12/20/2024
Developer of a proposed new Aloha Stadium project releases new renderings (source: KHON2).
12/19/2024
Kauai County is seeking the public's feedback to weigh in on a proposed 400 affordable housing unit project in Waimea, Kauai (source: KauaiNow).
12/19/2024Hololani - a condo in Kahana - had its request for sheet pile and rock revetment to protect the property from shoreline erosion, using State land, rejected by the Board of Land and Natural Resources (source: MauiNow).
12/19/2024
Feds sends another $250M for the Honolulu rail construction, which is now estimated to cost a total of $9.8Bl and will only include 19 out of a planned 21 rail stops, which means it won't go all the way to Ala Moana Shopping Center (source: StarAdvertiser).
12/17/2024Mian & Bao, a restaurant serving Chinese-inspired dishes, has opened in Ward Village, located right here (Google Maps).
12/16/2024
Maui County's deadline for filing real property assessment exemptions for fiscal year 2025 is Dec 31, 2024 (source: MauiNow).
12/15/2024
The deadline, to appeal a property's assessed value, is Jan 15th on Oahu (source: County of Honolulu) Dec 31st on Kauai (source: County of Kauai), April 9th on Maui - includes Lanai and Molokai - (Source: Maui County) and April 9th on the Big Island (source: County of Hawaii).
12/14/2024
Construction has begun on Hale Moiliili, an affordable 273 23-story rental apartment complex, exclusively for native Hawaiians, to be located at 820 Isenberg St in Honolulu (source: StarAdvertiser).
12/13/2024
Maui tourism recovery slow and predictions are a slow ongoing tourism recovery (source: MauiNow).
12/12/2024
A decision on Honolulu County's proposed Empty Home Tax has been postponed (source: CivilBeat).
12/10/2024
The median sales from for a single-family home on Maui was $1.3M November this year, which is 16.9% higher than November last year (source: MauiNow).
12/9/2024Kona Bay Hotel closed its doors 4 years ago, but will soon reopen under the Hampton Inn By Hilton brand (Source: BigIslandNow).
12/8/2024
A plan to built a bridge across Ala Wai Cancel - see on Google Maps - is expected to cost Honolulu City $63M and, if all goes to plan, be completed 2028. Read more on CivilBeat.
12/7/2024
Hawaii State is planning to build a leasehold affordable housing project on two lots located on the corner of Kapiolani Blvd / Ward Ave - see location on Google Maps - currently occupied by Jack in the Box and Fiddler's, respectively (source: KITV).
12/5/2024
In Hawaii the current conforming mortgage loan limit is $1,149,825 and this will increase to $1,209,750 in 2025.
12/5/2024
Honolulu Marathon starts on Sunday 5am at Aloha Tower and finishes at Kapiolani Park (see course map). More than 35,000 participants have registered.
12/4/2024
Wailea 670 (now called Honuaula) is a proposed luxury home project to be developed in South Maui across 670 acres by a private golf course. It has been in the making for years and still no conclusion whether it will get approval (source: Maui News).
12/4/2024
Construction of a planned luxury condo project on North Shore's Turtle Bay is on hold, as the developer responds to questions from the Department of Planning & Permitting (source: Civil Beat).
12/4/2024The Park on Keeaumoku commercial leasing is underway, which includes 9 ground floor spaces in the Rycroft Tower (source: PBN).
12/4/2024
Villages of Lai Opua is a planned Hawaii Homestead (for native Hawaiians) community in Kealakehe near Kona - learn more about the project and plans here.
12/3/2024
Bill 46, a proposal for an Empty Home Tax on Oahu, is going in for a third and final reading next week.
11/24/2024
The first home, lost in the Lahaina wildfire, has been rebuilt, more than 120 homes are under construction and hundreds more owners have either been issued building permits or have their rebuilding plans under building permit review (source: StarAdvertiser).
11/24/2024
The pedestrian bridge connecting Ward Village with Kewalo Harbor is expected to be completed next month.
11/23/2024
Council members are moving Bill 64 forward, which is a proposal for 800+ condos that would allow for short-term renting in Hoakalei. A final vote on the Bill could come in the near future (source: CivilBeat).
11/23/2024
Reviews of residential building permit applications in Honolulu used to take 6 months or longer, but recently with a new online application system in place the review time has been reduced significantly and applicants can now follow the status of their permit application online (source: StarAdvertiser).
11/20/2024
The last bulk recordation round for Victoria Place took place today.
