted in January 2009.  The University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO) further forecasts that unemployment rates will average 6.1 percent in 2012 and will decrease to 5.4 percent in 2013.
Honolulu County had the lowest unemployment rate of 5.3 percent.  Maui County posted a 6.5 percent unemployment rate.  Kauai County had a 7.7 percent unemployment rate and Hawaii County (Big Island of Hawaii) had a 8.7 percent unemployment rate.  Nationally, the United States as a whole had a 8.1 percent unemployment rate in April 2012.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-18-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Thursday, May 17, 2012

Job Fair Attracts More Potential Employers

Three times a year, a major job fair is held at the Blaisdell event center on the island of Oahu.  The latest fair, held by WorkForce Hawaii, included recruiters from a total of 178 companies and government agencies, which was an increase from the 160 groups during the same month a year prior.  It should also be noted that only an estimated 3,200 job seekers attended the event, which was significantly lower then past events.
In related news, the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization predicted that the number of payroll jobs across the state is expected to increase by 1.5 percent in 2012.  UHERO also predicts that the unemployment rate will decrease to 6.1 percent in 2012, from 6.7 percent in 2011 and 6.9 percent in 2010.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-17-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Hawaii Foreclosures – Filings Decreased Dramatically in April 2012

According to RealtyTrac, a real estate research firm, there were only 314 foreclosuring filings in the state of Hawaii in April 2012.  This is a huge decrease from the 1,081 filings recorded during the same month a year prior.  Experts are attributing this massive decrease to new foreclosure law changes that have occured in the state over the past year.  Thanks to these April numbers, the state of Hawaii has the 36th lowest rate of foreclosures in the United States at one filing for every 1,654 households.  The national average is one filing for every 698 households.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-17-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Schuler Offers Landscaping Plant Options for Final Phases of Makakilo Subdivision

In addition to offering the more traditional choices of different carpet colors, appliances, and countertop finishings, the Schuler division of developer D.R. Horton is offering the option to install landscaping plants and urban gardens for the final phases of Kahiwelo at Makakilo.  According to their press release, Schuler officials believe that this is the first time a single-family home developer in Hawaii has offered such a range of pre-built garden system options to a potential buyer.  Schuler stated that they could install landscaping options that could include fish ponds, hydroponic vegetable systems, and planter beds, complete with herbs, fruit trees and vegetables.  
Schuler officials did add that they are hoping to provide similar options if they were to get state approval for their new Ho’opili Development in Ewa on the island of Oahu.  If approved, the Ho’opili Development would have approximately 11,750 homes.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-16-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
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Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Allegiant Air to Add Even More Flights to Hawaiian Islands

Allegiant Air, announced in April 2012 that they would be begining flight service to Honolulu from Las Vegas, Nevada and Fresno, California.  The airline has just announced that they will be expanding service to include Bellingham, Washington, Eugene, Oregon, Santa Maria, California, and Stockton, California starting in November.  To introduce these new routes, Allegiant is offering one-way fares ranging from $159 to $199 this week only, with the stipulation that travel must occur by January 15, 2013.
President of Allegiant Air, Andrew Levy, stated, “All these markets have been on our list for more than 2 1⁄2 years, and the reason they have been is because these are markets we have served in every case for years and have had a lot of success in serving.  So when we looked at potential markets into Hawaii, these are the ones that rose to the top of the list because of the success that we’ve had, the history that we’ve had and obviously because of the fact that they are easily reachable with the range of the 757 aircraft.”
According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), these additional flights and routes would provide an estimated $86.6 million in annual visitor spending for Hawaii and approximately $9.4 million in tax revenue.  President and CEO of the HTA, Mike McCartney, added, “The regional cities that these new flights will service provide greater opportunity for travelers in the U.S. West, our largest market, to visit the Hawaiian Islands.  Allegiant’s two new flights servicing Kahului will also help to distribute the benefits of tourism across the state. We look forward to working with them in building their presence in Hawaii.”
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-15-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
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Monday, May 14, 2012

