If you’ve been dreaming of moving to a newer or larger home “someday,” you might consider making that “someday” today! The current real estate market presents a great opportunity for homeowners: It’s now possible to leverage the large gains in home equity made over the last several years to trade up to home that meets your needs—in some cases, without adding to your monthly mortgage payment.

After the hottest summer home-buying season on record, the Oahu real estate market is beginning to return to its typical seasonal pattern as we head into the winter months. However, even as sales are dipping slightly from the summer peak, buyer demand remains strong — with record-high bid-ups and record-low days on market. With comparatively fewer homes for sale in the winter months and pent-up demand from buyers, there are several advantages for sellers who list their homes over the holidays.

More than 1.5 million people cast their votes for their favorite home in HGTV’s 2021 Ultimate House Hunt, and Locations Realtor® and Partner Dolores Bediones’ Paiko Lagoon listing took the top honor, in addition to coming in first in the Beachfront Homes category. This gorgeous Paiko Lagoon listing beat out the best of the best in luxury homes from across the country.

Mortgage interest rates, which hit record lows in December 2020 before ticking up again this year, have been trending back down over the past several weeks. This week, mortgage interest rates fell to a low not seen since mid-February 2021, giving prospective homebuyers some additional buying power.