There’s one essential step in the homebuying process you may not know a whole lot about and that’s pre-approval. Here’s a rundown of what it is and why it’s so important right now.

What Is Pre-Approval?

Pre-approval is like getting a green light from a lender. It lets you know how much they’re willing to let you borrow for a home. To determine that number, a lender looks at your financial history. According to Realtor.com, these are some of the documents a lender may ask you for during this process:

• W-2s from the last two years
• Tax returns from the last two years
• Pay stubs from the last 30 days
• Bank statements from the last 60 days
• Investment account statements (if applicable)
• Two years of history of where you’ve lived

The result? You’ll get a pre-approval letter showing what you can borrow. Keep in mind, that any changes in your finances can affect your pre-approval status. So, after you receive your letter, avoid switching jobs, applying for new credit cards or other loans, or taking out large sums of money from your savings.

How It Helps You Determine Your Borrowing Power

This year, home prices are expected to rise in most places and mortgage rates are still showing some volatility. So, since affordability is still tight, it’s a good idea to talk to a lender about your home loan options and how today’s changing mortgage rates will impact your future monthly payment.

The pre-approval process is the perfect time for that. Because it determines the maximum amount you can borrow, pre-approval also helps you figure out your budget. You should use this information to tailor your home search to what you’re actually comfortable with as far as a monthly mortgage payment. That way, you don’t fall in love with a house that’s out of your comfort zone.

How It Helps You Stand Out

Once you find a home you want to put an offer on, pre-approval has another big perk. It not only makes your offer stronger, it shows sellers you’ve already undergone a credit and financial check.

When a seller sees you as a serious buyer, they may be more attracted to your offer because it seems more likely to go through. As Greg McBride, Chief Financial Analyst at Bankrate, says:

“Preapproval carries more weight because it means lenders have actually done more than a cursory review of your credit and your finances, but have instead reviewed your pay stubs, tax returns and bank statements. A preapproval means you’ve cleared the hurdles necessary to be approved for a mortgage up to a certain dollar amount.”

Bottom Line

If you’re planning on buying a home, getting pre-approved for a mortgage should be one of the first things on your to-do list. Not only will it give you a better understanding of your borrowing power, it can put you in the best position possible to make a strong offer when you find a home you love. Connect with a trusted lender to learn more.

Your credit score plays a big role in the homebuying process. It’s one of the key factors lenders look at to determine which loan options you qualify for and what your terms might be. But there’s a myth about credit scores that may be holding some buyers back.

The Myth: You Need To Have Perfect Credit

According to Fannie Mae, only 32% of potential homebuyers have a good idea of what credit score lenders actually require.

That means two-thirds of buyers don’t actually know what lenders are looking for – and most overestimate the minimum credit score needed.

The Reality: Perfect Isn’t Necessary

But the truth is, you don’t need perfect credit to become a homeowner. To see the average score, by loan type, for recent homebuyers check out the graph below:

There is no set cut-off score across the board. As FICO explains:

“While many lenders use credit scores like FICO Scores to help them make lending decisions, each lender has its own strategy, including the level of risk it finds acceptable. There is no single “cutoff score” used by all lenders, and there are many additional factors that lenders may use . . .”

So, even if your credit score isn’t as high as you’d like, you may still be able to get a home loan. Just know that, even though you don’t need perfect credit to buy a home, your score can have an impact on your loan options and the terms you’re able to get.

Work with a trusted lender who can walk you through what you’d qualify for.

Simple Tips To Improve Your Credit Score

If you want to open up your options a bit more after talking to a lender, here are a few tips from Experian and Freddie Mac that can help give your score a boost:

1. Pay Your Bills on Time

This includes everything from credit cards to utilities and other monthly payments. A track record of on-time payments shows lenders you’re responsible and reliable.

2. Pay Down Outstanding Debt

Reducing your overall debt not only improves your credit utilization ratio (how much credit you’re using compared to your total limit) but also makes you a lower-risk borrower in the eyes of lenders. That makes them more likely to approve a loan with better terms.

