Question 1

How do I secure a real-estate contract in Honolulu County?

Accepted Answer

Record a memorandum of contract in the Honolulu County real-property records. It puts the public on notice of your equitable interest so the seller can’t cleanly sell to someone else. Notarized online, recorded with the county, and returned to you.

Question 2

Does Honolulu County allow electronic recording of a memorandum?

Accepted Answer

Honolulu County supports electronic recording (via Simplifile, CSC), so a compliant memorandum can be on record quickly.

Question 3

What does it cost to record a memorandum in Honolulu County?

Accepted Answer

One flat price that includes the county fee (Regular System: $41 (1-50 pages); Land Court: $36 (1-50 pages), plus $50 Certificate of Title issuance fee if applicable first / Regular System: $106 flat if 51+ pages (not per-page); Land Court: $101 flat if 51+ pages; Land Court additional memorandum on Certificate of Title: $5 each add'l (+Conveyance tax applies separately (starts $0.10/$100 of value, up to $1.00/$100 for sales over $10M); certified copies $1/page)), your online notary session, and tracking to a recording number.

Memorandum filing isn't available in Hawaii yet