Submitted on January 16, 2012
We appreciate Naome's tireless efforts on our behalf to sell our Elima Lani condo. Her availability and constant communications with us throughout the process were invaluable, as we are at such a distance on the mainland. We couldn't have done it without her professional assistance. She did a great job for us!
Bert and Mary Wood

Submitted December 12,2011
I just wanted to tell you how satisfied I am with your company's professionalism. Stacy Disney, my agent, persevered and found me a buyer. She is not only very friendly but also highly knowledgeable about real estate matters. I would recommend your company to anybody thinking about selling or buying real estate.
Yasha Pulin
Las Vegas, NV

Submitted December 7, 2011
I have known Annie since ’95 and have nothing but great respect and admiration for her. Annie is not only successful in her private life, she is also successful in her professional life as well, both of which are testaments to her good character and strong work ethic. Annie also has a profound ability to make multi-tasking seem easy, has great people skills, and she truly shows “grace under pressure,” all of which are important qualities to have in a realtor when so much is at stake. But most importantly, Annie has tremendous local knowledge of the Big Island. As my realtor, I have absolute confidence in Annie, and would not hesitate to recommend Annie to anyone looking for help with their real estate needs.
Hondo Mizutani

Submitted December 7, 2011
I trusted the sale of my family home of 30 years to stacy disney, she immediately took ownership of the sale, giving "must do" "must update" suggestions prior to listing. Taking her advice on staging was invaluable. She took advantage of all the sales tools available and proceeded to market the place, in no time, the request for showings began, and prior to each showing, gave me the necessary "heads up" on the possible buyers, giving me a sense of ease. In the months that followed, up until the final sale, she kept me abreast of what was happening with my place as well as the housing market in my area. During the purchase offer Stacy listened and suggested as necessary, and the sale proceeded very smoothly. Stacy offered her list of "go to" people required for cleaning and moving, which helped facilitate the process.
Stacy Disney proved to be the professional that I knew her to be, very courteous, knowledgeable and efficient, and I thank her for getting me thru a very difficult time in my life.
Pat Taylor
Kohala Ranch, HI

Submitted December 6, 2011
Stacy Disney wuz one awesome Realtah! She had been help us choke! We was all jam up with our mo-gage company en' she was akamai en' wen help us go through all dat paypahz (cause get choke paypahz wen you try fo' sell one house!) She wen hustle en' fine us one buyah! She get choke knowledge bout' how fo' sell one house, plus she wen take da time fo explain to us all the manini details. We wen feel real comfatable wit her en' we goin' send all our frendz to her, so dat she can help dem too.
Translation for the pidgin impaired:
Stacy Disney is an awesome Realtor. She helped us immensely. We found ourselves in quite a bind with our mortgage company and knowledge she possesses helped us get through all of the paperwork (Because there is a lot of paperwork when you are trying to sell a house!) Stay’s diligence and hard work enabled her to find us a buyer for our home! She is very knowledgeable about real estate in Hawai’i and we appreciated the time she took to explain to us all the little details surrounding our sale. We feel she is the best Realtor in the State and we have recommended her to all of our friends, because we know she can help them too.
Mahalo,
Darren & Darde Gamayo
Honoka'a, Hawai'i

Submitted October 17, 2011
Beverly Giza and Brandon Hickman of Lava Rock Realty acted as agents for the sale of my house in Kohala Ranch.   They really went the extra mile to sell the house. They took pictures and created a website that showed the house to its best advantage. They maintained steady contact with me to keep me abreast of all the activity on the house.  They assisted with all the paperwork and helped me work with the escrow company to complete the sale. In addition, they helped with packing and moving things out of the house, arranging for cleaning, with taking inventory of the house and setting it up for the new owners.  They answered all my questions fully and completely, and were always available to respond to my concerns.  I strongly recommend them to anyone seeking real estate professionals on the Big Island.
Mahalo,
Lori Cooke

Submitted September 28,2011
To Heidi: Linda & I want to thank you very much for your help in buying our home. You spent all the time necessary showing us multiple homes, so we had plenty of options. You pointed out the pros and cons as you saw them and didn't object when we didn't agree with you. You made sure everything was done on time, according to the contract, and finally, you helped in the fight with our bank to finally get a firm closing date. During all of this, you kept positive and an upbeat attitude. It was a pleasure to work with you and we will certainly recommend you to anyone we know who is looking for a home.
Mahalo!
Tom & Linda Britton
Waikoloa, Hawaii