3. Hold Off on Applying for New Credit

While opening new credit accounts might seem like a quick way to boost your score, too many applications in a short period can have the opposite effect. Focus on improving your existing accounts instead.

Bottom Line

Your credit score doesn’t have to be perfect to qualify for a home loan. The best way to know where you stand? Work with a trusted lender to explore your options.

You may have heard that staging your home properly can make a big difference when you sell your house, but what exactly is home staging, and is it really worth your time and effort?

Here are a few quick FAQs that can help you decide how much you should prioritize staging as you prep for your move.

What Is Home Staging?

Staging is the process of arranging and decorating your house to highlight its best features and make it as appealing as possible to potential buyers. It can range from simple touch-ups to more extensive setups, depending on your needs and budget.

How Does It Help Me Sell My House?

Studies show good staging does have an impact on your sale. Staging your house well can help you attract more attention from buyers, which ultimately helps it sell faster and maybe for a higher price than an unstaged home (see visual):

What Are My Staging Options?

Now that you see the value, let’s think through your options. The most common is leaning on your agent for their expert advice. They know what buyers like because they’re in showings all the time and hear that feedback first-hand. That expertise is crucial to getting your house market-ready. Basic staging with an agent usually means they give you insight into how you should:

• Declutter and depersonalize by removing photos and personal items
• Arrange your furniture to improve the room’s flow and make it feel bigger
• Add plants, move art, or re-arrange other accessories

Full-service staging is another option if your house needs more hands-on attention. This is when you hire a staging professional or staging company to come in, make recommendations, and do the work for you. Going this route is more involved and that makes it more costly too. That’s because it can include renting furniture and decor to more fully transform a space.

How Do I Know Which One To Pick?

Not sure which one you need? You don’t have to figure that out on your own. Your real estate agent will help determine what level of staging will make the most impact on your house and market.

They can help you decide if professional staging is worth the investment, or if you can knock it out with their advice alone. And just so you know, here are some of the factors an agent will look at to figure that out:

• Market Conditions: If the market is slower, going all in on staging can make your home look move-in ready and attractive to buyers who may otherwise be hesitant. If your local market is very active and homes are selling fast, you may be able to get by with doing less.
• Your Home’s Condition: If your home is vacant or has a unique layout, using a professional stager who can bring in the right furniture and accessories may help buyers truly visualize its full potential.
• Your Budget: Talk to your agent to get an idea of staging costs in your area, as it can be the difference between your house selling and sitting. But if your budget is tight or your home only needs minor updates, your real estate agent can help you think outside of the box by suggesting simple DIY staging tips to help your home look its best.

Bottom Line

Staging your house properly can make it much more attractive to buyers, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, and every home shines differently. Let’s connect to talk through what your home really needs to stand out and sell for top dollar.

This is the time when a lot of people take a moment to reflect and set their goals for this year. And as you picture what you want your 2025 to look like, one thing that may pop into your mind is the vision of you in a new home. But how do you get there? And where do you start?

Here’s some advice that can help you get the ball rolling.

Focus on Your Why

To lay the foundation, you need to focus on your why. While the dollars and cents are important, so is the driving force behind your desire to move. Maybe you need more space for a growing family, want to sell so you can downsize, or are finally ready to buy your first home. Whatever your reason, it’s important to keep it front and center.

Your why is what helps you stay focused. Share your motivation with your agent and they’ll use their expertise to help support that goal, no matter what the market looks like. With a great agent by your side, you’ll have someone to guide you, problem-solve, and keep you moving forward until you can check that goal off your to-do list.

Get Clear on What You Need

Then it’s time to figure out what your next home needs to have. How many bedrooms do you need? If you don’t have a designated home office, is that a deal-breaker? What about a big fenced-in backyard? Knowing your must-haves and nice-to-haves makes the search a lot smoother.

Since affordability is still tight, it’s important to have a clear idea of your essential items upfront. Maybe you can flex a bit on location, if it’s got everything else you’re looking for. Go over those essential items with your agent and they’ll help you focus on the homes that check the boxes that matter most while staying within your price range.

