Laure McElwee is a distinguished figure in the Hawaiian real estate market, blending over 20 years of professional dedication with a deep commitment to her community and the preservation of Hawaii’s natural beauty. Fluent in English, French, and Spanish, her multicultural expertise has enabled her to assist a diverse clientele in achieving their dreams of owning property in paradise. Laure’s reputation as a top producer both regionally and nationally is a testament to her deep market knowledge, vast network, and her ability to navigate the complex landscape of vacation rental investments with unmatched expertise. Her approach to building lasting client relationships goes beyond transactions, fostering deep connections through honesty, dedication, and hard work, with many clients becoming dear friends.
Beyond her professional accolades, Laure is profoundly committed to community involvement and environmental advocacy. Her active participation in the Kona Kohala Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee and the West Hawaii Association of Realtors Ethics Committee highlights her efforts in promoting economic growth, property rights, and the advancement of the real estate profession in Hawaii. An avid paddler and certified dive instructor, Laure’s passion for the ocean drives her to explore and protect Hawaii’s marine environments, reflecting her dedication to preserving the islands’ natural beauty for future generations. Laure McElwee is not just a real estate broker; she is a trusted partner in finding your piece of paradise, deeply invested in the well-being of her community and the sustainable stewardship of Hawaii’s unique landscapes.
My husband and I recently worked with Laure to buy a house in Kona. We had planned to vacation in Kona in April and decided that we would look for a house while we were there. I read many reviews of many realtors on Zillow and Realtor before deciding who I would work with. I was looking for someone who had been a realtor on the island for more than 10 years, had good reviews, worked with clients long-distance, and who had good follow-through. I narrowed my list down to 2 or 3 realtors and decided to contact Laure first. I am very glad that I did. She has been wonderful to deal with. About a week before I was due to arrive, she sent me several listings in my price range. I would email her back my opinions of the property (this one is on too busy of a street, this one has a bigger yard than we want to take care of, etc) and she quickly got a feel for what we wanted. When we arrived on island, she devoted herself to showing us the houses we had selected to view. She was very observant and would pick up on our likes and dislikes. She never made us feel pressured to buy something and was always happy to answer questions and to research something if she did not know the answer. We decided to make an offer on a house that needed a lot of work. Laure volunteered to line up workers to fix the house up before we arrived. When the owners were not willing to accept our offer, we decided to pass on the house. Laure took it all in stride and did not pressure us to pay more for the house than we felt comfortable about. There were 3 houses that we ended up viewing 2 or 3 times each. Again, Laure was happy to show them to us, multiple times. She knew when to give us time to walk through the house on our own so we could talk privately and when to walk with us to offer advice and answer questions. I know she was working with other clients at the time, but she made us feel like we had her undivided attention. After a few back and forth offers on a second house, we were in escrow. Since we were back in California, Laure handled a lot for us. She uses the DocuShare service which allows you to digitally sign all documents. It was so easy to use. She arranged for an inspector to inspect the house for us. She was there with him so she could report his findings to us and answer any questions. When we started to get nervous about a few issues, she calmed our fears. She walked us through every step of the process. Now that we are all moved in, we still call on Laure for recommendations and suggestions and she always responds quickly. She is a wealth of knowledge and a good friend to have. She goes above and beyond. If you are looking to buy or sell property on the west coast of the Big Island, I highly recommend Laure McElwee!
Laure was absolutely great to deal with. She always responds quickly to any questions or concerns, and continues to be very helpful whenever we need assistance. She knows the area well and has made our transition to our new home very stress free.
Laure is an extremely professional and dynamic realtor who understands the island and the special needs of mainland buyers. From offer to closing she was there to handle everything we could not with utmost efficiency and aloha spirit.