Page 4 Friday, January 1, 2021
THE GARDEN ISLAND
www.thegardenisland.com
Got House?
Julie Black, Principal Broker & Owner (808) 652-6174 with daughter Kela Caspillo, Realtor Sales Person (808) 652-6173 kauaidreams.com
Featured Homes
Puhi Halelani Village #S204 Great location at Halelani Village at Puhi. This is an upstairs unit with a rim and mountain view! This is a two bedroom two bath unit. The floors are laminate and the walls have been painted a few years ago. Most of the unit is original however that leaves the new owners to be creative with any upgrades. The lanai has been recently re-tiled. Stacked washer/ dryer is located in the bathroom. Comes with two assigned parking stalls. $330,000. MLS # 645302 Kela Caspillo (R)(S) RS-75011 808-652-6173 Kelacas17@gmail.com
Benchmark U.S. 30-year mortgage rises slightly to 2.67% ASSOCIATED PRESS MCLEAN, Va. — U.S. long-term mortgage rates ticked up slightly this week but remain near record lows as the coronavirus pandemic continues wreak havoc on the U.S. and global economies. The average rate on the benchmark 30-year fixed-rate home loan rose to 2.67% from a record-low 2.66% last week, according to mortgage giant Freddie Mac on Thursday. A year ago, it stood at 3.72% The average rate on 15-year fixed-rate loans, popular among homeowners seeking to refinance their mortgages, dipped to 2.17% from 2.19% last week. A year ago it averaged 3.16%. The 5-year adjustable rate mortgage averaged 2.71%, down from last week’s 2.79%. It averaged 3.16% one year ago. Record low lending rates have helped push buyers into the housing market, but a lack of available homes has left many house hunters empty handed. The lack of supply has been pushing prices up even before the pandemic struck last March.
Tips for refinishing hardwood healthy. “Hardwood floor refinishing has come a long way from 10 or 15 years ago,” said Kenny Boggs, Jr. of of CHP Inc., a Chesapeake, VAbased hardwood floor installation and renovation company. “With low VOC waterborne finishes, environmentally friendly sealers, and dust containment systems, the refinishing process will only leave a beautiful floor behind.” Finally, ask your flooring craftsman to use a dust containment system to further protect your home from potentially harmful dust, while also making clean-up a breeze.
BRANDPOINT Since spending more time at home, you’ve probably started eyeing projects that need attention. If so, you’re not alone - Houzz home renovation website reported a 58% increase in leads for home improvement professionals this past summer. One project that can make an impact on the look and value of your home is refinishing your hardwood floors. It may seem like a big project to tackle, but refinishing can not only improve the look and value of your home but will extend the lifespan of your floors. Here are a few tips to get the job done right: mistakes are difficult to repair and may mean replacing the flooring Choose carefully surface all together. Consult an exDo your research. Since floors pert such as a Bona Certified comprise one of the largest surCraftsman to ensure your floors faces in your home, you want are refinished with the best prodthem to look great and wear well ucts and tools to safeguard the for years to come. health of your home. Consider the room’s overall aesthetic such as color palette Think environmentally and light. A darker space could friendly benefit from lighter colored floors, When it comes to a hardwood while darker floors can add rich floor finish, the best choice for contrast. In addition to color, pay keeping your home free of toxins attention to the variety of floor finis a water-based or waterborne ish sheens, which can range from finish. extra glossy to super matte. The three most common hardDon’t forget to account for wood floor finish choices are other room changes you’re planacid cured (also called Swedish ning such as wall color, window finish), oil-based polyurethane or treatments or furnishings. waterborne. Acid cured is high in volatile organic compounds Use a professional (VOCs), and is even outlawed in While you may be handy around the house, this is one area some regions. Because of its toxic nature, homeowners, pets, food, where you don’t want to make costly mistakes. Hiring a qualified houseplants and even fish tanks must be removed from the home professional flooring craftsman will save time and could also save during the refinishing process to you money. DIY floor refinishing keep them safe. Even after the
Let the floors unify your space homeowner’s return, this floor finDesigners often select the same ish will continue to release toxins flooring throughout several into the home. rooms, especially on one level of a Oil-based polyurethane floor home, to connect the spaces visufinish also emits a high level of ally. If you have other rooms on VOCs creating an intense smell. the same level that aren’t hardAdditionally, it can have an exwood, see if there is hardwood untended drying time (making your der those other surfaces that flooring project take longer) and could be refinished to create a over time, the color can turn yelunified look, or consider if installlow compromising the original ing hardwood floors would be floor color you selected. worth the investment. By contrast, waterborne finishes are durable, sustainable and Keep them clean Once the floors are refinished, safe enough for homeowners, pets, plants and food to remain in cleaning and protecting your hardwood floors is essential. Ask the home during the entire refinishing process. A waterborne fin- your flooring craftsman to recomish may take a few hours more to mend products that will keep your newly refinished floors in great dry than acid cure finish, but it will be ready to walk on hours be- condition. The right floor care affore an oil-based polyurethane fin- ter refinishing will help keep your ish. The environmental and health home looking beautiful for years. benefits are also well worth it. A Follow these tips to keep your high-durability waterborne finish hardwood floors looking their like Bona Traffic HD has low VOCs best. Consult a Bona Certified and is Greenguard Gold certified, Craftsman at bona.com/bcc for ensuring that your finish looks expert advice on achieving beautibeautiful and will keep your home ful floors that will last a lifetime.
