Aloha, this is David Buck with Harcourts Island Real Estate and today I'm going to show you the latest listing that I have at 2608 Halekoa Drive at the top of Waialae Nui Ridge. This home is a beauty and a must see. This is the first time it's been on the market in 50 years. This is the epitome of pride of ownership and let me take you through this place.

Exterior Curb Appeal

Curb Appeal

Here we are at the street on Halekoa Drive, which wraps around like a circle (at the top of the hill). You have a newer glass garage door on the front. This home has been remodeled twice during the course of ownership. There's a lemon tree in the front that was grafted and brought here from Greece. They're incredible lemons.

View Toward Black Point and Diamond Head

As you come up the front stairs, you've got this terrace off the side here. You've got a great sitting area with views toward Diamond Head and Black Point. From here, the yard wraps around and you've got another sitting area here. What I love about this ridge is all the utilities are buried under ground. You don't see overhead power lines. 

Entry

As you enter the front door, you'll immediately notice the central air conditioning and take note of the high vaulted ceilings. It's a split level entrance. The main level, which we're going to hit first is going to be up the set of stairs on the left.  

Great Room and Outdoor Lanai

Great Room

Lanai

As you come into the great room, you'll really appreciate these high ceilings. Off to the left, you've got this lanai that's covered and it's a perfect place to sip your morning coffee and take advantage of these views. As we come back into the main living area, you really appreciate the attention to detail here. All of these windows here have plantation shutters. Then, all of these lower shutters here are all custom made. There's an Australian contractor based here in Hawaii and is his showroom, the story my client told me is they blasted these things with a hose and no water came through. They're air tight. They've got gaskets on them, so when you're running the central air, it's very energy efficient. What we love about this place is the attention to detail with the lighting, the artwork and how soft the lighting is on the natural wood and the transom lighting we have throughout. Once again, you won't see any wires anywhere. Then, you have a formal dining area here off the left. 

Gourmet Kitchen

Gourmet Kitchen

You have an open bar concept here with granite countertops. As we go into the gourmet kitchen, you do have gas cooking. There's a propane tank out back. Then, you've got a downdraft vent that pops up out of the island here. You'll notice the nice area out the back when you're doing your dishes. Then, you've got stainless steel appliances and tons of storage all throughout. Then, you have a breakfast table if you don't want to sit at the formal dining here. You've got a built in workspace here and you've got another home office I'll show you later. Once again, pay attention to all the detail here with the built in cabinets and plantation shutters. There's no detail that's gone unnoticed. You've also got a pantry with some nice storage.

Guest Bathroom

Guest Bathroom

This is like nothing I've ever seen here in Honolulu. The attention to detail is incredible. You've got Heath tile imported from Sausalito, tile imported from Spain here on the left, Greek marble on the countertops. These are all Studio Becker cabinets and we've got high end Kohler toilets and natural lighting in the bathroom with a skylight here. The attention to detail is incredible for this Waialae Nui Ridge home. 

Primary Suite

Platform Bed

Closet Built Ins

As you enter the primary suite, you'll notice this platform bed. It's a great use of space. Take a look at these high ceilings. Like I said, this is all central air and all the closets in here have built-ins, which is just incredible for those of you that want to have your wardrobe organized to its finest. 

Primary Bathroom

As we step around into the primary bathroom here, you have a flatscreen tv on the wall, limestone flooring, frosted glass partitions and once again you've got the Greek countertops, Studio Becker cabinets and once again Heath tile and a skylight for natural lighting. This is unlike anything else I've seen here in a long time.

Bedroom #2

This bedroom here has got a nice view on the ocean off Kahala. Then, all of these closets are going to have built in storage. Once again, there's central air conditioning. 

Bedroom #3

You'll notice more of the plantation shutters and another ocean view. This closet also features built ins.

Craftsmanship and Finishes

Front Door

As we walk back down to the front door, please take notice of the hardwoods and high end features throughout the home.  What I forgot to point out are the door handles, which you'll see throughout the home. They are Valli door handles imported from Italy. Not only are they hard to come by, they are a fortune. If you could feel how solid these are, you'd really appreciate the craftsmanship in this house. There's also oak hardwood flooring throughout.

Downstairs Entertainment Room

Downstairs Room w/ High Ceilings

What I love about the downstairs is you still have really high ceilings. It's probably 9' or more. I haven't measured it, but that's what I love. You've got 2 levels and on both levels you have really high ceilings. You've got great storage underneath the stairs that wrap around.

TV Room with Split AC

This is where my clients do their entertainment and watching the "tele" or television as we call it. Once again, you'll notice the plantation shutters. Although upstairs was all central air conditioning, we've got a split system downstairs. Once again, keep in mind, upstairs we've got 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms.

Downstairs Half Bathroom

Here we've got a half bathroom with Valli door handles from Italy. You'll really appreciate how solid they are. Here we've got a half bathroom with Valli door handles from Italy. You'll really appreciate how solid they are. 

Downstairs Office & Laundry

Office and Laundry Area

We've got another home office in addition to the one off the kitchen. Once again, you won't see wires throughout. Everything is really highly thought out of. Even the computers and printers are all tucked away and pull out on drawers. The attention to detail is an understatement here. Once again, you have granite countertops and the washer/dryer and laundry sink. You've also got a solar hot water heater, which really helps save on the electricity bill. Then, you've got access to the garage.

Garage

Garage and Storage

You've got access to the garage here, taking another look at the high end garage door. You've got tons of storage up above and tons of storage cabinets on the side (recycled from the previous kitchen upstairs). You've also got a workshop and a solid self closing door to the interior.