Submitted September 10, 2011
     When we contemplated making a major life change, moving from Oahu to Kona, the process seemed long and complicated. A close friend highly recommended Lava Rock Realty, and that was when we met Annie Howes. From the moment I met her, she made me feel at ease and assured me she would completely guide us through the process and make the move a reality.
     Annie’s knowledge and experience with foreclosures steered us through complicated bids and important decisions. She followed up with us regularly and never failed to always check in with me, whether there was new status or not. It truly made me feel we were very important to her. Her honesty and sincerity got us through this positive experience and I don’t think she’ll ever know how truly grateful we are for her.
Annie made our dreams come true of moving back to my hometown and we finally found our dream home. We continue to keep in touch with her and I feel as if she is an old family friend. We loved her so much, we referred her to my brother. She quickly got his property in Waikoloa sold and is working on getting him his dream home in Waimea, once again making yet another dream come true.
     Warmest Regards,
     Tricia Buskirk
     Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Submitted August 16, 2011
As first time home buyers we were so lucky to have Dahl Young as our realtor! She was extremely patient, kind, and supportive. She always answered all of our questions and concerns. She was with us through the entire process and we can't imagine what it would of been like without her. We will always be very grateful to Dahl for making our dream a reality!
Devin, Amber and Aiden Joaquin, Kamuela

Submitted July 28, 2011
We love Stacy. We walked several properties with her during a visit to the big island. On one of them I stepped on a bee hive and was chased down and stung by several angry bees. She brought me back to her house and gave me Benadryl and made sure I was comfortable the rest of the day. We ended up buying 5 Acres sight unseen and we felt that she was very truthful during the whole process. She walked the property and took photos a few times....it was a great experience! Unlike many agents I have worked with, the commission did not seem to be her first priority. Mahalo Stacy!
Kate Smith
Ahualoa, Hawaii

Submitted July 28, 2011
When I was ready and decided I wanted to buy a house I didn't know where to start. I saw an ad in the paper for the Waikoloa home tours and figured I'd start there. At the home tour I met Annie Howes and from that day on she became my realtor. Being a first time homebuyer I had alot of questions, Annie guided me the whole way and patiently answered all of my questions. Because of my work schedule it was hard for me to make set appointments to view houses and to take care of any paperwork but Annie worked with me on that and often times with me giving her only a couple hours notice she was able to get me into the houses that I wanted to see. She kept me informed and up to date throughout the whole process. Annie and the gang down at Lava Rock made buying a house easier than I thought it would be. I would definately do business with them again in the future.
Ryan Tranilla
Waikoloa, Hawaii

Submitted July 16, 2011
What a wonderful experience to purchase a lot in Kamuela with Stacy Disney as my guide......phone calls promptly returned, documents received on time; all wrapped up in Stacy's enthusiastic personality........"What a pleasure!"
Jacki Gillen, Volcano Builders
Volcano & Future Waimea Resident

Submitted July 7, 2011
I would like to commend the diligence, professionalism, and patience demonstrated to me by my realtor, Annie Howes, who is a remarkable asset to Lava Rock Realty. I wanted to sell my current home and build a new home on the beautiful parcel my late husband was brought up on. I had no idea as to where to go, who to see, or what to ask. I got a referral from a professional friend, and I now know I made the right decision. Annie patiently and expertly guided me through all the steps from beginning to end, and scheduled showings aggressively. The house was sold within a month. Her dedication and willingness to help in any way she can goes well beyond her call of duty. I would certainly recommend Annie Howes to anyone who is planning to buy or sell a home.   I would also like to thank Peggy Yuan for her help in saving me attorney’s fees during my quest to resolve a legal issue on the new property. I appreciated her tact and expertise.
Sharon Yamasaki
Kamuela, Hawaii

Submitted July 3, 2011
We recently completed a purchase and have taken possession of a property in Honokaa. We were represented in the purchase by Stacy Disney of Lava Rock Realty. In every aspect of the transaction from showing us various properties, including the one we eventually purchased, to the completion of escrow, Stacy was professional, knowledgeable, and a joy to work with. We highly recommend Stacy to anyone seeking a real estate professional to assist them in a property purchase.
Richard and Cecelia Levins

