All Forum Posts by: Katrina Cabral

My HOA Property manager asked for a large 'overpayment' of about $13K. It was clearly a mistake and although we were trying to get the HOA to send a corrected request, ( the property manager has taken months to respond), and so the escrow agent released all the funds to him. Without telling me that she was going to do that and after I had requested that she not until we get it sorted out. I received a partial refund from the HOA, it is $1K short, and I asked the agent if she released the funds and she responded with a question to me - "if I had received any communication from the HOA". I asked again if she released the funds and got no reply. Is the escrow agent breaking the law? I will never get my $1K that the HOA shorted me. Do I have any recourse?

That’s a great suggestion! Thank you! 

Aloha,

I sold my condo in Waikiki on August 5th and the Property Management HOA requested that escrow withhold an amount about $20K in excess of what they should have. Escrow responded that this seemed incorrect and asked for confirmation from the accounts receivable clerk. She got a quick reply that yes that is the amount requested. So, I sent the AR clerk an email asking for clarification - she admitted that she wasn't sure and escalated the question to management and we got no reply. The only person that responds to emails and calls is the AR clerk who is ashamed that no one else is responding. Escrow has tried to get a reply, and now another party involved in the transaction has tried to get a reply and we all get nothing. It has been two months now.

It seems like there must be a law against this. I can't get escrow to release my money to me. This is non-sense. What rights do I have to demand an end to this and get my money?

Thank you everyone for your replies and sharing your wisdom and experience. A quick update, I sold my property. I listed it on Zillow FSBO and that actually generated a lot of calls and inquiries and one panned out. I sold it to an agent investor. He offered to buy it sight unseen as is for less than my asking price with a seven day close. He offered $300K and I was asking $450. It was a fast sale. Thank you again for all your help.

I’m in escrow on a vacation property. I finish packing tomorrow and fly home. Escrow has been pushed out waiting for docs to get processed. Buyer requested access to the property after I leave so he can take measurements and get quotes for work to get started. Thoughts? 

@Theresa Harris great suggestion!! I had not heard of agent caravans. I'll see if I can sign my property up for that. Thank you for the suggestion. 

@Mason Hickman WOW, that's a comprehensive list! Thank you for taking the time to write that all down for me. I totally appreciate it!! Thank you for your reply. I'm on it!

@Theresa Harris thank you for your reply. I will reach out to some property managers. Thank you for spelling out your assumptions. I would like to get market value for it and that is why I'm looking for strategies rather than simply dropping the price. Dropping the price is the only idea that my agent has come up with. Seems to lack any creativity or effort. And is still not a guarantee that it will sell. Seems like there must be other strategies to employ besides dropping the price. 

Been racking my brain trying to think of all the ways to get my place sold. A few things that I have come up with - not sure if they would have any effect at all - are:

Offer a higher commission than the traditional 3% to a buyers agent with the hopes that buyers agents would steer their clients to my place.

Do a 3D/Virtual walk through to increase odds of out of state buyers who might be willing to buy sight unseen. I'm frustrated that my agent has not done this.

Do a YouTube video. Ive seen these on YouTube featuring houses - mine isn't spectacular but seems like it could help. 

Since this feels like a numbers game and all I need is the for the 'right' person to see my property - does it matter if my place is listed with a small agency vs a large agency. I'm currently listed with a small agency and spoke with an agent from Compass realty, he said that they sell more properties than any other agency in the nation. And said that listing with a large agency gets more visibility. Is there any truth to this?

My agent said that they advertise on social media - but he did not and it seems they do not. Another agent contacted me and offered to the same - I asked him to send me a link to an example of a Facebook or Instagram ad of one of his properties and got crickets. Seems like social media advertising is just lip service in the industry?

Any other strategies that I should consider employing? Please don't say lower your price. I'm looking for strategies that I can employ besides lowering the price. 

My property is unique. Address is 2500 Kalakaua Ave #201 & 206 combined, Honolulu HI. Asking $450K. I AirBnb it while I try to sell it. I'm new to Airbnb so  trying to figure out how best to get it booked up. Every other unit in the building is booked out months in advance. This is the largest unit in the building at 1,544 sq ft interior and a lanai that's almost 1,200 sf. It is smack dab on the beach in Waikiki with awesome views and the sound of the waves. It has so much potential - a large primary residence, split it back up and live in one and rent the other, or sell one and keep the other, or sell both, or rent both, or rent the entire combined unit. If any one is interested in buying it off market then I would love to discuss. 

Last year I bought a 2 bed, 2 bath leasehold property and the lease was up for re-negitioation in November. The lease is up in 2034 and the fee was offered for sale back in 2018 for $1.4M. The trust increased the monthly lease payment by 300% - going from $1,100 to $3,300 a month. I've been asking about purchasing the fee and they have said that they are going to re-appraise the property but warned that prices have gone up considerably since 2018 - so expect a big increase.(!) They have been dragging their feet about doing the reappraisal and have kept me waiting for months while I try to sell the property. The most expensive unit to sell in our condo building was a recently renovated 3 bed, 3 bath penthouse for $2.3M. My unit is on the second floor and not updated. It feels like they have me over a barrel - it seems like there are no restrictions to what they can ask/demand and I'm helpless to say or do anything about it. This new lease payment coupled with my sky high HOA dues makes it nearly impossible to stay above water even if I manage to rent it out consistently. I am having a hard time selling the property because of the high lease payment and the unknown reappraisal price for the lease fee. This is driving me broke. What options/recourse do I have? Anyone have any experience working with Lilioukalani Trust and can share some tips/insights/suggestions?