Know Your Numbers

Before you jump in, take a look at your finances. How much have you saved? What monthly payment feels comfortable? Getting clear on your budget early will help you know what’s possible.

The best way to do this is by partnering with trusted real estate professionals, like a local agent and a lender. They’ll help you:

• Plan for your down payment and look into down payment assistance programs
• Understand the equity you have in your current home and how you can use it to fuel your next move if you’re selling
• Get pre-approved for a mortgage so you know what you can borrow

Lean on a Pro To Guide You

It can be hard to know where to start, but you don’t have to do it alone. A real estate agent knows what you need to do to get ready to buy or sell, how to navigate the process, and can answer your questions every step of the way. As Bankrate puts it:

“. . . now more than ever, it’s smart to lean on the guidance of an experienced local real estate agent. If you want to enter the housing market in 2025, whether as a buyer or a seller, let a pro lead the way for you.”

Remember, buying or selling is a big milestone and a great goal for this year. With the right expert on your team, you’ll feel confident and ready to take on the market.

Bottom Line

If buying or selling a home is part of your goals for 2025, now’s the time to get started. Focus on your why, know what you need, and connect with trusted pros to make it happen. Let’s team up and make this the year you accomplish your real estate resolutions.

Christmas time is here, naughty and nice lists are set, congratulations or be better next time (however it shook out for you this year).  Hoping to find myself as a 25 time nice list member (Fingers Crossed).  Depending where in the world you stay at Christmas can come in all different shapes and sizes.  Here on the island the weather is still immaculate, I am not sure one should legally complain about 85 degrees every day. You notice that Christmas time is here by both the radio in the car and if you cruise down Ali’i Drive after sun down. You’ll see the lights strung up on the palm trees as well as on the roofs of various buildings and businesses.  I myself am fortunate enough to get to go back to my native land, Nebraska aka the Corn Coast, for Christmas this year.  Believe it or not the forecast in Nebraska for my time there is not 85 and sunny… Who would’ve thought.  

I don’t have too much to offer in regards to real estate news, as not too much has changed.  Seemingly the middle market, the one most effected by interest rates, is pretty slow right now. I have noticed a lot of inventory lasting over 3 months.  I dont have an exact measure on why this is but I can double down on the precedent that Kona Town is a little slow by my nights working at the restaurant being slow as well.  Maybe there are less people traveling or more people sitting on their money.  Heck maybe even both.  Whatever the case may be I am interested to see when the market moves again.  History would say this case scenario is not an “if” but rather a “when”.  Basic economics: bull markets and bear market blah blah blah, you get it.  

As I sat and really thought about what to share with you this Christmas season one thing came to mind.  That is the importance of ones HOME.  Not all houses, apartments, or condos are homes for everyone. Most of the time its the people and things inside that make these a home.  I encourage you to take a moment this season to be grateful for what you have. For example, my little 460 square foot unit I rent here in Kona is nothing immaculate, but it is mine and thats pretty darn neat.  I even went and bought a little 3 foot pre-lit Christmas tree (really packs quite the ambiance in such a small tree and may be the best $60 I have spent this year!).  If you do have somewhere to call home this year hold your loved ones a little tighter, stay with them a little longer, and laugh with them a little louder.  

The Holiday season brings up vast emotions both good and bad for people, so be nice.  Ask the check out clerk how their day is, and when I say ask I mean really ask and actually listen to them.  Ask their name, try to make them smile. Make a little game out of it.  

Lastly Merry Christmas to you all.  Wishing you and you families a multitude of blessings this season.  Catch ya next year!

Hello everybody and welcome back to my monthly write up.  I just wanted to take a minute to check in with every one and also to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving.  As I have gotten older the meaning behind thanksgiving has grown and evolved over time. When I was a kid, Thanksgiving was really just a chance to see all my cousins and family, have a great meal, and to put up some astronomical hall of fame-esk numbers in a game of post-feast football. Unfortunately I have not been able to make it back home to enjoy thanksgiving with my family for a couple years, but the space between us brings an immense amount of gratitude.  I am still able to call and talk to my parents and my siblings every week and I couldn’t be luckier and more blessed with a group of people who love and support me in whatever I do.  In every endeavor I have been able to get into in my life, those closest to me have been behind my goals and vision for whatever it is that I want to do and the purpose I have in this crazy experience we call life.  Whether they really do believe in me or not or not, my family has always let me know that they support me and will have my back, even if some days I myself question what is going on.  

