Your arm hits the alarm clock button. It’s time to get up. You take a minutes to orient yourself as you put your feet on the floor of the master suite you share with your better half. It’s still quiet upstairs in the 3 bedroom Luakalai St house in Kapolei you bought new in 2012.

Laukalai St Home

Your mother (Tutu) and your 16 year old daughter have the other two bedrooms in this home that has a fenced-in backyard, something you’ve always wanted, along with a lot of green features that do a nice job of holding the energy bill down.

Normally you wouldn’t be up this early on a Saturday, but you promised your daughter you’d all go to the Ko Olina lagoons for a little swimming and beach fun. This way you’ll be able to beat the crowds and get back to take tutu to work. Win-Win.

Wading into the waters that are definitely cooler at this hour takes a little willpower, but the beauty of this coastline, the clear, calm waters of the lagoon and a few strokes are enough. There’s no denying coming here was a brilliant idea. You could float here forever.

The sun noticeably strengthens, embracing you warmly and bringing the full vista of the resorts around you to light. You’ve eaten at many of their restaurants and even taken a staycation or 2 at Aulani. Nice to have world-class leisure options on your doorstep, with more set to be added soon.

The minutes pass too quickly and it’s suddenly time to get back. You’ve budgeted a little more than 20 minutes to travel the 6 miles or so back home and that proves to be about right.

Tutu is sitting in the living room, ready to go. You promise to be quick, heading upstairs to change clothes.

WORK & SCHOOL IN KAPOLEI
Before you leave you make sure your daughter knows she needs to get here homework done before going out anywhere. The inevitable moans keep coming even as the door closes and you’re safely outside. Her education is important to you, so you ignore it. One of the reasons for moving here was the new schools, with modern, well-maintained facilities.

Kapolei High School

By the time the move was made here your little one was ready for Kapolei Middle School. Now she’s a junior at Kapolei High School. KHS opened in 2000, a few back years now, but it still makes it the youngest in its category in Hawaii.

In fact, Hookele Elementary opened just over your backyard fence in 2015. Too late for your daughter to attend, but who knows? Maybe a 2nd child or even a future grandchild might go there.

Those thoughts can wait for now. Tutu needs to get to Costco on time for her shift. She loves working there, giving her not only a paycheck but a social outlet as she helps customers, many of whom are friends now. She gets a pension from her many years working for the State, but the benefits and income she gets here don’t hurt.

Costco in Kapolei

It’s just under 1 ½ miles there, but Tutu is a stickler for being on time. When she’s ready to go, you better be too. You drop her off and give a wave as she joins the stream of people going to the open entrance. Now you can head over to Kapolei Commons first, which is practically next door, just past the Home Depot that has saved you more than a few times.

SHOPPING IN PARADISE
It’s so good to have all this shopping close by – and with a lot of parking, too! Things were already good before the huge Ka Makana Alii mall opened on the east side. Adding its 100+ stores and eateries to your town wasn’t the icing on the cake so much as it was like being given another entire cake to eat! You still haven’t had a chance to really check out the Ka Makana mall yet, but it’s just a matter of time.

Kapolei Commons, along with Village Center and Kapolei Marketplace/Shopping Center and Walmart, balance things out by all being on the west side of town. You can’t lose, no matter what direction you go. All of that is within 2 miles drive from your home.

For now you’re making stops at Ross & TJ Maxx to find something for your partner’s birthday that’s coming up. You want to find some clothes from some of those labels they like, but at a more friendly price. It takes a little hunting, but you find a few items from both stores that you now will be a hit. The feeling of relief feels very nice on your way our of TJ Maxx, the movie theater across the way catching your eye.

Mental note to check what’s showing when you get home. No time now as you walk past Target and stride into PetCo. Your poi dog is out of those special treats he likes. Again. Maybe if tutu didn’t give her so many…

The drive home takes only about 10 minutes, another set of errands done you think as you pull into your driveway and coast slowly into the garage. The first steps into your house are always pleasure, the split A/C providing a refreshing hug, a feeling especially welcome after a long commute home from work.

Walking through the door and into the kitchen, you can hear your spouse giving your daughter a little encouragement to stick with the math problem that’s giving her some problems. A resigned thought pops into your head, ‘Still not done, I guess’.

That’s okay. It’s getting toward lunchtime so, since everyone else has had something, you’re going to make a sandwich and enjoy it in the living room. Her room is a better place to concentrate so your high-schooler can be heard heading upstairs where it’s quieter.

KAPOLEI: THE FAMILY FUN CENTER OF OAHU
You’re sure she’ll get it done because one of her best friends is having her birthday party later. The friend always has a big celebration. Last year it was Wet ‘N’ Wild. This year it’s happening at that huge K1 Speed indoor karting place. You didn’t have anything like that as a kid. Your big deal was going to Farrell’s.

Wet ‘n’ Wild

It’s incredible what you can do in Kapolei now for recreation. The Kroc Center is just over the Ewa Beach border, is nothing short of a recreation/community center on steroids and there are all kinds of organized outdoor sports leagues for the keiki. You know because you’ve been to all kinds of soccer and softball games to cheer on your kid.

K1 Speed Kapolei

Then you’ve got indoor options like that K1 place, 808 Futsal and even iTrampoline. That last one still boggles your mind, with its warehouse sized bouncing floor and all the games you can play on it. There’s no other place in Hawaii that has anything like those.

iTrampoline Hawaii

It’s no wonder that all exists in Kapolei. It’s not just the available space. Your neighbor mentioned just recently that 51% of people here are married with children. Honolulu? 31%. The 2nd City takes Hawaii’s family-centered culture to another level and that’s exactly what residents want here. Including you.

It’s getting to mid-afternoon and you realize the snack you had is a distant memory to your stomach. Your spouse doesn’t want a big meal, but they could eat something. ‘How about that Sprig’s Grille your sister was talking about?’

You’ve actually heard from a few people the food was great, so it’s time to check it out. Don’t know why you haven’t yet. Probably because you have so many choices locally, from hole in the wall pho places to high dining at Ko Olina, and you’ve got only so much time.

The huli-huli chicken tacos are as good as advertised and across the table your ‘not that hungry’ partner has polished off a plate of kalbi steak fries, stopping the waiter to order the macadamia encrusted mahi. From there it’s an easy decision to split their pineapple upside down cake for dessert. You spent longer than you intended here, but that’s what weekends are for, right?

5:30PM. You’ve been home for a little bit, letting your meal digest, but it’s time to take your daughter to K1 for her friend’s party. She’s going early to help set things up ahead of time. It’s just a little over a mile and a half makai to the place, so it’s an easy trip. She’ll be getting a ride home, so you won’t have to worry about coming back to get her later.

THE ROOM TO FULLY LIVE THE LOCAL LIFESTYLE
Tutu’s quitting time is coming up now, but it’s no hurry. Costco is almost the same distance from here as your home. The car is backing into a parking space in front of your destination after an 8 minute drive that feels longer because you keep wondering whether your half-listening teenager actually will call if the party goes past 10PM.

Tutu checks out while you go grab some things from the meat section, along with a couple of bottles of wine. Friends are coming over for a little barbecue.

You get home just in time to start up the bbq on the lanai and throw some of the meats on when the couple you invited arrives. Nothing beats cooking up some good food in the cool Hawaii night and sharing it with good friends.

By the time things end, you’re ready for bed and so is your spouse. You daughter calls to ask if she can stay another hour. You’re so ready for sleep that you don’t argue. ‘Sure, hon. But come right home at 11PM’. ‘I will!’ she says, though experience tells you that’s not necessarily a hard promise.

Right now, though, it’s bedtime. Tomorrow you’re going to take it a little easier and stick to home base, maybe get some projects done around the house. Or maybe try that Thai place your friend told you that you had to check out. You’ll decide in the morning…

The post A Day in Kapolei appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

Real estate in Ko Olina tends to have a very short lifespan, snapped up like a limited supply Black Friday special. A reputation like that can make them all blend together in your mind into a vaguely defined outline of a Ko Olina Home.

The reality is the 6 neighborhoods are all distinctly individual in architecture, feel and even types of residences – and designed from the start to be so. While each can lay claim to the resort lifestyle of the glorious lagoons and amenities of the luxury vacation properties, where you spend the greatest amount of time, your home, plays the greatest part in your satisfaction.

That means ending up in a property that fits your needs, your desires, your plans for the years ahead. Which of the neighborhoods in Ko Olina will deliver all of that? There’s one way to find out and it starts just below.

COCONUT PLANTATION

Coconut Plantation

You might think that a name like that is almost too much, almost over the top. This, however, is that rare case of a place that fulfills the idealization created by its title.

This Ko Olina townhome community is well known for stirring up feelings of warm, Old Hawaii nostalgia. The designers’ reliance on the architecture of the grander Plantation homes of nearly a century ago creates a pure elegance that is a legacy of these lands.

2BR models have a broad range, almost doubling from an already nice spread of 1,093sq ft on up to 2,141sq ft. A 3BR Coconut Plantation home promises 1,548 to 2,073 sq ft, with the 4BR weighing in at 2,146sq ft.

From your 2, maybe even 3 lanais, you gaze out at the numerous coconut palm trees that give the neighborhood ½ its name, the tropical plants and flowers surrounding you, manicured grounds and, for some, the golf course fairways that lie along most of your community’s boundaries. As pleasurable as the view is, you’ll find the joys multiplied during your strolls within this scenery.

Outside your gated community you’ll find a growing selection of recreational options, the closest being the Four Seasons and Disney’s Aulani Resorts as well as the largest of the Ko Olina lagoons, Kahola (Lagoon #1), all in walking distance. Those are merely the start, with more resort properties and 3 lagoons not too much further.

The Plantation architecture from Old Hawaii, the grounds that fill your senses with the Islands’ richness – it’s a daily experience intended to evoke simpler days and sometimes you just might feel like you’ve returned there.

KO OLINA HILLSIDE VILLAS

Ko Olina Hillside Villas

The impression of Ko Olina real estate as purely luxury or at least HIGH LEVEL is generally accurate. But not completely. Hill Side Villas stand out as an entry to the resort lifestyle at a less intimidating, even inviting pricepoint.

The townhome community is the most mauka of the neighborhoods as well as sitting on the eastern limits of the district. Though they are the outer reaches of Ko Olina, your home still has excellent access to the recreational riches makai of you.

The Na’ia Lagoon (#3) is 1 mile from here, a distance that can be walked, biked or even done on the golf carts that are commonly used by residents. The Marriott Resort is there, with the soon to be built Atlantis property next door, then Disney’s Aulani and then the Four Seasons Resort. All fall within only a little more than 1.5 miles from your front welcome mat. You can include the other 3 lagoons in that span, each with its own particular pleasures to offer.

There are natural pleasures at home, too. Your townhome has palm trees lining the street, making for a pleasurable stroll beneath them in the refreshing evening temperatures. Looking out and listening to their rustling in the wind from you lanai is something you’ll find particularly soothing and special.

You’re also at the dead end of Ali’inui Drive, the farthest point from Ko Olina’s entrance westward. Any traffic and activity dies down before reaching you, putting Hillside Villas in an especially tranquil corner of the place.

The townhomes divide up into 2BR (981 sq ft) and 3BR (1173 sq ft) models, with open layouts inside that let the sunlight and winds into your day and the cool serenity of Hawaii’s nighttime into your evening.

Although the Hillside Villas may come at a more attainable cost, don’t mistake them for anything second rate. The lifestyle here is purely first-class. You were just smart enough to get it at a better price.

THE FAIRWAYS AT KO OLINA

The Fairways

The Fairways townhomes are another project created for a more accessible entry cost. They sit on the makai side of Ali’inui Drive as it reaches its conclusion, directly across from Hillside Villas. One difference between the two neighborhoods, though, is the stunningly green scenery Fairways borders on, courtesy of the Ko Olina Golf Course.

You enjoy that remoteness of being the easternmost limits of this singular region. Yet the entirety of Ko Olina is in easy bike riding, or even walking, range. In this special corner of Oahu the exceptional environment of the place makes the journey truly as enjoyable as the destination.

That’s high praise considering the destinations include 4 lagoons that seem to call to you, so inviting are the waters. Drier, and equally enticing, pursuits are available, too, in the dining and entertainment of the world-class resorts here – Aulani, Four Seasons, Marriot and soon-to-be arriving Atlantis.

If a day at home is called for, you live in a place made for relaxing, Island Style. Every room has a ceiling fan, for natural cooling, with A/C there if needed. The open layouts let the sounds of the palms and the welcome tradewinds roam freely, reaching you wherever you are.

Those palm trees along with the plentiful shade trees and other greenery surrounding you add not just cover, but a wonderful backdrop to your hours.

The variety of floor plans can be broken up into single level condos, with 2BR/2BA (847 to 856 sq ft) or 3BR/2BA (987 sq ft), and two story townhomes of 3BR/2.5BA (1,223 to 1,264 sq ft) in them. All, except the smallest model, come with an enclosed 2 car garage, accounting for the clear, open streets outside.

The Fairways homes are a retreat within a retreat, for those who appreciate an even lower level of calm and peace in an already soothing place like Ko Olina.

KO OLINA BEACH VILLAS

Ko Olina Beach Villas

If you’ve ever looked longingly at the resorts in Ko Olina and wondered what it would be like to live there, wonder no more. The Beach Villas condos isn’t just the only condo tower(s) here, it occupies real estate that is something out of a fantasy.

The residences front directly upon the Honu Lagoon (#2), giving you if not a wide angle view on the ocean, withing nothing in-between, then, at the very least, a partial view that will still make the most jaded world traveler’s jaw drop. The vistas are all enjoyed from large lanais of 178 to 560 sq ft that will do more for you than a good therapist.

Your proximity to the swells is close enough that the sounds of the Pacific’s warm rumble often follows you indoors, like a beloved companion who knows you intimately.

The inside of your home is luxury and elegance, with models of 2BR (1,170 to 1,484 sq) and 3BR (1,478 sq ft to 1,650). First floor residents, believe it or not, even have some yard space of their own, where you’ll find the largest lanais.

An elevator ride away there’s something to satisfy almost any mood or need – concierge services, lap & kiddie pools, fitness center, steam room and a beach bar. These make for not just an ideal home, but also an ideal vacation condo property, something many owners have taken advantage of here. This is no condotel, though.

The biggest giveaway that these can be, ultimately, real Hawaii residences? The outdoor BBQ grills. You won’t find those at Aulani or the Four Seasons. It’s a clear sign of what the Beach Villas give to those who are fortunate enough to be here, permanently or short term. These condos are spaces you can truly live in, not just stay in. Whether that’s you or your vacationing guests who experience it, it’s a feeling that makes all the difference.

KO OLINA KAI GOLF ESTATES

Ko Olina Kai Golf Estates

Ko Olina Kai’s gated span contains the full line of residential categories; Condos that take up one level each of two-story structures, townhomes and, finally, single family homes. With neighboring Coconut Plantation, it forms the center core of the golf course surrounding the whole on all sides.

That green band of sculpted lawns grants the Golf Estates on 3 sides a vista that the eyes can get submerged in, sight that delights even the most dedicated non-golfer. It also keeps the horizon visually open, makai to mauka. Yet this buffer is an insulation, too, separating you from any noise from the resorts, which admittedly isn’t a lot.

Inside your neighborhood refuge you have your own recreation center with, among other things, a pool and cabanas, 24 hour fitness center and 2 tennis courts. There may be weekends where, if the groceries hold out, you never venture past the front gate. It’s too peaceful inside your green oasis.

Let’s face it, though. The lagoons are too enticing for that to happen too often. With one way out of Ko Olina Kai, that does increase the expected travel distance to the shore. Even so, it’s still just a little past the 1 mile mark to the Kohala Lagoon (#1), with the Marriott Beach Club and Aulani resorts ringing it.

The entertainment and dining you’ll find in the hotels are all superb, but one of the best choices is even closer to home. Roy’s at the Ko Olina Golf Club is within as little as a 5 minute stroll from the front doorsteps inside the Golf Estates. Dedicated diners just might be sold on buying here for that reason alone.

You can let the ono food digest inside a residence with room to stretch out. They run from 2BRs (1,144 sq ft) and 3BRs (1,427 sq ft), topped off by 4BR models of 2,216 sq ft. That doesn’t include the lanais and garages that come with your keys.

Though more modern in design, they fit the tropical resort landscape, with open layouts, palm trees all around and an elegance that is understated, but still can’t hide just how good the life is in Ko Olina Kai.

KO OLINA KAI LANI

Kai Lani

Kai Lani homes stand on lands that the casual Ko Olina visitor might not even notice. Upon turning onto Ali’inui Drive from the highway, the fence you drive along on your right hides much of this community from sight. If you could look over you’d see something special.

Townhomes that return the old Kamaaina style that dominated the Oahu shoreline of a century ago. The open lands of the Makaiwa Beach Park that make up their Waianae side and, more importantly, an equally unobstructed stretch that runs right to the ocean that plays on the shore that’s 600 ft from the closest residence. Looking out at that, you almost feel like you’re off on your own, untouched oceanfront.

