"Waves of Our Lives" - Big Island Blog

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Aloha Folks!

Well, my posts are far and few between, but that's because I spend so much time working and I often don't feel like I have too much that is very interesting to blog about. However, last night was a different story!

When my husband, Eddie, and I were just tourists vacationing in Hawaii, before we moved here almost six years ago, we used to marvel at how when you were in Hawaii these magical, unexpected gems of experiences would occur out of nowhere. They happen when you live here as well and last night was an exceptionally magical gem. Last night we attended a Keali'i Reichel concert at the Hilton in Waikoloa Village and what a magical, wonderful experience that was!

Keali'i Reichel I fell in love with Keali'i's music on one of our trips to the island of Kauaii and own a few of his cd's. He has a gorgeous voice and has written, what I think, are some of the most beautiful Hawaiian songs.

I didn't even know that he was going to be in concert here until I happened upon a poster at one of our favorite restaurants, Habeneros. He doesn't perform on the Big Island very often, so I was determined to go. Luckily, Eddie was agreeable and so were our clients, who are now friends, Bruce and Dionne, who recently moved here from San Luis Obispo. (Eddie sold them their new home and they're super great people.)

We had purchased reserved seats, which were a bit more expensive, and when we got to the theater, there were tons of empty seats on one side of the reserved area. We think some glitch happened with the computerized seating system and for some reason those seats were never made available. Their glitch ended up being our front row seats to the best Hawaiian music concert I've attended yet. I could not stop smiling throughout this entire show and on more than one occassion found myself choked up just over the beauty of the music and the hula dancing. Keali'i Reichel was so personable, humble and funny; I swear this guy could have been a stand up comedian if he wasn't a Hawaiian music legend and kumu hula teacher.

For some reason, I expected Keali'i Reichel to be kind of aloof and stand off-ish (I mean look at him....he's gorgeous!) It was a pleasnt surprise that he was so down-to-earch and friendly. He shared the stories behind some of the songs that he had written and stories about the hulas, which were performed gorgeously by members of his own hula halau. Many of the halau and band members are members of his family, which was just so cool. Everyone on stage seemed to be having a really wonderful time and they made the audience feel like part of the ohana as well. It was truly a magical evening! And, oh........he and his band and singers sound just as good in person as they sound on the cd's. No kidding! What gorgeous, amazing voices!

When the concert ended, we walked out into the warm, tropical night, under a shimmering, full moon and I was reminded again why I feel so grateful to live in Hawaii. You just never know where the next magical Hawaiian gem is going to be uncovered. Keaili'i Reichel and his ohana of musicians and dancers are truly one of the most precious gems in these islands. Thank you for making us all feel like ohana Keali'i!! Mahalo nui!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Aloha!
Well, I've been a bad blogger lately and have not spent any time blogging! That's because life has been getting busy and I've had other things taking up my time; like WORK. Eddie, my husband and business partner, and I have been getting very busy with real estate. We're always busy with it, but lately it just seems like clients are getting more serious about buying property here. I think this is mostly due to the fact that our prices are dramatically lower than they have been in years and the folks who have been watching the market here and waiting are realizing that it's the time to ACT.

I couldn't agree more! We are hearing rumblings about mortgage rates getting ready to hike up which will decrease buying power for some people and this is such a fantastic window of opportunity to get a property in Hawaii for a good price. I hope that if you are interested in finding your own piece of paradise here that you too will decide to ACT. Don't miss out on this great window of opportunity!

Speaking of acting.......we recently went to see the play "Glen Garry Glen Ross" at the Aloha Theater and were very impressed by the performance. The movie is a classic with such greats as Al Paccino, Kevin Spacey, Jack Lemmon and Alec Baldwin. The guys in the production at Aloha Theater did a surprisingly good job. In fact, everything that we've seen the Aloha Performing Arts Company do has been pretty darn good. Eddie and I have always enjoyed live theater and have seen some of the worlds very best productions and we're grateful that out here on our little "Big Island", there is some very good live theater to enjoy. Very cool!