As I did last year, I wanted to share a poem from the Omaha World Herald (the most popular and longest existing newspaper back in Nebraska). This is a piece that my family made a point to read aloud every year since my great grandparents hosted Thanksgiving waaaay back before I was born. Just reading it is very nostalgic and true and every year it hits a little bit deeper.

“Things To Be Thankful For”

“Be thankful for the clothes that fit a little too snug, because it means you have enough to eat.

Be thankful for the mess that you clean up after a party, because it means you have been surrounded by friends.

Be thankful for the taxes you pay, because it means you’re employed.

Be thankful that your lawn needs mowing and your windows need fixing, because it means you have a home.

Be thankful for the heating (A/C here in Hawaii) bill because it means you are warm (cool).

Be thankful for the laundry, because it means that you have clothes to wear.

Be thankful for the space you find at the far end of the parking lot, because it means you can walk.

Be thankful for the woman who sings off-key behind you in church, because it means you can hear.  

Be thankful people complain about the government, because it means we have freedom of speech.

Be thankful for the alarm that goes off in the early-morning hours, because it means you’re alive.”

-Courtesy of The Omaha World Herald

I would be remissed if I did not also give my two cents on the state of our world and country and in particular our country post election.  If you have any sort of presence in the social media world, in the first week of November, the world was either about to burn to the ground and end tomorrow, or election day was the best day in the past millennia. (This also is dependent on where you get your news from.)  I’m not here to tell you what is right and what is wrong, but what I do want to convey to you is that no matter what side of the aisle you find yourself on, the sun came up the next day, the birds were still singing, and the world keeps on turning.  If you spend too much time online you're bound to see so much hate and division, but I am here to remind you we all are not that different.  We all love and are loved.  There is so much power and peace in disagreeing with others without being disagreeable (this was a pretty tough lesson for me to learn personally but very important none the less).  Most folks you’ll meet are not all that bad at all, and there’s more than likely something we can learn or take from everyone we meet or come in contact with.  So as the holidays approach let’s all try our best to be thankful for some of the problems we don’t have.  Things could be a heck of a lot worse.  Aloha everyone and I wish you the best Thanksgiving possible.

Written by Nate Konecky R-S

Aloha, 

Nate here, I hope that you have had a great month as October as it comes to a close.  I presume that you have your costume ideas hammered down and are fully committed, remember commitment makes the costume.  I myself have elected this year to go as Ice Man from Top Gun, oh yes mustache and all. It seems to me that this month has flown by in the blink of an eye.  I myself had a busy month as I was able to close on two separate properties this month.  One on the buyers side and one on the seller’s.  I thought it would be cool to share a little bit of the story from the buyer’s that I was fortunate enough to work with.  I don’t want to out their names but I will refer to them as J & B. 

 I was blessed to meet J & B at my daily outpost at the Royal Ali’i project down on Ali’i Drive.  Initially I was blown away the their exuberant kindness, and we spent most of our time talking about every thing but the house we were in, mostly their interests and lives which ultimately I found to be rather interesting.  J had been an executive/manager for Boeing which I personally think is very interesting because to put it simply:  I mean planes.. cool.  Planes ARE so cool, and if I were to try to explain to you how planes work and actually fly I would be fabricating probably about 80% of that information. But merely I think from a logistics and operational standpoint planes, airports, and everything involved with the whole process is super interesting… just think of how many folks travel by air now a days.. Incredible.  B is a fascinating individual as well, an ex-basketball player, which as a former athlete myself I found interesting.  Now he focuses on his current passion which is all things birds.  B is primarily a bird photographer and philanthropist. This is again was another subject I did not know much about, but nonetheless found very interesting.  