Waialae Ridgeline Estates Association

Before we wrap up on this beautiful home I have listed at 2608 Halekoa Drive, is I want to shoot down the hill and point out the recreation center, which is one of the bonuses of living up here on Waialae Nui Ridge. As we drive down the hill and pull in the driveway, we're now at Waialae Ridgeline Estates, which is a community association on Waialae Nui Ridge for residents here at the top of the hill.

Ossipoff Designed Recreation Center

What I love about this recreation center is that it's got some of the coolest architecture on the island in that it's designed by Vladimir Ossipoff, who designed a number of the homes up here on the ridge. Not all of the homes, however there's been a lot of mid century modern style homes up here on Waialae Nui Ridge. There's a basketball hoop and you can reserve the interior space if you're one of the homeowners up here.

As we walk up the grass towards the front, you see a view of Koko Head out towards the east. There's also an incredible lawn with a view of Diamond Head out the back. 

Playground and Pools

As we walk around the back, there's a nice playground that's a bonus for the kids. There's a tetherball pole, jungle gym and a fun space ship. There's also a slide and a teeter totter. What I didn't mention earlier when we were at the home is it's literally 5 degrees cooler up here at this elevation than it is down at sea level. There's also beautiful pine trees that don't grow well down at sea level. You also have a full sized pool up above and a smaller (shallow) kid pool down below.

Summary

That's going to be a wrap of our tour of 2608 Halekoa Drive as well as a tour of Waialae Ridgeline Association. If you have questions about this listing that I have at the top of Waialae Nui Ridge, as well as any homes here on Waialae Nui Ridge, feel free to reach out and give us a shout at 808-371-3509. Mahalo!

Well, a question you might have today if you're in the real estate market is "Does a Seller have to pay a Buyer's Brokerage?" This is David Buck with Harcourts Island Real Estate and I've now been licensed since 2001. I'm dating myself with 24 years in the business. A lot has changed in our industry. Especially since August 17th of this year, 2024, with the National Association of Realtors class action settlement. 

Settlement Term - Mandatory Buyer's Representation Agreement

Part of that settlement is that us as Realtors, as of August 17th, we have to have a Buyer's Representation Agreement signed with a Buyer prior to showing property. Now, this has not been something that has been a standard of practice throughout our industry (in the past). Some agents have decided to do that. For myself, I always thought of a 2 way trust factor, so I didn't always make my clients sign one of these. However, I just want to tell you a first hand story. As recently as today, I had several showings set up for a buyer in Kakaako as well as Waikiki and we were going to see a handful of relatively newer condos. They were all good with signing it as of yesterday. Today, they wanted to cancel because they don't feel that this is right. Well, unfortunately, going forward, any Buyer that wants to see a property and wants to work with a Realtor needs to sign one of these Buyer Rep Agreements prior to looking at property. So, I just wanted to put that out there and those are the expectations going forward.

As we started this off, "Does a Seller have to pay a Buyer's Brokerage"? No. I think that's the fear that comes out when a buyer has to sign something and worrying about a seller not wanting to pay a buyer's broker. Well, it turns out, of all the listing or sellers agents that I called when I made the cancellations for the showings, every single one of them said their seller is willing to pay a buyer's brokerage. So, even though they don't have to, the standard of practice in our industry for over 100 years has been that the seller does pay the buyer's brokerage. So, they see value in that. That's why I feel like a lot of this will continue the way it has been. Now, as far as what's being offered by the seller, that is negotiable. It could be as low as zero to what they feel comfortable paying. Over the years, it's kind of been balanced out as to what works and doesn't work. Going forward, I just want to get that out there because I know there will probably be other buyers out there in the market as well as sellers asking do I have to pay a buyer's brokerage? My recommendation would be yes. In all of the listings I currently have for sale, they are offering that compensation because they realize that value.

Buyer's Agreements = Less Dual Agency & Liability

On the other side of the coin, when you have an agent representing a buyer, it creates a separation of agency. In our our industry, 90% of the time when you have lawsuits, it has to do with dual agency, where the same brokerage represents the seller and the buyer. So, it's good to have representation on either side. That's why it's been our standard of practice. Going forward, anytime we show a property as a Realtor, we need to get a buyer's rep agreement signed.

I just want to share that with you because we're just over a month after that started. I've already got my first deal closing where I got a buyer's rep agreement signed. They signed (at escrow) today and we're closing next week. So, that's the standard of practice in our industry moving forward. I just want to get that out there. If you have any questions about buying or selling real estate here on Oahu, feel free to give us a call at 808-371-3509. Mahalo! 

Aloha! This is David Buck with Harcourts Island Real Estate and today we're going to talk about the local market update for August of 2024.

Local Update for Homes

First off, we're going to dive into single family home sales and there we saw Makiki-Moiliili with the largest increase in sales year over year, which was up 333%. That was going from 3 transaction in August of 2023 to 13 transactions this past month. Meanwhile, across the board of the 21 major neighborhoods that the Honolulu Board of Realtors tracks, eight of those neighborhoods were actually up in sales, 6 were flat and 7 were slumped or down in sales.

Now, we're going to talk about he increase in median sales price here on Oahu. Aina Haina-Kuliouou saw the largest increase year over year, which was up 136%. A year ago in August of 2023, that median sales price was at $1,410,000. Then, this past month, it was at $3,330,000, which is a significant gain. Now, I've got my suspicions on that. Whenever we cover this neighborhood taking the cake for appreciation, it's typically because we're seeing more transactions take place in Hawaii Loa Ridge, which is between Aina Haina and Niu Valley. Typically, when you see a huge jump, it's because more deals are taking place on Hawaii Loa Ridge. 

Local Update for Condos

Now, as we did into the condo sales, Waialae-Kahala saw the largest increase year over year, which was up 100%. That was going from 3 transactions a year ago to 6 transactions this past month. Meanwhile, we talked about earlier in the month, the overall condo market was slow. Across the board of the 21 major neighborhoods that the Honolulu Board of Realtors tracks, only 4 of those 21 were up, 4 were flat and the remaining 13 of them saw a decrease in condo sales. 

