‘Planned Community’ is often a dirty word, a term synonymous with the development many aren’t happy seeing in the Islands. It’s associated with concrete, anonymous looking condo towers and an almost phoniness that locals reject. Fortunately, that’s not the case in with the real estate in Kapolei.
The booming 2nd City isn’t an actual planned community as a whole, more a general master plan with different projects and neighborhoods created by different developers. All are linked by a real goal of building neighborhoods and residences that fit local tastes and traditions.
Houses with lanais, open interior layouts, with fenced-in yards, spread across communities with a clear focus on family life through numerous parks & recreation centers plus pedestrian friendly streets perfect for jogging or walking the baby. There’s no question that the designers have created these homes with the genuine desires of local homebuyers in mind, rather than trying to dictate what they should be as too many have before.
That doesn’t mean that all the neighborhoods in Kapolei look or feel the same. Not at all. You’ll soon see there are many ways to satisfy the deep Hawaii home ideals. Every one of them is a part of this place that has become the 2nd City it was always intended to be, but is still only part of the way on its incredible journey. One that could be calling you to be a part of right now.
Get To Know The Kapolei Neighborhoods
KUMU IKI
This is the one that started it all, the first neighborhood of Kapolei, welcoming its first residents in 1991. In fact, it’s original name was Village 1 of the Villages of Kapolei.
Though not exact replicas, you can see the influence of the Plantation home style in the architecture. Not surprising for a place building on the lands that had so recently held acres of sugar and pineapple.
These homes are still attractive for the same reasons they were then. A more affordable real estate option with greater room and features like an actual lawn and open sky surrounding you. Difficult to find in the Honolulu of the 1990’s and even harder today.
Like the Plantation homes of yesteryear, many of these layouts are single level, with high ceilings, coming in floor plans such as 3BR/2BA/1 Story (1,164 sq ft) 3BR/2BA/1 Story (1,209), 3BR/2BA/1 Story (1,321 sq ft), as well as 3BR/2.5BA/2 Story (1,637 sq ft).
Though these lack many of the new green energy features and other innovations of the more recent additions to the district, they make up for it in their charm and undeniable welcome indoors and out.
KAPOLEI KNOLLS
Kapolei Knolls first took shape with its first homes in 1998. From its hillside lots, you look out on Kapolei and Makakilo, watching over the budding city coming together even now. If you like choices, Kapolei Knolls is for you. Just look at the floor plans, divided into 3 Series:
Kapolei Series
Discovery (1,365 sq ft, 3BR/2BA), Minuet (1,639 sq ft, 4BR/2BA),
Innovation (1,692 sq ft, 4BR/3BA), Bolero (1,880 sq ft, 3BR/2BA),
Millenia (1,930 sq ft, 4BR/3BA), Visionary (2,072 sq ft, 4BR/2.5BA)
Toccota (2,453 sq ft, 5BR/2.5BA), Opus (2,757 sq ft, 4BR/2.5BA)
Classic Series
The Sonata (1,377 sq ft, 3BR/2BA), The Rhapsody (1,564 sq ft, 4BR/2.5BA),
The Concerto (1,942 sq ft, 4BR/3BA),
The Symphony in G-Major (2,002 sq ft, 4BR/3BA)
Kula Lei Series
Lei Ali’i (1,092 sq ft, 3BR/2BA),
Lei Hala (1,198 sq ft, 3BR/2BA),
Lei Kukui (1,237 sq ft, 3BR/2.5BA),
Independence (1,377 sq ft, 3BR/2.5BA),
Lei Hulu (1,343 sq ft, 4BR/3BA),
Lei ‘Ilima (1,562 sq ft, 4-5BR/3BA),
The homes vary further due to available options that can add a Den or other additions and alterations. It’s the next best thing to full customization!
With only a couple of exceptions all are 2 story with lawn space of your own. There’s also a landscaped park for residents at the entrance to the neighborhood with bbq areas and a walking/jogging path around it as well.
KAPOLEI AELOA
This is one of the original neighborhoods created when Kapolei was first taking shape. You’ll see homes here that were built as early as 1995 to as late as 1999. The single family homes all have 3 to 4 bedrooms with a wide variety of layouts.
The floor plans include 3BR/2BA (1,116 sq ft), 3BR/2.5BA (1,319 sq ft), 3BR/2.5BA (1,508 sq ft), 4BR/2.5BA (1,846 sq ft) and 4BR/2.5BA (2,338). These numbers do not include the lanai spaces that can augment your home with 110 to 220 additional sq ft for outside living & relaxation.
Also in this same district are the Aeloa Terrace townhomes, with units of 1BR (534 sq ft), 2BR (747 – 754 sq ft) or 3BR (994 sq ft) units. If you’re upstairs you get a lanai, while being downstairs gives you a fenced in patio area of your own.