I stated working alongside J & B in March/April of 2024.  We began looking and walking through various properties as they were interested in upsizing from the condo that they were currently living in.  We viewed and walked through quite a few houses, but none seemed to be the fit for the vision for what they would call home.  Then one morning I got a call from them telling me that they had just stumbled upon the perfect house.  Verbatim they said “as soon as I walked into the front door I just knew that this was the one.”  To make it even more cinematic they found this house by chance and almost by accident, as it was the first day on the market and J & B were on their way to run some errands. They wondered on into the open house. I myself do think it is very sweet when something happens by fate like this.  

This was the beginning of the roller coaster.. Moving forward we sat down worked through some numbers and submitted an initial offer that was ultimately accepted.  But what we thought at the time was bad luck struck.  Due to no ones fault, the initial offer unfortunately did not work out.  Cancellation of the contract was agreed upon by both the seller and J & B.  J & B were crushed, as they truly loved this home and assured me this was indeed the one for them.  I do recall assuring them a sentiment that I believe wholly, even if it is the most cliche and cheesy line. The sentiment was that if this is truly meant to be it will come back to you.  Lo and behold the home did in fact come back to them.  After about 3 months the home had another contract cancellation and had price reduced about $250,000! At this point J & B were ready to make this their home by any means necessary.  We then offered again at the new price with new contingencies and our offer was accepted! We were ultimately able to get it closed the first week of October and I cannot emphasize enough how cool it was to/for me to be able to be a part of helping J & B actualize their dreams.  I even got to help them literally move their furniture into their new home from their old condo.  The looks on their faces and the weight off of their shoulders was so awesome and refreshing to see.  

Finally, I did summarize a lot of that story, but be thankful, I have a tendency to be rather long winded in my story telling.  However a lesson that I took from J & B was the balance between both patience and ambition.  They were patient and wise enough to issue the cancellation on the initial go around, but when the time came to make the play they did not hesitate and they were ready to make it happen.  That to me is admirable as I myself always need more patience, and Lord knows I could use all the wisdom I can get.  Still it is important to never lose that “edge” that allows you to go after something that you believe is truly meant for you.

That will wrap up my October Blog, and I hope that this finds you and the ones that you love doing well and enjoying all of your favorite fall things. I look forward to the last quarter of 2024 and what is in store for all of us.

Written by Nate Konecky R-S

Aloha everyone and welcome back to this month's version of the Island Land Company’s Blog.  In this month's edition I want to take some time to go over the dropping mortgage rates.  As you may or may not have known, mortgage rates have in fact dropped.  The current 30-year fixed rate is 6.17% according to Mortgage News Daily, which by the way is a great website for up to date mortgage and lending news across the country.  One of the more interesting take aways I had from this update was that the last time rates were this close to the 6% line was 01/01/2023.  

This is great news for buyers and sellers alike really.  With rates dropping to this extent there can be just gas to the fire to the real estate market effect.  Being that buyers now can make a payment work more comfortably after the most recent ½  point drop that just happened.  Seller’s also know this, with more buyers in play within the market, sellers too are more likely to put their property up for sale or even hold strong to their list price.  The whole process and rhythm comes down to the principle of supply and demand.  Demand will most likely go up due to more ready to go buyers that are willing and able to buy a home or residence with a newly structured loan percentage.  

Now for my unsolicited opinion, I do think that the drop in interest rates will continue as we inch closer to election day.  With that being said I think that there will be an effect on prices of properties, I believe that there may be grounds for prices to increase across the board.  Now with that being said, I think that there will be a buffer period.  Prices will not just instantly rise with  the mortgage rate drop.  There has to be time for the market to adjust.  In my estimation and as I look back at the past history there seems to be about a 4 week period where the market will continue in its current trend, being that we are currently now in a buyers market with price drops happening fairly frequently and a slowing of new inventory hitting the market.  