All the while, you’re actually inside a gated community in a resort district that’s become a top destination for even the most upper strata vacationers. So you can leave this remote Island scene and take advantage of the restaurants, the spas and the entertainment of a level that comes from names like Four Seasons, Disney and, soon, Atlantis.

The indulgences of Paradise Cove Beach lie a mere 1/3 of a mile away, the Kohala Lagoon ½ of a mile before you’re descending into the calm waters there.

You set off on that easy walk, or ride, from either an upper floor 2BR (1,244 sq ft) or lower floor 3BR (1,320 sq ft) unit, impressive dimensions you’ll love living within. There are also lanais, some which have a clear lookout upon the waves to savor as long as you wish.

Kai Lani are of Ko Olina and, in some ways, it feels outside of it as well, with the undeveloped slice of the coast it gazes directly out upon. That latter effect is unique from the other neighborhoods, giving it a dual character that its residents love.

WHERE DO YOU BELONG IN KO OLINA?
Real estate inside these borders is white hot, its desirability taking off significantly with Aulani’s opening and now news of an Atlantis project that’s imminent and more besides. It’s no secret that Ko Olina is thought of as much in terms of investment or solid income properties as a place to make a home.

Whatever your goals or intentions are, that financial upside is there because these homes and these neighborhoods are standouts, even for Hawaii. Each of the 6 communities gives you same, or at least similar, access to the amenities of the resorts, the lagoons and the beautifully maintained grounds that typify the place.

However, it should be obvious now that there’s something exceptional that defines each one distinctly, too. Something that resonates with what you want out of your stake in such an incredible piece of Paradise. Follow that feeling and you’ll know exactly where you need to be in Ko Olina.

The post Ko Olina’s 6 Unique Living Options appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

PS! The above picture is a teaser, showing multi-million dollar beachfront homes in Honolulu’s exclusive Portlock neighborhood.

However, if you’re looking for to purchase a home on Oahu, Honolulu has multiple single-family homes for sale for under $1M. As of writing, there are 433 homes for sale in Honolulu (active or in escrow / under contract) and 132 of these homes are listed under $1M, representing 30% of the entire single-family homes market in Honolulu.

A number of these homes are in a good or even mint condition, though an even larger number of these homes are either in average condition or outright fixer-uppers (yes, Honolulu real estate is expensive)!

In the following, we will review 7 popular neighborhoods across Honolulu, where you will often find somes homes priced under $1,000,000.

Aina Haina

Aina Haina Beach Homes

PS! Picture above shows Aina Haina Beach – a very different price point. Homes in the back of the photo, in the valley, are the homes we are describing here.
Aina Haina is a quiet residential neighborhood located in east Honolulu, between Kahala Mall and Hawaii Kai. The median lot size is around 8,000sf and your average home has about 1,700sf with 3 bedrooms. Close to $1,000,000 you will often find liveable and nice homes but if we get closer to the $900,000 price point the homes typically need some work and if the ocean views are great, a lot of work! This community has a decent sized mall with a Foodland Farms as the anchor tenant.

Kalama Valley

Kalama Valley

Developed in the 1970’s and 1980’s and one of the lower priced neighborhoods in the master-planned Hawaii Kai community in east Honolulu. Most homes are on relatively smaller lots, about 5,500sf in median size with an average home having about 1,500sf interior and 3 bedrooms. We can find very liveable homes, in good condition, priced all the way down to about $800,000, which is rare for Honolulu. All Hawaii Kai’s shopping and restaurants are nearby – Costco, Safeway etc. For families with kids it is worth noting that Hawaii Kai’s public schools are often rated highly.

Kamiloiki

Kamiloiki Homes

A small charming neighborhood located in the back of Mariners Valley developed predominantly in the 1980’s. The median lot size is about 8,000sf with 1,400sf of interior and 3 or 4 bedrooms. Most homes start around $800,000 and are generally in a nice condition and very liveable. Since it is the end of a valley it is very quiet and has an idyllic feel when walking around the area. Being part of the Hawaii Kai community the residents have easy access to lots of shopping and restaurants.

Mariners Ridge

Mariners Ridge Homes

A peaceful hilltop neighborhood in Hawaii Kai with many homes boasting great ocean views. Your typical home is located on an 8,000sf lot with 1,900sf interior and 4 bedrooms. Developments started with the lower section in the 1970’s and the most exclusive / expensive upper part was predominantly developed in the 1980’s. You can on occasion find a home around $1,000,000 in a liveable condition, but it is very difficult to find a decent home at a lower price than this. Being up high residences benefit from the nice breeze we have in Hawaii.

Mariners Valley

Mariners Valley Homes

A valley community, with most homes built from 1969-1972 and actually one of Hawaii Kai’s largest neighborhoods. A typical home is built on about 6,000sf with 1,700sf of interior and 3 to 4 bedrooms. On occasion you may find a liveable decent house around $850,000. Like other Hawaii Kai neighborhoods mentioned in this post, access to shopping, restaurants, schools etc is a short drive away.

Kaimuki
Many would say this neighborhood location is incredible, neighboring the exclusive Diamond Head and Kahala areas, near Waikiki and the H-1 highway. You will find a mix of charming bungalow style, vintage & historic homes built in the 1930’s and 1940’s, though in between also some less charming fixer-uppers or outright teardowns. Homes tend to be on smaller lots, median size about 5,000sf and interior-wise your average home is somewhere around 1,300sf with 3 bedrooms. Kaimuki is well-known for its many restaurants near Waialae Ave and along Monsarrat Ave in incredible charming small-town setting and at Kapiolani Community College, located in Kaimuki, you will find Oahu’s largest Farmers Market every Saturday 7.30am – 11am, offering a diverse selection of breakfast dishes, fresh fruit, flowers, vegetables and a large variety of made in Hawaii products and produce.

Wilhelmina Rise

Wilhelmina Rise Homes

Many will argue this is an incredibly convenient location up a slope, neighboring Kaimuki and all its restaurants. Located on a hill, many of these homes offer dramatic city and ocean views. You will find an abundance of charming vintage homes built during the 1930’s and 1940’s and adding to a charming small-town feel. In Wilhelmina Rise a typical home is located on a lot with about 5,500sf, 1,850sf of interior and 4 bedrooms. The neighborhood is also home to 2 smaller gated communities – Maunalanikai Place and Nohona Kahala. The main road in this neighborhood, named Wilhelmina Rise, is popular for athletes’ endurance training and at the very top of the ridge is the Mauumae Trail – a popular hike.

A Final Thought
Over the past several years we have seen an increased interest from prospects to purchase a property in close proximity to town (e.i. near Waikiki or Kakaako), which is also why you will find 4 neighborhoods in Hawaii Kai from the above list – Hawaii Kai being the most eastern part of Honolulu and about 10 miles from Waikiki (for many people living in Honolulu 10 miles feels like a long distance).

Feel free to leave comments or questions below.

The post Best Areas to Purchase a Honolulu Home Under $1,000,000 appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

At Hawaii Living we display a lot of Oahu real estate statistics. From our homepage to our search result pages (ex: Oahu condos for sale page) and all data is pulled from the Oahu MLS.

Real estate statistics is important to review and analyze for both buyers and sellers. However, it is important to analyze statistics from the right perspective and understand some data may not always be that relevant and sometimes even somewhat misleading.

Good to Know About Oahu’s MLS Statistics

New Developments: Sometimes developers upload sold properties to the MLS after a project is complete and buyers have officially & legally taken ownership (examples: Waiea, Anaha, Park Lane) and other times developers do not upload sold properties to the MLS (example: Ritz-Carlton Waikiki, The Collection, Keauhou Place). In the ladder case – developers not uploading sold properties to the MLS – sold data is missing from the MLS data and in the former case – developers uploading to the MLS – the large amount of data uploaded to the MLS within a short period of time can create a false impression of values within a neighborhood, the year the data was uploaded. For instance, Park Lane Ala Moana – a luxury condo in the Ala Moana neighborhood – was completed in 3 phases year 2017 and all 180+ units officially sold by the developer year 2017 were uploaded to the MLS year 2017. That means year-to-date (through Dec 21, 2017) the median condo sales price in Ala Moana is a whopping $1,584,000 compared to just $305,000 for year 2016, which doesn’t really reflect median value in Ala Moana condos.
PS! Next year – 2018 – I am sure we won’t see 100+ luxury condos selling in Ala Moana and the median sales price for condos in Ala Moana will therefore surely be well below year 2017 level.

Days to Sell: It used to be that Oahu real estate agents had to select “Active Continue to Show” or “Pending” when a property went into escrow (under contract, but not yet sold). The idea was for agents to select the “Active Continue to Show” status when the agent was still showing & marketing the property and further change to “Pending” once the agent was no longer showing & marketing the property. However, a significant number of agents would select “Active Continue to Show”, even though they weren’t showing & marketing a property.
The terminology changed this year – 2017 – and agents now have to choose between “In Escrow – Showing” and “In Escrow – Not Showing” when a property goes into escrow. With this new terminology, a much larger number of agents have been selecting “In Escrow – Not Showing” earlier in the transaction process than the number of agents who used to select “Pending” when that was the wording and this has significantly impacted the days on market count. Why? Because the days on market stops counting from the moment a property is listed as “In Escrow – Not Showing” – formerly “Pending”. Because real estate agents have been more inclined to use the “In Escrow – Not Showing” status earlier in the transaction process (as opposed to the old “Pending”), it makes it very hard to compare this year’s days to sells vs previous years. For instance, single-family homes sold in Honolulu shows a median of 72 days to sell for year 2016 and dropped to just 22 days for year 2017 (through Dec 21, 2017). Honolulu homes for sale aren’t selling at that much faster a rate – if a faster rate at all – but the MLS data indicates otherwise.
Also, when new developments are uploaded to the MLS it will often show as 0 days to sell. A buyer of a new condo may have signed a purchase agreement  3 years earlier, before construction even started, but when the buyer officially takes ownership – 3 years later – the developer uploads the sale to the MLS and it shows 0 days to sell – not a very good representation of reality. Let’s take Kakaako condos as an example: Year 2015 the median days to sell was 77 (no new condo developments completed), year 2016 the median days to sell dropped to 51 (many developer sold Waiea units uploaded to the MLS) and year 2017 the median days to sell was just 14 (a bunch of Anaha developer units uploaded to the MLS).

Days on Market: A property may have been listed for sale in the MLS for hundreds of days, then the property is taken off the market for a short while, and as it is re-listed it shows as a new listing. An agent is allowed to take a property off the market and then re-list that same property 14 days later with a new MLS number and a new MLS number means it is considered a brand new listing and the days on market count starts all over.
PS! We display each property’s recent history so you can see – among other things – if the property has previously been listed for sale.

Leasehold: We estimate, as of writing, that somewhere around 5% of Oahu properties are leasehold – properties where your rights to the property has an expiry date – and that can really skew data. For instance, Waikiki has a larger number of leasehold condos – close to 50% of all Oahu leasehold properties may be in Waikiki – and if we calculate Waikiki’s year-to-date (through Dec 21, 2017) median sales price it comes to about $390,000. However, excluding leasehold data and the median sales price is year-to-date (through Dec 21, 2017) $454,000.

Good to Know About Statistics in General

Lack of Data: If only few properties have sold within a neighborhood it may be difficult to conclude a lot statistically. For instance, let’s assume within a 1 year period 3 homes sold in a neighborhood – 1st home sold @ $1M, 2nd home sold @ $4M and 3rd home sold @ $4.2M. That gives us a median sales price of $4M. However, if we objectively tried to determine the market value of all homes within this neighborhood (let’s say the neighborhood has 100 homes) the median price may likely be much different.

Sold Price to List Price: A condo building, neighborhood etc may show sold price to list price ratio as 98.5%, which is good to know. However, if a property is listed for sale at $1,000,000 that doesn’t by default mean the market value is about $985,000 (98.5% of $1,000,000), especially not if a comparable property just sold for $900,000.

Average vs Median: We often prefer to use median as opposed to average. Median being the middle figure and average being the average of all figures. Example: In a neighborhood 1 condo sold for $1,000,000, a 2nd condo sold for $2,000,000 and a 3rd condo sold for $10,000,000. The median price in the neighborhood would be $2M, whereas the average would be $4.33M. This would possibly be a rather rare case, but the bigger point being that analyzing median data set may in many cases make more sense to review, as extreme outliers won’t impact the analysis as much as averages would.

A lot of valuable information can be absorbed from analyzing statistics and that’s why we display so much statistics here on our website. The purpose of this post is merely an attempt to outline some ‘please keep in mind’ points when reviewing and analyzing statistics for Oahu real estate.

Feel free to leave comments or questions below – thank you.

The post Good to Know About Oahu Real Estate Statistics appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

What is the MLS?
The MLS, short for Multiple Listing Service, is a subscriber service for real estate agents that allow agents to share their property listings online in one centralized system. There are hundreds of regional MLS across the US and 1 of these MLS is the Oahu MLS, which we display here on Hawaii Living’s website.

The MLS is centered around a principal of real estate agents helping sell each other’s inventory. A listing agent will compensate a cooperating agent – the agent who brings a buyer – for helping facilitate a sale.
(Listing agent will have a contract with seller, outlining compensation terms, which is typically a percentage of the sales price).

Buyer & Seller Benefits
The MLS system has numerous benefits, the greatest being it allows a buyer to work with just 1 agent who, as a member of an MLS, will has access to all MLS listings. As an example, an agent working independently, who is a member of the Oahu MLS will have access to the exact same Oahu MLS listings as an agent working at a real estate agency with hundreds of agents.

The Oahu MLS allows a seller to get significant exposure online, by having their property displayed on hundreds of real estate websites, including large nationwide websites with millions of monthly website visitors.

MLS History
More than 100 years ago real estate agents would frequently gather at their local real estate associations presenting properties they were looking to sell, agreeing to compensate the broker who helped sell their properties. This system was accepted by the National Association of Real Estate Exchanges in the early 1900’s, which became the National Association of Realtors in year 1972. Over the years, the way in which real estate agents share property listings, have evolved into today’s online MLS system, typically readily available for consumers to access online. 

Structure of Oahu MLS Data
HBR, Honolulu Board of Realtors, has divided the Oahu MLS into 12 regions and several neighborhoods within each of these 12 regions. Here on Hawaii Living’s website we have tailored how we display the MLS data, such as lumping certain neighborhoods together in an effort to create a better experience for our site users. For instance, HBR has more than 10 Kapolei neighborhoods – we have lumped all those Kapolei neighborhoods together as 1, HBR has 4 separate Manoa neighborhoods – we have lumped all 4 Manoa neighborhoods together as 1 etc. We have also created a “Honolulu” search filter, which is a combination of all properties in the 3 Honolulu regions – Metro, Diamond Head and Hawaii Kai – allowing users to see all Honolulu MLS listings on one page, which isn’t a default search filter based on how HBR has structured the data.

What Oahu MLS Data May We Display
Each MLS has their own rules & regulations, including what MLS listings and data real estate agents may display on their websites. As for the Oahu MLS – as of writing – we are allowed to readily display MLS listings that are ‘Active’ and ‘In Escrow – Showing’ (property under contract, but agent still showing), whereas listings that have a status of “In Escrow – Not Showing” (under contract and listing agent feels confident the sale will go through) and “Sold” we may not readily display to the public on our website. Also, a few listings (very few) are uploaded to the MLS with instructions not to display on the Internet, which means we aren’t allowed to show such listings on our website.

Hope this brief overview of the Oahu MLS has been helpful. Feel free to leave comment or questions below – thank you.

The post Oahu MLS – What Is It & How Does It Work? appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

Kailua, on the windward side of Oahu, is home to more than 53,500 people with mostly all having the similar desire to live a casual beach-style lifestyle without altering their natural surroundings. Probably the only thing Kailuans continually discuss, for the betterment of the town, of course, is how to maintain our sense of place, especially our environment, while embracing others.

The environment is exceptionally important because it surrounds our neighborhoods, giving each enclave of Kailua real estate its own unique gifts and nuances that add to the overall charm of Kailua and our active lifestyles.

When approaching Kailua from Honolulu, the drive through the Pali tunnels provides an awe-inspiring overview. I advise first time travelers to pull over at the lookouts to take in this spectacular view of the bays (Kailua and Kaneohe) and Mount Olomana, where it is apparent how these landmarks define our everyday lifestyle and views.

Starting at the top of Kailua’s ahupua’a (ancient Hawaiian slice of land from the mountains to the ocean that continues to define Kailua) and working our way down into this breathtakingly beautiful town, you’ll find the lush, tropical neighborhood of Maunawili.

Maunawili

Maunawili, even though it has the same zip code as Kailua, is also a residential census-designated place in the City and County of Honolulu with a population of just over 2,000 residents.  Set back from the Pali Highway (turn off at the second Auloa Rd. exit) just before Kalaniana’ole Highway/Castle Hospital intersection, and nestled under the dramatic Olomano and Ko’olau mountains, Maunawili is the vision of old Hawaii. Almost all of the properties are private residential homes that range from established estates to family homes.  An unspoiled piece of Kailua real estate – a tropical, yet rural countryside with all the amenities of today’s living, Maunawili is known for its horse farms, agricultural lands and great hikes.

