Posts Tagged ‘Kohala’

West Hawaii Home Sales Up and Prices Down

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

Tropical fruit 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.

The Tsunami and Mauna Kea beach

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

Lots of people have been asking about how the Mauna Kea beach area weathered this month’s tsunami.  Somehow we dodged the bullet.  The ocean behaved strangely, but there was no loss of property, and everyone was smoothly evacuated.

Of course the tsunami didn’t treat Kona town so well.  I hear the popular oceanfront lunch and sunset cocktail spot Huggo’s On the Rocks had to toss a few big rocks back into the water, and rescue some fish, but they were open by 1:30 PM the same day.  Just north of the airport Kona Village took a fatal blow.  20 of the 24 thatch roof hut suites were destroyed, and the water and sewer system was wrecked.  The latest word is the resort may be closed indefinitely.  This could be one of the island’s biggest losses.

South Kohala Condo Sales

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

I was listening to a news story that Oahu brokers are confident their market has stabilized, and appears to be appreciating again, finally.  What’s happening in our market?   I took a look at the data, by quarter, for condo sales here in South Kohala, Hawaii Island.  This area includes the tennis and golf Mauna Kea Resort, Mauna Lani Resort, Waikoloa Beach Resort, and affordable Waikoloa Village.

 

Hawaii’s winter selling season is fast approaching.  If you would like more specific information about a particular neighborhood, or if you would like to see new listings as they come on the market, please ask for my new listing subscription service.   You’ll have your finger on our local market pulse!

A Nationwide Perspective

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

Part 3 of  4

Though Dr Yun agreed that real estate is local, especially when it comes to vacation home sales, he provided current statistics for nationwide second home sales.  While these national figures do not in any way represent the median statistics for West Hawaii vacation home property sales, they are interesting.

Median sales price – $679,000
Median number of miles from primary residence – 348
Percentage of buyers who purchase with financing – 70%
Median buyer income – $87,500

Maintaining Distance When Selling Your HI Home

Monday, May 10th, 2010

Selling a home in Kona or Kohala can be a very personal experience. After all, this is the place you’ve lived for years. Maybe you renovated the interior with your own two hands. Maybe you got married here. Maybe this is even where you raised your kids. No matter what it is that makes your home, well, home, the decision to sell isn’t one that comes lightly to everyone.

The personal attachment we all have to our homes is part of the reason it can be difficult to sell a Hawaii home.

Your Dream Home: Why Neighborhoods and Communities Matter

Wednesday, April 7th, 2010

Finding the right home in Kona isn’t always as easy as relying on a checklist of square footage, number of bathrooms, and the upkeep of the yard. Although these types of features are important when determining where you want to live and raise a family, another important consideration is the neighborhood where your dream house is situated.

Kona and Kohala homes for sale are noted for their family-friendly communities and idyllic backdrop, but that doesn’t mean that every home is ideally placed. Before you purchase a home in any Hawaii city, it’s important to research what the rest of the neighborhood has to offer.

Selling a Home: Why You Have to Engage all Five Senses

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

If you’re getting ready to sell a home in Kona, you probably have a checklist of ideas for making your home more marketable. HI homes tend to sell better when they have more immediate appeal; for example, well-tended yards, impeccable siding, and a welcoming kitchen can go a long way in enticing homebuyers in the area. There are a number of ways you and your real estate agent can work together to make these things happen, and one of the best ideas is to ensure that you’re engaging all of the senses.

Sight

Finding and Purchasing an Eco-Friendly Home in Hawaii

Monday, February 8th, 2010

These days, buying a home in Kona is about more than finding the right square footage, number of bedrooms, and price range. While these factors almost always make up the primary concerns for any home buyer in HI, the truth is that there is so much more to a home than the numbers and figures you see on an advertisement. In fact, Kona and Kohala are part of a growing trend of buying homes that are not only an investment in your future, but an investment in the future of the planet, as well.

What is an Eco-Friendly Home?

Get the Most Out of Your Square Footage

Monday, August 31st, 2009

If you’re getting ready to sell your Kona, Kohala or Mauna Kea Resort home, you know that one of the most important things you can do to increase your sale price is to spend some time staging. After all, the better your home looks, the better the chances are that someone else will love it enough to buy it, too. However, many of the homes for sale in the Hawaii area are smaller in size than what’s currently hot on the market. While this doesn’t mean you can’t sell your home, it does mean that it might take a little extra work before you get that figure you’re aiming for.

Buying a Home as an Investment

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

These days, most of the listed homes for sale in Kona, Kohala, or Mauna Kea Resort are all about building a family future. Savvy buyers know that the market is theirs, and they can bargain for things like better school districts, home improvements, and other amenities that make owning real estate in Hawaii great. However, when the Kona real estate market boasts more homes than there are buyers, there’s another advantage: homes for investment opportunities are cheaper and have greater potential than ever before.