Now, for our final category, which is condo appreciation on Oahu, Kapahulu-Diamond Head saw the largest increase year over year. That was up 35%. A year, ago the median sales price in this neighborhood was $601,000 and this past month it was at $810,000. Once again, that's a 35% increase year over year. It is difficult to find a condo on the Gold Coast of Diamond Head in this price range. That's why this encompasses Kapahulu as well, which is going to be just kind of inland and further towards Waikiki. However, with that said, once in a blue moon you can find one fee simple on the Gold Coast. It's probably going to be a studio or it'll be something leasehold, say at Diamond Head Beach Hotel or like we talked about earlier in this year, Sans Souci. That might be another option for something in that price range. However, in general on the Gold Coast prices are going to be higher 

Contact a Local Expert

To find out what's happening in your specific neighborhood, because all of these neighborhoods are dynamic and constantly changing, feel free to reach out to us at Harcourts Island Real Estate and give us a shout. Mahalo!

Aloha! This is David Buck with Harcourts Island Real Estate and today we're going to take a tour of our new listing at Waipuna in Waikiki. This is a 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, with 2 parking stalls.

Entry of Waipuna #1412

What's nice about this #12 stack here is it's a 3 bedroom, 3 bath. Most of the units here are going to be 2 bedroom, 2 bath. They also have a 3 bedroom, 2 bath product. Once again, unit #1412 on the front door. You get this bonus space as you come through and it's got an open walkway, which is awesome for fire protection. In theory, fires should not spread in the hallway because you have this open ventilation on the backside of the building. This is great for trade-winds.

For a perspective in Waikiki, you have this beautiful building next door at the Allure (which go for quite a bit more money). So, those are your neighbors. As you come in the entry, it's got a beautiful filed floor.

Bedroom #1

It's got vinyl plank flooring, so it's really easy to maintain. Once again, you have some high end condos out the back with the Allure, Waikiki Landmark and the Koolau Mountains and Manoa Valley straight down the middle there. This is the 3rd bedroom, which has an en suite full bathroom. What's great about these is they have split AC units (Mitsubishi Mr. Slim) and there's also a really cool view out the back here towards the Ala Wai Canal. That's the Royal Aloha condominiums with the Wyland mural there on the side. 

You'll also get some sunrise in the morning off Kaimuki out in the distance, which is the back side of Diamond Head. You can see the tippy top of Diamond Head here as you wake up in the morning and Fort DeRussy Park, which is awesome. This is going to be a full bathroom. Once again, we're right here at the entry. This is a 3 bedroom, 3 bath, which is kind of rare for condos in Waikiki. A lot of the product here is going to be 2 bedrooms and smaller.

Bedrroom #2

As you come down the hallway corridor, to the right you'll come to bedroom #2, which also has a split air conditioning unit, a generous sized bed and a full closet. Across the hall, you have another full bath, which can also function as the guest bathroom. Last, but not least, this is where your washer/dryer is going to be too. It's conveniently located off of the 2nd or guest bathroom.

Main Living Area and Kitchen 

As you come into the main living area, you've got a dining area here with views of Fort DeRussy and a bit of Diamond Head. You'll also have that similar view we saw earlier of the Ala Wai Canal. Then, you have a kitchen that can close off with these louvered doors. There's a stainless steel refrigerator with a built in oven, cooktop and microwave. You have newer cabinet faces. You have louvered windows to get good cross ventilation as you're cooking and doing the dishes. It's not a bad view to look at towards Fort DeRussy. 

As we come back into the main living area, you'll see there's lots of storage. You have a 150 sq. ft. lanai with an ocean view between the Hilton Hawaiian Village, which is a multi-billion dollar resort. Then, you've got some more ocean off Fort DeRussy. Once again, you have a 150 sq. ft. lanai, which is generous sized. There's the air handler for the split system AC units. Then, we'll head into the primary suite and you'll see another Mitsubishi Mr. Slim unit in the living area.

(Primary) Bedroom #3

There's a generous sized bed here, where you can see more of that ocean view. There's a flat screen tv on the wall. There's a huge open area as we walking into the bathroom with double closets, a huge vanity with medicine cabinets on either side and a toto toilet. There's also a fully tiled walk in shower.

Amenities at Waipuna

What I failed to mention or haven't mentioned yet is there's all kinds of perks and amenities. I'll flash some slides up here in a bit, but there is a swimming pool, there's a pickleball court, there's a shuffleboard, there's a sauna. This is also a pet friendly building, so if you have pets, they're obviously welcome here. It's a secure building.

Compared to some of the newer buildings adjacent I'd mentioned earlier, it's a good value. I haven't gotten into it yet, but we're priced at $900,000 for this 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom unit at Waipuna. Call us if you have any questions. We're at 1,249 square feet in addition to this 150 sq. ft. lanai. When you add the two together, it's roughly 1,400 sq. ft. This is generous sized for a condominium here in Waikiki. If there's anything we can do to help with real estate here on Oahu, feel free to reach out and give us a shout @ 808-371-3509. Mahalo!

Aloha, this is David and today we're going to be covering condo complexes here on the island of Oahu and I'm appropriately wearing my Kahala Aloha Shirt designed by Dale Hope, a good friend and mentor regarding Aloha Shirts in Hawaii because he is "the authority". In any event, we're going to start at The Kahala Beach Apartments, which are direct oceanfront condos here in Kahala.