11/3/2024
All beaches in Hawaii are public (with a few exceptions, when under direct control by the Federal Government). However, a homeowner on Kauai's North Shore, has reportedly tried to block access to Anini Beach, which the home is fronting (source: SFGate).
11/2/2024
58 acres of undeveloped land, within Waikoloa Beach Resort, has been put on the market for $40M. The land is currently owned by Toronto-based investment firm Romspen (source: PBN).
11/2/2024
88% of Maui's visitors come from the US mainland and looking at Oct visitor count, indication is that tourism recovery is on right track (source: MauiNews).
11/2/2024
Statewide hotel occupancy was in Sept 68.9%, which is a 6.3% drop from Sept 2023 (source: StarAdvertiser).
11/1/2024
September visit arrivals to Hawaii was 96% of September pre-pandemic level, but overall tourism recovery, post Maui wildfires, is still slower than expected (source: StarAdvertiser).
11/1/2024
A beachfront homeowner on Maui is fined $31,000 for placing boulders in front of the home in an attempt to protect from erosion (source: KITV).
11/1/2024
A luxury 350-unit Kimpton Resort on Kauai, planned on the site of the old Coco Palms Resort, is getting closer to achieving its expected 2027 completion, as a judge denies an attorney's motion to stop construction (source: KauaiNewsNow).
10/30/2024
Nationwide property taxes are up 30% compared to 2019, driven by a significant appreciation of property values. The effective average property tax rate across the US has dropped to 0.67% of assessed value relative to 0.77% in 2019 (source: PBN).
10/302024
Hawaii Kai used to be called Maunalua and was an area rich in fish and fertile land (source: KHON2)
10/26/2024
The number of condos & homes on Oahu selling above $2,000,000 has increased by 5% year-to-date, relative to the same year-to-date period last year - (source: PBN)
10/25/2024
The City of Honolulu has proposed a 124% sewer fee increase to single-family homes on Oahu over the next 10 years (source: StarAdvertiser).
10/25/2024Nobu, an upscale Japanese restaurant, is expected to open a branch at the Grand Wailea, Maui summer 2025 (source: PBN).
10/23/2024Koa Partners and Castle & Cooke have been selected to develop Block D in Our Kakaako, which will be named Waiakoa and have 1,032 units across 2 towers, of which 60% will fall in an affordable category - (source: PBN).
10/22/2024
In 2023 the US had 28 separate weather related natural disasters, each resulting in over $1 billion in damages, which has led to just a limited number of insurers willing to provide coverage, especially for condos, and often limiting hurricane coverage. This has forced condo associations to purchase additional surplus insurance at high costs - (source: StarAdvertiser).
10/21/2024
A planned community for native Hawaiians in Ewa Beach has been scaled back due to rising costs for the developer associated with sea-level rise and flood risks - read more here.
10/21/2024
Maui County will release its long-term Lahaina recovery plan today - read more here.
10/20/2024
Maui wildfire survivors will receive 1 extra year of housing support from FEMA - read more here.
10/19/2024
New Oahu FEMA flood rate insurance maps include more high flood risk areas that may require about 4,000 Oahu homeowners to purchase flood insurance - read more here.
10/19/2024
High condo insurance costs across the state are impacting both owners and renters. Could condo self-insurance be part of solving the problem - read more here.
10/17/2024
Kauai County is progressing a Bill that would allow building guest houses on residentially zoned land in an effort to address the housing shortage - read more here.
10/17/2024
Maui County seeks affordable housing project proposals - read more here.
10/17/2024
Happening in Ward Village: a)Victoria Place received its Certificate of Occupancy, b)StretchLab has opened in Koula, c) Halloween celebration Oct 26th 10am to 12pm in South Shore Market with pumpkin patch, face painting and more.
10/17/2024
See the list of the US' 100 most expensive zip codes right here. Atherton in California is number 1 with a median sales price of $7,900,000.
10/17/2024
See the list of the US' 100 most expensive zip codes right here. Atherton in California is number 1 with a median sales price of $7,900,000.
10/14/2024
More hotels on Oahu are being built or under consideration to be built, outside of Waikiki, given an increase in demand for hotels in different parts of Oahu (source: PBN).
10/14/2024
Hawaii State is going to purchase a partial interest in the Sky Ala Moana Flats - affordable units - in an effort to make them more affordable to prospective homebuyers (source: StarAdvertiser).