Maunawili’s first homes were established in the mid-to-late 1800s with King Kalakaua and Queen Lili’uokalani taking a stay-cation at what was once called the Irwin estate. Today that estate is the semi-private Royal Hawaiian Country Club & Golf Course. The only commercial establishment in Maunawili, its grounds are beautifully maintained; however, the Irwin’s coffee, avocado, and banana trees now grow wild throughout the lush expansive valley and mountain sides surrounding the Golf Club. Hikers love Maunawili as it is the home to both Maunawili Falls and Mount Olomana. The trail to the falls starts out at the same road to the Golf Club. Along the way, you’ll come to a Maunawili Falls Trail sign. Please be respectful of the residents and their beautiful homes in this quiet neighborhood. If you choose to hike Olomana, keep in mind that it is considered to be the most treacherous hike on Oahu.
This neighborhood is very family friendly as you can tell with a visit to Maunawili Community Park. It’s hard to miss everyone playing after work on the basketball and tennis courts. Dogs are running and playing with their owners and often mornings are filled with friends working out. Zoned for the top-rated elementary school, Maunawili Elementary, the area is also very close to Trinity Christian School and Le Jardin Academy for those wishing a private school education for their children. Castle Medical Center is just a few minutes away as is the local Maunawili fire station.
Maunawili homes including those with horse stables and riding arenas have a median selling price of $1.05-million dollars today.

Kawai Nui Marsh

Soon after Maunawili is a small neighborhood referred to as Kukanono. Kukanono is on the opposite side of the Pali Highway, which at this point changes to a new name, Kailua Road. The neighborhood is conveniently located just past Castle Medical Center, fronting Kawai Nui Marsh, and set behind what is casually referenced as Church Road. Like those who live in Maunawili, Kukanono residents have easy access to the Pali Highway Honolulu-bound or to Kailua Town just five minutes down Kailua Road, or the scenic drive to Hanauma Bay and East Honolulu.

Having open space and protected wetlands as your backdrop is a key that keeps this neighborhood small and private. Residents of Kukanono have easy access to the Castle Medical Center and at the other end of the neighborhood, the YMCA. Many in the Kailua community have memberships at the YMCA and take advantage of its amenities, such as a heated-salt water pool, a playground, more than 80 classes a week, and a fully staffed and equipped fitness center.

Ulupo Heiau

Behind the YMCA is one of the entrances to the Kawai Nui Marsh and home to the sacred Hawaiian site, Ulupo Heiau, an important gathering place for teaching of Hawaiian culture and ancestry. Now a Hawaii State Monument, The Heiau was once a designated religious location (1750s), most likely where native Hawaiians came to pray for success in war and/or a bountiful harvest. This is one of the largest heiau in Hawaii.

Homes in this neighborhood do not come on the market very often. Only two have been sold in the past year, each purchased for close to $1.2-million. A unique neighborhood, Kukanono is worth keeping an eye out for that special home when it comes on the market.

Getting closer to the ocean, but still hugging Kawai Nui Marsh and marsh land is the Kailua community known as Coconut Grove. The area between Oneawa Street and Kihapai Street is an older neighborhood with some homes originally built in the 1940s but well-maintained. Coconut Grove is a very popular area, as it is in walking distance to shopping and the beach. As a resident of Coconut Grove, I am, of course, partial to my neighborhood. I love walking my dog along Kawainui Marsh and meeting up with my friends at the Kailua Racquet Club. The closest gym, Anytime Fitness Kailua, is just minutes away and it’s brand new. I also am only a five-minute bike ride to Kalama Beach Park and about five minutes by car to Whole Foods and Core Power Yoga. Access to the Pali Highway and H3 is excellent and except for Oneawa Street, the main street from Kaneohe to Kailua, there isn’t much traffic.

Kailua Night Doubles at Kailua Racquet Club

Coconut Grove is not a touristy area at all, even with its close proximity to Kailua Town’s shops and attractions and the small, original boutique shops and restaurants right in the neighborhood. Homes in Coconut Grove range from small single-wall constructed fixer-uppers to newly built, spec homes. Prices have been steadily increasing over the past few years; but when compared to other popular neighborhoods in Kailua, Coconut Grove prices are more reasonable, with a median sales price of around $767,000 during this past year.

Koolaupoku

Getting ever so much closer to the beach is Koolaupoku, located right next to Coconut Grove. Koolaupoku is the more beachy, expensive neighbor to Coconut Grove and includes the wide avenue with a palm-lined median that often acts as stopover for ducks that cross the road from bordering Kawainui Canal, and is aptly nicknamed Duck Lane (otherwise known as Kawainui Drive). Duck Lane and other well-known Koolaupoku streets, Kaha Street and Kaimake Loop, feature highly desirable homes all in walking-distance to the beach. The closer they are located to the ocean and the beachside neighborhood, the higher the listing price. This is very common for Kailua real estate. For example, the median sales price over the past year is $1.13 million.

Koolaupoku also has easy access to Kailua Town, the Pali Highway, the Marine Corps Base Hawaii, and the H-3. For families with young children, Kainalu Elementary School right off Duck Lane, is the school zoned for the residents of Koolaupoku.

Continuing down toward the ocean is another family-friendly neighborhood, Aikahi Park. Aikahi Park is located in Kailua yet borders Kaneohe.

Aikahi

Living in Aikahi is very popular, especially with professionals and military families, due to Aikahi Park’s close proximity to Marine Corps Base Hawaii (affectionately referred to as K-Bay) and the interstate highway known as the H-3 that was originally built to carry vehicles and personnel from K-Bay to Pearl Harbor, but now serves as a quick way to Daniel K Inouye International Airport, and points leeward. The H-3 is very convenient but unobtrusive to this quiet neighborhood that is tucked off the main roads of Mokapu Boulevard/Mokapu Road and Kaneohe Bay Drive. The neighborhood also borders Nu’upia Pond, which is part of the Kaneohe Bay wetland system.

Aikahi Park has one major street, Aikahi Loop, with side streets cutting through the loop, creating a safe area for families to bike, run and skateboard. The neighborhood is considered so safe that it is a popular destination for Halloween trick-or-treaters, both young and old, and a festive gathering for the community.

Aikahi Elementary School

Families often hope to buy a home in Aikahi Park for the school zoning. Aikahi Elementary School for grades kindergarten through sixth is part of the Windward School District. The school, located at the beginning of the neighborhood, is consistently rated as one of the best public elementary schools on Oahu and even has a special education program for the Windward District’s Hard of Hearing/Deaf Program. In addition to the schools’ academic accolades, it is known for the community-built playground (with help from the U.S. Marines), Aikahi Community Park, that sits behind the school. The park is maintained by the PTA of the school, and use of the facilities by the public is discouraged. However, the school is tolerant after school hours as long as it is not during peak pickup-student time. What makes this playground unique is the wooden play equipment and larger-than-life sculptures of a dragon, gecko, honu—the green sea turtle, etc., with most being climbable. There is also a public playground behind the school, behind the baseball field. The entrance is off Kaneohe Bay Drive. It is a four-acre park with basketball and volleyball courts, softball fields, and pavilion.

Conveniently located and a safety plus is the Aikahi Park fire station opposite the school and adjacent to the Aikahi Park Shopping Center. A Safeway Supermarket is the anchor at Aikahi Park Shopping Center, and residents can enjoy a variety of restaurants, the longest-established, being the very popular Korean restaurant, The Willow Tree. Most of the stores and services are locally owned beauty and health, financial and personal services, and the Island-wide favorite, Tamura’s Fine Wines and Liquors, known for its amazing selection of wines, craft beers and its famous fresh poke. The neighborhood is also in walking distance of Kailua Beach, and just a quick car or bicycle ride to Kailua Town.

This neighborhood often appeals to those accustomed to mainland living styles, too, with continuity in the street layouts. Aikahi also boasts uninterrupted views since utilities have been buried underground. The majority of the residences are ranch-style homes built in the 1960s and ’70s and range in size from moderate family homes with large yards to homes that have been extensively remodeled, expanding their original floor plans. Aikahi Park properties are about 8,000 square feet to more than 11,000 square feet with the median price in the past 12-months at $1.24 million.

From the mountains to the ocean, Kailua has a neighborhood that will suit your preferences. There is definitely something for everyone in Kailua.

The post Kailua: From the Mountains to the Ocean appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

The Windward Side of Oahu (the island’s eastern coast stretching from Makapuu up to Kualoa Ranch) is known for its lush green landscapes, a slower pace of life, and some of the most beautiful beaches you’ll find anywhere. Nothing says “laid back living” quite like a relaxing brunch on the weekend paired with beach time, whether that means getting your feet wet during an early morning beach walk or enjoying the sand, sun and blue water after a mid (or late) morning meal!

The Windward Side is home to a number of popular breakfast spots, like Cinnamon’s and Boots & Kimo’s in Kailua and Koa Pancake House in Kaneohe, but this list is specific to restaurants with specific brunch menus or that serve breakfast and lunch options throughout the morning.

Ai Love Nalo Cafe

Poi Parfeit Desert

This  homey cafe in Waimanalo serves a 100% vegan, 99% gluten free menu that has gotten rave reviews over the last couple years. Partnering with farms across Windward Oahu, Ai Love Nalo uses local, organic produce whenever it’s available and imported organic produce when local is unavailable. They’ve managed to create plant-based versions of traditional  Hawaiian dishes that are meat-heavy, and diners (from vegans to carnivores) can’t get enough of them. A favorite local dish is the Oh Wow Lau’lau, traditionally pork wrapped in taro leaves. Their version is completely vegan, made with slow roasted vegetables, homemade sauce, and tofu poke. The Medi Bowl, another favorite, consists of taro falafel, beet hummus, millet tabouleh and fire roasted baba ganoush covered in housemade, vegan balsamic dressing. Brunch options include gluten free waffles with local fruit and vegan whipped cream and a chia seed parfait layered with local fruit and homemade granola. THe menu also offers smoothies, acai bowls, kombucha and cold brew coffee. Open from 10:30am – 4:00pm on the weekends, this is a perfect place to grab a satisfying, healthy meal. Fuel up after a morning surf session at Sandy’s or Makapuu, snorkeling Hanauma Bay, hiking Koko Head, or on  your way around the island heading to the North Shore!
41-1025 Kalanianaole Hwy, Waimanalo
(808) 888-9102
www.ailovenalo.com

Cactus

Cactus

Located at the entrance to Kallua Town, Cactus specializes in traditional dishes from Central and South America that incorporate fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Brunch is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00am – 2:00pm and features dishes and drinks with a Latin flair. The Nacho Libre combines homemade turkey chorizo, eggs and vegetables with tortilla chips and avocado-tomatillo salsa, topped with queso fresco and chipotle crema. Another popular dish, the Cactus Torrejas, is a french toast dish made with custard-dipped spice bread, topped with caramelized pineapple and macadamia nut butter.

Cactus uses only local, cage free eggs! The breakfast drink menu is full of creative cocktails that will help get you into the weekend mode, if you’re not there already. Try a Cactus Mimosa, or one of their takes on the Bloody Mary, like the spicy Hail Mary! and Ave Maria!
767 Kailua Road, Kailua
(808) 261-1000
www.cactusbistro.com

Crepes No Ka Oi

Crepes No Ka Oi

This popular Kailua restaurant serves an impressively wide selection of gourmet crepes all day long, with indoor and outdoor seating available. Breakfast options like the Crepes Benedict, poached eggs, black forest ham and hollandaise sauce, and the Southwest, melted colby jack cheese, scrambled eggs, tomatoes, and your choice of turkey breast or black forest ham, will satisfy anyone looking for a traditional breakfast. Those looking beyond a standard morning meal, however, can choose from the many sweet and savory options. Savory menu favorites include The Godfather, with mozzarella, tomatoes, fresh basil, and a balsamic vinegar and olive oil drizzle, and the Get Mushy, with colby jack cheese, mushrooms, turkey breast or black forest ham and homemade roasted garlic butter. Anyone with a sweet tooth, or who wants to end the meal with dessert, can choose from tempting dishes such as the Cookie Monster, filled with crushed Oreos, fresh strawberries and vanilla ice cream, the Lovers Delight, with fresh strawberries, bananas and Nutella, and the Banana Split, with housemade Hawaiian sea salt caramel, macadamia nuts, and your choice of dark, milk or white chocolate.

With just a few exceptions, the menu items are served all day long, and diners can make any crepe gluten free for an additional $2. To accompany your meal, Crepes No Ka Oi offers a variety of loose leaf teas, coffee and espresso drinks, local beers and mimosas!
143 Hekili Street, Kailua
(808) 263-4088
www.crepesnokaoi.com

Haleiwa Joe’s

Haleiwa Joe’s

Located in the Haiku Gardens section of Kaneohe, this is truly a locals favorite hidden gem! Escape the world for a bit, as you take in the lush Koolau Mountains, lily ponds and gardens blooming with tropical flowers. The brunch buffet is served on Sundays from 9:00am – 2:00pm, and offers a wide variety of options that include traditional dishes, local favorites, and the super popular Haleiwa Joe’s prime rib. The egg dishes, breakfast meats like bacon, link sausage, and portuguese sausage, breads, muffins, fruit and salads would be enough to satisfy most diners, but the  brunch buffet offers more! There’s a made-to-order omelette station, prime rib carving station, and full bar offering wines, beers and cocktails. There’s also a dessert section in case you need something sweet to make your meal complete.

Haleiwa Joe’s in Kaneohe is a good idea anytime, but there are benefits to going for the Sunday brunch. The rest of the week, the restaurant is only open in the evenings, so if you get there after the sun sets, you’ll miss the amazing views. However, during brunch, the scenery is on full display. In addition, every evening there is a limited number of prime rib dishes, and it sells out early. But during brunch, you’re able to try the prime rib – and go back for more if you like!
46-336 Haiku Road, Kaneohe
(808) 247-6671
www.haleiwajoes.com

Over Easy

Over Easy

Kailua’s newest breakfast joint, open for just one year, came out with a bang and its popularity has been growing ever since! Over Easy serves breakfast and lunch everyday (they’re closed on Mondays) and is open from 7:00am – 1:30pm on the weekends. Breakfast is served all day; the lunch menu begins at 11:00. They’ve earned a reputation for generous portions, delicious dishes you can’t stop eating, and giving local flavors a refined touch. For instance, the Brunch Bowl is melds of eggs, avocado and spinach with homemade yogurt, tomato jam, candied bacon and local microgreens, while the Kailua Eggs features a bacon cabbage broth, portuguese sausage and rice. The menu is limited, but the owners truly believe in quality over quantity. It’s almost guaranteed that you won’t leave hungry or disappointed. The space, with indoor and outdoor eating, is also limited and they don’t take reservations. On the weekend, expect a wait, but trust us, the food is well worth it!
418 Kuulei Road, Kailua
(808) 260-1732
www.overeasyhi.com

Uahi Island Grill

Uahi Island Grill

For 10 years, Uahi Island Grill has been wowing diners with their delicious take on homestyle comfort food that uses fresh, local meat and produce. Their Sunday brunch menu, served from 10:00am – 2:00pm, features a variety of breakfast and lunch dishes, with traditional and local flavors, so there’s something for everyone! From the Belgian Waffles with Garlic Chicken, to unique omelette and biscuit dishes like the Korean Steak Omelette and the Kalua Pork Biscuit, to sandwiches and lunch plates, it can be hard to order just one thing! If you’re feeling like a drink will help increase your appetite, choose from a variety of wines and local beers, or try a specialty cocktail like the Kimchi Bloody Mary, Li Hing Mangotini, or Cucumber Calamansi Mule.
33 Aulike Street
(808) 266-4646
www.uahiislandgrill.com

If your weekend plans include quality time with friends and family, recuperation after a busy, stressful week, or adventure and with hikes, kayaking, or surfing, getting your brunch on at any of these Windward favorites will add extra flavor to your weekend fun!

The post Kailua & Kaneohe Weekend Brunch Spots – Windward Oahu appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

Who doesn’t love a good happy hour? Winding down at the end of the day with friends, enjoying drink and food specials, is something that just about everyone can get excited about. Pau hana, a Hawaiian phrase that literally means “after work,” is used interchangeably with “happy hour.” So if you’re meeting friends or happy hour, but your server is telling you about the pau hana specials, you’re in the right place!

Kailua, the popular beach town on Windward Oahu, has a wide variety of restaurants offering everything from sushi to burgers to cuisines from around the world, but it can be hard to find a place that does a good pau hana., Whether you’re heading home from work in downtown Honolulu, need some sustenance after surfing, kite surfing or paddling in Kailua Bay, or are on vacation and want to go where the locals go, here’s a breakdown of Kailua’s best happy hour spots.