Be well and take good care,

Shannon

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Aloha Folks!
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the operation of fear in our lives and how much it can inhibit us from really living. I, personally, am extremely fearful and have been ruled by my fears for much of my life. Well, I won't say RULED by them, but I have certainly had to make great efforts NOT to let them rule me. Looking back now, almost six years after the fact, I am amazed that we had the courage to actually uproot our comfortable lives and jobs and make the move to Hawaii. It took an incredible amount of faith and management of fear.

Now, in my daily life as a Realtor, working with others who are considering making the same move, I am confronted every day by other peoples fears and it's helpful to have been in their shoes myself. I try to share my experience and what it was like for me making this move. Most importantly, I am here to listen to them, empathize with them and help support them in their decisions and help them to find the very best home to match their particular situation. When a clients transaction closes and they actually show up here on the island to begin their new life in Hawaii, I am blessed with a happy feeling in my heart for them because in almost every case, they are thrilled that they are here and are often "pinching themselves" in disbelief, and I know that they too have battled their own set of fears to make a life in paradise. With all the beauty, wonderful weather and slower pace of life, it truly is paradise.

So, my motto for March is "Feel the fear and DO IT anyway!"

With warm aloha,

Shannon Underwood

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Aloha and Happy New Year to You & Yours!
Well, so far this year I have been lagging behind on my blog, BUT I do have good reason. We went to California to see my husbands family for Christmas and were there for almost two weeks. While we were there both Eddie and I came down with a horrible flu which took a couple of weeks to recover from once we got back to Hawaii, and THEN we had company visiting for two weeks, who just left last Saturday. So you see, life has been a busy whirlwind for the first month of 2010. All of that AND continuing to work at the same time. I'm ready for things to get back to normal, although we had a fabulous time enjoying our company.

And speaking of enjoyment........I celebrated my 45th birthday on the 15th of this month, while our company, my brother, his partner and my old (and favorite) ballet teacher, Nolan, were here. It really felt like weeks of celebrating because we did so many special things that we don't usually do in our daily lives. For THE day, we went on a glass bottom boat dinner cruise off of the Kona coast, which was really lovely. Unfortunately we didn't see much from the glass bottom, but the cruise, dinner and company were very nice. A few days later we went to see The Mark Morris Dance Group who were performing in Waimea and had dinner at Huli Sue's before the show. The whole evening was a very special treat. Seeing Mark Morris's troupe, though, was another reminder that I'm not a huge fan of modern dance. There were a couple of pieces in the show that I really did enjoy, but all in all I felt that the choreography was pretty darn simple and the dancers were probably capable of a lot more. When I leave a dance performance knowing that I could have performed the dancing myself, it's hard to be too impressed and that's how this was. Hardly any turns or jumps to speak of, but still some entertaining and clever choreography. Ballet is STILL the winner in my book for favorite style of dance.

Well, I have also really fallen behind on my prospecting work, so I'd better cut this short and get busy!
Best wishes to you and yours for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2010!

With warm aloha,

Shannon

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Aloha!
I hope that everyone out there is enjoying the holiday season! Christmas time in Hawaii is definitely a bit unusual if you're used to Christmas being cold. Our weather is still warm, sunny and balmy......absolutely beautiful. One way that we can tell it is Christmas time here is by the bountiful blooming of wild growing pointsietta flowers. It's really something to see! People here also decorate thier homes with Christmas trees and lights and everything that you're used to seeing in the colder climates. We're just wearing shorts, slippers and tee shirts while we're doing it!

Today I went on our weekly brokers caravan which is where all of the local real estate agents can showcase their newest listings and there were over 13 new listings on the market today in the area that it focused on, which was between Keauhou and downtown Kailua-Kona. We saw some AMAZING properties today, some ocean front and some with fabulous ocean views! My very favorite homes here are the ones that really take advantage of our "indoor - outdoor" lifestyle that integrate the interior and the outdoor surroundings. Isn't that what living on an island in a tropical location is all about? It really is cool! There were several fabulous examples of this on today's caravan.