Kahala Beach Apartments

Kahala Beach Apartments

As a Realtor, I've been asked more about this condo complex than any other condo projects on Oahu and the reason why is these things are leasehold, meaning you don't own the land beneath the building. There's only 3 years left on the land lease, which is why they're so cheap. So, Kamehameha Schools owns the land beneath these condos as well as beneath The Kahala Hotel and they also own the land beneath Waialae Country Club. For a little bit of trivia on the Kahala Beach Apartments, although it's called the Kahala Beach Apartments, technically from an MLS standpoint, it falls under Waialae Golf Course. So, technically, it's the only condo complex that falls under Waialae Golf Course. 

It's really sad, because if these condos were fee simple, they would be worth millions and millions of dollars a piece. Especially, when comparing to something down on the Gold Coast. Our office is right down the road from here. Our house is right down the road from here and I've had 20+ years in the business to buy one of these. There's a reason why I haven't bought one. It's because this imminent land lease is going to be expiring in 3 years. So, if that's not your cup of tea and you don't want to throw down that money, once you do, the carrying cost on the 2 bedrooms are going to be like $4500/month for lease rent to Kamehameha Schools, property taxes and maintenance fees. Then, these direct oceanfront 3 bedrooms are going to run more like $8,000-$10,000/month after you pay cash, because banks won't finance them. So, that's the reason why they're so cheap and they won't tell you than on Zillow or Realtor.com. 

So, if you're interested in other condos here in Kahala, lets continue this tour here today because we're going to cover all the options. The rest of them going forward should be fee simple.

Kahala Pacifica

We just left the beach at Kahala and now we're going to talk about Kahala Pacifica, which is directly inland from Kahala. Although it has a Kahala name, it technically falls under the neighborhood of Kalani Iki. What's really cool about Kahala Pacifica is it is a gated community. The gate is open now as there must be a party going on as it's a weekend. 

Kahala Pacifica

What's unique about these is technically we call them condos because technically they are. However, they're kind of like detached single family homes. They're very spacious. They're 3 stories and they range from 2,000-3,000 sq. feet under roof. They have relatively affordable maintenance fees, which is really nice. There's also a common area swimming pool if you drive up the street and hook a right. That's one of the perks for the people that do live in Kahala Pacifica. 

Regarding the pros and cons, the pros would obviously be the living area and square footage. To have something relatively easy to maintain right here in Kahala, you're just a stone's throw away to Kahala. That's what's awesome about it. It's also close to H-1 highway and easy access to everything. However, the 2 potential downsides would be for those of you that don't want to do stairs, this is not a project for you because there's a lot of stairs. These are multi-level units. The second thing is it's morning now, so we're getting some of the east sun coming. But, what happens in the afternoons is these are butted up against the mountain here, so you will get some of the hotter afternoon sun hitting these homes in the afternoons with sunsets. I know this from a first hand experience. My grandma used to have a place here towards the very end here in the back.

Once again, these are very spacious and a good value to be here in Kahala. The downsides would be the stairs and the hot afternoon sun. Our next project will be a town home project, which is Kahala View Estate.

Kahala View Estate

We just left Kahala Pacifica, which is directly behind me. Adjacent to it here is Kahala View Estate. This is off Hiikala Place here. What's nice about this one as well is it is a gated community. There's several levels, similar to Kahala Pacifica. However, what's nice about this one is in addition to having a swimming pool, you have a tennis court. So, that's another perk of the amenities here at Kahala View Estate.

Kahala View Estate

What's different about these compared to Kahala Pacifica is that they're going to have carports vs. fully enclosed garages. So, if you need an enclosed garage, maybe you're looking at Kahala Pacifica. If you're ok with a carport, perhaps Kahala View Estate might be the way to go. What's nice about these is they're set a little further back in the valley, so they can be a little bit cooler. But, you will still get some of that afternoon sun that comes off the ridge to the west here. So, that summarizes Kahala View Estate and now we're going to head back down the valley and we're going to cover some of the town homes as well as Kahala Towers.

Waialae Gardens

The next complex we're covering is Waialae Gardens. What's very unique about this one is it's the only condo complex in Kahala that has both a mix of town homes and a high rise, which consists of all 1 bedroom condos.

Now, in these town homes, this is going to be 1 of 3 projects we're going to cover today in Kahala (we're at Waialae Gardens right now), but we're going to cover Tropic Gardens and Tropicana Village. Here, at Waialae Gardens, at the 2 following properties you are going to notice as you come across these in MLS, the 2 story units in the middle are 2 bedroom, 2 baths with roughly 1,000 sq. ft.  Then, these units that are single level. They're roughly the same size, but it's a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom in product. So, take note of this architecture at Waialae Gardens on these town homes. As we come to the other 2 projects, you'll notice they have the same architectural style. They just have different HOA's. Another thing about these (in general) is they come with 1 uncovered parking stall. So, if you're looking for 2 stalls, it's very rare that they show up. So, what most people revert to is street parking here. Then, another thing is these will not come with covered stalls. They're all in an open lot. So, if that's a deal killer for you, maybe you want to consider one of the high rises or something that does have covered parking. But, it's a great affordable condo option here in Kahala.

Tropic Gardens

We just covered Waialae Gardens across the street. Now, if you come directly across the street, you have our 2nd complex that's very similar to Waialae Gardens is Tropic Gardens. As you see, they're a similar architectural style in that they have single level units on the end as well as 2 story units in the middle. Out the back, that's going to be the common area swimming pool. Here, you've got the same architectural style here at Tropic Gardens.

Now, for those of you that are shopping real estate online is you might come across at some of these condo complexes such as Tropic Gardens or Waialae Gardens is once in a blue moon, you see something that's really cheap or inexpensive or "too good to be true" is because it's leasehold. These were all like Kahala Beach Apartments on land that was owned by Kamehameha Schools. So, I'd say north of 90% of these now are all fee simple. However, when you do come across those leasehold ones, I'd take them with a grain of salt because the people that own the land interest now have really no interest in selling them. They just want to ride out the storm and take over the units. So, I'd stick to the fee simple ones as a little bit of advice.