Cactus

Cactus

Cactus, located at the entrance to Kailua Town, has happy hour specials every day from 3:30-5:30 pm. The restaurant specializes in dishes from Central and South America and incorporates fresh, local ingredients. Their happy hour is especially popular due to the great food and drink specials, which can be enjoyed in the main dining area (inside and outside seating) or at the bar. Enjoy $2 off heir famous frozen margaritas and sangrias, as well as a swirl combination, and $2 off select wines by the glass, Dos Equis and Negra Modelo. Special pricing on tapas like Argentine Fry Bread, Squash & Goat Cheese Croquetas, Local Fish Tacos, and Pork Chorizo Sliders make ordering a variety of plates a no brainer!
767 Kailua Road
(808) 261-1000
www.cactusbistro.com

Nico’s Kailua

Nico’s Kailua

Nico’s Pier 38 in Honolulu has been an established fish market and casual lunch spot for decades. Their second location, open in Kailua since April 2017, serves lunch and dinner in clean, open setting with great views of one of Kailua’s canals, and also serves a selection of fresh fish and poke options at the fish market in house. Their daily happy hour offers $4 draft beers and $4 off glasses of select wine. Enjoy a pau hana drink at the bar before digging into one of the may fresh fish dishes on the dinner menu!
970 N. Kalaheo Avenue
(808) 263-3787

Prima

Prima

Prima specializes in handcrafted pizzas cooked in their brick oven fired with local kiawe wood. The menu also features a variety of salads and side dishes, all perfect for sharing, and all incorporating locally sourced meats and produce. The daily happy hour goes from 3:00-6:00pm and includes $3 beers, $5 wines and cocktails, and $4 off all pizzas. There’s also a late night happy hour from 7:30 – close on weekdays and 8i:30-close on Friday and Saturday.
108 Hekili Street
(808) 888-8933
www.primahawaii.com

The Shack

The Shack

The Shack, a casual sports bar across from Enchanted Lake Shopping Center, has been in Kailua for years. When we say casual, we mean casual. It’s got a dive bar, sports bar feel with wooden picnic tables, paper napkins, and lots of fried food, but that’s why people love it. It can get crowded and loud, especially during football season when the games are on, but finding a table on the lanai outside helps with the noise. The menu features a wide selection of burgers and sandwiches, buffalo wings that many consider the best on island, and zukes (deep-fried zucchini). It’s great bar food to pair with drinks and any of the games they’ve got going on. Happy Hour is everyday from 3:00-6:00pm with special pricing on draft beers, cocktails and wines that range from $2.75 to $5.75. In addition to happy hour, there are daily food and drink specials, like $1 off burgers all day and $1f off the bar all night on Tuesdays and $2.75 draft beer on Thursdays after 6:00pm. Check out the website for a full list of specials.
1051 Keolu Drive
(808) 261-1191
www.theshackkailua.com

Uahi Island Grill

Uahi Island Grill

Uahi has been a Kaiua favorite since opening ten years ago. They’ve moved a few times, and are now in their largest location yet, with a spacious indoor dining area, covered outdoor lanai, and a full indoor/outdoor bar. They’re known for flavorful dishes that meld island flavors with local produce, fresh fish, sauces and dressings made in house. Uahi offers happy hour drink specials everyday from 3:00-6:00pm at the bar. Enjoy discounts on select beer, house wines, and cocktails including the Uahi Mai Tai.
33 Aulike Street
(808) 266-4646
www.uahiislandgrill.com

The Windward Bar at Whole Foods

Windward Bar at Whole Foods

The Windward Bar is a casual place to grab a quick meal or drink, and is also a popular spot to watch a game and hang out with friends. They have 24 beers on tap, including many local and craft beer selections, wines and cocktails. Order food off the menu, pick up a plate at the salad bar/hot bar or deli in the store and eat it here. There’s an indoor and outdoor seating area and seating at the bar as well. Happy Hour is Monday – Friday from 4:00-6:00pm, when select beers are $3.00 (specials change daily) and select wines are $4.00 a glass (usually a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon). There are also reduced prices on food items including french fries, edamame, and slices of cheese, pepperoni and vegan pizza. It can get busy here, especially on Thursdays when the Kailua Farmers Market is held next door, but it’s a fun, social scene with a great vibe.
629 Kailua Road
(808) 263-6800
www.wholefoodsmarket.com/service/windward-bar

With Kailua’s small town feel and close-knit community, wherever you end up, you’re likely to run into someone you know – even if you’re just in town for a short visit. The town’s laid back, beach vibe means that nothing is formal. Fancier, more intimate places can be found on the South Shore, but for a relaxing happy hour where slippers are an acceptable part of the dress code, Kailua has some amazing options!

The post The Best Places for Happy Hour in Kailua appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

If you are interested in purchasing a home in Honolulu, there are several neighborhoods where you will find a variety of luxury homes with a median price above $2,000,000. In the following we will review 7 of the most exceptional single-family home neighborhoods in Honolulu.

Hawaii Loa Ridge

Hawaii Loa Ridge

Hawaii Loa Ridge is an exclusive gated community in Honolulu and a 20-minute commute from Downtown. This exclusive neighborhood is located on a ridge between Aina Haina and Niu Valley at the foothills of Oahu’s Koʻolau Mountains. The community includes more than 500 homes, most with varying degree of ocean views.

Modern architectural styles as well as Mediterranean homes are abundant in Hawaii Loa Ridge, several with pools and median lot sizes around 11,000 sq ft and 4,000 sq ft of interior. ft. This first-class neighborhood also includes a clubhouse with tennis counts, a park and the Hawaii Loa Ridge Hiking Trail (open to the public).

Hawaii Loa Ridge was a gift from King Kamehameha I to Alexander Adams, the man who created the Hawaiian flag. The area wasn’t developed until the 1980’s and homes in the neighborhood rapidly became very desirable. Year 2017 there were 23 sales in the $1,688,000 to $6,900,000 price range with a median price of $2,500,000.

Diamond Head

Diamond Head

There are some tear-down homes in Diamond Head, in between all the luxury, and that has kept the median sales price to ‘just’ $2,300,000 for year 2017. However, Diamond Head is one of the most luxurious communities in Honolulu, with 20 homes selling year 2017 between $1,280,000 to $11,500,000.

Diamond Head is home to more than 650 homes, with just 60 of them located on the beach. The median lot size of a home in Diamond Head is 8,000 sq ft with 2,500 sq ft interior.

The community is known being an indulgent atmosphere for the wealthy. Heiress Doris Duke once lived in a cliffside estate located in Diamond Head called Shangri La. Some homes in Diamond Head are within walking distance of Waikiki and Diamond Head Lookout, which is a surfer’s paradise with extravagant views. The historic Diamond Head Lighthouse is also a popular attraction in the area and is on the most southern point of the island.

Kahala

Kahala

Kahala is one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the area nestled between Diamond Head and the Waialae Golf Course. It is considered the Beverly Hills of Hawaii, with 46 homes, year 2017, selling between $1,300,000 to $5,600,000 and a median price about $2,400,000.

This quiet neighborhood includes around 1,200 homes ranging from charming older single-level homes to modern lavish estate sized homes.

Kahala homes have a median lot size of about 10,000 sq ft and 2,600 sq ft interior. It is a relatively flat neighborhoods and the vast majority of the homes do not have ocean views, except for the 1 mile stretch of about 40 oceanfront homes along Kahala Avenue. Nearby is the famous Kahala Hotel & Resort and Waialae Golf Course.

Waialae Golf Course

Waialae Golf Course

The Waialae Golf Course neighborhood is a golfer’s paradise and consists of just under 150 single-level homes surrounded by the exclusive Waialae Golf Course. There are around 40 homes located directly on the golf course, complete with luscious greens and spectacular ocean views.

There were 4 sales in year 2017 between $930,000 and $4,310,000 with a median price of about $2,500,000. This prestigious neighborhood boasts wide streets and level lots are typically generous in size – median lot size is about 12,500 sq ft with a median interior of about 3,250 sq ft The exclusive neighborhood is enclosed by the Waialae Golf Course, which hosts the annual the PGA Sony Open Golf Tournament every January.

Portlock

Portlock

Portlock is lavish oceanfront neighborhood situated at the base of Koko Head within the Hawaii Kai region. The serene neighborhood is situated along just 2 streets – Portlock Rd and Kalanianaole Highway – and consisting of approximately 120 homes priced in the $1,500,000 for a tear down to about $20,000,000 for the most stunning oceanfront estates.

Most homes were built in the 1940’s and 1950’s, with 40 homes located directly on the ocean. The oceanfront homes have views of Maunalua Bay and are well protected from offshore winds. The median price of Portlock homes was about $2,650,000 year 2017, with 5 homes selling between $2,330,000 and $2,950,000. The median lot size is about 16,500 sq ft with 5,000 sq ft interior. This was the neighborhood Henry Kaiser lived – the developer of Hawaii Kai.

Koko Kai

Koko Kai

The Koko Kai neighborhood has about 130 homes located adjacent to Portlock. Koko Kai is often mistaken with Portlock as well as the Triangle neighborhood because of its proximity and blended borders. Many homes boast spectacular ocean views with some oceanfront cliffside homes nestled along the rocky coast.

Year 2017 there were 5 sales between $1,930,000 and $3,000,000, with a median price of $2,600,000. Most homes typically range in price between $1,500,000 and $5,000,000, with a median lot size of 16,000 sq ft and 3,300 sq ft interior. Many residents enjoy spectacular unobstructed ocean views and peace of mind thanks to the guidelines from the Koko Kai Association, which restricts building heights of no more than 16 ft from the highest point.

Paiko Lagoon

Paiko Lagoon

Paiko Lagoon is a unique coastal community of around 120 homes in Honolulu bordered by Hawaii Kai and Niu Beach. Nestled within the neighborhood is the Paiko Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary. The neighborhood is connected to a freshwater springs fishpond opening into the Maunalua Bay. This secluded sanctuary has many homes located on the lagoon front or oceanfront, with a few exclusive homes bordered by both the lagoon and the fishpond. This secluded hidden jewel feels like its own private island and even has one home surrounded by the ocean on all sides.

Year 2017 3 homes sold between $2,995,000 and $3,900,000 with a median price of $5,630,000. The median lot size is about 26,000 sq ft with 5,800 sq ft of interior.

Besides the above neighborhoods, there are other luxury homes neighborhoods in Honolulu you may want to check out, including Black Point, Kai Nani, Aina Haina Beach and Niu Beach.

The post Honolulu Neighborhoods With Homes in the $2,000,000 Plus Median Price Range appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

Oahu’s North Shore first caught the eyes of tourists after a bunch of surfers from California came to ride the enormous waves in Waimea Bay in the 1950s. To this day, Waimea Bay is a surfing mecca. Whether you surf or not, the North Shore has so much more to offer than surfing. In fact, the stunning beaches with less visitors during summer months are a romantic break from the busy beaches of Honolulu.

Oahu’s North Shore is a scenic 60-minute drive from Waikiki Beach. While the island of Oahu has so much to offer in and around Honolulu, an early morning drive to the North Shore is well worth it for a day trip. If you want to spot beautiful beaches on your way to the North Shore, go up the east side of Oahu. You can stop at lookout spots near Hanauma Bay and enjoy a scenic ride along the coast passing by Kailua and Kaneohe, 2 popular towns. This route will take you about 2 hours to make it to the North Shore.

Dole Plantation

Dole’s Pineapple Garden Maze

If you drive through the center of Oahu along I-H-1 and I-H-2, you’ll pass right by the Dole Plantation. There are several options for touring the pineapple farm. The Pineapple Express Train takes twenty minutes and provides full narration to inform tourists about James Dole, the founder, Hawaii’s most famous fruit crop, and other stories about the pineapple. The Plantation Garden Tour will take you through eight mini-gardens featuring the North Shore’s most diverse crops. The Guinness Book of World Records named the Pineapple Garden Maze the World’s Largest Maze. Spend some time venturing through the maze and see if you can find the eight hidden stations. Lastly, be sure to explore the Pineapple Variety Garden where students can view more than twenty varieties of pineapples from all over the world.

Breakfast at The Beet Box Café

Beet Box Cafe

Once you arrive on the North Shore, make your first destination The Beet Box Café. This cozy wooden café in Haleiwa serves fresh and local produce daily. The café receives fresh produce four days a week to ensure customers get the finest local fruits and vegetables of Oahu. This vegetarian café serves mostly organic food and prioritizes health and wellbeing.

The acai bowls are made to perfection with fresh and local ingredients, including superfoods like cacao and hempseeds. Their non-acai bowls include the Pitaya bowl and the Green Bowl—made with kale, spirulina, banana, and almond butter. If you’re in the mood for a hot breakfast, try a breakfast burrito, scrambled eggs, breakfast sandwiches, quiche, or a toasted bagel. The vegan and gluten-freen options are extensive, and you can also enjoy fresh juice, smoothies, kombucha, coffee, or tea.

Hiking the North Shore

View From Ehukai Pillbox Hike

Once you’re fueled with energizing local vegetarian cuisine, get set for a morning hike through the North Shore’s mix of exotic terrain. While the Ehukai Pillbox Hike is a short distance, it is far from leisurely. If you’re looking for a good way to sweat and be active, add this hike to your list of morning activities. The hike takes roughly thirty minutes to reach the top. The forest-dense hike is unexpected since it’s right by the ocean. The view of the ocean from the top is remarkable. If you conquer the uphill climb to the pillbox, you’ll experience a wide view of the Banzai Pipeline. This view is even better when you can sit for a while and watch the surfers. The second pillbox is about ten minutes from the first and not as strenuous.

If you decide to hike the Ehukai Pillbox, be sure to pack plenty of water and wear hiking shoes. Park at Sunset Beach Elementary School and find the orange sign for access to the trailhead.

Slow Down in Historic Haleiwa

Matsumoto Shave Ice

Before settling down for lunch, unwind from your hike with a stroll through Haleiwa’s historic town. Grab a Hawaiian shave ice from Matsumoto Shave Ice. Matsumoto’s offers exotic flavors like Lilikoi, Lychee, and Li Hing Mui, as well as classic favorites such as Piña Colada, Pickled Mango, and Guava. You can add Azuki Beans, Mochi, or ice cream to any shave ice.

Historic Haleiwa has everything from vintage surf shops to eclectic art galleries, like Tabora Gallery Haleiwa. Grab your gifts at one of the local shops in Haleiwa to save about 50% compared to what you can find in Waikiki.

Tabora Gallery Haleiwa

On your way out of Haleiwa, snap a photograph in front of Colette Miller’s Global Angel Wings. The beautiful pink and purple wings are located right in front of Anahulu’s shave ice spot.

Lunch in Haleiwa

Haleiwa Beach House

It’s time to take a relaxing lunch break at Haleiwa’s Beach House restaurant. Offering Hawaiian specialties and local seafood, Beach House also offers spectacular scenery. The recently renovated restaurant is located across from Ali’i beach and has an open-air deck and fire pit. There are always sixteen hand-selected craft beers on draft, and ten signature cocktails, along with forty different wines. The menu has plenty of seafood appetizers, fresh and local salads, fresh island fish, and seafood sandwiches. Chef favorites include the Thai BBQ Chicken Sandwich, Spicy Tuna Club, and the Chef’s Daily Catch.

Lunch in Waimea Bay
We also highly recommend Pupukea Grill in Waimea Bay. Waimea Bay is just a short drive from Haleiwa (less than twenty minutes) and has unbeatable ocean views. Pupukea Grill is ideal if you’re looking for fresh and local cuisine but in a more casual setting. Pupukea Grill’s menu has a variety of quinoa bowls, sushi handrolls, plate lunches, flatbread wraps, burgers and sandwiches, and ono kine bowls. In addition, they offer acai bowls and smoothies.

Explore Waimea Bay

Waimea Valley

Every Thursday Waimea Bay hosts the Haleiwa Farmers Market with local produce stands, handmade goods, and live music. The farmers market is open from 2-6pm every Thursday. If you have kids, don’t miss out on the arts and crafts stands!

In the summertime, Waimea Bay’s waves are gentler and more suitable for swimming. Peak surfing season is from November through February when the big waves hit. Head to Waimea Bay during the summertime to lay out on the beach, enjoy a picnic, and swim along the shore. The bay even has a twenty-foot rock just off the beach that is great for jumping into the water.

Waimea Valley is home to a botanical garden and the fifty-foot Waimea Falls. You can take a botanical tour, cultural tour, or roam on your own. The Audubon Center is directly across from Waimea Bay Beach Park, and you have to pay an entrance fee, but it’s worth it to be surrounded by more than 300 species of plants.

Horseback Riding in Laie

Gunstock Ranch in Laie

Gunstock Ranch is one of the best places to go horseback riding, and it’s located in Laie, which is about thirty minutes from Haleiwa. Gunstock Ranch offers scenic rides, sunset rides, pony rides for kids, and their sweetheart ride for couples. They even offer a private sunset dinner ride. Gunstock Ranch is nestled against the Ko’olau Mountains on 600 acres of land.

Cool Off With Haleiwa Bowls

Haleiwa Bowls

After an afternoon of activity, whether hiking, swimming or horseback riding, Haleiwa Bowls offers the finest smoothie bowls to replenish your body with vital nutrients, superfoods, and energy. Choose your acai bowl, and then top it with any of your favorite toppings, including kiwi, bee pollen, coconut, granola, and more. Haleiwa Bowls offers botanical supplements like collagen peptides, ashwaganda, maca powder, and so many options for functional mushrooms. Of course the Haleiwa Bowls stand has smoothies too! Choose a fruity concoction or a functional smoothie, which includes several of the botanical supplements.

