http://www.tomandsean.com/blog A blog about Maui Real Estate Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:52:24 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Barron's gets one right!   1. Maui Consistently rated the "Best Island in the World" by travel experts, this Hawaiian beauty underwent a growth spurt during the past decade that some critics bemoaned as excessive. But the southern coast, anchored by the hamlet of Wailea, has weathered it all well. ... http://www.tomandsean.com/blog/2010/03/08/the-best-place-in-america-for-second-homes/ After a dismal 2009 in which total visitors coming to Maui declined by 1.4% January saw a rebound. Over 159,000 people came to Maui in January, an increase of 2.4% over January 2009. Visitors from the western US increased 5.5% and for the first time in quite a while Japanese count ... http://www.tomandsean.com/blog/2010/03/07/solid-january-visitor-counts/ The Federal Home Buyer Tax Credits  are still available as long as binding sales contracts are signed by April 30, 2010.   For first time home buyers that tax credit is $8000 and for repeat home buyers that credit is $6500. http://www.tomandsean.com/blog/2010/03/07/act-fast/ Our friends at Calculatedriskblog.com created this chart which shows how mortgage rates are faring and how they have not yet responded to rising Treasury rates.The question of course is will they when the Feds stop buying mortgages in a few weeks.   What does this tell us? Could be ... http://www.tomandsean.com/blog/2010/03/04/mortgage-rates/ One of the highlights of the year in the financial world is invariably Warren Buffet's letter to the Shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway. It is always thoughtful, open, candid and enlightening. The recently released 2009 letter is no different. Specifically the letter talks about Clayton Homes and the housing industry generally. ... http://www.tomandsean.com/blog/2010/02/28/warren-buffet-speaks/ Even our bad weather is spectacular! http://www.tomandsean.com/blog/2010/02/28/just-another-maui-day/ After all the concern about Maui being in the path of a tsunami generated by the Chilean earthquake it turned out to be a non-event, just like in 1994. http://www.tomandsean.com/blog/2010/02/28/a-big-nothing/ While Tom and Sean have the only residential oceanfront closing along the Maui Oceanfront this year, things have really picked up in the last ten days. 4472 Makena Road, listed for $27.5 million is under contract. If that closes anywhere close to that number it will be the most expensive ... http://www.tomandsean.com/blog/2010/02/25/big-news-along-the-oceanfront/ Standard and Poor's released their December results for the Case Shiller Housing Price Index. Here is the basic snapshot Data through December 2009, released today by Standard & Poor?s for its S&P/Case-Shiller1 Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, show that the U.S. National Home Price ... http://www.tomandsean.com/blog/2010/02/23/case-shiller-results/ Each month Wells Fargo releases a research reporon the housing market. The most recent was a week ago. Hedre are there conclusions. ? ? The housing market has regained some footing, although the next three to six months will be a period of uncertainty as major programs designed to ... http://www.tomandsean.com/blog/2010/02/20/wells-fargo-on-housing-trends/