Buying a Home in Hawaiʻi? How to Protect Yourself From Costly Real Estate Mistakes
Buying a home may be one of the largest financial transactions you’ll ever make. Unfortunately, it’s also an opportunity scammers are increasingly trying to exploit.
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)In this episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, Larry Gonzales sits down with longtime friend Maggie Marcelli, Assistant Vice President at Title Guaranty, for an important conversation about protecting yourself throughout the Hawaiʻi home-buying process.
From condo cancellations and home inspections to assumable mortgages, title insurance, and wire fraud, Larry and Maggie break down issues buyers may encounter before reaching the closing table. Maggie also shares real-world examples of attempted fraud—including criminals impersonating escrow professionals and sending fraudulent wiring instructions.
Whether you’re buying your first home, using a VA home loan, selling a property, or working in Hawaiʻi real estate, this episode provides practical information that can help you ask better questions, choose the right team, and protect your money.
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)Guest Bio
Maggie Marcelli
Assistant Vice President | Title Guaranty
Title & Escrow
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)Maggie Marcelli is Assistant Vice President at Title Guaranty. Her real estate career has included experience in mortgage lending, notary work, escrow, and leadership. She eventually joined Title Guaranty and helped develop its in-house notary operation before moving into escrow and branch leadership.
Throughout the episode, Maggie emphasizes education, communication, and relationships over transactions—especially when helping buyers and sellers navigate one of the largest financial decisions of their lives.
Instagram: @tg_escrow_kapolei
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)Email: maggie.marcelli@tghawaii.com
Episode Summary
Buying a home in Hawaiʻi involves much more than finding a property and getting approved for a mortgage.
Larry and Maggie begin by discussing what they’re seeing in today’s Hawaiʻi housing market, including condo transactions that can become more challenging because of HOA fees, insurance costs, special assessments, and property condition.
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)They also discuss the importance of the inspection process. Rather than automatically walking away when an inspection identifies problems, buyers should understand what they’re looking at, work with experienced professionals, and determine whether repairs or other terms can be negotiated.
Another major topic is assumable mortgages. Taking over a seller’s existing low-interest mortgage can sound like an incredible opportunity, especially when current mortgage rates are significantly higher. But Larry explains why buyers also need to consider the seller’s equity and how much cash may be required to bridge the difference between the existing loan balance and purchase price.
The conversation then turns to the role of title and escrow.
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)Maggie explains why title insurance matters, how escrow helps facilitate the transaction, and why buyers need to understand the difference between protecting the lender’s interest and protecting their own ownership interest.
Then comes one of the most important parts of the episode: fraud.
Maggie shares real examples of criminals attempting to impersonate escrow professionals and redirect buyers’ money.
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)In one case discussed in the episode, a cash condo buyer sent more than $500,000 after receiving fraudulent wiring instructions that appeared to come from the escrow officer.
In another transaction, Maggie was communicating directly with a buyer while fraudulent emails were simultaneously being sent. The fake instructions directed money to a Wells Fargo account in Texas. Because the buyer and Maggie verified the information directly, they stopped the attempted theft before $72,000 was sent.
The lesson is simple but critical:
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)Never assume wiring instructions are legitimate simply because an email looks legitimate. Verify them directly with your escrow professional before sending money.
Larry and Maggie also discuss scams that can continue after closing, including misleading home warranty solicitations, mortgage-related offers, and companies attempting to charge homeowners for copies of documents they can receive without paying the solicitation fee.
The episode ultimately comes back to education and relationships. Having the right REALTOR®, mortgage professional, and title and escrow team isn’t just about getting a transaction closed. It’s about surrounding yourself with people who will educate you, communicate with you, and help protect your interests.
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)Timestamp Highlights
00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
00:58 Maggie’s Background and Hawaii Move
02:43 Proxy Marriage and Chef Husband
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)05:08 COVID Notary Hustle
07:28 Market Shifts and Condo Cancellations
10:57 Repairs, Inspections, and Negotiation
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)16:00 Rates, Education, and Assumable Loans
27:01 Assistant VP Role and Kapolei Branch
28:44 From USAA to Title Guaranty Leadership
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)32:31 Career Breakthroughs
33:48 Relationships Over Transactions
36:17 Helping Buyers and Sellers
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)38:26 Right Way to Buy
43:09 Golden Rule Mindset
43:59 Title and Escrow Explained
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)48:47 Title Fraud Red Flags
50:49 Wire Fraud Horror Stories
57:45 Scams After Closing
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)01:00:35 The Pitch Taco Tuesday
01:05:39 Final Thanks and Wrap
Key Takeaways
- Hawaiʻi condo buyers need to understand HOA fees, insurance costs, special assessments, and the property’s overall financial picture.
- A home inspection can reveal important issues and create opportunities for buyers and sellers to negotiate.
- Buyers shouldn’t automatically assume a low-rate assumable mortgage is the best financial choice.
- The cash required to cover an assumable loan’s equity gap should be considered when evaluating the opportunity.
- Title and escrow play different but important roles in protecting and completing a real estate transaction.
- Buyers should understand the difference between lender’s and owner’s title insurance.
- Wire fraud can happen even when fraudulent emails appear almost identical to legitimate escrow communications.
- Always independently verify wiring instructions before transferring money.
- Homeowners should remain cautious about official-looking solicitations that arrive after closing.
- The right real estate, lending, and escrow professionals should prioritize education and relationships—not simply completing a transaction.
- The Pitch: Connecting Hawaiʻi’s Real Estate Community
Larry and Maggie also discuss The Pitch, a networking opportunity designed to help Hawaiʻi real estate professionals connect, share listings, discuss buyer needs, and create opportunities for their clients.
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)Rather than giving an agent only a few seconds to mention a property, The Pitch gives professionals an opportunity to have real conversations, build relationships, and potentially match another agent’s buyer with the right listing.
The Pitch is held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month.
Listen & Watch
🎥 Watch on YouTube: YouTube Link
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)🎧 Listen on Spotify: Spotify Link
🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts: Apple Podcast Link
Subscribe to In Search of Excellence: Island Style on YouTube and follow the show on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for more conversations about Hawaiʻi real estate, VA home loans, financial literacy, leadership, military life, entrepreneurship, and building long-term wealth.
Verify your mortgage eligibility (Sep 12th, 2026)If this episode helped you understand title insurance, escrow, wire fraud, assumable mortgages, or the home-buying process, share it with a homebuyer, homeowner, veteran, military family, REALTOR®, or anyone preparing to buy or sell a home in Hawaiʻi.
And if you’re thinking about buying a home in Hawaiʻi or want to understand how to use your VA home loan benefit, connect with Larry and The Broker Mortgage Experts to create a strategy that fits your goals.
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