The Oahu economy appears to be leading the way for Hawaii.   A resent article in the Star Bulletin touted an improving Hawaiian economy that is forecasting an improvement in both employment and tourism.  This is welcome news for any state to hear at the moment.  Oahu is leading the way and is noted as having better employment figures and greater tourism numbers than other Hawaiian Islands.

One area on Oahu which is sure to see an improvement in tourism in the next year is Ko Olina Resort which has a new Disney resort opening in August or September of 2011.  The new light rail system is sure to add jobs to the Kapolei area as well.

Contact me today to learn more about Oahu, Kapolei real estate, and investment opportunities that exist here.  Click here to read the article from the Star Advertiser regarding Hawaii’s economy.

For more information about Kapolei Real Estate please contact John Riggins, Certified Distressed Property Expert. Click here for access to the Oahu MLS and all available listings in the Kapolei area.

At some point in the future traffic in Kapolei will improve.  Last week Hawaii received three grants from the Department of Transportation.  The $8 million will go toward improving highways, airports and other transportation issues throughout the Hawaiian Islands.  Part of $3.4 million which was awarded in one of the grants will go toward improving Kapolei traffic flow.

Kapolei should have a bright future as far as transportation goes.  In addition to road improvements, the rail project, when finished, should help alleviate traffic flow as well as create business and employment along the way.

Contact me today if you would like to learn more about Kapolei.  Kapolei is an Oahu community which offers a fantastic quality of life.  There are some great properties for sale in Kapolei and I would be happy to use my knowledge and experience to find the home that best suits your needs.

For more information about Kapolei Real Estate please contact John Riggins, Certified Distressed Property Expert. Click here for access to the Oahu MLS and all available listings in the Kapolei area.

A school in Kapolei is expanding its teaching of the the performing arts.  The new program is part of an existing school, one that is expanding to include a curriculum that caters to the musical performing arts.  The American Renaissance Academy is a small private school in Kapolei that has decided to begin a program for students interested in musical theater.  The program is going to be a rigorous one, where the students will have to live up to a certain set of standards.

The new theatrical program is great for high school aged students on Oahu who want a career in the performing arts.  Any time a specialization is offered it gives so much to students who are passionate in that particular arena.  Thespians being raised on Oahu can now get what they need in Kapolei.

Click here to read a recent article from the Star Advertiser about the school.

For more information about Kapolei Real Estate please contact John Riggins, Certified Distressed Property Expert. Click here for access to the Oahu MLS and all available listings in the Kapolei area.

There is good news for Oahu, unemployment numbers have dropped.  The rate dropped from 6.6% in May to 6.3% in June for the state of Hawaii, positive news in a nation that is have a bumpy road to recovery.  This is the third month in a row that Hawaii has seen a decline in unemployment figures.  In general, the island of Oahu appears to be moving forward with real estate sales values gaining slightly and development slowly improving.

A few of the highlights on the west side of Oahu include the new Disney Resort being built in Ko Olina, the new rail system and a new college being developed in Kapolei.  The lower unemployment numbers simply reinforce that the economy on Oahu is improving.

If you would like to learn more about Oahu and the opportunities that exist here please contact me today.  Click here to read a recent article from the Star Advertiser regarding low unemployment rates in Hawaii.

For more information about Kapolei Real Estate please contact John Riggins, Certified Distressed Property Expert. Click here for access to the Oahu MLS and all available listings in the Kapolei area.

Honolulu is a winning city for salary growth.  A recent article from PayScale.com compiled data to make a list of the top cities for salary growth.  What US city was at the top of the list?  Honolulu.  The article reports that the unemployment rate for college graduates is not quite a gloomy as thought and that the unemployment rate for high-school graduates is significantly higher.  The median wage for college graduates in Honolulu is $55,800, up 15%, quite a percentage leap for salaries in the midst of an economic recession.

Honolulu, Hawaii’s capitol city located on the island of Oahu, has quite a few jobs in the military and the two universities that it is home to.  Both of these industries demonstrate stability as far as employment goes.

Click here to see the list of the top cities for salary growth as well as the list of the worst cities for salary growth.

