The Hawaii housing market is showing two very different stories this fall. According to David Buck of Harcourts Island Real Estate, single-family home sales jumped 27% year-over-year on Oahu, signaling continued demand despite higher prices.
Last September, just 217 homes sold across the island. This year, that number rose to 276, with the median home price climbing 3.8% to $1,155,000. Inventory remains tight (still under 800 homes) making it a competitive market for buyers and a continued advantage for sellers.
Meanwhile, the condo market tells a different story. Sales are up modestly, 11.5% year-over-year, but median prices have slipped 1.7%, landing at $508,750. Condo listings have surged nearly 24%, pushing Oahu’s condo market back into buyer’s territory with over 2,300 units available and 6.4 months of remaining inventory.
For buyers, that means more options and negotiating power. For sellers, strategic pricing and presentation are key in this shifting landscape. As Buck notes, every neighborhood and condo complex has its own rhythm. Whether you’re buying or selling, it’s crucial to understand your specific market segment before making your next move.
📞 Reach out to David Buck at Harcourts Island Real Estate (808-371-3509) to discuss your property goals today.
Did you know that you could get two homes on the ocean in Kaneohe for just over $2 million? You heard that right. My name is David Buck with Harcourt's Island Real Estate and I'm really excited about this listing that I have in Lilipuna, which is an out-shoot into Kaneohe Bay right upon Lilipuna Road.
Lilipuna Along Kaneohe Bay
2 Homes for $2,250,000
2 Homes on 1 Lot in Lilipuna
I've got two homes for sale at $2,250,000, and each one of these homes is a two-bedroom, one-bath. They were originally built in 1954. However, they went through an extensive remodel in the year 2020. Someone is going to get a great buy to live on the water and the ocean in Kaneohe.
Carport w/ EV Charger and Views of the Bay
Let me take you through a tour of this property and show you what it's all about. Okay, as we start at the street, there's a two-car carport with additional parking behind the two stalls, and there's an EV charger for electric vehicles. And out the back, we have Coconut Island out in the distance, which is a UH research facility on Kaneohe Bay.
Remodeled Kitchen and Bay Views from Deck of Upper Home
As we head down the stairs, I'm going to give you a quick tour of the first house, which has a remodeled kitchen, split air conditioning, and incredible views of Kaneohe Bay from the deck. So it's step outside, and this kind of gives you a perspective of what you'll be seeing from the upper home closer to the street. And now as we continue down towards the ocean, we've got nice mature landscaping all around the property. And you'll see there's a standing seam metal roofs on the homes, which is great for Kaneohe because you're going to have those windward showers typically in the mornings. And as you notice, everything is very, very green. There's even banana trees on this generous sized lot on the ocean in Kaneohe.
Ocean Views from Living Area and Kitchen
And as we enter the oceanfront home, you'll see it's a two-bedroom, one bathroom, as I'd mentioned. And it also got completely remodeled in 2020. And as you step into the living space, take in these views. It's really hard to be living on the ocean, and that's why buyers tend to pay a premium, and why people that do live on the ocean typically don't want to sell. Does have a full-size washer/dryer in the front home here, as well as up above there's an additional washer/dryer. And let's take a look at the side of the house. So if you're in the upper house and you want to have some privacy to the lower house, you can walk around the side here, got some toys here.
Lilipuna Oceanfront Living
I just want to give you a perspective of what it's like to live on the ocean here in Kaneohe. You could take a stand-up paddleboard right to the ocean here as could you, a kayak, and head out into the bay. It's hard to beat this lifestyle. There you have Kaneohe Marine Base out in the distance. You will hear some airplanes and helicopters on occasion. This is definitely a bargain for $1,000, roughly a square foot on the ocean.
More Info on Oceanfront Homes in Kaneohe
I hope you enjoyed my tour of this little treasure off Lilipuna Road here in Kaneohe. And, if you have more questions about this particular listing or any type of oceanfront homes on Oahu or homes in Kaneohe, be glad to help. My name is David Buck with Hardcourt Island Island Real Estate. I can be reached at 808-371-3509. Aloha.
Luxury real estate in Hawaii often comes with sky-high price tags, but not every investment story ends with profit. Recently, a trophy property in Kailua's prestigious Beachside neighborhood sold for $19 million, representing a $5 million loss from its last sale nearly two decades ago.
Originally built in 2001 and purchased in 2006 for $24 million, the 11,000-square-foot estate featured every luxury amenity, including a swimming pool, tennis court, sauna, 10 bedrooms, and more. Despite its appeal, the home lingered on the market for years, once priced as high as $30 million, before finally closing well below expectations.
Why did this happen? According to David Buck of Harcourt's Island Real Estate, ultra-luxury properties often face limited buyer demand. High-end estates can sit unsold for years, and when motivation strikes, sellers may need to accept significant discounts.