10/13/2024
A $1.6 Billion State plan seeks to create 28,000 (affordable) housing units over the next few decades in Honolulu's Iwilei and Kapalama (source: StarAdvertiser).
10/12/2024
Hawaii's Governor signed an emergency proclamation in an effort towards reaching a goal to build more than 13,000 affordable units over the next 3 years - read more here.
10/10/2024
Kauai has one of the highest asking rent levels in the US - read more here.
10/10/2024
A new Target Store is opening in Waikiki's International Market Place - a space previously occupied by Saks Fifth Ave department store - and will have its grand opening October 27th - read more here.
10/9/2024
New luxury condo project Alia is almost sold out - just 11 units left. The project is so far on track for late 2026 completion.
10/8/2024
Designing the next phase of the Honolulu rail, running from Downtown to Kakaako, is now beginning and the construction of this section expected to begin late 2025 with a completion in 2030 - read more here.
10/7/2024
The State has formed a working group to determine the future of Kalaupapa on Molokai, which was once home to thousands of people with Hansen's disease - read more here.
10/7/2024
Hawaii has for 16 years straight, remained the most desired place to visit for Japanese nationals, however, a weak yen combined with high inflation in Hawaii has reduced pace of Japanese tourism recovery (source: StarAdvertiser).
10/6/2024
Utah based Developer, Arete Collective, owns 65 acres of land near Turtle Bay and has started construction on phase 1, 4 low-rise structures, which will be home to 20 residences. However, it has delayed an additional planned high-rise construction until December, to allow for more conversations with the community - read more here.
10/6/2024
A 93 residential single-family home project proposed for Manoa, has several residents concerned - read more here.
10/4/2024Ward Village will have a culinary showcase - Oct 10th to Oct 18th - where several restaurants will offer special menus - learn more here.
10/4/2024
Residential debris removal is completed in Lahaina and residential areas off Lahainaluna Rd is opening today, marking one of the final large residential zones to be reopened - read more here.
10/2/2024
Dept. of Hawaiian Home Lands has started an in-house permitting process that will speed up the pace at which housing projects can be built for native Hawaiians - read more here.
10/1/2024
Leiwili Kapolei, a 900 unit affordable housing project in Kapolei has been proposed by Ikenakea Development, which would include a mix of affordable for sale and rental units.
9/17/2024
Dept. of Hawaiian Homelands progressing on its plan to turn a condo project in Kapaa, Kauai in to a rental project, with an option to purchase later, for native Hawaiians - read more (CivilBeat).
9/17/2024
Push for rent caps on Maui - read more (CivilBeat).
9/9/2024
WalletHub votes Hawaii the happiest State in the US - read more here.
9/9/2024
Hyatt Hotel coming to Ewa Beach - read more.
6/7/2024
New short-term rental property tax rate for Transient Vacation units has been approved by the City Council (read details on Civil Beat) -
see buildings that have Transient Vacation units from our Condo Hotel Guide.
1/31/2024
Ultra-luxury Launiu Ward Village sales is about to start. Contact us asap, if you are interested in learning more.
1/23/2024Kalae has broken ground and construction will soon begin.
1/23/2024Victoria Place is expected to be completed this year - November - with 3 bulk closings scheduled: Nov. 6, 13 & 20.
1/16/2024Trump Tower Waikiki was originally to be rebranded as Wakea Waikiki Beach, but the plans changed and the new name - from Feb 7th - will be Ka Lai Waikiki Beach.
1/12/2024
The City of Honolulu lost a lawsuit, in which the City wanted to change the minimum rental period for residential properties, on Oahu, from the current 30 day minimum to 90 days.
12/12/2023
Many condos on Oahu do not have sufficient hurricane insurance coverage and most lenders will not lend on such condos - read more (source: Hawaii Business Magazine).
11/9/2023Trump Tower Waikiki will soon come under new management and is expected - starting February 2024 - to operate under the name of Wakea Waikiki Beach and be part of Hilton's LXR Hotels & Resorts, which is a small group of hand-selected luxury hotels.
11/1/2023
Who pays conveyance tax, how much is it and how does it work? Read here on our Blog.
10/30/2023
Waikiki vacation rental units had an average occupancy of 65.1% Sept 2023 vs 78.6% Sept 2019 - see more data here (source: Dept. of Business, Economic Development & Tourism).
10/30/2023
Honolulu City is working to connect more homes that are currently on cesspool to the City's main sewer system - read more (source: Civil Beat).