Whether you’re in the Terrace condos or one of the houses, you’re near the shopping, dining and other options that make Kapolei such a great place to settle.
KAPOLEI IWALANI
Formally called Village 5 of the Villages at Kapolei, the houses here were erected between the mid-1990’s up into the first years of this century.
The homes come in layouts of 3BR/2BA (980 sq ft), 3BR.2.5BA (1,393 to 1,530 sq ft) and 4BR/2.5BA (1,899 sq ft).
Your lot is very well proportioned, even the smallest homes sitting on over 3,400 sq ft of land, so plenty to play with for expansion or just treasured outdoor space.
What many love especially about these homes are the elegant styles that recall the kamaaina houses of yesteryear, giving the designs timeless Island appeal.
KAPOLEI KAI
Also under the Villages at Kapolei umbrella, this is a smaller community of 204 residences. Built in the years 2002 and 2003, they are comprised of 3 different two-story layouts of 3BR/2.5BA (1,621 sq ft), 4BR/2.5BA (1,373 sq ft) and 4BR/3BA (1,827 sq ft).
In addition, there’s 1 single story model of 3BR/2BA with 972 sq ft inside. All include 2 car garages, the lots spanning from 3,500 to 4,600 sq ft of land around you. Depending on where you are, many owners have views of not just the mountains, but also the sunset, a sight that can make each day special.
Those with keiki will love living next door to Kapolei Middle School and just down the street from Kapolei High School, making it easy for your kids to get to class each day. A great place to raise a family.
KAPOLEI KEKUILANI
Built between 1994 and 1995, the floor plans of the homes here include the single story 3BR/2BA (1,143 sq ft) along with 2 story homes with 3BR/2.5BA (1,611 sq ft) and 4BR/2.5BA (1,616 sq ft). Lot sizes can vary widely, taking up from 2,400 to 4,600 sq ft.
The neighborhood sits right next to Kapolei Golf Course, giving some fortunate residents backyard views of the landscaped fairway as well as a beautiful water feature.
H1 is 5 minutes away, making that part of your commute simple each morning. That convenience extends to Safeway & Walmart, which are the same distance from your front door, making errands a breeze.
Those quick trips mean more time spent on your backyard lanai, working in your 2 car garage or even gardening. That’s what home should be about.
You can also find a home in the condos of Kekuilani Villas. All of these residences are 2BR, with 3 layouts of 843, 909 and 953 sq ft. Pool, clubhouse, bbq areas and a pet-friendly policy make it even more attractive.
KAPOLEI MALANAI
Kapolei Malanai is one of the higher-end neighborhoods, the homes dating to the mid-1990’s during the first big build up of Kapolei. That early start gave them a fantastic location, with Farrington Hwy on its west and Kapolei Golf Course practically surrounding it on the other 3 sides.
All the floor plans come with vaulted ceilings in the living areas, large windows to let the sun and views in, as well as good dimensions inside – 3BR/2BA (1,315 sq ft), 3BR/2.5BA (1,754 sq ft), and 4BR/2.5BA (2,268 sq ft). The lots have a wide range of 4,092 sq ft on up to as much as 6,084.
A large part of the community is also the townhomes of Malanai Iki, which include units with 1BR/1BA (546 sq ft), 2BR/1BA (744 sq ft) and 3BR/2BA (978 sq ft). Those measurements don’t include nice lanais that add 104 to 200 more square footage.
KAPOLEI AWAKEA AT MEHANA
Awakea is a genuine case of a developer meeting a need. Most residences here are traditional townhomes and condos, but there’s something different, too. A few of these models are remarkable live-work residences, called flex-homes, where owners can run a business as well as reside.
Not merely home offices, but actual brick-and-mortar stores and services! It’s aim is not only to serve the desires and entrepreneurial home owners, but also to create more of an active neighborhood environment that you don’t get in many other areas of Kapolei.
The layouts are:
- Sunray – 2BR/2BA, 1 Story (1,084 sq ft)
- Sundance – 2BR/2BA, 1 Story (1,023 sq ft)
- Sunburst (G) – 3BR/2BA, 1 Story (1,184 sq ft)
- Sunburst (G1) – 2BR/2BA, 1 Story (1,201 sq ft)
- Sunset (H) – 3BR/2BA, 1 Story (1,232 sq ft)
- Sunset (H1) – 3BR/2BA, 1 Story (1,242 sq ft)
- Sunflower – 2BR/2.5BA, 2 Story (1,087 sq ft)
- Sunbeam – 3BR/2.5BA, 2 Story (1,526 sq ft)
- Sunbird – 2BR/2.5BA, 2 Story (1,089 sq ft)
- Sunglow – 2BR/2.5BA, 2 Story (1,068 sq ft)
- Sundial – 2BR/2BA, 2 Story (1,079 sq ft)
- Sunfish – 2BR/2.5BA, 2 Story (1,203 sq ft)
- Sunrise [FLEX-HOMES] – 3BR/3BA, 2 Story (1,870 sq ft)
The extra flex-home space can also be used to extend your family area, of course, but the home office or business options give you a lot of excellent options at the very least.