This sale also highlights the contrast between Kailua and Kahala, which are two of Oahu's most prestigious beachfront markets. While Kailua surged in popularity in the mid-2000s, recent record-breaking sales in Kahala show renewed interest there.
For buyers, the lesson is clear: owning oceanfront in Hawaii is a privilege, but it comes with challenges. From ongoing maintenance against salt air to fluctuating demand at the top of the market, timing and location matter more than ever.
Kailua has long been a haven for those who appreciate timeless architecture and island living. This week, three mid-century modern homes have hit the market, offering a rare chance for buyers to own a piece of design history in one of Oahu’s most sought-after neighborhoods.
Located in Kuulei Tract, this 4-bedroom, 3-bath home (listed at $2,249,000) has never been on the market before. Built in 1952, it retains its original mid-century charm, avoiding overdone remodels while offering nearly 2,000 square feet of living space.
Situated in Kailua’s Beachside, this $8,000,000 property offers direct beachfront living. With 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and over 2,700 square feet under roof, it sits on almost half an acre. The home preserves hardwood finishes and true mid-century lines rarely seen today.
Built in 1956 and fully remodeled in 2023, this 4-bedroom, 3-bath residence in Kalaheo Hillside blends modern updates with authentic mid-century design. Listed at $2,215,000, it provides today’s comforts while staying true to its architectural roots.
Whether you're searching for a forever home or an architectural gem, Kailua's current mid-century modern listings provide something for every buyer. Feel free to contact David for more info.
The Oahu real estate market in August 2025 revealed some of the most dramatic year-over-year changes we’ve seen in years.
Home Sales on the Rise
The standout winner was the corridor from Aina Haina to Kuliouou, where home sales soared 125% compared to last year, jumping from four sales to nine. Across the island, however, only six of the 21 major neighborhoods tracked by the Honolulu Board of Realtors saw an increase in single-family home sales. Nearly half recorded declines.
Median Home Prices Spike in Waialae-Kahala
Luxury buyers take note: Waialae-Kahala saw its median price leap 40%, rising from $2.07M in 2024 to $2.9M this year. This was the steepest increase among all neighborhoods on Oahu.
Condo Market Surprises
Condo sales from Kailua to Waimanalo doubled year-over-year, with transactions rising from six to twelve. Meanwhile, the Windward Coast recorded the largest gain in condo values—up 102%. Median prices climbed from $173K to $350K, fueled by demand for oceanfront properties like Hanohano Hale in Punaluu.
Key Takeaway
Every neighborhood tells a different story. Some are booming, while others remain flat or even decline. For homeowners and buyers, understanding these hyperlocal trends are crucial when planning your next move. Feel free to contact us to help navigate your next more.
The Oahu housing market remained steady in August 2025, but beneath the surface, there are signs of change that buyers and sellers should pay attention to.
Single-Family Homes: Slow but Steady
Home sales ticked up slightly, rising 2.4% compared to last year. A total of 259 transactions closed in August, just six more than the previous year. Prices, however, inched down 1.5% to a median of $1,105,500.
It’s also taking longer for homes to sell. The median days on market stretched from 14 days last year to 22 this year. Even with a modest 3.9% rise in inventory, Oahu still has historically low supply compared to past peaks, which is helping keep prices stable.
Condos: Signs of a Shift
Condos told a different story. Sales dipped 2.5%, with 391 units closing compared to 401 last year. Interestingly, prices climbed 3% year-over-year to a median of $515,000.
What stands out most is how much longer condos are taking to sell. The median days on market surged 71%, from 28 to 48 days. At the same time, inventory spiked 28.4% to 2,412 listings, continuing a trend that’s been building for months.
What This Means for Buyers and Sellers
The Oahu market overall is balanced by low single-family inventory and growing condo supply. Buyers may find more opportunities in the condo market, while sellers of single-family homes still benefit from limited competition.
As we move deeper into September, local neighborhood data will reveal even more about how these trends play out on a micro level.
Stay tuned for the upcoming local market update, where we’ll dive into specific Oahu neighborhoods and what’s driving their performance.
Cove Waikiki, the boutique 117-unit condominium tucked behind Hobron Lane, has reached its 10-year milestone since opening in 2015. Just steps away from the Hilton Hawaiian Village and Ala Moana, this development brought a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom layouts to the heart of Waikiki.
Over the last decade, appreciation trends have told an interesting story:
Two-bedroom, one-bath units emerged as the clear winners, appreciating an average of 28%.
One-bedroom units followed closely with 21% appreciation.
Surprisingly, two-bedroom, two-bath units — the most common in the building — only saw about 16% appreciation on average.
The takeaway? Supply and demand played a critical role. With more two-bedroom, two-bath units available, scarcity drove up the value of less common layouts. Parking availability, sometimes offering up to three stalls, also had a measurable impact on pricing.