If you have any questions about Tropic Gardens, feel free to give me a call. What we'll do next is we're going to cover the 3rd kind of "sister" of these 3 projects which is going to be Tropicana Village.

Tropicana Village

We're now just a little further down the road. We were just further up here at Hunakai St. in Kahala. All 3 of these projects you can see from Hunakai St. You'll notice it starts to get a little bit noisier here as we start to get closer to H-1 Highway behind me here. However, what I want to point out here is Tropicana Village. This is going to be the 3rd of 3 sister condo complexes in Kahala. First we hit Waialae Gardens, then Tropic Gardens, now Tropicana Village.

There's a similar architectural style. Once again, you've got the 2 story units in the middle with the 3 bedrooms on either end. Both are about 1,000 square feet and they typically come with 1 uncovered parking stall.

We have several condo complexes left. What you can see out the back is Kahala Towers, which is one of several high rises in Kahala. But, we have 1 more town home project we're going to cover before we cover Kahala Towers, which is right down the street here on Hunakai and it's called Kahala Gardens.

Kahala Gardens

The next one we're going to cover is Kahala Gardens, which is a sleeper project. It's right across Hunakai St. That's where we came from (near H-1). What's unique about these is they have a combo of 2 story and single level units that range anywhere between this 1250 (Hunakai) address to a 1220 address, which we're going to walk up to. 

If you could bare with me as we walk along Hunakai St., which is a main thoroughfare in Kahala. What's nice is directly across the street you have the movie theaters at Kahala Mall. As we walk further up, this is all considered Kahala Gardens. Once again, as we started this segment I said this is a sleeper of a project. The reason why is you almost never see these come on the market. Unlike the 3 projects we covered across the street with Waialae Gardens, Tropic Gardens and Tropicana Village, all 3 of them throughout the year you'll see available listings hit the market.

This is a very quaint project. Much smaller than the previous 3 like I said. The 1220-1250 (Hunakai St.) address range will cover Kahala Gardens. Next, we're going to cover Kahala Towers, which is behind me here.

Kahala Towers

Directly behind me now, we've got Kahala Towers. As you can see, there are 2 towers. Hence, we call it Kahala Towers. There's "A" and "B". One is taller than the other. There, you have a mix of 2 and 3 bedroom condos. You'll have mix of parking. Typically, they'll come with 1 parking stall. Some will be covered and some will be uncovered. There's a nice swimming pool right at the base off Waialae Ave. here. 

The building itself went through a lot of capital improvement recently. The owners were coughing up a bunch of money to fix things that needed to get repaired. But, anyone that steps in now is looking better. It's a great, convenient location. The only downside (which obviously you can't change) is it's right next to H-1 highway. So, that's why you hear that noise behind me here. It's not too bad now as it is a Sunday.

Those that live there will have nice views over Kahala towards the ocean, which is nice. We've come full circle. Directly behind Kahala Towers in the distance you'll see Kahala Pacifica and behind that Kahala View Estate, which we covered earlier. Now, we're going to be on to the final condo complex we're going to cover today, which is my favorite, having lived in the building before, which is Regency at Kahala. We'll cover that one. Then, we'll wrap up our tour here of Kahala Condos.

Regency at Kahala

Here we are now at the final condo project here in Kahala, which is Regency at Kahala. This is the only one that has a true Kahala address for MLS. Most of the others are going to fall under either Waialae Golf Course, like Kahala Beach Apartments or they're going to fall under Kalani Iki, which are going to be the condos back behind me there. So, Kahala Regency, right adjacent to Kahala Mall is going to be the only condo project in Kahala that's technically in Kahala from an MLS neighborhood standpoint. However, with that said, we refer to all of these as Kahala condos that we're covering today. 

I hope you enjoyed our segment here on Kahala condos. Our office is right across the street here above Subway. If you need any help for condos in Kahala, feel free to reach out and give us a shout at 808-371-3509. Mahalo!

A Striking Residence Nestled Next to the Historic Castle High School in Kaneohe A coveted opportunity to join the Kaneohe community has just permeated the market.

View of Castle High School Track from Kaneohe Home (MLS # 202418966)

Castle High School - Olympic Gold Medalist's Alma Mater

Highly prized for its prominent position next to the esteemed Castle High School, this exceptional dwelling presents a golden opportunity to reside where Olympic gold medalist, Bryan Clay, refined his world-class athleticism. Overlooking the same track that bore witness to Clay's nascent triumphs, prospective homeowners are presented with a slice of sporting history. The decathlon champion of the 2008 Olympics, Clay sculpted his transcendent athletic skills right in this backdrop, etching a legacy that propels Castle High School into global recognition.

Pikoiloa Home

A stroll around this house provides panoramic views of the football home field and track where Clay spent his formative athletic days. Beyond this, a picturesque vista featuring the verdant Koolau Mountains unfolds. It's a scenic spectacle that leaves guests enamored and owners absorbed in its unending charm. Augmenting the residence's appeal is a gleaming swimming pool providing welcome respite in the sunny, tropical climate of Kaneohe's Pikoiloa neighborhood. Imagine easing into the pool after a long day, soaking in the astounding scenery with each calming stroke.

Nearby Windward Mall

Positioned just a stone's throw away from the house is the bustling Windward Mall. The mall's vast array of retail outlets, eateries, and entertainment options offer convenient access to all your daily necessities and indulgences. From fashion boutiques to fine dining establishments, every amenity is within easy reach.

