THE BUZZ
Compliments of Anne Diola
Old Republic Title & Escrow of Hawaii

There’s good news in real estate to report as we enter the fall season. In August, sales of existing homes rose 8.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.47 million in August. What’s important to note is that this rate is 20.2 percent above the 3.72 million pace of August 2010. Also, U.S. home prices were up for the fourth month in a row, according to the latest Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices.
Existing home sales increased from July to August in all regions:
Northeast – increased 2.7 percent
Midwest – increased 3.8 percent
South – increased 5.4 percent
West – increased 18.3 percent
Ron Phipps, President of the National Association of Realtors, reports that currently we are experiencing the best housing affordability conditions in a generation. Clearly, buyers are enjoying the benefits of today’s market and historically low interest rates.

JUST ASK
Q: I’m hearing about something called a “conforming loan limit” and how it’s changing. Can you tell me more about this?

A: The conforming loan limit determines the maximum size of a mortgage that the U.S. – specifically, the Federal Housing Administration, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – will guarantee. Before the housing bust in 2008, the government-insured loan limit was $417,000. This limit still applies across most of the country. But in areas with high home values — 250 counties, in all — the government increased those limits to bolster the confidence of cautious lenders.

Since 2008 the limit in affected counties has been $729,750. But as of October 1, the new limit has been reduced to $625,500. Home buyers in these counties can obtain non-conforming home loans (known as “Jumbo” loans), but the interest rates are typically higher and require a larger down payment. In a nutshell, the lowering of the loan limit can mean fewer loan options for buyers in affected counties.

MY TOWN
As the nights grow longer and days a bit cooler, you probably find yourself shifting from thoughts of barbeques and swimming pools to pumpkins, harvest festivals and trick-or-treating. As you get ready for October festivities, consider turning your pumpkin carving tradition into a family activity. Whether you’re 2, 22, or 102, carving pumpkins lets you express your creative self.
Disney’s FamilyFun.com site has lots of tips on pumpkin carving and buying (Hint: Visit your local pumpkin patch!). Check out their slide show of creative pumpkin carving and decorating ideas too for some inspiration. Kraft.com includes pumpkin carving stencils you can print and loads of Halloween-themed recipes. About.com is also a good source for carving tips and recipes. Did you know, for example, that you can use your Jack O’ Lantern as an air freshener? Just sprinkle some cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves on the bottom of the lid.
Spread out your newspapers, get a carving knife and pumpkin, and get ready to have some fun celebrating fall. Happy carving!

FYI
On October 15th, from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, drop by the Shops at Wailea for an amazing charity event called: “Sharing, Shopping, and Symphony”. This is sponsored by the Windermere Foundation and all funds raised will stay on Maui! There will be Live Entertainment, Silent Auction, Fashion Show, and more. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Anne Diola’s Contact Info:
Anne Diola
Account Executive
Old Republic Title & Escrow of Hawaii
33 Lono Ave, Ste 195
Kahului, HI 96732
W: (808) 281-8430
M: (808) 281-8430
adiola@ortc.com

Community Explores Maui Island Plan

Public discusses important policy document under review by Maui County Council.

Written By:Tom Blackburn-Rodriguez
Article from: The MauiWeekly

The Kīhei Community Association (KCA) meeting held on Tuesday, Sept. 20, was billed as a review of smart planning for South Maui.
The meeting began with an announcement by state Rep. George Fontaine, who said he was meeting with Maui Electric Company (MECO) President Ed Reinhardt to try and stop the utility’s plan to install 70-foot power poles along the mauka side of Pi‘ilani Highway as part of an effort to increase the supply of electricity for growth planned in South Maui.

Subsequently, the Maui Weekly recently learned that Rep. Fontaine appears to have been successful, stating that the MECO plan will be modified.

Rep. Fontaine disclosed additional information in a Thursday, Sept. 22, Facebook posting: “After meeting with MECO and hearing my suggestion of moving the lines further mauka above any view-plane and development, they agreed.”

“The route will now go from some midway point on Mokulele Highway, across A&B and ranch lands,” he added. “They need to work [out] what the new cost will be and easements. Once they complete it, they will present the new plan to the community. The president [Reinhart] also apologized to the community on how this was initially handled.”

Following Fontaine, the group discussed the potential impact of the proposed Maui Island Plan currently under review by the Maui County Council.

Among the guest speakers for the evening were environmental activist and former General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) member Lucienne de Naie and Kathleen Kern from the county Planning Department’s Long Range Planning Division.

De Naie said that much is at stake for South Maui, depending on the final form of the Maui Island Plan that is approved by the council.

She said the important issues affecting the area include: Hawaiian cultural heritage; shorelines, oceans and reefs; watersheds and wild lands; livable, walkable communities; housing opportunities; food and energy self-sufficiency; economic diversity; and adaptation to climate change.

De Naie is concerned that the council is engaged in softening the language of the proposed plan by removing words like “shall” and “must,” and replacing them with words such as “may” and “encourage” in areas relating to environmental and building practices, to name a few.

She also criticized the council for removing or placing in the index section maps tied to policy statements regarding topics such as preservation of the shorelines and hazard areas.

“Good maps equal good plans,” de Naie said. “We need to advocate that our maps connect to our Maui Island Plan.”

A panel moderated by KCA President John Miller brought de Naie together with Kern.

Miller reiterated his concerns to Kern. “The community has spoken about what we want and don’t want in South Maui, and what we want our community to look like. But, after all that, why do we get these monster plans that are so shocking, instead of what the community vision is asking for. What mechanism are we going to put in place to get the community we want?”