10/27/2023
Developers have a hard time selling affordable housing units, due to strict qualification guidelines - read more (source: Civil Beat)
10/19/2023
New condo hotel coming to Kapiolani Blvd - read more here (source: KITV)
10/19/2023Alia is close to 80% sold and construction is expected to commence before year-end.
9/30/2023Sky Ala Moana West (residential tower) has 3 scheduled bulk closing rounds: Oct 12, 18 & 24. Renaissance Residences (Sky Ala Moana East) has all units scheduled to record December 11th and the Renaissance Hotel is scheduled to open January 2024.
9/15/2023Launiu, ultra-luxury condo, coming soon. Register your interest.
9/11/2023
Remaining inventory in Kuilei Place - market rate units - range in price from $671,000 to $1,275,000 across 1, 2 and 3 bedroom units. There are also some affordable units available ranging in price from $680,000 to $813,000 across 2 and 3 bedroom units.
9/8/2023Ililani is on track for March 2024 completion and currently 97% of the units are sold.
9/8/2023Alia construction site is under preparation and official ground breaking is expected in the very near future.
8/9/2023
Buyers of Renaissance Residences are scheduled to take ownership December this year.
8/3/2023
DPP's median processing time for a building permit application is close to 200 days. The City has a Bill out, which, if passed, would allow the DPP to increase the use 3rd parties to help review applications to speed up the process (source: Honolulu Star-Advertiser).
7/26/2023
Honolulu's City Council is debating whether owners of 'monster' homes, built without appropriate building permits, should be forced to demolish such homes.
5/15/2023Sky Ala Moana West has 3 scheduled bulk closing dates - Oct 12, Oct 18, Oct 24 - and Renaissance closings expected either Dec 15th or early January.
5/15/2023
The first release of Kanalani at Hoopili homes are now available for sale - 3BR to 4BR floor plans.
4/28/2023
More homeowners, in default on their mortgage, may qualify to modify their 30 year mortgage to a 40 year term in order to reduce the monthly payments and increase the likelihood of being able to stay in their home.
4/27/2023
1BR - 3BR condos are now offered at Nahele at Hoopili for owner-occupants only.
4/7/2023
Progress on Ward Village's Auahi St sidewalk widening project, which will include just 1 car lane in either direction, dedicated bike lanes and inviting green landscaping.
4/7/2023
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has reportedly rejected Hawaii State's $165M proposal to eliminate the possibility of building highrises on land they own, oceanside of Ala Moana Blvd in Kakaako (since 2006 there has been a ban on residential developments on this land).
4/5/2023
Hawaii State has reportedly offered $165M to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to keep highrises from never being built on land they own in Kakaako on the oceanside of Ala Moana Blvd.
3/28/2023
The DPP has, reportedly, hired a collection agency - Aargon - to help crack down on illegal vacation rentals.
3/27/2023Kuilei Place affordable housing application deadline is April 16th.
3/14/2023The Launiu Ward Village is a new luxury project we anticipate will be offered in the near future.
3/10/2023
Only 6 homes left at Hooulu, a neighborhood within Hoopili, starting at $842K for a 3BR home with 1,132 sf.
3/7/2023The Flats at Sky Ala Moana (affordable housing units) now offers some units with reduced restrictions periods and no shared equity.
3/4/2023
Oahu real estate price trends - click here for details.
3/4/2023
Bill 4 proposes that the residentially zoned properties on Oahu that may legally run short-term rentals, e.g. Waikiki Banyan, Waikiki Sunset, and all NUC properties, will pay a higher property tax rate than the current residential rate. The new rate is expected to be less than the Hotel Resort tax rate (currently 1.39% of assessed value), which is the rate for legal short-term rental properties within the Hotel Resort zone, e.g. Ilikai, Waikiki Shore. etc. When the Bill becomes law, it might take effect July 2024 at the earliest.
3/3/2023
The average 30 year US mortgage rate is at 6.65% - a year ago it was 3.76%.
2/24/2023
The Alia owner-occupant round is almost done, which means the remaining inventory becomes unrestricted (anyone can purchase).
2/24/2023
Shoreline setback requirements for oceanfront developments on Oahu are currently 40 ft from the high watermark. Starting July 2024 this will increase to between 60 to 130 ft (Bill 41 & 42), subject to Honolulu's Mayor signing the Bills in to law.