Kaneohe Marine Base

Fanning the flames of this listing’s allure is its proximity to the Kaneohe Marine Corps Base. The base’s close-knit community and comprehensive facilities, coupled with the distinguished reputation of Castle High School, ensure a well-rounded, rewarding living experience for families. In this abode, you do not only get a stunning, well-appointed home, you also immerse yourself in the deep-rooted sports culture and rich local heritage that Bryan Clay epitomizes. Bask in the glow of an Olympic champion’s legacy, right from your new home next to Castle High School. Time is of the essence. Opportunities to own a piece of such treasured real estate rarely come along. Reach out today to seize the chance of owning this specially situated Kaneohe home - a testament to an Olympian's journey and a beacon of Hawaii's illustrious sporting tradition. With the track, football field views, and a swimming pool, life in this residence will feel like a constant vacation. Plus, the convenience of proximity to the Kaneohe Marine Base and Windward Mall enhances the appeal. Welcome to your dream home where Olympic spirit permeates your everyday living

Aloha! Today, we're going to give you an update and a walking tour of Ward Village here in Kakaako. It's been awhile since I've done one of these videos.

Victoria Place

Directly behind me we have Victoria Place and the lobby area is being built out right over here. This is the only tower within Ward Village that doesn't have any retail and it's very exclusive. Behind me is Ala Moana Blvd (on the other side of the construction barricade) and they're going to have ocean views that unobstructed.

Koula

Directly behind me now is Koula, which got topped off a little while back. Then, I'm going to flip this camera around to give you a better perspective on this walking tour. Once again, we have Koula, then we have the park or the "great lawn".

The Park at Ward Village

Across from the park, you're going to have The Park at Ward Village, which is going up here. Straight back there (towards the mountains), you have more of the park. Then, if you look (towards the ocean) across the street on the great lawn, there's progress that's already taking place on the pedestrian bridge that's going over Ala Moana Blvd. It's really starting to take shape here.

Pedestrian Bridge Over Ala Moana Blvd

As I continue my walk here, this is going to be more of the park. Here, off to the left, you see some of the landscaping coming in with the trees. Then, off to the left you can see the stairs and the pedestrian walkway to the bridge that's going to cross over Ala Moana Blvd to Kewalo Basin.

West End of Ward Village

This is literally ground zero for all of the new construction going on in Kakaako. This is prime real estate here, all along the front row. Once again (looking back), Victoria Place is going to be there. Then, on this corner, for those of you that grew up here and know the area, this is where Ward Warehouse once used to be.

Kalae

On this corner is going to be Kalae, which is also another high end, front row Ala Moana Blvd location on the corner of Ala Moana and Ward Ave. That's where Ward Warehouse was and Kalae tower is starting to break ground. Directly across the street towards the mountains, we have the back side of The Park at Ward Village. I'm not sure if you remember where Wahoo's Fish Taco used to be and Patagonia? It's all gone. There's lots of changes here in Kakaako. 

Timestamp of September 2024

I know this can be a little boring, however I think it's great to document what's actually happening here. Because, before we know it, this will be one corridor of high rises. Kakaako is really changing.

The Launiu

Across the street at the former Bank of Hawaii building there is going to be The Launiu, which is also a Howard Hughes Ward Village property. 

Alia

Then, the property directly behind that is Alia, another new construction project that's slated for 2026.

Still an Opportunity for New Construction in Kakaako

Back to Victoria Place. That's going to turn over later this year, in November of this year. I've got a client that's getting their keys soon. I do have clients that are under contract at Alia and I'm working on some others for The Launiu, Kalae and The Park at Ward Village. These are 3 projects that still have some units available. Victoria Place is completely sold out. We're starting to see a few resales hit the market, even though it hasn't been turned over to the new owners. 

There's still an opportunity to get in on this new construction in Kakaako. Whether you're looking at Koula, The Park at Ward Village, Victoria Place, The Launiu or Alia, I can help you get under contract on any of these places before they're gone. If you're interested in new construction here in Kakaako, feel free to reach out and give us a shout at 808-371-3509. Mahalo!

Can you believe that condo inventory is up 64% from a year ago? This is David Buck with Harcourts Island Real Estate and today we're going to talk about the market stats for August of 2024. First off, we're going to dive into single family homes and there we saw things relatively flat as well as the condos, which we'll dive into next.

Single Family Home Stats

Regarding single family homes, there was literally only one more transaction than there was the previous year. In August of 2023, we saw 252 homes sell on Oahu and this past month we saw 253. That's 1 house more that's sold than the previous year and that's a .4% change year over year. That was home sales.

Now, regarding the home price on Oahu, it was also relatively flat. A year ago in August of 2023, that median home price was $1,110,000 and this past month it was up $12,000. Now, it's at $1,122,000. That's just a 1.1% increase. So, across the board, it was relatively flat. 

The good sign for sellers on Oahu is that the median days on market has decreased a little bit, going from 18 days to 14 days. Now, keep in mind, this is everything across the board (for homes) at every price point. 18 days dropping to 14 days is a 22% decrease in median days on market.

Meanwhile, active inventory is a trend we've notice picking up. It's up 27.1%. There's more than a quarter more homes for sale than there was a year ago. Historically, it's still relatively low. We did talk about this last month. There's 760 homes for sale this past month. The previous year it was at 598.

Condo Stats

The condo stats on Oahu weren't quite as rosy as the single family homes. We saw a 5% drop in the number of transactions. A year ago we had 422 condo sales on Oahu and this past month it was down to 401. Meanwhile, that median condo price on Oahu a year ago was at $515,000 and this past month, it was at $500,000. That's a 2.9% decrease in the median sales price for a condo.

These are trends we've been covering now for several months and the biggest trend we've been talking about it the amount of active inventory for condos on Oahu, which was up 64%. A year ago there were 1,146 condos for sale and this past month there was 1,879. That delta or difference in condo inventory is almost as much as all the single family home for sale on Oahu. So, that's a significant increase in condo supply on Oahu. This chart below will give you some perspective.