Stay Awhile

Polynesian Cultural Center

If you fall in love with Oahu’s North Shore as many do, plan to spend some extra time on the North Shore. Paddle board with Rainbow Watersports, snorkel with reef sharks at Sharks Cove, enjoy a sunset catamaran ride, visit the Polynesian Cultural Center, and explore Kualoa Ranch, which is where parts of Jurassic Park, Pearl Harbor, Lost, and Hawaii Five-O were filmed. However you decide to spend your time on Oahu’s North Shore, you can’t go wrong, and you will likely come back time and time again.

The post A Day On Oahu’s North Shore appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

– What’s new for 2018 Hawaii Real Estate?

Today an H&R Block tax preparer from Arizona called. He asked on behalf of his client, “who is responsible for filing and paying GET & TAT? The owner, or the property manager?”
I don’t give tax advice but that one I know: The owner is responsible unless the property manager agrees to file and pay on the owner’s behalf. That reminds me, the TAT rate increased to 10.25% effective 1.1.2018! And while we are at it, let’s summarize what’s new for 2018 Hawaii Real Estate:

1) TAT increased to 10.25%:

This is an increase from 9.25% in 2017.  – If you collect income from rental properties located in the State of Hawaii you need to file and pay General Excise Tax (GET) on all gross rents, and Transient Accommodation Tax (TAT) on all gross rents from rental terms less than 180 days per tenant.
If you collect rent from rental terms less than 180 days per tenant you need to pay both:
a) 4.5% GET on the GE Taxable Income = Gross Rent plus GET collected (if any), before deducting expenses, and
b) 10.25% TAT on the TA Taxable Income (Gross Rent, before deducting expenses).

Late 2017 the city improved their website how to easily file and pay online. Check the video tutorial in our comprehensive post: GET & TAT In Hawaii – The Easiest Way To File & Pay.

2) Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2018:

President Donald Trump signed into law the ‘Tax Cuts and Jobs Act 2018,’ effective 1.1.2018 and set to expire in 2025. This is the most substantial tax reform since the 1986 Tax Reform Act. Corporate tax rates and individual tax rates changed. There is also a new ‘flow-through small business 20% deduction.’ Compare 2017 marginal tax rates with the new 2018 rates for single filers vs. married joint filers:

Marginal Tax Rates 2017

Marginal Tax Rates 2018

• Real estate related tax changes are as follows:

Mortgage Interest Deduction: Sec. 11042-11045. (Changes to Schedule A, itemized deductions). Effective 1.1.2018, you may deduct mortgage interest paid during the tax year on new mortgage loans up to $750K. This is a change from the $1Mill cap before. Only for existing mortgages, you may continue to deduct mortgage interest up to $1Mill.

Home Equity Line Of Credit (HELOC) Interest paid during the tax year is no longer deductible. This is a change from the $100K cap before. The exception is if you use a HELOC to buy or improve investment property. Then you may deduct all HELOC interest on your Schedule E, rather than Schedule A.

Property Tax Deduction: Sec 11042-11045. (Changes to Schedule A, itemized deductions). Effective 1.1.2018, you may deduct all property taxes in the tax year paid, but only up to a $10K limit for the aggregate amount of state, local, and property tax you paid during the tax year.

Good news: There is no change to Sec. 121 Capital Gains Exclusion – Tax Exemption for owner occupants living 2 out of 5 years in their residence, and no change to the Sec. 1031 Tax Deferred Exchange provision for real estate investors.
Read more in our comprehensive Real Estate Tax Benefits Guide.

3) New 2018 Hawaii loan limits:

$679,650. This is a significant increase from $636,150 in 2017. Here is the breakdown by County:

2018 Hawaii’s New Conforming Loan Limits

In case you are wondering what today’s interest rates are, courtesy of AmeriSave.com, today’s 30 year fixed rate is at 3.75%. With tax deductibility and inflation hovering around 2%, that is just about free money and very close to the lowest point of the range during all of 2017. It is a great time to get a mortgage.

4) Smart Living:

This is the new urban condo living trend we will see more during 2018. Are you ready to live in a modern micro space with Murphy bed and built-in collapsible desk? Consider the brand new upcoming Aalii condo project with efficiency units and impressive amenities. Stay tuned for more..

Aalii Pool Deck

5) New book: “Buying Paradise” – Real Estate In Hawaii: The Ultimate Guide How To Turn Your Dream Into Reality

I’m excited my book is now available on Amazon.

Buying Paradise – Real Estate In Hawaii

Here is what others are saying:
–  “This is a must-read for anyone that has ever had the dream of living in paradise. Buying real estate anywhere is challenging but Hawaii is an entirely different kind of monster. Going in with the knowledge George Krischke provides in this book gives you a leg up on the other buyers you will be competing with for the same property. He shares his experiences to help others avoid the pitfalls he faced along the way as he accumulated his wealth and his piece of paradise. He shows in chapter after chapter how anyone with the right drive, determination and discipline can be successful in making the dream of owning real estate in Hawaii a reality.”

Kindle Unlimited subscriber can read for FREE. Otherwise, you can buy it for the price of a Starbucks coffee. Get your Kindle copy today. I guarantee you will learn something new by reading it! Write an honest review if you like it. That helps other readers find the book. Much appreciated. ~ Mahalo & Aloha

Let us know what you think. We love to hear from you. Reciprocate Aloha!  -‘Like’, ‘Share’, and ‘Comment’ below. Also, don’t miss out, sign up for our blog on the right.
~ Mahalo & Aloha

The post What’s New For 2018 Hawaii Real Estate? appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

Waking-up in a Kailua home is a dream come true for many and what makes it even more special is to start the day right at one of the abundant great eateries serving fresh, locally prepared breakfasts.  Residents know they can grab a different breakfast for every day of the week, and all at family-owned and operated eateries. Kailua is literally a breakfast bonanza.

Moke’s Bread and Breakfast
Phone: (808) 261-5565
Address: 27 Hoolai Street
Yelp Reviews: Click here

Moke’s

Moke’s Bread and Breakfast was established in Kailua in 1999, and in their own words, serves “food that reminds you of home.”  Moke’s is named after its owner Moses “Moke” Warren who knows his craft. His rye and wheat bread and baguettes plus muffins and biscuits, are famous for a good reason. There is nothing better than freshly baked bread right out of the oven. In fact, all Moke’s dishes are fresh, not pre-made or frozen and many are family recipes generations in the making.  Moke’s Lilikoi pancakes are the talk of the town! Made from scratch, these incredibly fluffy pancakes come in both a short or full stack. The sauce drizzled over the top of the pancakes uses lilikoi fruit from the Big Island. Short stack, full stack, or switch out the lilikoi for banana or plain pancakes, happy are the breakfast go-ers at Moke’s!

Prefer French toast over pancakes? It’s all on Moke’s menu which also features at least eight different egg dishes. The farm-fresh omelets served with Moke’s amazing fresh breads are the perfect start to any morning, but Tuesdays, when Moke’s Bread and Breakfast is closed.  Open all other days from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Moke’s is a winning choice for the entire family.

The Warren family is even branching out as son, Keola Warren, has been overseeing and selling their own coffee under the Lanikai coffee label. Home-blended coffee, excellent service and an abundance of fresh food – there’s nothing to complain about other than a weekend line that can be a bit long – so the recommendation: go early!

Over Easy
Phone: (808) 260-1732
Address: 418 Kuulei Rd #103
Yelp Reviews: Click here

Over Easy

Oh, so ono! Perhaps the best gourmet breakfast grinds in Kailua can be scooped up at Over Easy. Over Easy, only open since July 2016, has already received accolades as one of the best up-and-coming restaurants and breakfast establishments on Oahu. Chef Nik and Jennifer Lobendahn— the quintessential power couple and both former Alan Wong’s alums—have a passion to make breakfast a memorable meal.  They have succeeded!

The breakfast menu provides classic and local Hawaii favorites with a unique spin.   Try the Kalua Pig Hash with Okinawan potatoes, lomi tomato, OK Farm eggs, green goddess topping and cilantro (You’ll actually find pieces of meat in the hash); or the Brunch Bowl with avocado, soft eggs, house-made yogurt, spinach, tomato jam, candied bacon and Aiea fresh microgreens.

Our family is split on our favorites: French toast (custard French toast coated with cinnamon toast crunch and served with orange crème fraiche); Kailua Eggs (OK Farm eggs, bacon cabbage broth, house-made Portuguese sausage and rice), and the Keiki (mini-pancakes, real maple syrup, and bacon). It really doesn’t matter what you order – you won’t go wrong and you certainly won’t go away hungry.

The smallest out of the way bistro (just 32 seats), Over Easy can only accommodate up to parties of eight. They don’t take reservations and there’s no takeout so make the time to experience this fabulous foodie find and dine in or sit out on the lanai and have a thrilling experience for your morning taste buds. Breakfast (and lunch too) is served seven days a week (minus Monday).

Over Easy is located in the middle of Kailua town off of Kuulei Road. It is pushed back from the main intersection a bit with a big secret that only Kailua residents know: this might be one of the few breakfast places in Kailua that serves libations like their Bloody Mary made from fresh tomatoes and topped with house-made pickled cucumbers and tomatoes on a skewer.

One more local secret: Park in the municipal parking garage behind McDonald’s. And when you walk out of the parking garage, follow the little walkway on your right towards Kuulei Road and Over Easy will be there waiting for you.

Cinnamon’s Restaurant
Phone: (808) 261-8724
Address: 315 Uluniu St
Yelp Reviews: Click here

Cinnamon’s

Puna and Cricket Nam founded Cinnamon’s Restaurant in Kailua umpteen years ago (1985) and are still going strong. An integral part of the Kailua community, the Nams were recently a big supporter of Kailua fireworks and were even able to be on the barge to set off the fireworks.  At Cinnamon’s, winner of Honolulu Magazine’s Hale ‘Aina Award, First Place Gold for Best Breakfast on Oahu, you can count on fresh natural foods free from chemicals, preservatives and additives. They stick to the basics of good food at reasonable prices.

Known for their red velvet pancakes, huge cinnamon buns and several varieties of Eggs Benedict, Cinnamon’s has been a favorite meeting place for generations. It’s the kind of place where the wait staff knows your name but welcomes newcomers with the same aloha Hawaii is famous for.

Tucked into a corner of Kailua Square closest to the entrance to Kailua’s municipal parking lot, you might find a line waiting to get in – but you can avoid the wait by making reservations.  Cinnamon’s is open daily from 7 a.m.

Kalapawai Cafe & Deli (Kalapawai Market and/or Kalapawai Café)
Phone: (808) 262-3354
Address: 750 Kailua Rd
Yelp Reviews: Click here

Kalapawai Market

You haven’t really lived in Kailua until you’ve hung out at Kalapawai for breakfast.  Kalapawai Market, sometimes referred to as the local Cheers, is where locals and tourists mingle in the morning before hitting the beach. Go for a beach run, walk or swim and stop in for breakfast afterwards, where you can eat casually on picnic benches with your favorite deli breakfast sandwich to-go. Highly recommended are the breakfast wraps or breakfast burritos topped with Andy’s Bueno Salsa (another local resident,  ‘salsa guy’ Andy Doka, is quite the hot shot when it comes to making the best salsa in the Islands).

Kalapawai, located at the entrance to Kailua Beach Park for more than 85 years, is a fresh coffee, deli, great wine store and mini-market.  It is truly one of the few remaining neighborhood stores in Kailua. Join their Kalapawai Coffee Club and get a free drink from their gourmet coffee menu after buying 10 cups of coffee.

If you prefer to order a full breakfast served, stop in at Kalapawai Café in the beginning of Kailua town. Order your breakfast at the counter, and they’ll bring it to your table outside or inside if you prefer. Try the bagel and lox, plentiful and reasonable! The kids seem to love the enormous chocolate chip muffins!

Both establishments are run by Lindsey Dymond, who took over the restaurants from his late father, Don Dymond. Kalapawai Market breakfast menu is available from 6:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. The Café serves breakfast starting at 7 a.m. daily.

No reservations are needed at either location. Just come and eat!

Morning Brew Coffee & Bistro
Phone: (808) 262-7770
Address: 600 Kailua Rd
Yelp Reviews: Click here

Morning Brew

Out of all the breakfast nooks, Morning Brew might arguably serve one of the best cups of coffee in Kailua. After all, Morning Brew, established by local couple Debbie and Peter Anderson, made it their mission to brew and serve the freshest, organic coffee possible.

Located in the heart of Kailua, on Kailua Road in the Times Shopping Center, Morning Brew has been serving Kailua residents since1995. The first location was just a few doors down from its current spot and had a bohemian, funky atmosphere.  Today, Morning Brew still features local artists and their works and often an impromptu jam session by local musicians.  It just might be the first true coffee bistro in Kailua.

It is really a treat to relax with a great cup of coffee and a tasty treat from Morning Brew. Favorites include the Belgium style waffles with whipped cream and fresh fruit, the works bagel or the smoked salmon bagel, house-made yogurt with granola and fresh fruit. Breakfast sandwiches, eggs and even a breakfast pizza round out the menu.

The bistro also has a variety of vegan breakfast options such as the tofu and veggie scramble, steel-cut oatmeal with walnuts and fresh fruit and/or the fresh hummus bagel. Kid-sized portions of pancakes, fresh pastries and gluten-free options are all part of a varied menu.

There are no reservations and breakfast is ordered at the coffee counter. Not to worry if you don’t see a seat when you walk in. Just head upstairs to the loft. Morning Brew is open Monday through Sunday 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Crepes No Ka Oi
Phone: (808) 263-4088
Address: 143 Hekili St
Yelp Reviews: Click here

Crepes No Ka ‘Oi

When a Frenchman told them that that Crepes No Ka Oi were the best crepes he ever had, Chris (from Tahiti) and Rosario “Kakay” (from the Philippines)  Tarvyd  were honored and surprised. Both were very fond of crepes before they even met. Together, they started Crepes No Ka Oi in 2008 because nobody was selling crepes at fairs and events on Oahu. Since they had nowhere to enjoy their favorite food, they decided to make their own and help everyone else fall in love with crepes.

Crepes No Ka Oi serves all kinds of delicious crepes from savory to sweet and everything in between. A little secret: All of their dessert crepes are topped with their homemade fresh whipped cream! Yum! This unique restaurant is known for its ultimate breakfast crepe: melted Colby Jack cheese and a slow-cooked medley of potatoes, house-made bacon bits, onions, rosemary with two poached eggs and a side of house-made hollandaise sauce. But you’d better get there early because once it is sold out, you’ll have to come back the next day for more.

Open daily except Tuesday from 7 a.m., at 143 Hekili Street, suite 130, in Kailua – parking is free on-street or in one of the two lots behind and to the side of their building.

Boots and Kimo’s
Phone: (808) 263-7929
Address: 151 Hekili St
Yelp Reviews: Click here

Boots & Kimo’s

Boots and Kimo’s, which you cannot miss due to the line that often wraps around the front of their eatery on Hekili Street, is run by Kiakona brothers, Jesse and Rick. What started out as a dream to create a family-owned little restaurant has blossomed into a famous hot spot – a must stop and eat for both residents and tourists alike. You can tell by how many people are taking their pictures in front of the Boots and Kimo’s sign – indicating that yes, indeed, we ate here!

The Kiakona brothers are both so much fun to talk to about their eatery and their humble beginnings and how they have turned into rock stars, especially for Japanese tourists. It turns out that a relative who lived in Japan bragged about his family’s little restaurant in Kailua. Over the years, word got around, especially about the amazing macadamia nut pancakes. It’s true: The pancakes are so onolicious that people travel halfway around the world just to savor the family recipe. The secret is in the very addictive sauce!

Family is so important to the Kiakonas that even the restaurant is named after family members – Boots, for their father, whose dream to own a restaurant was never realized, and, Uncle Kimo, who brought in those family recipes all the way from Maui. Besides the amazing pancakes, Boots and Kimo’s serves home-style, big-portioned meals. Diners will enjoy local favorites like spam and cheese omelets, Portuguese sausage omelets, steak and eggs, homemade fried rice, and Hawaiian-style corned beef hash.

A promise – you will not go hungry and yet, for some reason, will crave even more of that secret pancake sauce!

Beyond the secret sauce phenomena and family recipes, the brothers really are most passionate about their collection of sports paraphernalia that now adorns their restaurant. This is not a themed chain restaurant; this is home-style fun and even more fun if you’re a Denver Bronco fan who just happens to live in Hawaii.

The restaurant used to be a small hole-in-the-wall with a long line that was understandable due to the size of the establishment. Then the restaurant moved to the corner of Hekili and Hahani Streets and expanded in size, but so did the line outside the door.

Best luck for those who are determined to get inside Boots and Kimo’s is to have a smaller party and go early! Another option is to take the newspaper and games for kids and catch some rays while you wait for a table. The only day you will not see a line is Tuesday when Boots and Kimo’s is closed. Boots and Kimo’s is open other weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. until 3 p.m.

