Advice for First Time Home Buyers on Maui

There are several kinds of questions that pop up with those buying a home for the first time. Many of these concerns will hopefully be answered here, but if anything is missed, call our office at (808) 579-8255. That being said, this advice is not limited to real estate issues on Maui, but can be applied, for the most part, to wherever you are searching for your new home.

Why own your own home? It's either that or rent, in most cases. There are a number of wonderful differences. Want to change the backyard? Go ahead! Want to paint the walls lime green? You are free to do so. Build hidden compartments? Sure! The freedom is great. Renting is a poor investment. You hand money to your landlord so the property's mortgage is met, which is great for the owner, but in the long term, what does it do for you? Consider the value of ownership. Once you have paid off at least a good part of your mortgage, you can borrow against it, buy more property, rent it out and become a landlord yourself if you want to. Perhaps you have already decided you want to own. What other questions might you be asking about the process?

How do I define my criteria? Do it here! There are thousands of MLS listings right here on this website. Look through Kula homes or Haiku homes. Maybe you are more interested in browsing Maui's North Shore condos. Listings are chalk full of great pictures of all kinds of properties with all kinds of specifications. If you prefer to start from scratch, try the MLS search tool. Pick a neighborhood, a price range, a number of beds/baths, property size, or whatever preference you have.

How long will it take to find what you are looking for? A motivated home buyer can find one in as little as two days, but two weeks is much more typical. It can take years if you aren't particularly driven. As long as your agent shows you homes that fit your criteria, and don't deviate from those requirements, the process can be surprisingly quick.

How many homes will you see in person? More than five a day is probably a bit of an overload. The details easily begin to fade after a day that long. It helps to bring a camera to take snapshots and also a note pad to jot down any information that you find important. What is unusual about the property? What are your favorite features? What are weaknesses? What would you rate the property between 1 and 10?

What if you can't decide between several favorites? Go back and look at them again another day. Bring that notepad. Write down two columns with one including pros and one including cons. Compare your analysis and try to be objective. Confer with others in your household. Who knows? Your 13 year old may notice a feature that makes the home better for you than you originally thought.

Thanks for reading this week and we look forward to answering any Maui real estate questions you might have. Remember, we specialize in North Shore Maui homes, but that doesn't mean our expertise is limited to that area alone. Our agents can help you with Maui real estate from all over the island. Again our number is (808) 579-8255. If you prefer email, send a message to info@jimsandersrealty.com. Mahalo and happy holidays!