Elsie's Blog

As an REO (Real Estate Owned) real estate agent, I’ve faced numerous challenges, but being sued by a homeowner for offering cash-for-keys and wrongful foreclosure takes the cake - especially when I'm not the bank. The situation becomes even more bizarre when you realize that this homeowner was co...

It was a bright and sunny afternoon, and I was gearing up for an inspection of several rental units newly transferred from another company to our program. I had my clipboard in hand, checklist at the ready, and a camera for documentation—everything I needed for a smooth visit at this oceanfront c...

The tragedy of the Lahaina fire has highlighted the dangers of overhead electrical lines. Instead of figuring out how to put the lines underground (they say it’s too expensive), Hawaiian Electric has announced a new program called “Public Safety Power Shutoff,” or PSPS. They will now turn off the...

A woman down the street from one of the properties I manage had a huge pit bull. She and my tenant did not like each other, and tensions ran high between them. To make matters worse, the woman would deliberately parade up and down in front of my tenant’s house with her pit bull, trying to intimid...

Owning a property management company has its perks, but it also comes with its fair share of challenges. One of the more memorable moments occurred when my college-aged son decided it was time to move out and find a place of his own. Naturally, I vouched for him when he applied for an apartment w...

Career Day at the local high school is always fun. It is a chance for professionals from various fields to inspire the next generation. One year in the 1990s, I was invited to speak about my entertaining real estate career at my alma mater, and I eagerly accepted. Little did I know, I'd be follow...

The Sheriff’s Office has temporarily halted all eviction actions across the state following a recent 20-hour standoff in my hometown. This moratorium, intended to allow for a comprehensive review of eviction policies, is putting significant financial pressure on small-scale landlords.Many homeown...

I received a foreclosure assignment in a better part of town. The house had been in foreclosure for a while, with weeds growing tall in the yard and the paint peeling off in patches. As I was inspecting the property, the adjacent neighbor stormed over, her face flushed with anger.With no hesitati...

Just when I thought it was going to be a good day, the phone rang with news that there was an ambulance at one of the properties I manage. A neighbor says our tenant, Jan, is lying in the yard moaning in pain. By the time I arrive, the ambulance has left, but without Jan. She is in the house acco...

It is Monday morning and that means I am checking my vacant properties to make sure they are clean and ready to show. As I approach the front door to an 11th floor condo on the beach, I hear strange sounds coming from inside.  They sound similar to rustling papers and grunting.   I hear police si...