Recently, we’ve been assisting clients with refinancing their Hawaii investment properties. As lenders are getting tougher on their underwriting criteria, they’re also getting tougher on property conditions. If you are contemplating refinancing or selling your property, you should take a good, hard look at and around the property, just as a buyer, appraiser or an inspector would do.
Recently, we had a situation where a lender sent a team out from the mainland. After offering a term sheet on the property, the lender rescinded the offer to loan because of deferred maintenance on the property.
The elements are very tough on our properties here. We need to constantly maintain them, but probably take an even tougher look at the properties and their conditions at sale or financing times, so they can present in the best possible light.