Justin Willingham
To Waianae from Michigan
Justin was a beloved member of Team Lally who WE tragically lost much too early in 2011. Although he is gone, We’ve chosen to include his interview in this book in order to help his spirit and expertise live on.
Please tell me a little bit about yourself.
I’m a single 21 year old with no children. I repair computers for RE/MAX as well personal computers. I was born in Macomb, Michigan, which is highly known for General Motors.
How long have you lived in Waianae?
I’ve lived in Waianae for 6 months. But when I was younger I lived here for 3 years.
Is your home a house or condominium?
My rental home is a 5-bedroom, 1-bathroom house.
Where is Waianae and what is it like as a community?
It’s set far back toward the west side of the island. It’s in a very quiet location.
Is Waianae more of an urban or suburban environment?
I think it’s more suburban because it’s not a huge city. It’s also very laid back.
Do you worry about crime in Waianae?
Yes, crime is everywhere. I just do not choose to seek it out.
Was it hard to meet people when you moved to Waianae?
It was hard because I normally stay to myself. But soon I started to love the people and began to open up.
Do you work in the city of Honolulu? What’s your commute like?
I currently work in Kapolei and the bus takes a while but it’s actually nice to have “me” time.
Would you have any advice for the newcomer regarding transportation or traffic in Waianae and the city of Honolulu?
For Honolulu, don’t be a person with “Road Rage” because from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. the traffic is horrible. Really the bus is the most amazing thing on the Island. It’s cheap and much less expensive then gas.
What surprised you most about moving to and living in Waianae?
The cost of rent for the 5-bedroom house I live in is $1,750 per month.
What would you say is the one “can’t miss” event or place that a family living in Waianae and Hawaii should be sure to experience?
I guess the “can’t miss event” is during the holidays. The people of Hawaii band together to take care of each other. That is really a true event … to see people helping each other.
What places should you avoid if you don’t want to see a lot of tourists?
Ha, ha. Waikiki. But really the Island is a mixture of everything and without tourists Hawaii would not be Hawaii. So WE must take pride that WE are not in as bad of shape financially as the rest of the U.S. So WE embrace the tourists!
Did you live in Hawaii before you moved to Waianae and, if so, how would you compare where you lived before and living in your neighborhood?
The funny thing is I’ve always lived in Waianae, even when I lived here before as a child. Being from the mainland I’d much rather live in a city environment. The quiet calm area just isn’t enough for me.
Do you have a favorite restaurant in Waianae or in other parts of Honolulu?
Yes, a small little place called Waianae Chinese Kitchen. They have the most amazing food. Also, in Ala Moana the Curry House is a place that I’ve just discovered.
Is there anything that you don’t like about living in Waianae or living in Hawaii?
The fact that it takes almost 2 hours to get into town, and an hour to get to Kapolei.
Testimonials
“My esperience working with Team Lally was outstanding! The entire team collaborated with me, even though I was 12 time zones away! Working together, we were able to focus my search on the selected properties during my inital 8 day visit to Oahu. Team Lally helped me understand the local market, while listening to, and addressing my concerns all along the way! The outcome was the right house, at a great price! We even closed on the property before my final arrival on island! My thanks to all! Team Lally is truly a customer focused team!”
“Team Lally sold a condo-hotel unit for us in Hawaii. We live in California and did not actually know or observe what was happening with the sale. They took care of the showings, finding buyers (3) and negotiating with the bank. They took care of all of the paperwork – sending us what we needed and arranging for docusign whenever possible. We were kept in the loop as much as possible and as much as we needed to be. It was a very stressful time for us and they (patiently) explained procedures to us, since we often did not know what was necessary or what the next step was. Team Lally was very professional in all dealings with us and we are very grateful for their consideration of us as stressed absentee sellers and for negotiating a great deal for us.”
“Team-Lally Rocks! It’s great to be considered a part of the Team-Lally family! After 13 years away from Hawaii, and looking for a house on the Ewa plain, we hooked up with a Team Lally realtor who was showing a house that we visited. Throughout the buying process, the knowledgeable staff addressed any problems that we encountered and concerns that we raised. We left the process feeling that our interests were properly represented and protected. This is the very thing that we expect from my realtor and weren’t disappointed. Our relationship didn’t end there. Through customer appreciation events (great food and prizes), newsletters and other resources, we stay connected. Also, if we have a question about market trends or need a contact for everything from a mortgage broker for refinancing or a plumber, we send an email or pick up a phone for a quick response—in practice, this team is really a network of businesses that work well together to meet the many needs of the customer. This is what the relationship between customer and realtor should look like, but seldom does. If we buy or sell again, we know who we’re calling—Team Lally! Joe & Tammy Waligura.”
“Aloha! Calen at Team Lally has worked with my husband and I since day 1 of our search for our home. She was always so prompt with emails, house listings and also giving us an unbiased and honest opinion. She’s extremely knowledgeable about real estate and was constantly patient if we had any questions. She would always make sure that we could get the most bout of our money and would constantly be negotiating for us with our best interests at heart. She was on top of things and I didn’t have to go hunting for her or feel alone in this process. Our experience with working with Calen at Team Lally has been such a pleasant and personal experience that anyone should be blessed with! Elizabeth and Justin Munson”
“When it was time to sell our family vacation property we interviewed many people. Team Lally has amazing marketing which draws buyers from all over the United States and even the world. They had the property sold for a great price in a reasonable timeframe plus they had fabulous staff who took the time to keep all of our family informed throughout the entire process. I can’t say enough good stuff. Call them!”
“Adrienne was very helpful in selling our house. It took us a year and a half to decide to list and never did we feel pressured to do so before we were ready. We always received good information and all of our questions were answered in a timely fashion. Adrienne and her team were able to work with the buyers agent and our lenders to close our short sale in a timely fashion. I would not hesitate to refer friends to Adrienne when selling or buying a home.”
“Adrienne Lally and Attilio Leonardi of Team Lally are great! They take the time to get to know their clients needs, making the buying/selling process that much easier. I would definately refer my family, friends and clients to Team Lally and so should you!”
“Team Lally is really quite exceptional. Each time we have been to the office we have had a personable and helpful experience. The connections they have with other businesses are also extraordinary. Team Lally doesn’t settle for less and they will work hard on your behalf.”
“My husband used to work with one of the agents and we were put on their mailing list. We have really enjoyed all the information that we receive. “
“Aloha, I am in the Coast Guard and my husband is a self employed landscaper, together we are very hard workers, but we aren’t the only ones. Team Lally is a hardworking real estate team who deliver exception customer service, care about their customers needs, remain patient and cater to customers ultimate desire. We purchased a beautiful home in Makakilo August 2012. When Team Lally showed us the house for the first time, we said “this is the one we want and we will wait a year if we have to.” Team Lally understood our end desire, accommodated us, and didn’t try to detour us into another purchase. They remained patient and informative through the short sale process and in the end, six months later, we got the house we wanted and felt relieved that we had an outstanding team who assisted us in making our dreams come true. Thank you Team Lally, I will always refer your team and I hope others will trust in your team as we did. Mahalo Crystal & Sandro”