Submitted June 23, 2011
I have known Brandon Hickman for many years, primarily through our mutual love of surfing here on the Big Island. I was stoked to find out a few years ago that Brandon was a successful Realtor at Lava Rock Realty. Last year my wife and I were fortunate enough to be in position to invest in some Real Estate, and I thought of Brandon immediately. My subsequent call to him was the best call I could have made. We had a general idea of what & where we wanted to purchase, but Brandon’s guidance was invaluable. I was particularly impressed with his patience & perseverance in dealing with me and my endless requests for information on so many different things. To make a long story short, Brandon helped us find just the right property for our needs, in the right & perfect location, within our budget. Brandon is very respectful and courteous, never pushy & always a pleasure to work with. I would recommend him to anyone serious about buying or selling Real Estate her on Big Island.
Sincerely,
The Gruwells
Kona, Hawaii

Submitted June 17, 2011
We are very happy with the service that Naome and Dahl provided to sell our condo. Naome was very active in making sure that our condo was seen by all she spent several weekends in our condo for caravans and open houses. We were especially appreciative of Dahl who offered to help inventory the condo and then ended up spending hours doing a thorough inventory by herself as I could not get away from work. Both Naome and Dahl gave us good sound advice during the process.
C. Kutler
Waikoloa, Hawaii

Submitted May 14, 2011
     For those of you who picture yourself living on the Big Island, I can offer a solution to alleviate any fear that prevents you from pursuing your dream. It’s simple. Contact Realtor Stacy Disney.
     Many people dream of buying a house or land in their vacation destination. Few of us are lucky enough to actually do it. And as exciting as the idea sounds, it could be equally as intimating when the reality of pursuing that dream begins, given the distance and a lack of familiarity with the local dream market we are attempting to enter.
     I offer this advice based my personal experience in early 2011. From the moment I contacted Stacy by phone from the mainland (she was simply a referral whom I had never met), she jumped in to help us. We spent time at length discussing our vision and Stacy immediately offered lots of supportive instruction and material. By the time we arrived in Hawaii, my husband and I were well prepared thanks to Stacy. We were confident in the properties we had selected to see based on Stacy’s no-nonsense feedback, and felt informed about the local market, neighborhoods, as well as advantages and disadvantages of the various options. Given Stacy’s well coordinated viewings, we were able to see about 20 options in three (partial) days, yet also had time to enjoy our vacation. Furthermore, we were very impressed that Stacy had taken the initiative to schedule two additional Realtors, Brandon Hickman and Bev Giza, that lived in particular neighborhoods to ride along with us for two of the three days. This made such a difference as Brandon and Bev were incredible and very accessible resources as we viewed each property. Based on all of the options and information Stacy provided, we were able to confidently make an offer very quickly.
     Stacy is delightful to spend time with and provided lots of history, relevant information and answers to our never-ending questions. She has lived for many years on the Big Island and is obviously well known and liked in the community. Stacy introduced us to many local Hawaiians we happened to come across during our time together. Above and beyond her realty transactions, she was sure to see that we were enjoying our vacation, going so far as too loan us her personal beach chairs and coolers so we could save on the cost of buying them ourselves.
Lastly, it is important to know Stacy is very responsive and it was clear in all of our communications that she gives high priority to ensuring her clients are addressed in a timely manner. On several occasions she proactively contacted various parties on our behalf to ensure our purchase was progressing smoothly. She is patient, knowledgeable, easy to work with and has seemingly endless experience with all levels of transactions and property types. I would strongly recommend Stacy Disney to anyone who is looking for a Realtor on The Big Island.
Fran and Thad Andrews
Kohala Ranch, HI