In addition to just seeing some fabulous properties today, it was a reminder of the difference in our current market compared to where it was last year. The prices have REALLY come down and there are some incredible deals out here right now! My favorite listing today was a bali style, multi-pod, indoor/outdoor estate on 1.25 acres with amazing gardens, outdoor dining gazebo, pool and an incredible view. This place was the epitomy of island style luxury living. Last year it was on the market for $1,900,000. Now, it is priced at $1,200,000! It is a killer deal! Another great listing was this ocean front condo, a three bedroom, 2 bath, I think, that had the most amazing view from the lanai, right on the water looking up and down the coast line. This one was listed at $849,000. We have properties on this island for every budget, seriously. From $100,000 to $14,000,000 ....... it all just depends on the location, location, location.

Anyway......that's all for today. Just still feeling grateful to be living life in paradise! Happy Holidays!!!

With warm aloha,

Shannon

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Aloha!
Spending some time updating our web site today. I've got quite a few new listings to add to our "Featured Properties" page, and I hope to get it all done by the end of the day.

It's hard to believe that it is already mid November and that next week is Thanksgiving! Christmas and another new year are just around the corner!! Unbelievable! Thanksgiving is, of course, the perfect time to stop and think about the things in your life that you are thankful for and I have quite a few.

1. I am thankful for my family; my brother, my parents, my in-laws and brothers and sisters-in-law and their children, my aunts and uncles and cousins who are all over this country of ours.

2. I am extremely thankful for my husband who is my romantic partner, my best friend and also my business partner. I am thankful for the 17 years that we have had together sharing and enjoying our lives. It's truly been an adventure and a blast!

3. I am thankful for our adorable dog Oliver who makes me laugh and smile every day and just breaks my heart by how cute he is!

4. I am thankful for our friends both near and far, long term and new.

5. I am thankful to be living in such a beautiful place on the planet and that we have been able to sustain ourselves and make a living here in Hawaii so that we can continue to live in such a wonderful place.

6. I am thankful for our clients; many of whom have become our friends as well. Without clients we would not have a business and without a business, well, we would not be able to support ourselves and continue living in such a beautiful place.

I could go on and on with the thankfulness and the gratitude that I feel just for everything and everyone in my life. Today, I am thankful, thankful, thankful and grateful, grateful, grateful!

I am thankful to have an attitude of gratitude.

With warm aloha,

Shannon

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Aloha!
Well, I HAD been making progress on my blogging, but I've suffered a huge set back, which I am beginning to overcome. On September 29th I had an abdominal hysterectomy and have been in recovery mode ever since. This is a six to eight week recovery process and I am a few days past the three week point. The surgery and recovery process has not been a lot of fun, but I guess I didn't expect it to be. Every day is getting a little bit better, but I'm still not walking all too gracefully yet and I can't do anything at all close to my normal work outs, but eventually life will get back to normal, I hope.

Some good news that has happened while recovering from surgery is that I've still managed to close a couple of escrows and I've actually even opened a new one for some clients from New Mexico who are going to be moving here soon. My wonderful husband had to show them the houses, but I wrote up the contract and handled the escrow paperwork. We're a great real estate team!!

My clients got a great deal on a cute house in Keauhou View Estates right in the heart of Kona about a block off of the beach. The house was listed at $359,000 (already a good price), and I can't tell you what it's under contract for, but I'm thrilled that they got it as there were three competing offers! Prices are getting so good here now that we're starting to have competing offers on some homes again.

We've been saying it for a few months now, but if you're waiting for a good time to buy a home, condo or land here on the Big Island, I can't imagine a better time. Mortgage rates are still very low and prices here are the lowest they have been in years! You just can't lose being a buyer in this market! Don't sit on the fence for too long.....you'll miss a great opportunity!