1/27/2023
Kuilei Place, a proposed mixed used project (market rate and restricted income units), obtained permit fee exemptions to built at 2599 Kapiolani Blvd - read more on Civil Beat.
1/27/2023Alia owner-occupant sales starts tomorrow, Jan 28th.
1/23/2023Alia is a new luxury condo coming to Kakaako. Reach out to learn more.
1/5/2023
It appears the City has decided property owners who are allowed to run short-term rentals must register their units here if a building's original permits were for anything but a hotel. If a building's original permits were for a hotel, then no need to register.
10/27/2022
Owner's of legal short-term rentals in the County of Honolulu (Oahu) must register their unit(s) with the City on this website - exceptions are NUC holders, Hotels and Timeshare units. Read more details here.
10/27/2022Kalae owner-occupant sales (165 units) will begin tomorrow, Friday, 9am, and prospects or their agents may start lining up now at the Ward Village sales office.
10/14/2022
A preliminary injunction was granted by a judge, which prevents the City from implementing the ordinance that would change min rental terms, for most Oahu properties, from 30 to 90 days - read more here.
9/26/2022Kalae, a new ultra-luxury Ward Village condo project, sales gallery is now open.
9/21/2022Koula - luxury condo in Ward Village - is completed and the first owners are moving in.
9/13/2022
During the 9.7.2022 court hearing to challenge Bill 41’s 90-day rule, Judge Watson instructed both parties to meet with U.S. Magistrate Judge Rom Trader and work out a resolution by 10.23.2022. - Bill 41 updates here.
9/13/2022
Alia, a new luxury condo to be developed in Kakaako, is expected to start sales Q4 2022.
7/19/2022
Bill 41 has been legally challenged. For now, Bill 41's enforcement date has been pushed back to 4.23.2023. Updates here.
7/14/2022
The State has a plan for developing around the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor - read more here.
6/17/2022Ritz-Carlton Waikiki is planning to remodel all units in the hotel rental program in the fall of 2023.
5/26/2022Bill 41 - An overview of important aspects of this Bill (concerns Oahu short-term renting rules).
5/17/2022Cottages at Mauna Olu is a unique community of single-family homes on Oahu's west coast. Unique in that the project allows for short-term vacation renting.
5/17/2022Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance has reportedly engaged an attorney to initiate legal action against the City & County of Honolulu for changing the minmium legal rental term, required per tenant, from 30 days to 90 days, for most residential properties / neighborhoods.
5/12/2022The Park Ward Village is expected to begin construction in the second half of 2022.
5/11/2022
Oahu's real estate price trends - click here for details.
4/29/2022
An elevated pedestrian walking path above Ala Moana Blvd (between Kamakee and Ward Ave - click here and see page 11) is expected to start construction May 2, 2022 with an anticpated completed late 2023.
4/25/2022
Don't forget the new OTAT tax, levied on rental income for Oahu properties - read more here.
4/22/2022
Construction progress photo: Sky Ala Moana.
4/18/2022
Developer files documents to develop Ala Moana Plaza; a 40 story condo at 451 Piikoi St - read more here.
4/14/2022
Honolulu City Council approves Bill 41, which will increase the minimum rental terms for most properties on Oahu, from their current 30 days to 90 days, if signed into law by Honolulu's mayor - read more here.
4/6/2022
DPP's Director steps away from working on Bill 41 (short-term rental legislation) - read more on Civiil Beat.
4/1/2022
Oahu's real estate price trends - click here for details.
3/23/2022
2 new condos projects - Kahuina and Alia - are expected to be offered in 'Our Kaako' later this year - read more here.
3/1/2022
From today, Japanese nationals traveling back to Japan - from Hawaii - are not subject to any quarantine, if vaccinated with 1 booster shot. Details in Japanese here.
11/9/2021The Park Ward Village was 64% presold by the end of Q3 (Oct 31st) and a total of 316 Ward Village residences went under contract with the developer Q3.
10/28/2021
Ultra-luxury condo Victoria Place is almost sold out - just 2 x 1BR units left.
6/3/2021
Read details about The Park Ward Village and sign up for a virtual tour of this upcoming luxury project.
5/27/2021
Hawaii's Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism projects Hawaii's economy will grow 3.5% this year, 3% in 2022 and 2.3% in 2023.
5/26/2021Bill 20 proposes 5 tiers to the Residential A property tax rate.
5/14/2021
In person showings now available for new Ward Village projects at the IBM showroom (virtual showings continue).
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