Submitted April 12, 2011
     The purpose of this correspondence is to officially promulgate my sincerest appreciation for the efforts of two members of Lava Rock Realty, Kamuela, Hawaii, as direct participants in the protracted real-estate process I initiated in late 2010, when I first commenced my search for a new home to purchase. These individuals are Ms. Peggy Yuan, the company’s Principal Broker, and, most especially, Mr. Brandon Hickman, my invaluable real-estate agent.
     I am a retired U. S. Government employee (Department of Defense), who spent the majority of his career as the Federal Transportation Officer for the Big Island, located in a Hilo office (but whose primary place of “work” was actually at Kawaihae Harbor and Pohakuloa Training Area). Following my retirement, my ex-wife and I lived for a few years in Kona, but subsequently moved back to Honolulu (where her children reside). Following our divorce in 2007, I had more or less convinced myself that I very much wanted to move away from the traffic and congestion of Oahu. I thus began a three-year review of what my options in that regard might be, as well as a careful study of the declining real-estate prices on Neighbor Islands, along with, of course, the substantial drop in mortgage interest rates.
     Having lived and worked on several Islands (Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island), my areas of possible consideration were both distant and varied. After much contemplation, however, I decided, for many reasons (primarily including the fact that I had worked and lived on the Big Island longer than any other locale in my entire life), that I would begin seriously looking for a home on Hawaii Island. And, so I set out for Lava Rock Realty, accompanied by a fellow church-congregation member of mine in Honolulu (who also happened to be a former co-worker of Peggy’s).
     From the outset of my expressing an interest to Peggy (during that first real-estate searching trip to the Big Island in October of last year), with regard to gaining and utilizing her obvious expertise experience, she demonstrated an immediate and eager willingness to assist me. And, after much searching with Peggy’s former co-worker (who had accompanied me to the Big Island), I very surprisingly found an REO property that was shockingly pristine, and very definitely “priced right.” Even though I had always been very leery of units involved in short sales, foreclosures, and REOs, when I first entered the unit, I was stunned: it not only was beautiful, but it looked virtually new, as if no one had lived in it (despite being four years old). Even more remarkably, despite the fact that the seventeen units which comprise the low-density/high-end complex known as Paniolo Gardens sold for prices close to $500,000 a mere four years ago, this REO unit was listed at roughly a third of that cost. I was instantaneously enraptured by the place. I immediately wanted to make an offer on it, and returned to Honolulu, full of optimism about making a deal work. At that point in time, I had NO IDEA of the horrors that were awaiting me.
What ensued over the course of the following several weeks and months is a litany of agonizing, repeated, excruciating (for me) events, nearly all of which involved my experiencing massive disappointments, involving such issues as failed “exotic-financing” options; unavailability of mortgage-loan approvals; and even such absurd rarities as switching of escrow officers in mid-stream, coupled with concomitant escrow delays and confusion.
     It is no exaggeration for me to state that on numerous occasions, I was actually thinking I needed to forget about Paniolo Gardens entirely, and simply move on to other considerations (including looking for a home on Kauai, or even on Maui [where I had never even lived]).
It was during this timeframe that it became obvious to me – as well as to my Honolulu realtor friend and to Peggy – that if I were to seriously consider continuing to pursue the Paniolo Gardens purchase, then I would positively need constant, on-site assistance from Lava Rock. Thus, a mutual decision (a very friendly one, I might add) was consummated, whereby my Honolulu realtor friend bowed out, and Brandon became my full-time agent. I would likely be less than exaggerating if I were to state that those agonies that I had previously endured – in trying to make this purchase come to fruition – were minimal, compared to those which Brandon and I had to suffer in the following several weeks. Even after we had FINALLY managed to get an offer accepted by the REO bank, several incredible delays and problems further resulted with the escrow process itself. As much misery I, myself, felt I was enduring, I actually had equal compassion for Brandon, who was tasked not only with the responsibilities of coordinating all of the seemingly-daily changes and updated revisions with the loan and escrow officers, but who also had to “baby-sit” me, trying to keep my confidence level up, and my optimism intact.
     The coup de grace occurred, when I finally left Honolulu, and relocated over to the Big Island physically (at the end of December), expecting to close on my Paniolo Gardens unit on 3 January. Once again, Brandon and I found ourselves mired in ongoing escrow and loan difficulties, which protracted the closing – and my ability to move into my place! – week after week after week. Again, Brandon had to suffer the pains of helping me find not only temporary housing (I was literally gypsy-like, in my roving from locale to locale), but even such mundane issues as where I could do my laundry. And Peggy had to endure my frequent visitations to her office, where I regularly went to “mooch-off” of her Internet access: yet all the while she continued assuring and re-assuring me that she was more than happy to see me. I am certain Brandon must have wished many times that he had never met Bill Nordstrom, and Peggy was probably sensing the same types of emotions! Nonetheless, through it all, Brandon remained (as did Peggy) 100% supportive of me, and 100% committed to our ultimately completing the successful process.
     And, complete it we did. I finally (FINALLY!) moved into my new home on 1 February, and I could not possibly be happier. The fact that the deal ultimately, finally came together is, in large measure, a significant testimonial to the steadfastness of Brandon’s and Peggy’s insistence that we never “lose the faith.” They were the primary means of support for me, during my emotional roller coaster of hopes; then repeated disappointments/frustrations; and, finally, great joy.
     In conclusion, I emphasize that Peggy is the personification of a real-estate-broker professional. Vis-à-vis her “Can-Do Attitude,” she keeps the satisfaction of her clients at the forefront of her mission, and works tirelessly to achieve that goal. And, beyond any doubt, Brandon is the CONSUMMATE AGENT. He is tirelessly energetic; he is unfailingly committed and dedicated; he is positive and optimistic in the face of all adversity; and he is clearly deserving of recognition, and much praise/commendation. Even more importantly, he has become my close, personal friend.
     I extend to Peggy and to Brandon my heartfelt “Mahalo Nui Loa,” for a JOB EXTREMELY WELL DONE.
Sincerely yours/Aloha No Ka Kou,
WILLIAM H. NORDSTROM, JR.
Waikoloa, HI