Developed by Form Partners, US Pacific, and constructed by Ledcor, Cove Waikiki remains a well-regarded project with lasting appeal. Its location and boutique charm continue to make it an attractive option for both homeowners and investors.
As Honolulu’s condo market evolves, the past decade of data at Cove Waikiki offers valuable insights into how scarcity, layout, and amenities influence long-term value.
Have you ever wondered what it costs for a parking stall and a condo here in Honolulu?
This is David Buck with Harcourts Island Real Estate and today we're going to talk about what it costs to get a parking stall if one isn't included with your (condo) unit. Now I get that question asked often when I'm working with buyers and sellers here in Honolulu because it's hard to factor that that in. Especially when you're looking at comps or comparable units. Sometimes you can have a unit in the same building that comes with a parking stall and another one that does not or sometimes you could have one that includes two stalls and another might include one stall.
There's a reason why we're down here in Waikiki today and we're going to get to that later. You definitely want to stick around for this because I've got a story that no one else can believe. First off, Waikiki is gonna be a highly sought-after area to get a parking stall so and other parts of town like Kakaako and Downtown Honolulu. Every now and then you'll see parking stalls available for sale in MLS. However, traditionally what happens is you could only sell it to someone that already owns within the building.
Every Condo Has Different Rules When it Comes to Parking
Let me take a step backwards - when it comes to parking in condos, every building is going to have different rules. Sometimes there are assigned stalls, sometimes they're kind of allocated one like one instance from that would be the Colony Surf near Diamond Head. Then, what I've got behind me here is the former Trump Tower Waikiki. They're going through some renovations and now it's now called Ka Lai. In that particular building they don't "come with a parking". However, you can rent parking per day and that sort of thing. Every building is going to be different.
To get an idea of what you know a parking stall will go for on average, it's once again going to vary on the building. It's just like traditionally real estate. It's going to be a supply and demand. What I did is over the past year, I scoured MLS to give you an idea.
Parking Stall Sales in MLS
This is just a summary of what parking stalls have been selling for in MLS over the past year. There was not a whole lot of sales volume when it comes to condos. On the lower end, there are a few trades that happened for $25,000 & $26,000 in Salt Lake. Then, in Kakaako, Nauru Tower saw a few parking stalls sell for $30,000 and then there was another one in Waikiki at Aloha Lani that went for $35,000. Then, another in Moana Pacific for $45,000. Then, Hale Ka Lae in Hawaii Kai we saw a trade for $50,000, which is kind of interesting because Hawaii Kai in general there's not normally a lack of parking. So, that one surprised me a little bit to have a $50,000 parking stall sell in Hawaii Kai.
On Location in Waikiki
Once again, we're down near Fort DeRussy in the heart of Waikiki and the reason I chose this location because it's a highly sought-after area. We talked earlier about Ka Lai or the former Trump Tower Waikiki. They are under doing a renovation. For units there over the years, it's traditionally been a buyers market. It still is today, however I do have a prediction. If you want to get in on a unit there, I did a report recently where you can buy condos now at the former Trump Tower Waikiki for less than you could like 15 years ago from the developer pricing.
Next, I've got this great story to tell here of a success story for my client. Right across the street from the former Trump Tower (Ka Lai) you have a little boutique condo building called the Waikiki Shore not many people are aware of this building, but this is the only direct ocean front (on on top of that sandy beachfront) condominium building in Waikiki. The catch with this place is they're fee simple condos and they're legal vacation rentals. I love this building and it's a great location. You've got a 70-acre park here at Fort DeRussy on one side of you.
Limited Supply = High Demand
The reason I bring this building up when we're talking about parking stalls is I have a client that I sold a unit to on the back corner of the building years back. He did have a parking stall, but guess what? He sold the parking stall separately to another owner in the building for a quarter million dollars yes you heard that right $250,000 for a parking stall! As I started this out talking about what a parking stall can go for in Honolulu, well that's the highest end of the spectrum I've seen.
In summary, if you're curious what a parking stall goes for here in Honolulu on in general it's going to start at about $25,000 and it could go up from there. So, if you have a specific requirement when you're looking for condo and need a minimum amount of parking stalls, it's always something you want to factor in. Because, once again condos here don't always come with parking and to learn more about real estate here in Honolulu, my name is David Buck and I can be reached at 808-371-3509. Mahalo!
The July 2025 housing market in Oahu delivered a mix of surprises and dramatic shifts across neighborhoods. David Buck of Harcourts Island Real Estate shared insights from the latest Honolulu Board of Realtors report, highlighting standout performances in both homes and condos.
Single-Family Home Sales Surge
Kapahulu to Diamond Head, along with Moanalua to Salt Lake, both posted a 50% increase in sales compared to July 2024, making them the strongest performers in the single-family home category.
