SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Redfin (www.redfin.com), the customer-first real estate brokerage, today announced the debut of its home-buying and selling services on the island of Oahu. Additionally, Redfin’s award-winning website and mobile app now include all agent-listed homes for sale on the island. Hawaii native Mike DeMello will lead the Redfin brokerage on Oahu, with a team of local Redfin-employed real estate agents.
DeMello was born on Oahu and grew up in Pearl City. He started his real estate career in 2002 as a broker with Hawaii real estate firm Locations, where he later became a partner. More recently, DeMello worked in banking before deciding to return to his true passion of real estate. DeMello is excited to introduce Redfin to his friends, family and neighbors on Oahu.
“Redfin's modern approach to real estate will appeal to Hawaii residents," DeMello said. "We're ready for a website that shows all the homes for sale and the opportunity to work with agents who are paid based on client satisfaction.”
Redfin began in Seattle in 2006 with the mission to reinvent real estate to benefit consumers, and has steadily expanded to more than 50 top U.S. cities. The Redfin model is different from traditional brokerages in how it combines its advanced technology with full-service agents who are paid a salary, receive benefits and earn bonuses based on customer satisfaction. All reviews for every Redfin agent are published on their online profiles.
Redfin technology helps its agents operate more efficiently, and the company passes the value on to its clients. To date, Redfin has saved its customers more than $200 million in real estate fees. For buyers, Redfin refunds part of the agent commission. On a $650,000 home, a Redfin homebuyer would save about $7,000. For selling clients, Redfin agents charge a 1.5 percent listing fee rather than the typical 3 percent while providing the same full service offered by a traditional agent, including pricing and staging advice. Redfin also provides free professional photography, the Redfin 3D Walkthrough and marketing materials. Someone selling a $650,000 home would save about $10,000.
In addition to having the most accurate and up-to-date information about homes for sale in Hawaii, Redfin has a host of technology features that benefit both website users and brokerage clients:
- Instant Tour Scheduling: Ability to instantly schedule a home tour with a Redfin agent with a single click from a browser, iPhone, iPad or Android app.
- Instant Updates: Smartphone or email notifications when new homes are listed or when prices drop.
- Redfin Hot Homes: Proprietary algorithm that indicates which homes for sale are likely to sell within two weeks.
- Redfin Home Value Tool: A more accurate way to find out what your home is worth using self-selected comparable homes for sale in your market.
- Search by School: Shows all the homes for sale served by a certain school with one easy search.
- Tour and Offer Insights: Real-time statistics and notes from Redfin agents about thousands of homes and offers.
- Redfin 3D Walkthrough: High-resolution, interactive views from every angle inside homes listed with a Redfin agent.
- Redfin Matchmaker: Software that recommends unexpected listings to Redfin clients.
- Deal Room: A real-time guide through the closing process, including milestones, deadlines and tasks.
- Redfin Open Book: Reviews of lenders, inspectors and title companies for buyers and handymen, stagers and more with feedback from Redfin agents.
To find or sell a house and to connect with a local agent, please visit redfin.com. To learn more about working at Redfin and to apply for open positions on Oahu and other locations, please visit redfin.com/jobs.
Redfin is hosting a launch party on March 7 from 5 to 7 pm at the Cupola Theater in the Honolulu Design Center that is open to the public. People are encouraged to come out and meet Mike DeMello and the rest of the Redfin team and enjoy complimentary drinks and appetizers. For every guest who attends the launch party, Redfin will donate $10 to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii.
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About Redfin
Redfin (www.redfin.com) is a customer-first real estate brokerage that represents people buying and selling homes. Founded and run by technologists, Redfin has a team of experienced, full-service real estate agents who are advocates, not salespeople, earning customer-satisfaction bonuses, not commissions. Redfin.com features all the broker-listed homes for sale, as well as for-sale-by-owner properties that don't pay brokers a commission. Redfin also offers online tools that make the entire process of buying or selling a home easier and more fun. The company serves major markets across the U.S. and has closed nearly $20 billion in home sales. In 2012, Redfin was named one of The DIGITAL 100: World's Most Valuable Private Tech Companies by Business Insider.
