January 27th, 2012
While on a recent visit to Honolulu, I was happy to come across the Waikiki dragon canoe! The canoe is used during Chinese New Year celebrations. Chinese New Year is a major holiday for Chinese families. It’s all about bringing good luck. Big family gatherings, festive decorations, gift giving, and sharing symbolic foods ensure good luck in the new year. The start of Chinese New Year is dictated by the lunar calendar. It is a different day each year, usually falling between late January and February. In 2012 the new year began January 23rd. In Hawaii, Chinese New Year events run through most of January and February.
Tags: Chinese New Year, Chinese zodiak, dragon, good luck, Hawaii, lunar calendar, year of the dragon
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January 24th, 2012
Neighborhood Profile
Most weekday mornings I can be found at my desk in the beautiful Mauna Kea Resort working away. When hotel guests stop by to say hello and talk real estate, they are typically surprised to find two bedroom condos, some on the fairway, all with ocean views, well under $1M. Today the asking prices for those Kumulani condos start at $550,000. Located within Mauna Kea Resort, Kumulani is an amazing value for tennis, golf and beach buffs.
Tags: association, beach, Big Island, condos, golf, Hawaii, homes, Kumulani, Mauna Kea Resort, ocean view, single family, Sunset Ridge, tennis, Village, waikoloa beach resort, Waikoloa Village
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November 28th, 2011
November 2011
January through October 2011 Kohala Coast condo sales are up 36.6% and prices are down 7.7% over January through October 2010.
Third quarter 2011 Kohala Coast condo sales are up 25.5% and prices are down 9.1% over third quarter 2010.*
October 2011 Kohala Coast condo sales are down 36.4% and prices are down 29.8% over October 2010.
January through October 2011 Kona condo sales are up 9.4% and prices are down 21.8% over January through October 2010.
Third quarter 2011 Kona condo sales are up 5.5% and prices are down 9.1% over third quarter 2010.*
Tags: 2011, January, Kohala Coast, Kona, October 2010, paul brewbaker, prices, sales, west hawaii, west hawaii today
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October 18th, 2011
On the front page of West Hawaii Today, Tuesday October 18, 2011, the second lead story headline blazed: Home Sales Dip… Hmm, that doesn’t sound right. Using Hawaii Information Services data, my research since late 2010 has found home sales climbing in North Kona and South Kohala while prices continue to slip.
So I expanded my research to include all West Hawaii single family and condo sales from South Kona to North Kohala, January through September 2011 vs 2010. Again, my research still found sales for improved residential higher this year than last: 999 to 859. The 2011 January-September median sales price was $323,000 compared to $344,000 last year.
Tags: home sales, Kohala, Kona, prices slip, west hawaii
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October 5th, 2011
Not only the wealthy are actively buying West Hawaii real estate
While most Americans are not buying much due to the economy, in terms of wealth, what are the top 9% buying? The Luxury Institute recently reported that 24% of those wealthy consumers have purchased residential real estate since 2008. Early 2008 through early 2011, 38% of that group purchased at least one second home. Of those, nearly half took advantage of the lower prices to purchase a second home more than 500 miles away from the primary residence.
What got me digging into these records were recent news reports that Mercedes Benz unit sales in the United States recently broke a record; an Italian handbag retailer experienced difficulty keeping its $1,000+ handbags on the shelves; and the top two luxury purchase types by wealthy consumers were either a $1,000+ case of wine or piece of jewelry.
Tags: 2010, 2011, lower prices, North Kona, Real Estate, second homes, South Kohala, wealthy, west hawaii
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July 26th, 2011
Before heading up to the Keck Observatory telescopes, visitors are required to spend an hour at the 9,000 foot level. This helps identify folks who are going to have trouble at almost 14,000 feet, and it allows the rest of us time to acclimatize to less oxygen. After arriving at the Keck staff facility a few miles above the Big Island’s saddle road, we drank liquids, wandered around, visited with each other, and then we settled in for the telescope open house introduction and safety talk.
Tags: "Keck Observatory", "Taft Armandroff", Big Island, telescopes, video
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July 24th, 2011
Today I visited the summit of Mauna Kea courtesy of the Keck Observatory. It was the 2011 Keck Open House and I was fortunate enough to be invited by friend and Keck astronomer Julien Woillez. Julien is an interferometer scientist working on a project coordinating both Keck I and Keck II telescopes to create a virtual 85 millimeter telescope. Wow!
Tags: "julien woillez, "mauna kea", 2011, Big Island, interferometer, kamuela, keck, obsevatory, scientest, telescopes, video, waimea
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July 22nd, 2011
Lawrence Yun, the National Association of Realtor’s Chief Economist, said last month that homes sales will rise this year. Well, those of us familiar with Kona and Kohala Coast real estate here on the Big Island took this as old news. Real estate isn’t just local, these days it is hyper-local. What’s happening in Puna is completely different than what’s happening in South Kohala. When I talk to mainland residents looking to buy a vacation home, they often incorrectly assume what’s happening in their local market is what’s happening in our market.
Tags: Big Island, condo, Kohala Coast, Kona, Lawrene Yun, Real Estate, sales, South Kohala
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July 21st, 2011
April-June 2011
There’s been significant activity at Mauna Kea Resort lately. Here are the second quarter property sales:
1. $640,000; 2/2; Kumulani condo #B3; located on golf course with ocean view
2. $909,500; 3/2; Wai’ula’ula condo #M202; located on golf course with ocean and Maui views
3. $1,300,000; 3/3; Moani Heights residence #8; located on golf course with ocean and Maui view
4. $1,525,000; 3/3; Moani Height residence #9; located on golf course with ocean and Maui view
5. $2,600,000; 4/3.5; Kauna’oa condo #1A; ocean view
6. $2,400,000; Kauna’oa lot #6; located on golf course with ocean view
7. $1,500,000; Mauna Kea Fairways North lot #12; located on golf course with ocean view
8. $2,000,000; Mauna Kea Fairways South residence #3; structure is either a tear down or will be a demolition remodel with an outstanding ocean view
9. $1,350,000; 2/2.5; The Villas at Mauna Kea condo #37; original 1987 condition with ocean view
Tags: Fairways North, Fairways South, golf couse, Hawaii island, Kauna'oa, Kumulani, Mauna Kea Resort, Moani Heights, ocean view, Real Estate, second quarter, the Villas, Wai'ula'ula
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March 25th, 2011
For the past two years, nobody was buying Kohala Coast, Big Island real estate. Well, a few people were, but so few that escrow companies, lenders and real estate firms lost many employees and agents. That all changed in December. Buyers are back, especially for affordably priced homes. Ours are typically second home buyers, but lately, it’s the locals who are buying. That doesn’t mean there aren’t any second home buyers. They are shopping too, and the Kumulani neighborhood is a good example of where they are buying. For a list of recent Kumulani sales, please email me a request.
Tags: Kohala Coast, Kumulani, Real Estate, west hawaii
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