If you were thinking of making a move I feel that one of these buffer periods is what you would likely want to try and time within the market.  Now as a disclaimer, I am not telling you to buy or sell right now. What I am suggesting is that you think about the current state of the market, while taking in the past as well as a potential future. (Side note: look more into past data, the data in the future doesn’t exist.)  

Speaking of the future, post election what do you think will happen to rates and the real estate market? There really is no way to know, but if you do know let me know. You and I should become great friends and we could probably be out on a yacht in Milan in no time.  

I again will offer my unsolicited opinion on what I perceive the future to hold.  Again this is only my best guess, I have yet to find the crystal ball, but I think that there will be a continual lowering in rates up until the election then a possible interest rate spike, seeing as whomever wins the election will have new policies and spending plans that they will be putting into place. Will this rate spike be permanent? Again, past history would say no.  Interest rates go up and interest rates go down.  It is kind of what they do.  

To wrap up, if you made it this far, thank you for taking some time out of your busy day and life to read my thoughts and opinions.  I also would like to leave you with this: Election season and the state of our country and world right now can leave you a bit jaded and nervous no matter which side of the aisle you find yourself on. But no matter your affiliation or preferences I do encourage you to just go outside, talk to someone.  You’ll notice what I see almost day in and day out. Whether it be in real estate or if I am working a shift at the restaurant, I am reminded that most people are pretty kind, and that there can be something taken or learned from every encounter or conversation you have with someone.  It actually feels pretty great to just smile at someone and share some kindness. Hoping you have a fantastic finish to your September.

Written by Nate Konecky R-S

Aloha all and welcome back to the Island Land Company’s blog for August.  This month I think the topic quite literally was laid out in front of me.  That topic being the new changes (put into place August 7th) and revisions that have been issued by a settlement between the Department of Justice and the National Association of Realtors.  I am not going to get into the specifics per say in this article but rather my goal is to try and explain the new revisions in a digestible fashion for the masses to understand.  

One of the main trickle downs behind the changes, there will no longer be a Cooperating Broker’s Commission percentage put onto the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) listing.  In the days prior, an agent could see the percentage in which they would receive if their buyer clients were to buy the property at hand.  Now personally I don’t think it wise to even check this percentage until the very end of a transaction. Reason being that there are so many twists and turns in which a deal can go, and if my main driver for keeping a deal alive was the dollar amount at the end of the road then that’s just bad business in my opinion.  Yes, making money is nice, but the job of any Realtor worth their salt is to represent the BEST interest of their clients.  Sometimes the best interest is walking away from a property because the timing or the place just is not the right fit.  

Another by-product of the settlement is that buyers who elect to have agent representation must also now sign a buyers representation agreement with the agent whom they would like to shop for homes with.  It is speculated that more buyers will self represent in buying homes, but I think time will tell a different story.  In Hawaii in particular the market is so much different than most. From a bird's eye view, potentially one is buying a high dollar value property (average property price in Kona was $1.1M last quarter), on an island with 5 volcanoes, potential tsunami and flood zones scattered about the island, and I could keep going but this is not meant to scare you from buying… on the flip side Hawaii is also one of the most breathtaking, beautiful, and tranquil places on earth.  Anyways, with there being such variables in the Hawaii market I think folks will ultimately find it wise to seek representation.  

As I was on a walk the other day, which I must say is great for my thinking and creative process, I was trying to think of a way to best explain in a broad sense how a real estate professional may be in a buyer's best interest.  It was at that moment that a carpenter truck drove by…. Light Bulb.  Now try and follow me on this one, while it is not the exact same,  the two crafts do have similarities.  When remodeling your kitchen would you rather trust a licensed, experienced, and connected craftsman to do the work. Or would you rather go to Youtube University and then give it a try yourself?  I would most likely elect to hire the finished carpenter, pay them to do it right and do it once.  Now this answer will be different for different folks, and that's the beauty of the world.  

Take that same concept into a real estate transaction, while a real estate professional is not building a home with their hands, what we do build is a timeline. A timeline that balances and constructs monies, interests, and assents.  If one of those gets out of balance the buyer could be in a world of hurt financially.  