All residences have at least a small front lanai and one car garage, sometime augmented by an additional outdoor space or, in the case of the flex models, 3 exterior parking spaces, so you can accommodate customers or clients.
Most have fenced-in yards, adding a play space or merely some added privacy that makes it yours all the more.
KAPOLEI MEHANA KUKUNA
Kukuna’s single family homes were built over 2013 and 2014, with just two models, keeping things simple. They come in 3BR/2BA (1,214 sq ft) and 3BR/2.5BA (1,419 sq ft), both with two stories, on lots that extend between approximately 3600 to 3800 sq ft.
All have 2 stories and a 2 car garage, including extra guest parking as well for most. You also have a community pool and playground to enjoy with your family whenever you choose.
The keiki will also benefit directly from the just opened Ho’okele Elementary School, the newest school in Hawaii as of this writing! And it’s right next door.
KAPOLEI MEHANA LA HIKI
La Hiki is for those with families or anyone expecting guests regularly. Opened to owners in 2011 and 2012, these are strictly 3 & 4 bedroom houses in both single level and 2 story layouts.
They come as 3BR, 2BA/Single Level (1,364 sq ft), 3BR/2.5BA/2 Story (1,441 sq ft), 3BR/2BA/Single Level (1,541 sq ft), 4BR/3BA/2 Story (1,731 sq ft) and 3BR/3BA/2 Story (1,803 sq ft).
What’s different about La Hiki is that it’s the first results of the developer’s Homesave Program. These homes are constructed and designed to be ‘environmentally conscious’ with many green features throughout. Fans of sustainability will love these residences.
If you have little ones, you’re in the perfect place, too. You live right beside Ho’okele Elementary, a brand new school as of the 2015-2016 school year! Kapolei High School is just on the other side of Ho’okele, keeping everything close.
KAPOLEI MEHANA OLINO
As of this writing, this is the newest neighborhood DR Horton has added into the Mehana district of Kapolei. This area has both single family homes as well as townhome condos.
Entrepreneurs should look closer here as some are mixed use, giving you the opportunity to run a brick-and-mortar business from your residential property.
The majority of floor plans are townhome/condos, but they, as well as the houses, all come with 2 parking spaces. In the case of the single family homes, it’s a 2 car garage. There’s a large range of layouts here, as you’ll see below. In order of size:
- E1, E2 – 2BR/2BA, 1 Story, Condo (757 sq ft)
- F1, F3 – 3BR/2BA, 1 Story, Condo (945 sq ft)
- B – 2BR/2BA, 2 Story, Condo (1,007 sq ft)
- D – 2BR/2BA, 2 Story, Condo (1,008 sq ft)
- C – 2BR/2.5BA, 2 Story, Condo (1,115 sq ft)
- A – 3BR/2.5BA, 2 Story, Condo (1,118 sq ft)
- L – 2BR/2BA, 2 Story, Condo (1,178 sq ft)
- G1, G2, G1-Lv – 3BR/2.5BA, 2 Story, Condo (1,356 sq ft)
- 1 – 3BR/2BA, 1 Story, Single Family Home (1,365 sq ft)
- J, J-Lv – 3BR/2.5BA, 2 Story, Condo (1,382 sq ft)
- H1, H2 – 3BR/2.5BA, 2 Story, Condo (1,432 sq ft)
- K – 3BR/2BA, 2 Story, Condo (1,528 sq ft)
- 2 – 4BR/3BA, 2 Story, Single Family Home (1,563 sq ft)
One very nice feature of the condos are the lanai spaces that go from 81 to a very roomy 286 sq ft.
If you enjoy an active lifestyle, Olino could be the right choice. The neighborhood features a recreation center and pool like many others, but it also has a central park, playground and bike/walk paths.
MALU’OHAI & KAUPEA – HAWAIIAN HOMELANDS
These two communities, set aside as Hawaiian Homelands are also part of Kapolei. Specifically created for eligible Native Hawaiians to live in, they fall outside our scope, but need to be acknowledged.
KAPOLEI – LOCAL HOME LIFE FOR THE 21st CENTURY
Any worries about Kapolei descending into cookie-cutter communities or cold, uninviting homes lining its streets have long been laid to rest. The reasons are easy to see for yourself in the neighborhoods above. It’s a place experiencing true growth, but without the concrete sprawl or cramped conditions that too often accompany it.
The whole story isn’t written yet, but from the results so far, there’s no question that Kapolei real estate is the future everyone was hoping for – and it’s actually coming true.