More to eat…
If you haven’t found your perfect place in our picks above, then wake up with a mission. Keep breaking the fast and add to our list. Take a seat at Kono’s, Times Coffee Shop, Zippy’s, or Big City Diner. What better way to spend the morning in Kailua in a beautiful place with a belly filled with some of the best meals in Kailua – served, prepared and shared by fellow Kailua residents!

The post Kailua’s Serving Breakfast: A Different Eatery Seven Days a Week  appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

Welcome and Aloha to Canterbury Pl #19B!

This is a choice high-floor 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo in a classy boutique style luxury condo. Enjoy fabulous ocean and Diamond Head views from every room in the apartment. Entertain in style on your generous size lanai. The condo is in pristine turn-key condition. Very private, there are only for units on this floor.
The Canterbury Pl features 24h security, a secured lobby and parking garage, a pool and hot tub. The widest stretch of beach in all of Waikiki is only a block away.
– Make this one your new paradise home.  Call George at 808-554-1635, – George@HawaiiLiving.com

All Canterbury Pl condos for sale.   All Waikiki condos for sale. 

Lanai

Diamond Head view

Ocean view

Living room

Dining area

Kitchen

Master bedroom

Master bedroom with lanai

Master bath

2nd bedroom

2nd bath

Pool

Lobby entrance

Let us know your thoughts. We love to hear from you. Reciprocate Aloha: ‘Share,’ ‘Like’ and ‘Comment’ below.
~ Mahalo & Aloha

The post New Listing: Canterbury Pl #19B appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

With so much discussion of the Ewa Plain’s evolution, the entire region can become one huge blur, with often used phrase like ‘more affordable housing’ or ‘a new Oahu metro area’ standing out most in minds. Truth is, the 2nd City isn’t a homogeneous collection of the same kinds of homes with the same surroundings or daily experience to offer you.

Although it lacks the condo towers you’d expect from a place with ‘City’ in its title, it can justly brag about the vast range of residences and lifestyles available within it. That can be seen best in the contrasts between the pair of towns that make up the vast majority of this region – Ewa Beach and Kapolei. Though they share many of the major traits the 2nd City is known for, like convenience, that greater real estate affordability on average and a friendlier, low-rise environment, there’s unmissable differences that make each the better choice for one home buyer or another.

For our purposes we restrict this examination to the strict city limits of Kapolei, so Ko Olina will remain outside our reach. With that one restriction in place, it’s time to learn what makes this duo less of a set of twins than a very successful marriage of two compatible individuals.

COMPARING EWA BEACH & KAPOLEI – WHERE TO START
The best way to begin is with the biggest contrasts and one way of drawing the line between them is a rough, but instructive comparison – you could say that Kapolei is like Los Angeles, while Ewa Beach is like New York. What does that mean? If we look at the layout of the two communities from a birds-eye view it becomes clear.

Within Ewa Beach, you can see the shopping centers, with their dining options and the drug & grocery stores that are almost daily stops for many, all sitting right in the middle of the neighborhoods. They’re integrated into the very midst of the neighborhoods, making it possible to walk or bike to them for much of the surrounding residents.

In Ewa Beach you live beside your shopping choices, or at least very nearby, driving by them every day on your way to and from work. They’re fully integrated into the rhythm of your life, making a trip there often a matter of little thought, even spontaneous, inside the routine of life.

The shopping in Kapolei, though, is spread out, set apart, its shopping malls mostly relegated to the eastern and western reaches of the town, making them driving destinations for almost everyone.

Ka Makana Alii

Places like Ka Makana Alii, Kapolei Commons and Kapolei Marketplace aren’t part of your daily commute, instead being a specific trip of their own, not a place you turn in on a whim as you’re on your way someplace else.

It’s a case of the centralized (Ewa Beach/New York) vs the expansive (Kapolei/Los Angeles). That centralization in the east is a planned product of the tighter development that’s emerged over the last 2 decades in the expanded Ewa Beach footprint.

Laulani Village Shopping Center

That easier access to shopping comes with a trade-off, however. You wouldn’t call a place like Laulani Village Shopping Center a mere strip mall, but Ewa Beach does not have the big box stores or any retail centers that rival what Kapolei justly boasts having in her borders.

It’s the difference between solid and attractive choices that serve the needs of the local community and the kind, and size, of shopping selection that is nothing short of a major attraction, and even a resource, drawing visitors from not just the Leeward Side, but all over the Island.

From the wide ranging essentials of Costco and WalMart to the big box sweep of Kapolei Commons and now Ka Makana Alii’s vast collection of fashionable names that some older Ewa residents still can’t believe have opened here, Kapolei is simply a Hawaii retail center second only to Metro Honolulu. It’s easy to imagine how having all of that as part of your local scenery would deeply impact your life and leisure time.

The existence of it all owes much to the completely blank slate the developers began with on these lands, allowing them greater room and latitude, that serves the more diffused vision that guides the town’s growth. The contrast of this element of the two 2nd City halves isn’t restricted to shopping alone. It’s also part of the even more crucial element of the residential environments themselves.

BRINGING IT BACK TO HOME
Turning our gaze to Ewa Beach once again, the birds-eye view reveals the contrasts once again. Outside of the golf courses, the majority of the lands are now occupied by homes. Much of what is left undeveloped has plans for it that are getting underway already or will be soon. It’s a more closely-knit design, in general, on this eastern end.

Coral Creek Golf Course

Kapolei’s neighborhoods are substantial, too, but its present landscape still has many areas that remain wide open and even untouched, leaving sight lines in places that extend quite far before any build-up impedes it.

Kapolei Knolls

There’s no question that a good number of those lots will not remain open forever, but the vision for this side of the 2nd City does allow for some of it to do so or at least exist in a form close to it.

With the lion’s share of attention being given to Kapolei, it often comes as a surprise that Ewa Beach has not only more homes, but also greater choice in your living environment. 5 golf courses can be found inside the east half of the 2nd City to Kapolei’s 1, all of them with communities that sit beside, or are even integrated within, the fairways that dazzle the eyes with their emerald shades.

Cypress Point

That larger menu of living choices extends to the homes in Ewa Beach themselves, too. The 200 acres of Ewa Gentry alone, for instance, hold everything from the townhomes of Cortebella, built for the 1st Time Homeowner market, to the large, but not pricey single family homes of Sonoma & Prescott, the gated houses with manicured lawns in Huelani, on up to the large, luxurious, fairway-hugging homes of Cypress Point

Huelani

Then you have the resort lifestyle of the still in-progress Hoakalei, with its own massive lagoon, golf course and a forthcoming $300M shopping & dining complex.

Hoakalei

The projects that have resulted in communities like Ewa Villages, Ewa Gentry, Hoakalei, plus the original town of Ewa Beach itself, provide a variety of home structures, spaces and surroundings that Kapolei’s real estate cannot equal.

THE WORKWEEK FACTOR FOR 2nd CITY RESIDENTS
Lastly, it is important to address one factor that is on the minds of everyone considering a move to or within the 2nd City: Commuting. It’s yet another point where the two towns take a counter-intuitive turn.

For most residents on the Ewa Plain, the majority of their days will include a commute eastward and an equal trip home once quitting time comes. Friends and neighbors across Ewa love trading stories of the latest highway crawl they’ve experienced, commiserating like war comrades who’ve seen too many battles.

What isn’t common knowledge is the fact that many Kapolei home owners have a faster journey each way than their Ewa Beach counterparts, despite being further west. Another glance at a map and it’s easy to see why.

H1’s path skirts right along the top of Kapolei, but then bends into a 45 degree run northward from there, taking it it further and further away from Ewa Beach’s mauka borders.

So, despite being nearer to Honolulu as the crow flies, the journey to the highway’s entrance is longer in most cases.

HOMES & LIFESTYLES IN EWA BEACH & KAPOLEI – THERE ARE CHOICES TO MAKE
As you can see, the choice between the two has deeper considerations than is commonly believed. While there is a 2nd City, more or less, now in place, it’s not a homogenous, cookie-cutter kind of place at all. Like any other city, there are the differences that make one neighborhood in it the better, or even best, selection for you.

From here it’s a matter of transitioning from that birds-eye view we’ve provided to a closer examination that will bring out the details, which will guide you on your real estate journey. As you get to know the 2nd City better, we can promise you that the journey will be a rich and rewarding one.

The post Living in Kapolei vs Ewa Beach appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

Kailua is a special place. This beach town on the Windward side of Oahu was largely unknown 15 years ago, but the secret’s out now. Lanikai Beach, the Pillbox hike, President Obama’s family vacations while he was in office, the list of reasons Kailua is on the map go on and on. Spend an hour here and you’ll notice there’s something different. It’s not just one thing, it’s a number of tangible elements that create the intangible quality that’s unique to Kailua. Here, we’ve laid out the top 10 things that set Kailua apart.

Beaches

Kailua Beach Park

Kailua is home to some seriously beautiful beaches. Kailua Beach and Lanikai feature fine white sand, clear blue water, and amazing views in every direction. Kailua Beach stretches about 1.5 miles along Kailua Bay. Kailua Beach Park has 2 entrances and is outfitted with parking areas, restrooms, showers, and lifeguards on duty. Kayakers head into Kailua Bay here, as do surfers, paddleboarders, and kite surfers. There’s a swimming area marked by buoys where boats and boards are restricted, and plenty of fun to be had in the shore break up and down the beach.

Lanikai Beach

Lanikai is a smaller stretch of beach just south of Kailua Beach Park. The water is calm year round, so it’s a great place for children, and the water is exceptionally crystal clear. Lanikai is great for swimming, snorkeling, or setting up an umbrella, cooler and spending day. Look out at the Mokulua Islands straight in front of you or the Koolau Mountains stretching in either direction behind you. Lanikai is a residential neighborhood; a one way road is the only way in and out. There are no showers, restrooms, parking lots or lifeguards. Parking is on the street and can be especially hard to find on the weekends. Biking or walking can save time and headaches. Once you make it to the beach though, you’ll understand why it’s so popular.

Watersports
With such beautiful beaches, it’s no surprise that getting in the water is part of the Kailua lifestyle. There’s literally something for everyone, no matter your age or level of fitness. This part of the island is called the Windward Side for a reason. Kailua Bay is known around the world by kitesurfers because of the tradewinds that blow year round. The lack of shallow reefs makes the bay a safe place to learn and, when the winds are really blowing, the more experienced kiters come out in force. For traditional surfers, there are a number of breaks off of Kailua and Lanikai. On calmer days, taking a kayak or stand up paddleboard (SUP) out to Flat Island or the Mokulua Islands is a popular activity. You can rent boards, kayaks and take lessons at shops including Hawaiian Watersports, Kailua Beach Adventures and Kimo’s Surf Hut.

Canoeing at Kailua Beach Park

Outrigger Paddling is also a highly competitive sport in Kailua. The Lanikai and Kalua Canoe Clubs have teams for every age, from young kids to seniors, at novice to advanced levels. Be warned though: joining a team is not a minor side activity, it’s intense and competitive, but it’s a great way to meet people and both clubsi are among the top teams in the state year after year.

Shopping Local

Lanikai Bath & Body

Kailua is full of locally owned boutiques offering art, clothing, lotions, beauty products, jewelry and gift items that are island-inspired and made in Hawaii, some made right here in Kailua! Fighting Eel, Noa Noa, Global Village, Lanikai Bath & Body, Kailua General Store, Island Treasures Art Gallery and Windward Jewelers are just some of the shops you can explore if you want something with a local touch.

Kailua General Store

Farmers Markets
Speaking of shopping local, Kailua’s 3 weekly farmers markets give residents and visitors a chance to buy produce from local farms, support vendors selling things like local honey, kombucha, salsa, jellies, juices and cheese, and enjoy a variety of ready to eat food including burgers, crepes, waffles, sushi, and vegan dishes.

The farmers markets are put on by different and organizations and each offers something different.
Thursday: 9:00am – noon, Kailua Recreation Center parking lot
Thursday: 5:00 – 7:30pm, Long’s Drugs parking lot
Sunday: 9:00am-noon, Kailua Elementary School
The Thursday evening and Sunday morning markets are the busiest, offer the most selection, as well as entertainment. They are popular community events and should be experienced at least once!

Sunrise

Sunrise in Kailua

Each morning the sun rises over Kailua Bay and, while it’s always different, it’s always spectacular. If you’re lucky enough to have a home fronting the beach, you can enjoy the sunrise every morning from the privacy of your home. If not, take an early morning walk or run on the beach, hike up to the Pillboxes, or paddle out on a kayak, surfboard or SUP. The natural beauty will energize and inspire your morning!

Beach Living

Lanikai Homes

Kailua real estate includes some very desirable neighborhoods, including luxury Lanikai and Kailua Beachside. In a sense, Lanikai is it’s own beach community within Kalua. Beautiful, island style homes line the beach and the hillside on the inland side of the loop. Residents are friendly and get to know their neighbors; there are not many private, gated homes here. It’s also an active community, where you’ll see people running, walking, and biking the loop from sunup to sundown, paddling out on surfboards, SUPs, kayaks and outrigger canoes, or heading to the pillbox trail. It’s also home to Mid Pacific Country Club, which has a beautiful golf course, fitness center and other amenities.

Kailua Beachside

Kailua Beachside homes feel a bit more private and exclusive than homes in Lanikai. There are a number of lanes and loops off of N. Kalaheo Drive, so significantly fewer people walk, bike or drive past these homes. Residents are friendly, but each street feels like its own small neighborhood. Because Kailua Beach is larger than Lanikai, it’s much less crowded. This is a better choice for anyone looking for a quieter, more private area.

Maunawili

Other neighborhoods in Kailua offer homes that don’t come with the beachfront price tag. Maunawili, at the base of the Pali Highway has beautiful homes in what feels like a rainforest. It’s at the base of the Koolau Mountains, quiet and very peaceful. It’s about a mile outside of Kailua Town, which can be a positive or negative depending on what you’re looking for. The Enchanted Lake neighborhood, along Keolu Drive, is a popular family area filled with parks, an elementary school, and a shopping center. Many Enchanted Lake homes enjoy access to canals that lead to Kailua Bay. There are also a variety of condo complexes on Aoloa Street in Kailua Town. From high rise Windward Passage, to the more exclusive Windward Cove and Windward Harbor, to the treehouse-inspired Gardenia Manor, these condos can be great options for first time buyers, for singles, young couples, or parents whose children have “left the nest.”

Healthy Living is a Way of Life

Makai Bowls – Serves Excellent Acai Bowls

Kailua is home to people who are active, conscious about what they eat, where their food comes from, and put importance on the mind, body and soul. Stay fit at a variety of boutique gyms, yoga and pilates studios, or head outside to walk, run, hike, bike or get in the water. Find healthy food options at local spots offering fresh juices, smoothies and acai bowls, made to order salads, sandwiches and plates, or sit down for dinner at a number of restaurants using locally sourced ingredients in their menus.

Walk & Bike Everywhere
Kailua is incredibly pedestrian friendly. It’s one of the only places on island where you can bike or walk all over town. There are bike lanes, bike paths, and sidewalks from the Pali Highway into Lanikai. With Kailua’s increased popularity, traffic has increased as well, so in many cases, it’s quicker to bike to run errands or go to the beach, especially when you consider the time it can take to find parkingl. There are bike racks to lock your bike at every shopping center, places like Pedego and The Bike Shop, where you can rent a bike for the day, and pedestrian friendly crosswalks all over town.

Driving over the Pali.

Pali Lookout

Unless you work from home, work in Kailua, or are enjoying retirement, most Kailua residents head to Honolulu or elsewhere on the island for work. The Pali Highway runs straight into Kailua from downtown Honolulu, cutting through the Koolau Mountains and offering stunning views. Head out of Honolulu, make it through the tunnels, and you’re rewarded with a panoramic view of the lush mountains, Kaneohe, Kailua and their respective bays. If it’s rained, you’re likely to see waterfalls on your drive, and there are impressive views from the Pali Lookout and scenic viewpoints on the Kailua side of the tunnels where you can stop and take it all in. Even if there’s traffic, many residents say that they start to breathe easier because they’ve left Town behind them. (The H3, connecting the Windward Side to Central Oahu, is also a beautiful drive with impressive views of the mountains and Windward Oahu.)

Holiday Celebrations
Kailua’s small town feel is enhanced by events and celebrations that bring everyone together. On July 4th, an annual parade continues a decades-long tradition. Residents line the streets to enjoy the procession and cheer.. That evening, residents head to the beach, to the pillboxes, or to their rooftops if they’re lucky, to watch the annual fireworks show. This community funded extravaganza brings friends, family, and visitors together every year.
The annual Christmas tree lighting at Castle Hospital is another Kailua event that gets island-wide attention. At the beginning of December, residents gather to enjoy music, sing carols, and watch as the lights at Castle Hospital are turned on. The lighting brings the town together and is a great kick off t o the holiday season.