April 2, 2011
Hi Stacy, Thank you so much for making this sale happen. I was worried being 4,000 miles away, but you handled everything perfectly for sale of my Paauilo home. You are awesome and deserve an award for best Realtor!!!
Lesteen Bloodworth
Morris, Michagan

Submitted March 28, 2011
Stacy Disney is a Realtor that asked, and LISTENED to what I envisioned in a home. She found a place that fit my criteria and walked me through the entire purchase process. As a first time home buyer, I required a lot of explanations and assistance, and Stacy went above and beyond her role as realtor. She was always available, returned phone calls at any time, and even offered printing and fax capabilities when I was without a computer. Stacy not only enabled me to buy my first home, but introduced me to the community. I always felt like I had a solid friend in a new town, where I knew no one else. I could not have asked for a better Realtor or experience than that provided by Stacy Disney. Stacy has the integrity that made me feel confident throughout the process of purchasing my first home.
Lisa Duwall
Kamuela, HI

Submitted March 28, 2011
Heidi, We are so grateful for you. You found us this house that met all our expectations. You answered all emails, text messages and phone calls when we needed you. You made us feel as we were the only ones that mattered. Even with the obstacles we went through with the bank, you fought for us hard. You were there until the very end. Thank you so very much.
The Kaho'onei Ohana.
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Submitted March 24, 2011
Miracles happen. Just a few months ago our daughter, Corinna, expressed a desire to own a small parcel of land to pasture a couple of horses with enough acerage to build a small cottage. Just out of curiosity, I called Lava Rock Realty and met Stacy Disney. Stacy got word of a 5 acre land that would be perfect for Corinna. Stacy suggested we get prequalified with a a local mortgage company and then we made an offer. Many offers were received by then and we almost gave up as we were just an ordinary local family bidding against wealthy investors , some who were able to pay cash and then close quicly. Stacy did not relent... we wrote a letter to the owner that Corinna is a part Hawaiian girl, born and raised on the Big Island, who loves the aina and rides and cares for her horses daily. We informed the owner that we could not compete with cash buyers. The miracle unfolded. The owner decided to sell his land to Corinna. It is a dream come true. Corinna hopes to enter a rodeo this year. Thank you Stacy for your dedication in helping the locals of our Island. And we also thank God - Mahalo ke akua!
The Oliva Family
Kamuela, Waikoloa & now Paauilo

Submitted March 21, 2011
Dahl Young comes with our full support and recommendation! She helped us with the sale of a parcel of raw land on the Big Island that we held little hope of selling. We had acquired this land in the early 90s and over the years it had devalued to the extent that we had decided to sell it in order to raise some added cash to fund a business project we had decided to pursue. But of course this was easier said than done. The land that we had purchased nearly 20 years ago was still in the middle of an undeveloped area. So the portion of the project we had hoped to pay for with this land sale, we thought, would have to come out of our current savings for now. But amazingly enough, Dahl helped to find us a buyer, and the sale that we had resigned ourselves could take months on the short end, or possibly years on the long end, was actually closed in weeks. And so as it stands right now, the business project we are pursuing is happening as this is being written, and the money that we had counted on from the sale of the land is already in our bank. This was all possible because of Dahl’s experience and her commitment to service. Again, we highly recommend Dahl Young!
Eric & Mary Ann Nemoto
Waimanalo, Hawaii

Submitted March 18, 2011
Purchasing a home is a big step and can be an anxious experience, especially when the home is on another island. Working with Heidi Perreira at Lava Rock Realty made the transaction easy; she is accommodating, timely, resourceful and will always goes the extra mile. Her ability to "anticipate" always kept us ahead of the game. Her credibility and integrity allowed me to put my trust in her with the end result that I was seeking. I now own a Big Island Home!