Kern replied that the Maui Island Plan is a policy document that is open to interpretation. “There is a difference between a policy plan and regulation such as zoning, etc.,” she said. “Ultimately, what governs things are the regulations.”

She recommended that as the community moves forward from the Maui Island Plan to the development of community plans that will put policy recommendation into effect, they correctly identify the zoning they want with specific design guidelines.

Kern, an architect who has previously worked on planning issues in Seattle, Wash., suggested that Maui might want to look at the Seattle planning model.

“In Seattle, after doing neighborhood plans, they began to develop neighborhood design guidelines,” said Kern. “Any large project has to go to the community design review board.”

Next month’s KCA meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 18, will examine commercial development in North Kīhei. KCA meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Kīhei Charter Middle School Campus, 41 E. Līpoa St. For information, call 879-5390 or visit http://www.gokihei.org.

89th Annual Maui Fair Starts Thursday

The 89th Annual Maui Fair will begin Thursday, September 29th at the War Memorial Complex Fairgrounds in Wailuku.

By Madeline Ziecker
Article from: http://www.Mauinow.com

The fair will begin on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. with the 89th Maui Fair Parade. At 5 p.m., fair gates will open and guests can begin to enjoy the array of food and festivities planned for this year. Gates will close at 11 p.m.

‘Aloha’ Friday is when the action increases. In the morning visitors can attend the Special Fair, beginning at 10 a.m. with a performance by Zenshin Daiko, the children’s Japanese style taiko (drum) group. Following Zenshin Daiko, Mayor Alan Arakawa will give a brief welcome. Musical entertainment will continue throughout the day until gates close at midnight.

On Saturday fairgoers can look forward to several musical talents, including Kihei Cowboys, Conscious Roots, and Nuff Sedd. The Meadow Gold Healthy Baby Contest begins at 10:30 a.m., which gives proud parents the opportunity to showcase their healthy keiki in a setting that promotes health and nutrition. Gates will close at midnight.

The fair will conclude on Sunday, beginning with the 2011 Cheer Spirit Showcase at 11 a.m. All pop warner, high school, and all star teams will get the chance to showcase their team spirit through a routine. A Best in Team Spirit Award along with other participation awards will be handed out at the showcase. The rest of the day will include performances by Homestead, Kendra, Kalapana, and hypnotist James Kellogg Jr., but the schedule is reportedly subject to change without notice. Gates will close at 11 p.m.

At least 17 rides will be open during fair hours including this year’s newest ride, The Dragon Coaster, along with classic favorites such as the Castle Bounce, Century Wheel, and Wave Swinger.

In addition to the rides and entertainment, many flock to the fair for the endless variety of decadent foods offered. Everything from Ahi Bowls to Malasadas will be available for purchase. There is nowhere else on Maui where you have 40 options of places to eat in one day, within a block. Proceeds from the sale of these meals will go to many nonprofit & civic organizations to help boost their yearly operating costs.

The 7th Annual Maui County Department of Fire and Public Safety Chili Cook-off Fundraiser will be held on Saturday, October 1 from 10 a.m. – noon. This year’s cook off will feature some of Maui’s top chefs including Executive Chefs Tylun Pang from The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, Ryan Luckey from Pineapple Grill at Kapalua Resort, and Chef Riko Bartolome. The chefs will showcase their best chili recipes alongside teams of Maui Fire Department. The public is invited to sample the chili for $1 a bowl. Proceeds will benefit the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital Patient Transportation Fund for children afflicted with injuries related to fires.

HOURS & PRICES

Thursday, September 29 — 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday, September 30 — 5 p.m. to midnight
Saturday, October 1 — 10 a.m. to midnight
Sunday, October 2 — 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

General Admission:
Adults $7
Keiki (5-11) $3

Discount Sunday:
Adults $5
Keiki (5-11) $2

Rides:
Single Coupons $1
Sheet of 10 Coupons – $10

See http://www.mauifair.com for questions or for more details.

Earlier today it was reported that the hacker Tiger-M@te temporarily disrupted service to over 700,000 websites, many of which are still experiencing problems. InMotion downplayed the size of the issue by stating that the problem affected “hundreds or possibly thousands.” While our website cover page was also affected the rest of our website remained untouched. InMotion’s security and service department are coming up with an algorithm to fix all the pages at once. In the meantime many websites are manually going into their root folder and reuploading their pages as have we. While no real harm has been done it did temporarily cause concern for many website owners that they had been hacked, when in fact InMotion (the server) was the victim.

Maui Memorial receives $50,000 grant

Article From: MauiWeekly

First Hawaiian Bank Foundation recently awarded a $50,000 grant to the Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC) Foundation to support MMMC’s new Heart Brain & Vascular Center.
With the launching of MMMC’s “24/7” Heart Brain & Vascular Center, the stress, anxiety and travel costs for countless Maui patients have been eliminated, as Maui residents no longer need to travel to O‘ahu for procedures such as angioplasty or open heart surgery. In addition, patients’ families no longer have to take time off from work, find child care or make other arrangements in order to travel with and care for their sick family member. But most of all, providing these critical services here on Maui saves lives.

“First Hawaiian Bank appreciates the opportunity to partner with Maui Memorial Medical Center Foundation to support this fundraising campaign to dramatically improve and expand healthcare services for Maui,” said FHB Foundation President Sharon Shiroma Brown.

The MMMC Foundation recently embarked on a $2 million “SEED” Campaign to support “space, equipment, education, and delivery” of improved healthcare services for Maui. The campaign will focus on providing additional space for the new cardiovascular team, continuing education for clinical staff to improve quality and delivery of healthcare, and new state-of-the-art equipment, which will allow Maui residents to receive the best possible treatments.