Gotta run for now so that I can get ready to go see a new house that we are going to be listing shortly. This is another luxury home built by the Fediuk family who builds really fabulous homes here in Kona. Eddie just sold another one of their homes and I'm sure this one will be just as gorgeous as their others. Watch for it on our Featured Properties page.

Aloha for now! Be well and remember to have some fun every day!

Shannon

Tuesday September 8, 2009

Aloha! Hey, I'm making some progress about blogging a little more often. Good for me! We've still been working pretty hard, but we had some friends visiting last week and we managed to make some time to go out and have some fun with them while they were here. It's great when people visit because you are forced to stop and go do some of the wonderful touristy things that you don't usually do.

Our friends were our ex nextdoor neighbors from West Sacramento, Joe and Thurese Villalovos. They are an awesome, super nice couple and we were so glad to see them! They stayed at our house for a few days and then headed off to the Hapuna Prince Hotel and the Fairmont Orchid.......very nice! While they were here we managed a few other "firsts" for Eddie and I. We hiked down to the beach from the Pololu Lookout on the north west tip of the island; in slippers (flip flops), nonetheless!! That was a little CRAZY, doing it in slippers, but we made it down and back up. Going back up was the hardest. It was an adventure and I felt like I'd really accomplished something after we were done. Not a bad hike in the right footwear. By the way......it is a GORGEOUS spot!

The next "first" for us was to take a kayaking tour. This is something that I have really been wanting to try. We did a cave tour with Ocean Safari's out of Keauhou Bay. Kayaking was much more work than I thought it would be. My arms were killing me and getting super tired, and we were in very mild surf that day! My poor husband is prone to sea sickness and started feeling pretty bad after we'd been out for awhile. He and I headed back to the bay on our own before the rest of the group. Once back on land and rested for awhile, we went back out and just putzed around Keauhou Bay for awhile to kill some time while we waited for our friends. The putzing about was more our speed and we enjoyed that a lot.

The final "firsts" were pupus and drinks at the Fairmont Orchid and at Tommy Bahamas. Both places were just lovely and both had fabulous drinks and food. The tortilla soup at Tommy Bahamas tasted like a liquid enchilada........it was YUMMY! We also shared a brownie dessert there that was out of this world! Two thumbs up for Tommy Bahamas!

I'd better get back to work now. Hope we see you in the islands soon!

With warm aloha,
Shannon

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Monday, August 17, 2009

Aloha! I'm finally making some time to sit down and write a bit. We have been very, very busy lately with ten open escrows between Eddie and I and new listings coming on the market all the time. It feels to me like people are beginning to think that we're hitting the bottom of the fall and are starting to take action out of fear that they will miss the good deals. I can't say that I blame them. Our buyers are getting great prices on properties that were, in some cases, selling for almost double a few years ago. The tide WILL turn again at some point and people that are buying now will be very happy that they did.

On to more fun stuff.........Yesterday, we actually took most of the day off.....I say MOST, because, when you are in business for yourself, you rarely ever get time off. The work just never ends and there's always something that you could be doing. However, we were feeling a bit burnt out so we decided to take a drive to Waipio Valley, which is one of the places that we've never been to since we moved here. From Kona it only took us about an hour to get there traveling through Waimea. It was a lovely drive and the view from the lookout into the valley and the coastline is gorgeous! Definitely worth the drive.

Last week I met a tourist from Japan who was smitten with the town of Honokaa, which is very close to Waipio Valley, so that's where we went for lunch. It was a Sunday, so most of the cute little shops were closed, unfortunately, but the town is adorable. Very much old Hawaii with a downtown that looks like it's right out of the 30's. Even with most of the shops closed, I managed to find a hand quilted, Hawaiian style purse for my sister-in-laws birthday, which I need to wrap and get in the mail.