Hawaiiana Management Company, Ltd. Serving Kauai’s Condo & Community Associations with award-winning service
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awaiiana currently serves nearly 60 residential and commercial associations on the Island of Kauai. Kauai native Sunshine Ruiz Hatto serves as Hawaiiana’s Director of Kauai 2SHUDWLRQV IURP LWV RIŅFH DW WKH .XNXL *URYH Executive Center in Lihue.
Sunshine Ruiz Hatto Director Kauai Operations
• • • •
Serving nearly 60 associations on Kauai 99% retention rate among clients Local (vs. mainland) banking All employees are in Hawaii
US home contract signings at record levels in November ASSOCIATED PRESS SILVER SPRING, Md. — The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes declined last month, but was still a record high for November when a seasonal slowdown traditionally seeps into the real estate market. The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that its index of pending sales fell 2.6% to 125.7 in November, down from October’s revised reading of 129.1. An index of 100 represents the level of contract activity in 2001. It was the third straight monthly decline. Contract signings are a barometer of finalized purchases over the next two months, so Wednesday’s report may preview what could be a strong winter for the housing market. Contract signings are still 16.4% ahead of where they were last year, thanks to a big summer rebound that followed a spring washout due to the coronavirus outbreak. Contract signings in all four regions — the Northeast, South, Midwest and West — declined from October to November but are up double-digits year-over-year through last month.
BOB WILSON SR. MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE
LUCY TAYLOR SR. MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE
KIMBERLY NORTON MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE
RICHARD ROBERTS MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE
WHIT VAN BLARGEN MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE
THERESA LEWIS MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE
Hawaiiana’s Kauai Properties: Alihi Lani Alii Kai at Hanalei Alii Kai II Aliomanu Estates Apopo Hale Emmalani Court Halaulani Condominium Hale Honu Halelani Village at Puhi Halemalu at Puhi Hanalei Bay Villas Hooluana Condo at Kohea Loa +RRNHQD DW 3XKL Kahala at Poipu Kai Ka‘iulani of Princeville .DNHOD 0DNDL 2FHDQYLHZ Kalaheo Pali Kai Kalihiwai Ridge Kauai Beach Resort Kauai Beach Resort Association Kawaihau Sports Villa . * (QWHUSULVHV &RQGRPLQLXP .RKHD /RD 0DVWHU $VVRFLDWLRQ .RORD *DUGHQ $SDUWPHQWV Kuhio Shores at Poipu .XNXLĢXOD Lae Nani 0DNDQXL 0DQXDORKD Paliuli 3LNDNH Plantation at Princeville Poipu Crater Poipu Kai Association Poipu Kai Racquet Club Poipu Kai Water Reclamation Poipu Kapili Poipu Sands Princeville II Community Association 3ULQFHYLOOH 0DNDL 5DQFK DW +DOHOHĢD Princeville Paniolo Princeville Sealodge I Puamana 3XKL ,QGXVWULDO 3DUN Pu‘u Po‘a Regency at Poipu Kai Regency Hule‘ia Regency Villas at Poipu Kai Sandpiper Village I The Villas at Poipu Kai Villas at Puali Villas of Kamali’i Villas on the Prince :DLNRPR 6WUHDP 9LOODV Wailua Bay View Waipouli Beach Resort Hawaiiana is “here” and open for business during this uncertain time. Deemed an essential business, Hawaiiana is maintaining its regular business hours. While our meeting room is open to the public, we are currently only able to accommodate a maximum of three people. Please feel free to contact us via phone or email. You may also visit our website at hmcmgt.com to contact your property management team, ask questions about your bill or receive COVID-19 updates.
For more information about Hawaiiana’s services, contact Sunshine Ruiz Hatto at 792-0515 or email sunshine@hmcmgt.com. HINAHEA LANGI OFFICE MANAGER, SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
RACHELE BURNS ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
TORI WAIALEALE ISHIBASHI ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
www.hmcmgt.com