Sewer Line Repairs Will Force Central Oahu Projects To Be Placed on Hold

The City and County of Honolulu has budgeted $60 million to improve the sewer lines at two Central Oahu sites.  However, until the sewer lines can be repaired or replaced, new residential and commercial real estate projects from between Halawa and the Pearl City area will be forced to put on hold, since no new sewer connections will be allowed.  The repair project is expected to take at least four years to complete.
According to the city’s Department of Environmental Services, the Pearl City pump station has reached its limit of 28.4 million gallons of wastewater per day.  If any additional flow were to be added, it would place the pump station over capacity, creating a high risk of sewage spillage.  Director of Environmental Services, Tim Steinberger, stated, “Our whole focus is responsible management of the system.”  Steinberger did note that applications for sewer permits will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and may be approved if a sewer connection already exists. Home additions may be allowed as well, but no new residential units or homes will be allowed.
Among the projects that will be severely impacted by this decision include the five residential towers that Robertson Properties Group were hoping to build on the site of the former Kam Drive-In theater as well as MW Group’s plan to build another senior living center on a vacant lot in Pearl Highlands.  The developers are working with the city to see if a creative solution would still allow them to build their projects.  Steinberger added, “They’re coming in with a plan, and they said that they believe they have a workable plan, so that’s what we want to see.  When you leave it up to the engineers to come up with something, usually they’re pretty good about coming up with something.”
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-14-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Saturday, May 12, 2012

“Last Resort” TV Show to Begin Filming in Hawaii

A new action/drama television series called the “Last Resort” is scheduled to begin filming in Hawaii this summer.  The show will be produced by ABC and is scheduled to film at least 12 episodes.    This is good news for Hawaii’s economy since networks will typically spend $2.5 million per episode filmed.  Commissioner of the Honolulu Film Office, Walea Constantinau commented, ”When a network comes to town, it’s like a $30 million to $50 million business opening up here.  The fact that people continue to look at us and continue to find us a valuable place to do these shows is a great statement about our value as a production center and the ability to do productions here.”
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-12-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Queen’s Medical Center May Purchase and Reopen Hawaii Medical Center-West

In December 2011, the Hawaii Medical Center-West located in Ewa on Leeward Oahu, had announced that it was forced to close its hospital including all of its emergency medical services and facilities.  Queen’s Health Systems, which owns the Queen’s Medical Center, has just announced that they have interest in purchasing the closed hospital and would like to reopen its emergency center.  President of Queen’s Medical Center, Art Ushijima, cautioned, ”While we are excited about the possibility of reopening the hospital, it is important to underscore that this is only the first of many steps before a smooth, timely ownership transfer and reopening can be accomplished.”
President and CEO for the Hawaii Health Systems Corp, which is the state’s community hospital system, Bruce Anderson, added, ”I’m guessing that it would be at least six months to a year before we could expect that the emergency room would reopen.  There would be a large advantage to being able to reopen the ER even if it took longer to open the rest of the facility. It’s caused a huge problem for the emergency medical services staff here. It has put a lot of strain on the system, so the sooner the better.”
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-12-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Friday, May 11, 2012

UHERO Makes 2012 Economic Predictions

The University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (UHERO) has released a report stating that Hawaii will experience broader economic growth in 2012, due to a recovery in the construction and government sectors.  The report predicts that construction jobs will grow by 1.3 percent in 2012, which would represent the first annual increase since 2007.  Government jobs would also increase by 0.1 percent, which would represent the first increase in government hiring since 2009.
UHERO also noted that the state’s tourism industry will be the main driving force in economic recovery, and should reach record setting levels in 2012 in both the number of visitors arriving in the state and their spending.  The report stated, “After a slowdown in the middle of last year, the Hawaii visitor industry is now expanding at a healthy clip. Strong visitor performance is occurring across the state, although the neighbor island markets are not yet back to their pre-recession levels.”
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-11-2012, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, Realtor®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com