With about 15,000 homes and over 50,000 residents, Kailua is not exactly a small town. However, it’s managed to keep that small town feeling. Everything you need is here, from grocery stores, to shopping to home services to great restaurants. Unless you want to leave, you really don’t have to. With so many events, activities, and things to do, it’s easy to meet people and feel like you’re part of the community. It’s truly a beautiful place and residents take pride in maintaining that beauty. But the heart of the community is something you just don’t find everywhere. We’re not sure if the place makes the people or the people make the place, but we do know that Kailua has a very good thing going on!

The post The Top 10 Reasons to Love Kailua appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

Kaneohe is a beautiful blend of contrasts. City and country, mountain and ocean, past and present, it’s all here in the second largest town on Windward Oahu. Windward Mall is less than 2 miles away from a cultural landmark, the Byodo-in Temple. A lush botanical garden sits minutes from the town’s commercial center. It’s home to ancient Hawaiian fishponds and bustling Marine Corps Base Hawaii (MCBH),There’s something in Kaneohe that will appeal to everyone, and the town’s many different facets may make it an ideal place for you to find a home!

Here are the top 10 things that set Kaneohe apart, and why visitors and residents love this place.

Kaneohe Bay

Kaneohe Bay

Kaneohe Bay includes the water on the northern side of Kaneohe MCBH and that stretches along Kaneohe’s coastline. The water in most of the bay is calm, making it a popular area for boating, fishing, diving, kayaking and paddling. There are really no beach areas unless you have access to MCBH, but Kailua’s beaches are just a short drive away. Many waterfront properties along the bay sit directly on the water’s edge with small docks where residents tie personal watercraft or launch kayaks, outrigger canoes, surfboards and paddleboards. The bay is home to Coconut Island, now a marine biology research facility for the University of Hawaii, where parts of the tv show Gilligan’s Island were filmed. From the shoreline and especially from the water,  you’ll enjoy stunning views of the calm, blue water and the lush Koolau Mountains.

Kayakers in Kaneohe Bay

Kaneohe Bay Sandbar
The Sandbar is such a popular destination that it deserves its own mention. Located in the center of Kaneohe Bay about a mile from land, the naturally-formed sandbar is a picturesque place to spend an afternoon. You’ll need a boat or kayak to get there, making it feel exclusive (however on holiday weekends, it can get crowded).

Depending on the tide, the Sandbar is either completely exposed or covered by 2-3 feet of water. At low tides, the sand is exposed and it’s literally a beach in the middle of the bay, perfect for beach volleyball, sand soccer or touch football games, setting up beach chairs and soaking in the sun, or strolling from one end to the other. The area is surrounded by coral reefs so no matter what the tide, there’s great snorkeling, diving and fishing around the perimeter. Just be warned: the sun reflecting off the sand and water makes applying (and reapplying) sunscreen highly recommended!

Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden

Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden

These botanical gardens are located at the base of the Koolau Mountains and feature a number of picnic and camping areas spread throughout the preserve. Visitors will enjoy lush, green landscapes and a variety of tropical flowers and foliage, one of the closest views of the towering mountains you can find, calming quiet, and cooler temperatures especially in the evening and early morning. Visitors can drive or walk the rolling hills and learn about the plant species that inhabit the gardens at the information center near the entrance.

Byodo-in Temple

Byodo-In Temple

Built in the 1960s this is a scaled down replica of a 900 year old temple located near Kyoto, Japan that was constructed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. It’s not a religious site, but visitors should be respectful of their surroundings. Like other Kaneohe landmarks, the temple sits at the foothills of the Koolau Mountains surrounded by a lush, tropical rainforest. it’s home to beautiful Japanese gardens, koi ponds, and white peacocks. Located in the sacred Valley of the Temples, it’s hard to escape the feelings of reverence and serenity that emanate here. This is a convenient stop for anyone driving up to the North Shore from Honolulu along the Kamehameha Highway. The temple is open every day from 8:30am – 5:00pm and there’s a $4/person entry fee.

Climate & Vegetation

Lush Vegetation in Kaneohe

Kaneohe’s geographic location on Windward Oahu and at the base of the Koolau Mountains means that it gets a lot of rain and feels the cooling tradewinds year round. Due to the amount of rainfall the area receives, historically it was one of the island’s agricultural centers. While there is really no commercial farming in Kaneohe today, vegetation thrives in the lush landscape. Many yards are decorated  with tropical flowers, fruit like mangos, guava, limes and lilikoi growing on trees and vines, and gardens producing a variety of vegetables and herbs.

Shopping Options

Windward Mall

Kaneohe could be called the commercial center of Windward Oahu. There are a number of car dealerships and shopping centers along the Kahehameha Highway that runs through town. You’ll find grocery stores, drug stores, fitness centers, salons, a fabric store, a garden center, restaurants, medical offices, mailing centers – just about anything you could ever need for yourself, your family or your home is available in Kaneohe. Plus Kaneohe is home to Windward Mall, with a mix of local and big name stores and restaurants  including Macy’s, Sears, Bath & Body Works, Victoria’s Secret. Ruby Tuesday’s and Buffalo Wild Wings. It’s often referred to as ‘town hall’ because it’s such a community center, hosting holiday events, performance by schools, halau (hula schools), and musical groups. It’s home to a Satellite City Hall, movie theater, and a farmers market held on Wednesday and Sunday. There’s a children’s play area and a train will take you on a trip around the mall, which makes this a popular place for families with small kids!

Convenient Commuting

Pali Hwy Scenic Lookout

Getting to much of the island from Kaneohe is really easy. The Pali Highway runs right into downtown Honolulu, the Likelike runs into Kalihi, a neighborhood just west of downtown Honolulu, and the H3 connects the Windward side to central Oahu including Pearl City, Pearl Harbor Naval Base, and HIckam Air Force Base. All of these highways connect to the H1, which makes getting to Waikiki, Honolulu International Airport or West Oahu is just a matter of getting on the right highway. Kaneohe MCBH is right next door, and so is Kailua with popular beaches and shopping options that include Target and Whole Foods.

Golf

Pali Golf Course

If you’re a golfer, or if you want to become one, there are 3 courses located in Kaneohe, and nearby courses in the Windward area. The Koolau Golf Club is a private 18-hole course located underneath the Nuuanu Pali Lookout at the base of the Koolau Mountains. It’s a stunning, rainforest environment that offers magnificent views of the Koolau mountains. It’s been named “One of the Top 100 Places you can Play” by Golf Magazine, along with other accolades. The Pali Golf Course is a public course that’s also located in the Koolau foothills. It’s a challenging 18-hole course that offers beautiful views of the mountains and Kaneohe Bay. Bayview Golf Course, a private 18-hole course, is situated on Kaneohe Bay. It offers beautiful water views, but water features and narrow greens make the back 9 especially challenging. This course is known for being a great place to work on your short game. It also features a driving range, mini putt golf course, and a zipline.

Other nearby golf courses include Olomana Golf Club on the Kailua-Waimanalo border, the Kaneohe Klipper Course on Kaneohe MCBH, Mid Pacific Country Club in Lanikai, and the Royal Hawaiian Golf Club in the Maunawili area of Kailua.

He’eia State Park

Heeia State Park

This 18-acre park fronting Kaneohe Bay offers more than amazing views and natural beauty, it’s also historically and culturally significant to ancient Hawaii. The park is one of the best places in Kaneohe for the public to access Kaneohe Bay and its abundance coral reefs. There is a pier where motorized  boats can launch and from the shore, the calm waters make it easy to jump into a kayak, on a surfboard or paddleboard.

Culturally, Hawaiian tradition tells us that this is believed to be a “leaping point,” a place where the souls of the deceased left the earth to reunite with their ancestors. The ancient He’eia Fishpond is located right next to the park as well. Educational programs are offered to the public here to teach about the importance of this area in a historical, cultural and geographic sense. There is much for residents and visitors to learn and experience here.

Housing Options

Kaneohe Bay Homes

Real estate in Kaneohe offers the same amount of variety as you find in the town’s geography, landscape, and environment. People who want to live on Windward Oahu choose Kaneohe because prices are generally lower than you’ll find in neighboring Kailua, driving to Honolulu and many or the island’s military bases is convenient, and there’s a range of single family home, townhome and condo options to fit different budgets and lifestyles ,

The most desirable neighborhoods include Kaneohe Bay, Haiku and Temple Valley. Kaneohe Bay homes and townhomes stretch along the coast on Kaneohe Bay Drive and Lilipuna Road.  Kaneohe Bay is closer to Kailua (part of it is actually in Kailua) and MCBH. Homes in both areas offer amazing mountain and ocean views. Homes along Kaneohe Bay Drive are a little more spread out than Lilipuna homes. At the end of Lilipuna, behind the Safeway shopping center, are townhome communities like Poha Kea Point, Makani Kai Marina, and Kauhale Beach Cove, that offer ocean and mountain views as well as resort-style amenities like pools, tennis courts, fitness centers and  beautiful landscaping.

The Haiku area at the base of the mountains is known for being quiet, peaceful, and for its cooler, wetter weather. Conveniently, it’s also minutes from commercial centers along Kamehameha Highway. Homes are perched on the sloping hillside and many are enveloped by the green foliage that grows so abundantly here.

Temple Valley is quiet and peaceful like Haiku, but feels more country as it’s on the way out of town. Residents deal with a slightly longer drive and more traffic getting in and out at peak times, but if you’re looking for more space and more distance from urban areas, this could be the perfect option. Homes sit on larger pieces of land, are more spread out enjoy the rainfall and vegetation Kaneohe is known for. Condos in Temple Valley were designed to accent the landscape. Wooden buildings that are just 2-3 stories fit into this section of Kaneohe that is less developed, less commercialized than the rest of town.

Kaneohe is a gem on the Windward side. The mix of old Hawaii and modern living, urban development and country living, local families and new transplants to the island give Kaneohe a unique feel. The stunning beauty that’s here, from the ocean to the mountains to the undeveloped country is one of the first things people notice and it’s hard to forget!

The post The Top 10 Reasons to Love Kaneohe appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

Among all condos on Oahu, the condos that allow for short-term vacation rentals – often referred to as condo hotels – are very popular. For an out-of-state or overseas owner, a condo hotel allows the owner to utilize while vacationing in Hawaii and otherwise rent out to other vacationers to maximize revenue.

Oahu has three resort neighborhoods – Ko Olina, Turtle Bay and Waikiki – and some of the condos in these neighborhoods – not all – are zoned Resort Hotel, which allows owners to run a short-term vacation rental business, assuming the condo association has not amended their rental rules.

In the following we will review the only Ko Olina condo that is allows short-term rentals, the only Turtle Bay condo that allows short-term rentals and three – out of the many – condos in Waikiki that allow for short-term vacation rentals.

Ko Olina Beach Villas

Ko Olina Beach Villas

Location
Honolulu is energetic and exciting, but it sometimes leaves you forgetting you’re in Hawaii. It’s noisy, cramped, and there’s concrete everywhere you look. But if you go west, on the far side of Pearl Harbor, you soon find you can stretch out a little more and truly enjoy ocean and mountain views. For many, Ko Olina is the ideal Hawaii: oceanside living, white sand beach, championship golf course mauka (inland) of the condo, and Disney’s Aulani is your neighbor. It’s the Hawaii that feels like getting away from it all.

4-day-minimum length of short-term stay
Though the law allows for a one day minimum length of stay for locations zoned as Resort Hotel, the Ko Olina Beach Villas’ house rules increase that minimum length of stay to four days. This may not seem like much of a deal breaker, but it’s important to keep in mind when narrowing in on your purchase. It should be noted that the Beach Villas is the only property in the area that can be legally rented out as a short-term rental.

Amenities
With a 2007 build date, the Ko Olina Beach Villas complex is fairly new and fitted with many attractive features and amenities. They include a heated pool, keiki (kids) pool, whirlpool, recreation area, grilling area, exercise room, conference room and a walking and jogging path. The property sits up against Honu Lagoon, which enjoys a white sand beach and calm blue waters.

Unit Size
Ko Olina Beach Villas really shines when it comes to unit size. Across two and three-bedroom offerings are many different layouts that include lanai space. Two-bedroom condos range from about 1,170 to 1,300 sq ft indoors, with an additional 178 to 480 sq ft of lanai space. Three-bedroom condos range from about 1,470 sq ft to 1,650 sq. ft. indoors, with a lanai space of about 200 to 260 sq ft. Ground-floor units enjoy a small yard! Additionally, each unit’s kitchen has been designed by Chef Roy Yamaguchi, and includes double door dishwashers, Sub-Zero refrigerators, wine fridges and many more touches of refinery.

Ocean Villas at Turtle Bay

Ocean Villas at Turtle Bay

Location
The Ocean Villas at Turtle Bay is located in a resort neighborhood called Kuilima, located about an hour’s drive outside of Honolulu on Oahu’s world renowned North Shore. There’s a lot to like about the Ocean Villas’ remote, resort location. However, it’s important to remember that each winter crowds from around the world turn up to watch and take part in some of the biggest competitions the sport of surfing has to offer. During the other seasons, Turtle Bay is the perfect base to explore the surf town Haleiwa and some of the finest beaches on the Island, including Waimea Bay and Pipeline.

1-day-minimum length of short-term stay
Unlike the Ko Olina Beach Villas, the Ocean Villas at Turtle Bay have not amended their house rules to increase the minimum length of stay for short-term renters. Guests are allowed 1-day-minimum stays.

Amenities
With a build date of 2005, the Ocean Villas have many complex amenities to keep you, or your guests, comfortable. They include a pool, hot tub, BBQ area, recreation area and security. And, of course, the beach options, whether just outside your front door or down the road, are plentiful.

Unit Size
The Ocean Villas don’t disappoint when it comes to unit selection. Property seekers can choose between studio, one-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom accommodations, with studio and one-bedrooms measuring about 670 sq ft, three-bedroom units of about 1,410 or 1,530 sq ft and four-bedroom units with about 2,200 sq ft to 2,390 sf ft.

Waikiki

Trump Tower & Waikiki Shore

Location
Easily the most famous of the three resort neighborhoods on Oahu, Waikiki’s reputation precedes itself the world over. For decades, the tourist mecca on the Island’s southeastern shore has been the standard by which other beach destinations have followed. Within a 1.5-mile stretch, residents and visitors have available to them some of the best in dining, shopping, entertainment and outdoor activities the Islands have to offer. From Waikiki, the rest of metro Honolulu is easily explored by foot, bike, bus or car. Property seekers should understand that Waikiki is different from Ko Olina and Turtle Bay in that there are close to 30 different condo complexes that allow for short-term vacation rentals.

Because there are far more offerings for short-term rental properties in Waikiki, it’s best to read through our guide to Waikiki condotels to orient yourself. We have included three uniquely different complexes, which gives you a sense of the variety of Waikiki’s short-term rental condos.

Ilikai Apartment
One of the more famous buildings in Waikiki, the Ilikai is often recognized from the opening sequence of the original “Hawaii 5-0” series, in a scene showing Jack Lord standing on its penthouse lanai. The 1965-built condo received a massive renovation in 2014, and is fitted with amenities, such as two pools, gym, restaurant, valet, meeting rooms and security. Properties are available in a one-bedroom, 500 sq. ft. interior, 120 sq. ft. lanai floor plan, a two-bedroom, two-bath, 1000 sq. ft. interior and two 120 sq. ft. lanai floor plan, and a two-bedroom, two-bath, 1000 sq. ft. interior and single 240 sq. ft. lanai. There are also two and three-bedroom penthouse units with high ceilings and 2378 sq. ft. of interior space. Property seekers have been attracted to the Ilikai’s location and its historically strong return on investment.

Waikiki Shore

Waikiki Shore Entry to Beach

The 1960-built Waikiki Shore has lots going for it, but it’s location in Waikiki takes the cake. The condo is next door to the 72-acre Fort Derussy Beach Park and it’s the only beachside condo in all of Waikiki. That means the property owners are literally a few steps from the sand, and a few more from the ocean. Waikiki Shore has a resident manager and security, but otherwise doesn’t have any noteworthy amenities. Units range from studios – about 350 sq ft – to one-bedroom – about 500 sq ft to 700 sq ft – to two-bedrooms with about 900 sq ft to 1,200 sq ft. Historically cash flow hasn’t been great for many units, though positive.

Trump Tower
For property seekers who aren’t cash flow conscious and who are looking to make a luxury lifestyle purchase, Waikiki’s Trump Tower ticks most of the boxes. The complex, which was built in 2009, also operates as a five-star hotel. Amenities include a pool, spa, gym and business center and is located right behind Waikiki Shore. Units are available in studio through three-bedroom floor plans, most units ranging from about 400 sq ft to a little over 2,000 sq ft.

A Final Thought
With the rise of online vacation rental booking platforms, such as AirBnB and VRBO, the Resort Hotel classification is expected to keep owners safe from possible scrutinization imposed by our local government on short-term vacation rental properties.

Also, given the increasing demand for privately own short-term rental properties, there are early stage plans to develop a number of new condo hotels in Waikiki, Ko Olina and Ala Moana areas. It will be very interesting to follow these developments and see what projects may materialize.