For more information about Kapolei Real Estate please contact John Riggins, Certified Distressed Property Expert. Click here for access to the Oahu MLS and all available listings in the Kapolei area.

Honolulu is one of the top 10 recession-proof cities in the United States, quite a feat in such uncertain times.  The Brookings Institute recently compiled its MetroMonitor Report, weighing a number of criteria to quantify where different cities around the Country stand in regards to the economy.  Honolulu, on Oahu, is number 10 on the recession-proof list.  The report examines the largest cities in the United States and looks at their employment, housing market and industry among other things.

What the top ten recession-proof cities have in common is that none of them were caught up in a housing bubble and none of them are wrapped up in the automobile industry.  Six of the ten US cities on the list were southern cities.

If you would like to learn more about the opportunities that exist in Honolulu or on Oahu in general please contact me today.

For more information about Kapolei Real Estate please contact John Riggins, Certified Distressed Property Expert. Click here for access to the Oahu MLS and all available listings in the Kapolei area.

Oahu residents will have the opportunity to learn more about solar power this weekend.  Solar open houses will be taking place in Kapolei and Honolulu over the weekend offering Oahu homeowners a chance to observe solar equipment and learn more about what is involved in making a home equipped to go solar.

Being green has become more important on Oahu and all over the world and using solar energy for homes can greatly reduce its carbon footprint.  The open houses are being presented by RevoluSun.  RevoluSun is inviting anyone interested to attend the free solar open houses on Oahu this weekend.  The open houses this weekend on Oahu allow attendees to view the solar systems installed and in action on different homes, as well as the opportunity to ask questions and explore the idea of how solar energy might affect their own lives.

Click here to see the open house schedule from an article in the Honolulu Advertiser.

For more information about Kapolei Real Estate please contact John Riggins, Certified Distressed Property Expert. Click here for access to the Oahu MLS and all available listings in the Kapolei area.

Kapolei has a new courthouse and it is opening by the end of this month.  The courthouse was planned years ago and is a state of the art facility.  The court complex will be home to Family Court, the Juvenile Detention Center and the Wai’anae District Court.

Kapolei will benefit greatly from the new court complex.  In addition to not having to travel far to go to court, a substantial number of jobs are going to be available.  Kapolei is Oahu’s second city and the new court building is one which would make any city proud.

Click here to read a recent article in the Honolulu Advertiser about the new facility.

For more information about Kapolei Real Estate please contact John Riggins, Certified Distressed Property Expert. Click here for access to the Oahu MLS and all available listings in the Kapolei area.

The nation’s first net-zero-energy community is slated to be built on the island of Oahu.  A net-zero-energy home is meant to consume no more energy than it creates and intended to have a low carbon imprint on its environment.  The community slated for construction on Oahu is going to be an affordable housing project.  The low cost of energy for these homes will make them even more affordable in the long run.

This groundbreaking project will be built in West Oahu in Waianae Valley.  Oahu is setting a trend by being the first to develop an affordable development which is so environmentally friendly.

Click here to read a recent article from Pacific Business Journal about the net-zero-energy community on Oahu.

For more information about Kapolei Real Estate please contact John Riggins, Certified Distressed Property Expert. Click here for access to the Oahu MLS and all available listings in the Kapolei area.

Things are slowly improving for tourism on Oahu

Small steps forward for Oahu are being made, as tourism improves slowly but surely for the island.  While it is true that overall the recession hurt Oahu far less than many places on the mainland, the overall economy of the United States and the world has impacted tourism to Oahu and all of Hawaii.  Hotel occupancy has been improving in increments, up nearly 3% for the week ending January 23rd.

Overall room rates on Oahu are down in the 10% range, lower prices meant to attract visitors.  The lower rates appear to be working as occupancy rates continue to improve, just as lower mortgages rates and tax incentives are helping to improve Oahu real estate sales.  Slowly but surely Oahu and the rest of the country are moving forward.

Click here for an article from Pacific Business Journal about hotel occupancy in Hawaii.

For more information about Kapolei Real Estate please contact John Riggins, Certified Distressed Property Expert. Click here for access to the Oahu MLS and all available listings in the Kapolei area.