Active Inventory on Oahu

You can see how the condo inventory (in yellow) has been ratcheting up over the past year. It's not all doom and gloom. If you're a buyer in the marketplace, there are some opportunities for condos. I've been getting some clients in some deals as there's not as much competition out there. The rumor out there is interest rates are on their way down. We don't actually know. I can't predict the future, but that's kind of been the word on the streets. So, it might not be a bad opportunity to get into the market with less competition now before election season. I know there's always some uncertainty out there, but if you make a move now, you may come out ahead later. Once again, I can't guaranty that. We can't predict future results. However, right now, in general in this business, the less competition is better for buyers.

Got Real Estate Questions?

If you have specific questions about real estate here on Oahu, feel free to reach out and give us a shout at 808-371-3509. Mahalo! 

Aloha! This is David Buck. I'm a real estate broker here in Honolulu, HI. Here I am in front of Moana Pacific, which is a beautiful high rise condominium here in Kakaako. The reason why we're here today is not necessarily to talk too much about real estate. Even though that's what I do for a living, I've sold multiple units in this complex and I'm very familiar with it. I was featured in an HGTV episode with it.

One of David's HGTV Episodes Where Moana Pacific was Featured

Moana Pacific and Ties to NY Governor

The reason we're here today is there was an article in the Star Advertiser this morning and it talked about how the governor of New York, Kathy Hochul and her ex aide has gotten into some trouble in being an agent of the Chinese government. Her name is Linda Sun and her husband is Chris Su. They apparently took millions upon millions of dollars, allegedly $6 million from the Chinese government to basically spy on the governor of New York.

Once again, there's a story behind why we're here at Moana Pacific. In the article, they said of the $6 million they allegedly took from the Chinese government, they funneled it into 2 properties. One of which was in Long Island, NY and they said the other was in Honolulu. So, being a Realtor, it didn't take much digging this morning to figure out what they own. 

Chris Hu Ownership at Moana Pacific

There's a gentleman by the name of Chris Hu that bought a unit on the 47th floor of Moana Pacific. Specifically, 4703 in 2021. At that time, he paid $1,880,000 in cash. Now, fast forward to today - I'm not sure if they knew the hunt was on them with the feds for taking money from China. This unit is listed today for $2,249,000 with just 19 days on market. So, I'm not sure if Mr. Hu knew the feds were after him, but it's currently for sale.

Moana Pacific #4703 (MLS # 202418134) Listed for $2,249,000

So, if you want to buy a condo in Kakaako at $2.25 million, you can get one here today. Just keep in mind that Mr. Hu paid nearly $400,000 less just a few years ago. So, we'll see if he's able to make that profit. We'll see if this allegation sticks. New York Governor news witnessed first hand here in Hawaii and here we are at Moana Pacific (East Tower).

Bigger Picture: Feds Cracking Down on Foreign $ Laundering

I'm back at the office and have a little summary to wrap this up. There's a lot of irony here because a week ago I did a YouTube video talking about how Janet Yellen and the Biden Administration wanted to crack down on cash transactions for residential sales where foreign corruption was using it to buy real estate here in the United States.

Even though I'm a broker here in Honolulu, HI and I've been doing this for 24 years now, I'm still a little bit naive. I'm learning something every day because I didn't think there was a lot of corruption going on here. However, here we are a week later and this Star Advertiser article about how the ex-aide of the NY Governor was receiving well over $6 million from the Chinese government. It's hitting close to home because this happened right here in Hawaii. 

Back to the video I did last week. There was probably a connection or correlation. They were probably on to this case before that announcement came out. This strikes close to home here in Honolulu, HI. I, myself can sleep good at night. If there's any kind of corruption here, I try to distance myself. I hope you have a great day and contact me if you have any questions about real estate here in Hawaii. Mahalo!

65 Years as the 50th State

I can't believe a week ago, August 16th, 2024 marked 65 years of Hawaii being the 50th State in the United States, which is officially called "Admissions Day". Here we are 65 years later and I thought it would be fun to talk about what kind of homes were being built here on Oahu back in 1959, the year of statehood. I did an article 5 years ago on the 50th Anniversary of Hawaii being a state. However, now that we're in the year 2024 celebrating 65 years, let's talk about 13 listings that are here on Oahu that are available (there are several more that are under contract). They are going to range from a home in Nuuanu for $828,000 all the way up to an oceanfront home in Black Point for just over $6 million. 

Where Homes Were Built in 1959

Active MLS Listings, Homes Under Contract and Sold in MLS Built in 1959

You'll notice homes were built in certain neighborhoods and didn't in others. For instance, if you look at the map here you'll see a lot of that construction congregated around Honolulu (in the main urban core) as well as along the Windward Coast closer to Kaneohe and Kailua. Then, you have some pockets, like one up on the North Shore, one in Ewa Beach. You might have one or two near Wahiawa, however when you think about it, places like Mililani weren't building homes yet. All the new homes you see in Ewa Beach and Kapolei, that wasn't even a thought at the time. That was all Ag land.

13 Oahu Homes For Sale Built in 1959

1. Nuuanu Home (MLS # 202408574) for $828,000

The first home we're going to start with is in Nuuanu on Henry Street. It's $828,000 for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath single family home with 1,272 sq. ft. of living area. It was built in 1959 with a remodel in 1985.

2. Waipio Acres Home (MLS # 202418399) for $875,000

The next home we're going to discuss is in Waipio Acres/Waikalani Woodlands, which is close to Mililani that we talked about earlier, but not technically in Mililani. This 1959 build is a 4 bed, 2 bath with 1,368 sq. ft. of living area and they also had a remodel in 2018. One common theme you'll see as we go through these homes is a lot of the construction back then had open beam ceilings that gave a lot of these homes a mid century modern feel. It was literally the "mid century". We'll also see some plantation homes we'll come to in a bit. 

