Hawaii Living

Hawaii Real Estate News

  • 03/22/2025 Yakiniku Like, a Japanese barbecue chain, will open its first U.S. location at 1108 Keeaumoku St., Honolulu, on April 1st, offering affordable, quality meals in a fast-casual, tech-streamlined setting (source: PBN).
  • 03/22/2025 The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) board approved a settlement with Ward Village developer, Howard Hughes, over a land acquisition lawsuit involving 2 acres in Kakaako, where the developer sought over $200 million for land needed to extend the rail line. The settlement amount remains undisclosed until court approval (source: CivilBeat).
  • 03/21/2025 Maui’s Budget Committee is probing $12 million in unspent Affordable Housing Fund money, asking why it’s unused as of June 30, 2024, with plans to allocate some to a Napili project (source: MauiNow).
  • 03/21/2025 Condo insurance rates in Hawaii have spiked, with some Oahu associations facing 1,000% increases since 2019, due to rising costs and climate risks, straining owners with higher fees and limited coverage (source: PBN).
  • 03/20/2025 The Park Ward Village has been topped off, completing its highest structural point (source: PBN).
  • 03/20/2025 Events happening on Oahu March 21 - March 23 (Source: KITV).
  • 03/20/2025 The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) plans to award 700 project leases for homesteads in Kapolei, allowing eligible families to secure leases before construction. This initiative, targeting Kauluokahai and Kaupea areas (source: KHON2).
  • 03/20/2025 A small group of Canadian tourists have canceled their trips to Hawaii, citing President Trump’s comments toward Canada as their reason. This is causing concern for Hawaii’s tourism industry, already strained by cuts to social programs and a decline in visitors from Japan (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 03/19/2025 Kauai Island Utility Cooperative is proposing two new solar-plus-battery-storage projects that could bring Kauai close to 80% renewable energy by 2028 These projects, expected to power over 30,000 homes, align with the utility's goal of achieving 100% renewable energy by 2033, well ahead of Hawaii's 2045 mandate (source: KauaiNow).
  • 03/19/2025 Festa Italiana, Hawaii’s only Italian festival, will take place on Friday, March 21st, at Velocity Honolulu (888 Kapiolani Blvd) for a VIP experience, and Saturday, March 22nd, from 4 to 9:30 pm at Mother Waldron Park for the free street festival, featuring Italian food, music, and culture (source: KITV).
  • 03/19/2025 Gentry Homes in West Oahu plans to raise prices on market-rate units in their Kaulu development to boost sales, as affordable units struggle to sell despite being below the state maximum (source: CivilBeat).
  • 03/17/2025 In an interview with Civil Beat, Mufi Hannemann of the Hawaii Hotel Alliance discussed the tourism industry's uncertain future, highlighting challenges such as a shift toward experiential travel amid a post-pandemic recovery (Source: CivilBeat).
  • 03/17/2025 A University of Hawaii study reveals that parts of the Hawaiian Islands, particularly Oahu’s south shore, are sinking at a rate of up to 25 millimeters per year - 40 times faster than the island-wide average (source: HawaiiNewsNow).
  • 03/17/2025 Chef Jasmine Silverstein’s new venture, Meals in a HeartBeet, is delivering organic, locally sourced meals across the Big Island. The business is an expansion of her decade-long catering business (source: BigIslandNow).
  • 03/15/2025 Events happening on Oahu this weekend.
  • 03/14/2025 4823 Kahala Ave sold today for $65.75M, becoming the most expensive home ever sold in the State of Hawaii, surpassing 2676-e Kauapea Rd, Kilauea (Kauai), which previously had the record with a $46.1M sales price in 2018.
  • 03/13/2025 The developer of Kukuiula, a subdivision with upscale homes in Koloa, Kauai, has secured financing for a 24-lot oceanfront project within the subdivision - Kula Makai III (source: PBN).
  • 03/12/2025 Construction of new properties, across the US, was 1.6 million last year (2024), which is the the highest since 2016. Yet, the US has a 3.8 million housing shortage of available and affordable homes (source: KHON2).
  • 03/12/2025 Aurum Maui is a restaurant coming to The Shops at Wailea soon. The dishes will focus on modern American dishes with quality local ingredients.