Windward Coast Prices Skyrocket
While 12 of 21 neighborhoods saw price declines, the Windward Coast was the exception. Median prices jumped from $1.18M in 2024 to $2.13M, an astounding 80% increase year-over-year.
Condo Market Surprises
One neighborhood saw condo sales climb 200%, though from just one sale to three, it was still the steepest increase island-wide in Wahiawa. Meanwhile, the Kapahulu to Diamond Head area also stood out with condo median prices climbing 72%, reaching $1.7M.
What This Means for Buyers & Sellers
These numbers highlight how hyper-local real estate can be. While some areas are cooling, others are heating up dramatically. If you're looking to buy or sell, it's crucial to focus on the trends within your specific neighborhood or building.
For more insights tailored to your area, reach out to David Buck at 808-371-3509.
Is Waikiki going to be underwater? That's a fear I get asked a lot from people looking to buy a condo here in Waikiki. What I'm going to do is start out with the worst case scenario because today we're on a king tide in the middle of summer. This is probably going to be the most extreme that you'll see throughout the year. Because today, we have a huge south swell. It's like 15 feet on the outside and then we have a king tide and we had a full moon last night. So I want to show you from perspective this is kind of as bad as it'll get. Once again, this is a question I get asked often from buyers.
Sea Level Disclosure
As realtors we now have to disclose where the future high watermark is going to be within 20 to 30 years. I have my opinions of what's going to happen ultimately, but I think some of it's fear tactics. Sometimes, water can get up high on days like today and that's why I want to show you an extreme like today.
Ala Wai on the Mauka Side of Waikiki
King Tide on the Ala Wai Canal
Here we are on the Ala Wai Canal. This is early August and we're in the midst of king tides and we had a full moon last night. This is kind of be the peak of how extreme you can see it outside of a major storm or flood. Once again, Ala Wai Canal on the Mauka side of Waikiki. It has to get up quite a bit higher here to get into Waikiki. But I just want to give you a perspective.
King Tide at Fort DeRussy
Now, here we are on the opposite side of Waikiki directly on the ocean. Like I said, we have a huge south swell today, and we're at the peak high tide. This is what we call king tides here in Waikiki. And as you can see on the distance it's just cranking out there. So I want to show you what it's like today on kind of the worst case scenario. And how high the water can get in Waikiki. We just had a wave come up here. In my opinion this is going to be almost as bad as it gets.
Waikiki Shore on King Tide
So here we are at the Waikiki Shore which is basically right next to Fort DeRussy. This is the only oceanfront condo building in Waikiki. So, when we're talking about Waikiki being underwater as far as condos go this would be at the forefront of it. And there's still a beach here considering how big the waves are today. Like I said on the outside it's like seven eight feet Hawaiian style but check this out. Super high tide, king tides today.
Fear From Sea Level Disclosure
Sea Level Rise Map off Diamond Head and Waikiki
As I mentioned earlier, us as Realtors have to disclose this now - Where the future high watermark is going to be 20, 30 years out. And this all started with the University of Hawaii professor. And I think he just wants to put his name on the map. We had a deal that we lost several years back. I was selling a penthouse condo down on the Gold Coast at Diamond Head. Once that buyer saw that disclosure statement, they freaked out and canceled the deal.
2023 Castle Surf Penthouse Sale
It turns out the buyer's agent (who is very reputable and has been selling down on the Gold Coast over the past 30 years) said in his opinion he's never seen the "rise". Like it has been unchanged in all the years that he's been selling real estate there. So to make a long story short, that buyer canceled. After that, we had one more full price offer with two backup offers (all at and above asking price). Then, after that, that original buyer regretted canceling that deal.
Furthermore, the seller we were representing at the time he went to NOAA's website. You's think NOAA would know what they're talking about. And NOAA actually had lower high watermark predictions in the University of Hawaii professor.
Media Selling Fear
So this is a common trend we've seen over the years about people predicting doom and gloom. I went to Venice with my wife over 20 years ago and they said by today Venice is going to be underwater. Venice is still there. My wife was there last summer. It was in the media recently that Dan Rather said that Florida is going to be underwater 40 years ago. And here we are today. Florida is still there. Al Gore has been warning doom and gloom for decades.
There's constant climate change alarmists. And yeah, absolutely you know there'll be days like today where the water is high. In my opinion, I can't predict the future, but I highly doubt all of Waikiki is going to be underwater the next 20-30 years. We may have an extreme event like a tsunami or hurricane. I did a video on natural disasters if you want to check that out. But in my opinion those are nominees and not everyday living in Waikiki. I hope you found this useful and if you want to learn more about real estate here in Hawaii, I can be reached at 808-371-3509. Mahalo.