3. Kapalama Home (MLS # 202415185) for $949,000

The next home is a home in Kapalama in Metro Honolulu. This is a 5 bedroom, 2 bath with 1,896 sq. ft. and this one is on the market for $949,000. That's home #3. 

4.Coconut Grove Home (MLS # 202410861) for $1,125,000

Next up, we have a home in Kailua's Coconut Grove neighborhood. This one is a 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom. It's only got 968 square feet of interior living and it's priced at $1,125,000.

5. Liliha Home (MLS # 202410716)  for $1,200,000

The next home we have up is in Liliha in Metro Honolulu and the irony is that this is the exact same square footage and a similar price to the one we just discussed in Kailua. This one is available for $1.2 million and it's a 3 bedroom, 2 bath at 968 square feet. Once again, notice this open beam ceiling. My gut feel is this is going to be obviously a different architecture than the one in Kailua, but the irony is that homes of this era have homes under 1,000 square feet. 

6. Lower Waialae Nui Home (MLS # 202412370) for $1,300,000

The next one we have is a home in Lower Waialae Nui, which is also going to have that high pitched ceiling with open beam ceiling and this one is going to have a great view. This one is a 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath for $1.3 million. Now, that's a great price in east Honolulu in my opinion. The "catch" which you don't see is there's a bunch of stairs to get to the house. So, that's probably why they priced it accordingly. Once again, great view and a great location in Waialae Nui on the lower part of the hill.

7. Keolu Hills Home (MLS # 202412046) for $1,395,000

The next one we have is back to Kailua in Keolu Hills and for $1,395,000, this is a 4 bedroom, 2 bath with 1,817 square feet of living area. Now, that's number 7 of 13 (homes for sale built in 1959).

8. Aiea Heights Home (MLS # 202417499) for $1,425,000

Next up, once again you're going to notice this common theme. We're now in Aiea Heights and this is one that just hit the market. It's $1,425,000 and it's a 4 bedroom, 2 bath with ample living area of 2,8599 sq. ft. under roof. They also did a remodel back in 2020. So, you have great bones of a mid century 1959 styled home. However, you've got some fresh upgrades from just 4 years ago. 

9. Puohala Village Home (MLS # 202406954) for $1,599,000

Next up, we have Puohala Village in Kaneohe. This is a 6 bedroom, 3.5 bath home with 2,742 sq. ft. of living area. This is going to be more of a traditional style vs. the mid century style. This one is priced at $1,599,000. 

10. Ala Moana Home (MLS # 202324282) for $1,750,000

Next up, this one is going to be near Ala Moana and it's a single family home with 3 bedroom, 2 baths and it's got 1,222 sq. ft. of living area. It's priced at $1,750,000. Now, this one has been on the market over 300 days. They started at $2 million. You might ask yourself "wow, why is it so expensive"? It's because of the location, location, location. Because of the zoning here, it's zoned apartment zoning, so you could probably build like a small apartment building on this property. So, that's why it's price accordingly. In my opinion, it probably could have been marketed better. This is the primary photo in MLS. That'll be property 10 of 13. 

11. Kalaheo Hillside Home (MLS # 202415318) for $1,795,000

Next up, we've got one of my favorites on this list. Probably my favorite, or 2nd favorite after the final property. This one is a Kalaheo Hillside mid century single family home with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, with 1,842 of interior living area. This is priced at $1,795,000. They've already come down $30,000. I think this is a good value on Windward Oahu.

12. Enchanted Lake Home (MLS # 202409160) for $1,999,888

While we're on the theme of mid century modern homes and being in Kailua, this is another one in Enchanted Lake. Priced just under $2 million, the current asking price is $1,999,888. They started several hundred thousand dollars higher at $2,220,000. But, this is a generous 7 bedroom, 5 bathroom home with 3,612 of living area. This is a nice mid century remodel. They kept with those nice lines that were done back in 1959, however this one was remodeled in 2022. So, you've got that cool architectural feel, yet have more of that modern lifestyle and living area with your finishes.

13. Black Point Home (MLS # 202302012) for $6,480,000

Last, but not least, this is my favorite. Just because of location, it's on the ocean at Black Point. This is a 3 bedroom, 3 full bath, 2 half bath just under 3,000 sq. ft. of living area, 2,997 sq. ft. to be exact. This one is now priced at $6,480,000. They originally started at $7.2 million and this same property sold for just over $5 million 3 years ago. So, this owner is kind of keen to make a little bit of money here. It's been on the market for over a year, so it's going to be right for the right person. I had a client look at it in the past. It does have some stairs and it's not for everyone, but living on the ocean at Black Point is really hard to beat. Now, that's a recap of the 13 homes that are for sale on Oahu built in 1959.

2 Additional 1959 Housing Topics on Oahu

Now that we're on the topic of 1959, I'm going to throw 2 more things at you. The first of which is I did a video earlier this year on the 65 year anniversary of Hawaii Kai. That was right around the same time as when they announced the development of Hawaii Kai, it was back in 1959. 

Another key point around this era of 1959 is we have a number of what most people refer to as "condos" on the island that were built in 1959. However statehood was in 1959 and the only option for developers at that time were co-ops. So, most of the construction you saw at that time to this day will still be co-ops. When you see them in MLS, a lot of the major mainland websites will refer to them as condos, but technically they're co-ops because condo law in Hawaii did not start until 1961, which was 2 years after statehood. 

I hope you appreciate the recap we have here on statehood and celebrating 65 years as the 50th state. If there's anything we can help with regarding real estate here on Oahu, feel free to reach out and give us a shout. Mahalo!