Perhaps one of the biggest obstacles faced by potential home buyers is finding appropriate properties. There is a wealth of information available to prospective buyers, but knowing where to look for that information can be tricky. In the past, we relied heavily on real estate agents to guide us in the direction of suitable properties but as technology has improved many buyers try to gather information before they visit a real estate agent. Indeed, online searches can provide many of the details about a property that we could only get from a real estate professional even 10 years ago. Most home buyers are becoming much more sophisticated in their knowledge of available properties and so can you. Currently, you can search for a new Maui home in a number of ways: the MLS System, available listings on local real estate websites, and other online tools.
MLS System
The MLS System is your most comprehensive tool for accessing information about various properties. MLS stands for the multiple listing service which includes information about every home listed for sale by a real estate agent in Maui. In the past, most of this information was available only to real estate agents, but there are a number of online searches that can give you much of the information you need. In fact, many local real estate websites have links to their own Maui listing service where you can conduct a search of all properties in an area.
You also have the opportunity to refine your search in a wide variety of ways:
- Property Type
- Location
- View
- Land Tenure
- Price
- Number of Bedrooms
- Number of Bathrooms
- Interior and Land Area
These MLS searches are truly remarkable in the sense that you can be very specific or very broad in your search. For example, you can search all 2 bedroom properties in Maui listed at under $500,000 or you can be incredibly detailed in you search and choose a bank owned beach front property in the district of Haiku with a golf course view. For many prospective home buyers, an MLS search is a great starting point for their property search.
Listings on Real Estate Websites
In addition to an MLS search, you can also check local real estate websites for their own listings. Most sites, like mauisales.com, offer a page that lists their best properties as well as some pertinent details about these properties. Some real estate sites will even let you search their properties in a similar way as the MLS search.
You can refine your search by property type, price range, and location or you can browse all the listings of a particular Realtor®. Whether you want to work with a particular local Realtor® or you just want to get a sense of what properties are available in Maui, this is another great source of information. Even a simple Google search of “Maui Realtors®” will put you in contact with various agencies on Maui.
Other Online Tools
Once you have done some research about the homes that are available in Maui, you’ll have a sense of what your money can buy and where you should focus your search. Obviously, different regions of Maui offer different property types and depending on your budget you may or may not be keen to buy in a particular area. You should start to rely on other bits of information to help you in your search. At this point, you’re ready to start talking to real estate agents. But you can also use the tools they provide on their websites.
At mauisales.com you’ll find a weekly newsletter that should provide you with market information, highlighted homes, and specialized properties.
Moreover, they have comparable sales tools that allow you to compare sales figures against a set of criteria.
The value of the comparative sales tool is that it allows you to see a wide range of examples of a particular type of property, along with their list price and sales price. Therefore, you’ll be able to get a very good idea of what you should expect to pay for that type of property.
Finally, mauisales.com also provides you with detailed information about all of their properties. Through their “Property Details” button on the listing page you can find information about the location, tenure, status, and property type in addition to detailed remarks that give you a more intimate picture of the property.
You may also find information about the listing history, the interior and exterior features of the property, and a detailed location map. You’ll even find property details that may include a floor map, community and neighborhood information, amenities, photos, and more.
So while you may not know much about Maui properties at the moment, you can learn a great deal with just a bit of time on the internet. Use the resources available to you to make yourself a savvier home buyer and to get more involved in the home search process.
Posted in Maui Real Estate, Hawaii Real Estate |
Read our Recent Newsletter.
Join Our Mailing List and receive your FREE Maui Real Estate Guide now!