In this blog I wanted to keep it brief, but if you do have any further questions over the results of the settlement please reach out to any of us here at Island Land.  Mr. Rapoza put it best when he said this is a change in the real estate world now, but in a year's time.. or less.. This will just be the new norm.  Ultimately I do think the changes will help agents, buyers, and sellers alike in distinguishing who has their best interests in mind and who has a dollar amount in the forefront of their mind.

 Written by Nate Konecky R-S

Aloha and welcome back to the Island Land Company Blog.  In this edition I will be glancing over the upcoming Hawaii County Mayoral Race.  To preface, I do not intend to use this blog to take any side nor do I hope to sway you into creating a particular opinion, rather I just want to encourage you to look into this election and the topics covered as they are very unique to Hawaii as a state and specifically to Hawaii County where we call home.  

I will be citing an article  that I read from the Civil Beat (frankly I chose this news outlet because it is free).  A couple of the outlined “hot topics” affecting Hawaii County are: waste water, housing, and hazardous pay.  I find the election topic relevant for many reasons.  Primarily because as property owners on the Big Island you are affected by these issues top to bottom in different ways such as physically, socially, and financially..  We deserve the right to know where our tax dollars are going, and more often than not the electoral campaigns are a great place to get an idea for where the upcoming candidates will distribute them.  The aforementioned topics have been addressed by nearly all of the candidates in the race, and I would encourage you to look into them.  Even if the candidate is not mentioned in the cited article you can find them elsewhere simply by a quick google search.  

To be honest I myself do not do the best at keeping up with the news on a day to day basis. So a fair amount of this was my first hearing of some of the items cited in the articles.

The first item of concern mentioned by the article, the wastewater, was one that I frankly was not aware of until I read about it.  The article states, “Just last month, the Hilo wastewater treatment plant discharged some 607,000 gallons of effluent that had not undergone chlorine disinfection prior to flowing into Puhi Bay,” (Dobbyn, 2024). Sidenote, I know you are all much more grammatically advanced than I am, but if you are like me, you do not know entirely how effluent could be a noun, so I  took the liberty of getting the definition. (Liquid waste or sewage discharged into a river or the sea). Not to make light of a very serious situation, but I most likely was/ would have been one of those who was in the water without a warning that the water had been contaminated.   As a frequent visitor to our beautiful oceans, I can see how some may have been dissappointed when they heard of this spill of said effluent into the bay.  

The second mentioned topic of discussion is housing, more specifically the article talks about affordable housing paired with the higher cost of living that we experience here in Hawaii.  The article states that the current mayor, Mitch Roth, “notes that homeless numbers are down 28% on the Big Island, according to the latest Point in Time Count. The count is a federally mandated census that tries to count anyone who slept outdoors, in a car, or in other areas not intended for housing on a given night in January,”  (Dobbyn, 2024).  When doing your own self analysis, keep in mind these statistics are being compared from 3.5 years ago when Mayor Roth was elected.

Lastly, the third topic is Hazard Pay for those who worked during the pandemic.  This is a significant issue because there are huge implications on tax money allocation here.  There are finite slices of the tax pie, thus making the money requested by workers a significant piece.  In turn the candidates must answer how they would distribute these funds. 

To conclude, I think that as home and property owners, or even someone whom is interested in becoming a home or property owner on the Big Island, we should look into these matters because they do just that.  These issues matter.  I am in no position to tell you how to vote or whom to vote for, but I would like you to care about who is running. With that being said, I hope this finds you well, and if you are still reading thank you.  I hope you all had a safe and fulfilling 4th  of July.  I was on a nice little trip back to my home town to see friends and family. It was very nice for me to be in their company as I was fortunate to celebrate both America’s birthday as well as my own.  Many blessings to you and your loved ones in this upcoming month.

 Written by Nate Konecky R-S

Dobbyn, P. (2024, July 11). Wastewater, housing and hazard pay are driving the Big Island mayor’s race. Honolulu Civil Beat. https://www.civilbeat.org/2024/07/wastewater-housing-and-hazard-pay-are-driving-the-big-island-mayors-race/