Hawaii Real Estate Specialists

What Hawaii Real Estate Specialists does

Hawaii Real Estate Specialists is a private, single-agent-led residential real estate brokerage headquartered at 1311 Kapiolani Blvd. #611 in Honolulu, Hawaii, operating under lead agent Derek Lau (License #RB-19796). The firm provides buy-side, sell-side, rental, and investment representation across nine Oahu submarkets — Honolulu, Hawaii Kai, Kakaako, Aiea, Mililani, Ewa Beach, Kailua, Waikiki, and Kaimuki — serving individual homeowners, first-time buyers, repeat buyers, condo rental owners, and real estate investors. Customer evidence is limited to individual residential testimonials (e.g., D Matsuhi, R Scotts, David, Mr. X) with no institutional or enterprise accounts.

The company's core technology stack is the search.reshawaii.com portal, an IDX Broker-powered property search engine integrated with HiCentral MLS for real-time Oahu listing data. The portal exposes thousands of active listings with quick/advanced search, map-based exploration, virtual open houses, and supporting tools (Home Valuation, Mortgage Calculator, Email Update Signup, Schedule a Showing, Request More Information). Distribution combines the IDX portal, MLS syndication, the company website and blog, a YouTube channel, and organic social presence on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. The website was custom designed via Oley.IO's IDX realtor website product.

The business model is transaction-fee based. Primary revenue is residential real estate commissions on buy/sell closings, typically 5-6% of sale price split between listing and buyer's agents and negotiated per transaction. A secondary stream is rental/property management services (tenant placement and condo rental handling). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; contracts are per-transaction or multi-year rather than subscription-based. There is no disclosed funding, no headcount data, and no public revenue, consistent with a small independent brokerage operating on commission flow from a limited agent roster.

Name

Hawaii Real Estate Specialists

Legal name

Hawaii Real Estate Specialists

Website

https://reshawaii.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hawaii Real Estate Specialists is a private Honolulu-based residential real estate brokerage led by Derek Lau, offering buy, sell, rent, and invest services across nine Oahu submarkets via an IDX Broker-integrated HiCentral MLS property search portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Real Estate Brokerage

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Traditional Residential Brokerage (Existing Homes) (BPAJAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Residential Real Estate Brokerage (Buy/Sell) (FSAEAJAA)

Keywords

• Residential real estate brokerage
• Property sales services
• Rental property management
• Buyer agent representation
• MLS property search

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Real Estate Commission - Buy/Sell: The company earns commissions on residential property transactions including single-family homes, condominiums, and investment properties. Commission rates are typically a percentage of the sale price, split between listing and selling agents.
2. Rental Services: The company provides rental management services, including tenant placement and property management for condo owners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Hawaii Real Estate Specialists is a full-service residential real estate brokerage serving clients across Oahu, Hawaii. The firm provides buyer representation, seller representation, rental property management, and real estate investment advisory, anchored by lead agent Derek Lau (License #RB-19796) and supported by an IDX Broker-powered MLS-integrated property search platform.

Product overview

Hawaii Real Estate Specialists is a single-agent real estate brokerage operated by Derek Lau (License #RB-19796) offering residential buy, sell, rent, and investment services across Oahu. The core offering consists of the IDX-powered Property Search Platform, which aggregates thousands of active MLS listings throughout Honolulu and surrounding areas including Kailua, Hawaii Kai, Kakaako, Mililani, Ewa Beach, and Waikiki. Supporting tools include a Home Valuation tool for property worth estimation, a Mortgage Calculator for payment planning, an Email Update Signup for market alerts, and contact management features (Schedule a Showing, Request More Information) that connect prospective buyers directly with agents. The product portfolio functions as an integrated real estate transaction platform rather than discrete modular software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Real Estate Brokerage Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 20+ years of full-time real estate experience
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• HiCentral MLS, Ltd.coreTechnology or IntegrationHawaii Real Estate Specialists operates as a member of HiCentral MLS, accessing the Multiple Listing Service for comprehensive property listings across Oahu. The MLS provides real-time listing data, market statistics, and cooperative compensation among members.
• IDX BrokercoreTechnology or IntegrationThe company's property search portal (search.reshawaii.com) is powered by IDX Broker, providing automated MLS data integration, listing syndication, and property search functionality.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Compass Hawaii: Tech-forward national brokerage expanding into the Hawaii luxury and residential market. Competes on integrated digital tools and agent support similar to Hawaii Real Estate Specialists' IDX-powered platform.
• RE/MAX Honolulu: Global franchise brokerage with Oahu operations. Competes in the same residential buy/sell category with established brand recognition and large agent rosters.
• Redfin: Tech-enabled brokerage offering direct online search and reduced-commission services. Indirect competitor for Oahu buyers who self-serve listing discovery before engaging an agent.
• Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hawaii Realty: Established national brand with Hawaii franchise offices. Offers full-service residential brokerage with broader agent networks across Honolulu and neighbor islands.
• Coldwell Banker Hawaii: Major national brokerage brand with a strong Hawaii franchise network. Offers the same residential buy/sell/rent services with greater agent headcount and brand recognition.
• Sotheby's International Realty - Hawaii: Global luxury brokerage brand with multiple Hawaii offices. Comparable for high-end Oahu residential transactions but operates at larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• Locations LLC: Largest independent Hawaii-based real estate brokerage with extensive Oahu presence. Competes directly for listings, buyers, and rental management clients in the same Honolulu submarkets.
• Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers: Independent Hawaii-focused brokerage offering residential sales and luxury representation across the islands. Directly comparable as a regional brokerage competing for the same Oahu buyer and seller pool.

Emerging players

• eXp Realty: Cloud-based brokerage with low-overhead agent model. Hawaii-licensed eXp agents compete for the same residential transactions with a fundamentally different cost structure.

Others

• OahuRE.com (Hawaii MLS data aggregators): Hawaii real estate listing aggregator and consumer search site. Adjacent rather than directly competitive—functions as an alternative listing discovery channel that may divert self-serve buyers from individual brokerage sites.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/reshawaii
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfNlZU6Oh4haMJaiXy3UBOA
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/real-estate-specialists
• Instagraminstagram.com/realestatespecialistshawaii

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hawaii Real Estate Specialists