The post Where to Buy Short-term Vacation Rental Condos on Oahu appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

Waikiki Condo Remodel Journal – Ilikai #327

The Ilikai is my favorite Waikiki condotel because of the direct beach access, impressive ocean views and its luxurious resort feel. My goal is to complete this Ilikai #327 remodel project in three weeks and be rent-ready by mid February. You can compare with my 2017 comprehensive Ilikai #712 remodel journal here. The Ilikai #327 unit has been a solid vacation rental with steady bookings. Just a few minor changes are needed to improve the visitor experience and increase cash flow. This unit was last remodeled in 2003 as part of a large renovation project that involved many Ilikai units. You may recognize the signature Ilikai kitchen design with granite bar-countertop, 12” x 12” granite floor tile, tropical green carpet, sand color wall paper, and crown molding.

I will be upgrading the following components to improve functionality, durability, energy efficiency, and ambience for maximum visitor enjoyment:
1) Replace the existing carpet with 12” x 24” porcelain tile. Extend the same tile out on the lanai.
2) Move the curtain track ~5” closer to the lanai sliding glass door. Install a new curtain track below the soffit at the lanai sliding glass door. This will give my an additional ~5 inches clearance, enough to install two Queen beds.
3) Repurpose the existing curtain valance with crown molding into a narrow soffit with 3” dimmable LED recessed spotlights.
4) Reframe the wall behind the bed to be flush with the left concrete pillar. This requires the crown molding to be modified as well.
5) Remove the protruding drywall corner to the right of the bed and install a new narrow closet instead.
6) Remove the AC plastic conduit and install a drywall column instead. This will hide the AC chiller lines for a cleaner look.
7) Remove the existing old window tint.
8) Install a new ceiling fan.
9) Replace the existing King bed with two Queen beds.
10) Paint the entire unit.
11) Install new black-out curtains.
12) Install a larger wall mounted flat screen TV with all wiring running behind the wall.
13) Replace the existing appliances.

These changes represent a partial remodel. The kitchen and bathroom will remain the same, other than wall touch-up and new paint. It was a difficult decision on when to suspend rental bookings and schedule the work. There really is no good time to not have it rented. But the faster the upgrades are completed the sooner the unit could generate increased revenue. Time is money. Let’s get started.

1/8/2018 – Week #1:

This is the first time I get to see the unit since it has been booked solid up until now:

Ilikai 327 remodel – living room – before

Ilikai 327 remodel – living room – before

I took measurements and assessed what needs to be done including what materials I need. Immediately, I ordered the following materials to be ready and avoid construction delays:
From Lowes: 450 sqft porcelain tile 12” x 24”, with expected delivery date Friday 1/19/2018.
From Slumber World: 2x Queen Uptown headboards. Ready for p/u after 1/16/2018.
From Amazon:
– 2x Olee Sleep 14 Inch T-3000 Heavy Duty Steel – Queen Bed Frames 14BF04Q (QUEEN)
– 2x Signature Sleep Memoir 12 Inch Memory Foam Mattress with CertiPUR-US certified foam, Queen
– SGL 3 Inch LED Recessed Lighting Kit, IC Rated, 6x GU10 Dimmable 6w LED Bulbs Included, 2700K Warm White,Swivel, 6-Pack
– 10 Pack Bioluz LED GU10 LED Bulbs 50W Halogen Equivalent Dimmable 6.5w 3000K 120v UL Listed (Pack of 10)
– ECHOGEAR Low Profile Fixed TV Wall Mount Bracket for most 32-80 inch TVs – Holds TV 1.25″ from wall
– 2x Datacomm 45-0031-WH Recessed Low Voltage Media Plate with Duplex Receptacle, White
I did not order appliances yet.

During the first week I also executed the contractor proposal. We are waiting for the Ilikai AOAO approval.

1/15/2018 – Week #2:

Monday was a holiday. We received AOAO approval on Tuesday and the demo work began. The contractor removed all carpets, curtain rods and the AC conduit.

Ilikai 327 livingroom demo

Ilikai 327 bedroom demo

I picked up three roles of Latecrete 170 sound & crack insulation floor underlayment with four bags of thinset mortar from Daltile. Friday 1/19/18 Lowes delivered 225 porcelain tiles to the Ilikai loading dock. I rolled them up to the unit and stacked them on the lanai for now. I started removing the old tint from the lanai sliding glass door. This is a tedious job that took hours.

Next: ceiling fan installation. To be continued..

Check back next week for more.

We love to hear from you. Reciprocate Aloha!  Like, share and comment below. ~ Mahalo & Aloha

The post Waikiki Condo Remodel Journal – Ilikai #327 appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

A good friend of mine, the late Barry Lefkowitch, was a brilliant marketer and on a day in June 2013 while Barry, our wives and I were having one of our many great evenings together, I asked him to help out with some name ideas for my soon to launch real estate brokerage.

I recall having a hard time getting his focus and I told him “Barry, come on, can you focus for a few minutes and get me some ideas.” Barry would have his head spinning for a few minutes and then he said “Honolulu HI 5”. I went “what?”. Barry went on “Honolulu HI 5. ‘HI’ is our state, ‘HI 5’ like a ‘high five’ and the ‘I’ in ‘HI’ is your high-rise condo in Honolulu, which will be your business focus.” I loved it, discussed it with George – my to be Principal Broker – and he was excited too and that was the beginning of Honolulu HI 5.

Within a short period of time, Honolulu HI 5 became a well known name for Oahu real estate, but the name didn’t quite have the impact we had hoped for. For instance:
1) The “HI 5” play on words didn’t resonate and ‘click’ the way we had hoped. Once we explained our intentions people would ‘get it’ and smile, but that didn’t do a whole lot for our branding.
2) There is a rental agency using “Hawaii” and the number “5” in their name and that added some confusion with people thinking we were related, others thinking we were “Hawaii HI 5” or simply “HI 5”.
3) We don’t sell real estate in Honolulu only, but across Oahu, and using the name “Honolulu” didn’t do a whole lot for our branding outside the city of Honolulu.
4) HI-5 is a large recycle company in Hawaii and the similarity in name wasn’t ideal.

I would on and off think about possibly rebranding with a new company name, but struggled to come up with a name that I really believed would be so much better for our business. That was, until a summer day year 2017, I thought of Hawaii Living – not Hawaii Living Real Estate or anything more elaborate, but just Hawaii Living.

I rushed to GoDaddy (website where one can purchase domains) and ran a search for hawaiiliving.com. To my great surprise the domain was listed for sale. It was, however, a premium domain – domain owned by someone else – and it wasn’t cheap. Continuing my search, I jumped to DCCA’a Business Registration Division website and ran a search for “Hawaii Living” and both the trade name and the entity name were available.

Some company listed in a category of “Broadcast / Print Media” held the rights to the “Hawaii Living” trade name several years ago, but it had expired year 2009. Since then Hawaii Living had just been sitting there untouched – I couldn’t believe it!

I reached out to George to discuss the possible new name idea and he was clearly as excited as I, but in conclusion he felt it was too much money to acquire the domain and suggested I hold off.

I did hold off, but only for 1 day! Hawaii Living felt so right to me, I couldn’t think of a better name for our real estate brokerage and my gut instinct told me I should go for it. I gave Michelle a call and she was super excited about this possible name change.

Without further contemplation I purchased the domain, hawaiiliving.com, applied for the trade name, Hawaii Living, and the entity name change – from Honolulu HI 5 LLC to Hawaii Living LLC. Applications went through and late September 2017 we moved our website from honoluluhi5.com to hawaiiliving.com and started operating as Hawaii Living.

New Design
Just like I had thought about rebranding under a different company name for a while, I also felt, for quite some time, our website could use a new lighter look with content organized in a more meaningful way for our users.

It was about offering a cleaner site that was visually more engaging, doing a better job highlighting what users are looking for and uncluttering various sections of the site. For instance, now we show more statistics in graphs (as opposed to writing about stats), cut out statistics that we weren’t very relevant for most users, highlight more MLS thumbs higher on the page for PC users, show multiple photos at a time on each property page for PC users, reorganize how information on each property page is displayed and more.

Here are a few Before and After Photos

Old Homepage Design – Upper Part

New Homepage Design – Upper Part

Old Homepage Design – Middle Part

New Homepage Design – Middle Part

Old Homepage Design – Lower Part

New Homepage Design – Lower Part

Old Search Result Page Design

New Search Result Page Design

Old Property Page Design

New Property Page Design

The new web design launched January 26, 2018.

New Logo
Everyone on the Hawaii Living team wanted us to have a logo that was memorable and had a ‘whow’ factor – something different and unique. I decided to launch a logo competition project on designcrowd, since that was a great way for us to get a variety of ideas and figure out what we really wanted.

Logo designs were pouring in and within 10 days we had over 300 different logo submissions from more than 100 different designers. I shared the ideas with the team and I was personally a bit confused looking at all these options, though George was very quick and clear that the H bubble logo was the winner. I digested it and I could see George was right. There was something magical about the logo. I pulled the trigger – late September 2017 – and the bubble H became our logo.
PS! The awesome logo designer, behind of new logo, is from Sri Lanka. On DesignCrowd he goes by name SL Designer. You can find him right here.

That’s our rebranding story in brief. It has been a lot of work, but I am pleased with the outcome and hope you, our site user, appreciate some of the changes.

What do you think? I would love to hear from you in the comments section below. It is always valuable to hear a perspective from the outside!

The post Honolulu HI 5 Became Hawaii Living With New Design and Logo – Why? appeared first on Hawaii Living Blog.

Surf, sand and sunscreen are great, but sometimes getting off the beaten path (or beach) can provide a bit more tranquility and privacy. Consider taking the high road. Look up when you are searching for that special piece of real estate in Kailua. Perhaps you’ll find the perfect home for sale – the one you’ve been looking for with ocean or mountain views, on a quiet street, nice neighbors and conveniently located. Perfect homes come in a variety of styles and price ranges and are located in three unique hillside neighborhoods in Kailua.

Lanikai Hillside
It was in the 1920s when Lanikai’s hillside became a point of distinction and the Powlison family built on top of Alala Ridge. The most magical and historic home in Lanikai, Hilltop House, juts out at the entrance to this neighborhood. The rocks of the Alala Ridge are crafted into and integrated into this landmark home, still owned and occupied by members of the family.

Hilltop House

The family might have been one of the first but certainly not the last to have the insight and architectural vision to move back from the surf and sand and take in the views by perching themselves in a dwelling that rises to new heights.

Today, many of the single-family homes in Lanikai are hillside and do seem to nestle against the rock mountain. However, other than the Hilltop House, most use the environment in more conventional, albeit, high-end architectural designs. Architects, landscapers and homeowners have adapted their hillside homes, in some cases, by placing the backyard in the front yard due to the sloping terrain. It is not uncommon to find the swimming pool in the front yard, landscaped tastefully for privacy as well as to maintain that spectacular view.

Kaohao School

Family-oriented and welcoming, Lanikai residents lead an active lifestyle. All ages bike and run the loop, hike the pillbox above their neighborhood and swim and play at the beach. Most importantly too, for families with young children, Lanikai is zoned with a top-rated elementary school, Kaohao, a Public Charter School (formerly Lanikai Elementary School).  This school is often requested as a district exemption for families wishing their children to attend, but first priority goes to Lanikai residents.

Poopoo Place

Lanikai hillside features a variety of homes from multimillion dollar estates, both established and newly constructed, to modest smaller single-family homes with a wide range of real estate between the two ends. There are three main streets running off of Aalapapa Drive (the back side of the loop that runs through Lanikai) that offer hillside homes: Poopoo, Lanipo, and Koohoo.

Lanipo Drive

There is an even more exclusive area at the end of Mokulua Drive (the other half of the Lanikai Loop) where a private road leads up to two ultra-luxurious estates. One of these mansions sold for $6.1 million and the other sold for the highest ever, non-oceanfront recorded property in Kailua at $13.8 million. Price ranges vary for other homes on the hillside and mauka side of Aalapapa. Most recently a home on Aalapapa listed at $1.775 million and on Koohoo at almost $5.4 million. Homes rarely go on sale in this area and those that do and are listed below $2M do move quickly. Presently there are only three active listings on the entire hillside in Lanikai.

Joining the Lanikai community is a dream for many and the bonus to being on the hillside in Lanikai is maintaining a level of privacy away from the well sought-after beach and roads. The beach and loop are conveniently located for all residents, but also are a draw for the rest of Hawaii and tourists. Living on the hillside then provides a respite from noise, traffic and people – both tourists and locals alike.  

Hillcrest – Enchanted Lake (Kailua)

Auwaiku Street in Enchanted Lake

If you can’t find the home of your dreams in Lanikai, consider Hillcrest, a hillside neighborhood in the Enchanted Lake area of Kailua, with upscale single-family homes that often have magnificent panoramic views of the Koolau Mountains, Kailua town and Kailua Bay.

Homes in Enchanted Lake and Keolu Hills neighborhoods first began around 1960 followed by Kailua Heights also on the hillside. However, as you travel further up and reach the pinnacle of this area, homes become newer and some are modern architectural wonders, featuring elaborate amenities.  

Look for the cobalt blue rooftop of the magnificent estate that stands out on the hillside, a marker of this neighborhood, so you’ll know where you’re going.  

Hillcrest

Like the hillside in Lanikai, Hillcrest is removed from the main road that runs around the Enchanted Lake and is one of the main roads in and out of Kailua. Keolu Loop connects easily though with Kalanianiole Highway (Route 72) and provides easy access to Castle Hospital and the Pali Highway. Keolu Drive is also a connection to shopping and downtown Kailua.  Enchanted Lake, although part of Kailua, has its own shopping center, Enchanted Lake Center. The shopping center is complete with a supermarket, a family-owned and newly remodeled movie theater, restaurants and other convenience stores including a Starbucks to get you going.

A municipal park and skate park are big draws for this family-oriented community and Hillcrest is zoned for Enchanted Lake Elementary School in the top 20% of Hawaii’s elementary schools. The beach and the center of Kailua town are just a few minutes away by car.  

A few of the streets in Hillcrest that offer the privacy yet convenience of Kailua and the surrounding beaches, plus easy access to Honolulu are Aupupu and Aunauna Streets. Both are cul de sacs and provide panoramic views of all of Kailua and Kailua Bay. Currently there are only four active listings on the market in the Hillcrest neighborhood with an average list price of just under 1.3 million dollars.

Kalaheo Hillside
Similar real-estate prices with an average selling price of $1.423 million and an average of 46 days on the market is what you’ll find on Kalaheo Hillside – although homes for sale in this upscale neighborhood are often hard to find. Popular with officers and other members of the military, Kalaheo Hillside is on the opposite side of Kailua from Lanikai, just a five-minute drive to either the front or back gates of the U.S. Marine Corps base at Kaneohe. Kalaheo Hillside homes are also an easy 10-minute walk to the nearest public beach access off N. Kalaheo Avenue, Kailua.  

Ilimano Street

What makes this hillside neighborhood unique are the primarily large (7500 to 10,000 square foot) flat lots, an unusual find on Oahu. In 1959 and 1960, famous architect Vladimir Ossipoff designed several versions of 3-bedroom, 2-bath homes that were built on Ilimano and Iliaina Streets. His first and possibly only residential development, the houses, many renovated, enlarged and upgraded over the years, were each designed to take advantage of our lovely trade breezes. Just open the windows in the direction of the trades and nature’s air conditioning takes over. Many of these homes have ocean views – the higher up the hillside, the better the view.

A number of years later, it was discovered that, when Kalaheo Hillside was built on this extinct volcano, the fill used to build the neighborhood was not appropriate as it has a tendency to expand and contract causing shifts in foundations. The problem was corrected as much as possible although it is something to be aware of when buying real estate in this area.

This is a very peaceful, quiet neighborhood where kids safely ride bikes and skateboards and play in the middle of the streets as residents walk dogs and jog for exercise. The only through street is Iliaina Street. Follow it to its end just after it crosses Ilihau Street and you’ll come to the hiking trail to the bunker at the top of the hillside. The bunker has a picture of a beautiful woman painted on top – although it is fading now. The view from the bunker is spectacular taking in several fish ponds, Kaneohe and Kailua Bays and the Pacific Ocean.  

Kalaheo Hillside starts at Kalaheo High School and runs between Mokapu Blvd. and Kaneohe Bay Drive and N. Kalaheo Avenue. A majority of the houses are an easy half-mile walk to one of the best elementary schools on Oahu (Aikahi Elementary) and the Aikahi Park Shopping Center on Kaneohe Bay Drive with a supermarket, several restaurants, and services such as a hair and nail salon, a wine and liquor store, a dentist, car repair shop, service station, etc. On the opposite corner is one of Oahu’s popular fresh seafood restaurants, Nico’s.  

About one mile from Kalama Beach Park and two miles from Kailua Beach Park and downtown Kailua, Kalaheo Hillside is just a hop, skip and a jump to the H-3 which will quickly get you to Kam Hwy in Kaneohe, Daniel K Inouye International airport, Pearl Harbor and the leeward side of Oahu.  

When you are looking for that luxury home in Kailua, if you take the high road, you are sure to find your paradise. Come move on up and in. You might be high above it all, but you’ll still be a welcome part of Kailua.

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