We ended our day by stopping at the beach at the Mauna Kea Resort. This was another "first" for us, but I can assure you that it won't be a last. This is now my favorite beach on the island! It's a beautiful, long stretch of super fine, soft, white sand that had gentle surf, not many rocks and not very many people. There is tropical landscaping from the hotel near the beach that provides bright spashes of color and views of the mountains behind it. The water was fantastic too! AAAAaaaaahhhhhh......... Life in paradise. It's really wonderful to have all of these wonderful options available on a daily bases. Even if I don't take advantage of it all that often, it's great to know that I CAN!

Okay.......now it's time to end my work day and go do some yoga, then make dinner. Thank God for yoga!

Be well and be happy!
Aloha for now,

Shannon

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Well, I hope everyone had a very happy 4th of July! Can you believe that it is already July?? I'm just blown away at how fast this year is speeding by. Scary!

Another thing that's got me a bit rattled is the death of Michael Jackson. I, as many of you I'm sure, grew up listening to The Jackson Five, and I even had a crush on little Michael who was just a few years older than me. I'm very sad about his passing at such an early age. He really was a musical genious even if he had some odd behaviors. Rest in peace Michael.

Real estate here on the island has been keeping my husband Eddie and I quite busy lately. We've got a few new listings, which will be added to the site shortly,( one is a great little home just two blocks off of the ocean and Alii Drive), several open escrows going, and clients showing up on the island sometimes after we've been in touch with them for a year or more. It's always wonderful to finally meet the people that we've been in contact with for awhile. To actually put faces to names is wonderful! The folks who are in a position to buy right now are being rewarded with some OUTSTANDING deals. If you're still thinking about it........might want to put those thoughts into actions!

P.S. - We're still loving being in Kona!

Thursday, June 6, 2009

Uh oh....... it has REALLY been a while since I've "blogged" here, but, again, I have a really good excuse......we bought a new house, moved from our old one into the new one and have been getting settled and unpacked, as well as working the whole time. Life has been crazy, to say the least......even here in paradise! That's just how it is when you are not retired in paradise. Many people here in Hawaii have more than one job because it can be expensive to live here. It's cheaper than vacationing here however!

Well, one thing that this moving experience has shown me, is to be even more empathetic to what my real estate clients are going through. Moving is really hard work and can be very emotionally draining as well. I found myself basically grieving over the loss of the first house and how comfortable I was in it, and then trying to get used to the new house, learning it's quirks and the new area and neighborhood, etc. I'm still going through this process after almost a month of being here.

On the positive side.....we are very happy to be in town, close to work, shopping, beaches and restaurants. SO HAPPY! We really like the new house and our new neighborhood, Kahakai Estates, which looks very much like old plantation style, tropical Hawaii. It really is a beautiful neighborhood.

I hope that you are enjoying the beginning of summer!
Aloha for now,
Shannon

Friday, March 20, 2009

My blog is going the way of my old journals that I tried to keep as an adult; entries happening far and few between. It's hard to make the time to write on a regular basis when you're out there working and living your day-to-day life. I apologize, but I DO have a good excuse. In addition to our regular jobs and lives, my husband and I have been house hunting for ourselves.

We have had our house in Ocean View on the market for quite awhile and got an offer which we accepted a couple of weeks ago, so have been looking for our next home too. This whole experience has made me much more sympathetic to what my clients go through. It's been a very emotional process deciding to sell and move into the Kona area, mostly because we have done so much work on our current house and my father did the majority of it. Because of this we feel more attached to this house than to any other that we have ever sold.

Because of the state of the market and economy right now, we accepted MUCH less than we originally wanted for the house, however, we are getting a house in Kona for much less than that seller originally wanted to sell for too, so in the end it is all relative. We believe that eliminating our two hour round trip commute into town for work or anything else, will have a huge impact on our quality of life. Can't wait to be close to the beaches, work, restaurants, stores and movies. We will gain an additional six or more hours per week, twenty four hours per month, not to mention all the money we spend on gas!! How cool will that be???

So that's the latest in the Waves of Our Lives. Coming up soon, the fun of packing and moving! Oh Boy!

