Buying a home
We start with your timeline, priorities and the areas you are considering. Then we compare homes against those priorities and explain the trade-offs, including ownership type, association rules and ongoing costs.
How buying worksOahu
Real estate advice built on analysis.
An analytical approach to buying and selling on Oahu: the facts, the options, and a clear plan.
1.75% of the price for buying or selling, $10,000 minimum, $25,000 maximum.
Talk to the principal broker
Marcus Suzuki (R), Principal Broker, Aloha American Realty, Inc.
- Text
- (808) 216-8216
- [email protected]
- Prefer a call?
- Request a call
What you keep
Our fee is 1.75% of the price, with a $10,000 minimum and a $25,000 maximum, Hawaii general excise tax included. Here is what that means in dollars.
- $9,000less when you sellOn a $1,200,000 sale, our fee is $21,000. A brokerage charging 2.5% would charge $30,000.
- $9,000credit when you buyOn a $1,200,000 purchase where the seller offers 2.5% ($30,000), you pay us $0 and get the difference. A traditional buyer’s agent keeps all of it.
- $25,000our maximum feeOur fee stops rising on homes above $1.43 million. On a $2M sale, you pay $25,000 (an effective 1.25%): $10,000 under 1.75% and $25,000 under 2.5%.
Examples, not quotes. Rates other brokerages charge, and what sellers offer, vary and are negotiable.
Try your own price
Another brokerage charges
Many brokerages quote a fee like “2.5% plus GET,” meaning you pay Hawaii’s 4.712% general excise tax on top. Our fee already includes it. Not sure? Ask how the quote is written, or leave it unchecked.
Estimated savings with us
- The other brokerage
- Our fee (1.75%, $10,000 min, $25,000 max, GET included)
How this estimate works
An estimate, not an offer or a quote. The comparison rates are examples, not quotes from any brokerage, and your own quotes may differ. Nationally, listing-side commissions averaged about 2.73% after the 2024 changes (AccountTECH, January 2025); we found no published figure for Oahu. This compares only the listing brokerage fee. Whether to pay the buyer's brokerage, and how much, is your separate decision and applies with any brokerage. Commissions are not set by law and are fully negotiable. Your final terms are in your signed listing agreement.
The seller offers the buyer's brokerage
GET is Hawaii's general excise tax. When an offer is written as “2.5% plus GET,” the seller pays the 4.712% tax on top, which makes your credit bigger. You never pay it. Not sure? Leave it unchecked, and we’ll confirm the seller’s offer before you make yours.
Your credit with us
- With a traditional buyer's agent
- $0 credit
- Seller pays the buyer's brokerage
- Our fee (1.75%, $10,000 min, $25,000 max)
- You pay us
How this estimate works
An estimate, not an offer or a quote. Sellers set what they offer, and every amount is negotiable. The seller amount is the total the seller pays, including any Hawaii general excise tax (GET). Credits are shown before any GET we owe on a credit we pay you. A traditional buyer’s agent keeps the seller’s whole offer, so the buyer gets no credit; some brokerages share part of their commission, so ask how any brokerage you compare handles it. Your lender must approve the credit, and lenders usually limit credits to closing costs and prepaid items. Newly built homes work differently; see buying a newly built home. Your final terms are in your signed buyer agreement.
See the full fee details, including who pays what, the $500,000 rule for buyers, and newly built homes.
Buying and selling, handled with care
Each move on Oahu starts with the facts of your situation. We lay them out, compare the options, and explain the trade-offs.
Selling your home
We review your property, your timeline and current market conditions, then set out the options for preparing and presenting the home. Each recommendation comes with the reasoning behind it.
How selling worksOffers and paperwork
Offers, counteroffers, disclosures and escrow all come with deadlines and details. We explain each step, keep the documents organized, and track the dates so you know what is due and when.
From offer to closingHow it works
Tell us your situation
Share your goals, timeline and area. Use the short form, or request a call at a time that suits you.
We analyze the facts
We review your details against the property or the market and note what matters most.
Weigh the options
You get a plain explanation of the choices, with the pros and cons of each.
You decide, we follow through
We recommend a path. The decision is yours, and we handle the steps that follow.
Where we work
We focus on Metro Honolulu, Diamond Head, East Honolulu to Hawaii Kai, Windward Oahu (Kailua and Kaneohe), Central Oahu, and Ewa and Kapolei.
- Metro HonoluluHonolulu
- Diamond HeadDiamond Head
- East HonoluluKahala, Aina Haina, Niu Valley, Kuliouou, Hawaii Kai
- Windward OahuKailua, Kaneohe
- Central OahuAiea, Pearl City, Waikele, Waipahu, Mililani
- Ewa and KapoleiEwa Beach, Kapolei
If a property is outside these areas, we'll tell you up front and refer you to another brokerage. We apply this the same way to everyone.
Ready to start?
Text, email, or request a call with Marcus Suzuki (R) at a time that suits you.
Aloha American Realty, Inc.