Be well and much aloha to you,

Shannon

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Aloha Fellow Lovers of Hawaii!

Uh, oh......I see a pattern forming here with my blog.....I am making all of my posts on Sunday. Well...I guess that's okay since it is my only true day off. Sometimes I don't even get that because if I have clients that want to see properties on a Sunday, I'm there. In Hawaii you do have to work hard to make a living. Still.......working in paradise is pretty good!

Today Eddie and I actually took some time off to go whale watching down at South Point, the southern tip of the island. We live about fifteen minutes away from this area, so it's kind of nice to have it so close. The drive out there is very pretty as you drive through pasture lands with horses and cows and there is also a windmill farm there that is pretty dramatic to see. Those things are gigantic!!

Once you reach the ocean, it is just beautiful. The soil in this area is a reddish gold and there are green grassy areas that contrast really beautifully with the brilliant sapphire, white and aqua blue of the water as it crashes against the black lava rocks. It's quite stunning and what a whale show we had today! We saw several breaches and lots of other whale body parts including tails and humps and flippers. Whale season in Hawaii is one of my favorite times of the year. It usually begins around the end of December and lasts through March or April. It's a great time to be here!!

Take care of yourselves and be well! Aloha for now,

Shannon Underwood

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Aloha!

I hope that you and your sweetie, if you have one, had a wonderful Valentines Day! My sweetie and I both worked on Valentines Day (not surprising) and after work we went to one of our favorite places for ono Mexican grinds in the Keauhou Shopping Center, Habineros. This is one of the best Mexican restaurants that we have found in the Kona area, and coming from California originally, we KNOW good Mexican food! I had the chicken fajitas and they were definitely ONO!

Today, Sunday, my only REAL day off, I had an appointment to get my hair cut, which is always a treat for me. I am a hairstylist (and a Realtor) with over 20 years of experience in the business so I often cut my own hair. To have someone else shampoo, cut and style my hair is really nice. I'm lucky that my favorite stylist, Rhonda Balmer of Ocean View Hair Salon, works on Sundays. She's a wonderful lady!

Unfortunately, the weather today at my house has been overcast and very windy, so I haven't wanted to spend much time outside like I usually would on a day at home. Oh well.......I know...I'm quite spoiled.....at least it's in the high 70's and not 15 degrees or something! You DO get very spoiled living in Hawaii.....at least weather wise......and I've found that I've become less tolerant of anything but perfect, spring-time like weather. Hey, I DO pay the cost of living in paradise, so I want it to be paradise like most of the time. Lucky for me, it is.

Hope you have a wonderful week ahead!
Shannon Underwood

Sunday, February 8th, 2009 - My Very First Post

Aloha and welcome to my brand new blog, "Waves of Our Lives". While reading this blog, please keep in mind that everything that I write here is just my opinion and my take on life and no one else's. I will share with you my personal experiences of living in Hawaii and on The Big Island in particular, because that's where I live.

Also, please be advised that if you choose to comment on one of my postings, you are giving me your permission to share your comment on this page. I will not share every comment that I receive, but if I find yours particularly interesting or humorous, I may share it with others. I'll probably email you and ask your permission first, though, just to make sure everything is cool.

Okay, I've got the page together, and after much deliberation I decided on what to call it, "Waves of Our Lives". My husband Eddie actually came up with that one. Other options were "As the Tikis Burn", "As the Hula Skirt Undulates" and "As the Lava Flows". I like the name that I chose.......I think it's cute, but in time you will find that my life is not much of a soap opera......believe me, there were times when it was, but those days are long gone and I say "Good Ridence!" I'm much happier with my predictable, sometimes even boring, more serene life.

Well, now that I've got this started, it's time to go make dinner! See......I told you my life is pretty boring!

Aloha for now,
Shannon Underwood

P.S. - Yes, that cartoon really is me! When I left the Department of Water Resources in Sept. of 2004 to move here, one of the graphic artists created that image to use on a flyer that was posted for my going away send off. Pretty adorable, huh?