  • 03/10/2025 Ultra-luxury Ilima and Melia Ward Village showrooms are coming soon and we speculate sales may commence over the summer.
  • 03/09/2025 Hawaii's Governor, Josh Green, wants to increase the Transient Accommodation Tax by 1%, from its current 10.25%, which is levied on rentals that are less than 180 days (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 03/08/2025 Maui County Council members voted 9-0 for first-reading passage of Bill 105, which would allow disaster-impacted property owners to rebuild their homes and other structures to their original condition, even if they were decades old and didn’t meet current building codes (source: MauiNow).
  • 03/08/2025 In Maui Mayor Richard Bissen's State of the County Address he mentioned Maui contributed 620 completed housing units last year and over 1,200 new units are coming over the next two years. There is also plans to allocate $1.2 billion over the next six years toward the reconstruction, rebuilding and development of housing and housing-related infrastructure (source: KITV).
  • 03/07/2025 0 Pauwela Lighthouse Rd in Haiku is 82 acres of land offered for $2.5M, which the community hopes Maui County will purchase to avoid developments (source: MauiNow).
  • 03/07/2025 Oahu single-family homes median sales price was $1,185,000 Feb 2025 - 10.2% higher than Feb 2024 when it was $1,075,000. Condos median sales price was $494,000 - 3.6% less than Feb 2024 when it was $512,500 (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 03/07/2025 About 25% of new construction in Hawaii - built 2013 to 2023 - have been subject to construction defect litigation and lawmakers are examining ways to reduce such litigation (source: StarAdvertiser). 
  • 03/06/2025 Honolulu market update - click here.
  • 03/06/2025 See Honolulu Magazine's list of Best Restaurants in Honolulu.
  • 03/06/2025 Hawaii pays 64% above national average for electricity (source: KauaiNow).
  • 03/06/2025 The developer of Hale O Piikea, an affordable rental project in Kihei, has announced work on the final phase of the project (source: MauiNow).
  • 03/06/2025 A new program from Honolulu's DPP (Department of Planning & Permitting) is expected to start soon, which will speed up the permitting process by allowing permit issuance based on architects' self-certification. As relates to residential real estate, only projects controlled by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and low-rise affordable rentals are eligible for the program (source: CivilBeat). 
  • 03/04/2025 Bill 534, proposed by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to permit several high-rises to be built on land it own in Kakaako Makai - see plans on a map here - has been deferred indefinitely (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 03/03/2025 Check out Kauai's Top 10 oceanfront condos.
  • 03/03/2025 Bill 504 was passed by the Housing Finance Committee, which seeks to require a $20 TAT (transient accommodation tax) for each transient night (levied on rentals periods that are less than 180 days, which is on top of the 10.25% TAT rate and the additional TAT % charges levied by each county (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 03/02/2025 Casa En Maui, a luxury home on Keawakapu Beach, is listed for $65M and will next month be offered on an auction event.
  • 02/28/2025 Bill 1410 proposes an increase to Hawaii's conveyance tax, which is the tax paid when selling a property.
  • 02/28/2025 See George's latest Oahu real estate market update.
  • 02/28/2025 The first sales of homes in Lima Ola is completed. Lima Ola, located in Eleele, Kauai, is a master planned community, which will have 550 affordable housing units (source: KauaiNow).
  • 02/28/2025 See events happening on Oahu this weekend.
  • 02/28/2025 Bill 103 -  currently under consideration by Maui County Council - would allow one dwelling unit per 2,500 sq ft and would apply to all its residential zoning districts (source: MauiNow).
  • 02/27/2025 10 things to do on the Big Island - Feb 28th to March 6th.
  • 02/27/2025 Jan 2025 saw 792,177 visitors to the Hawaiian islands, which is 3.8% more than Jan 2024, but 3.1% less than Jan 2019 (source: DBEDT).
  • 02/26/2025 Honolulu Design Center, located on a 1.34 acre lot, home to Inspiration Interiors, is hitting the market - can either be purchased or leased for 20 years (source: PBN).
  • 02/25/2025 Although still relatively low activity, Lahaina has in recent months seen an increase in number of real estate transactions (source: CivilBeat).
  • 02/22/2025 The Park On Keeaumoku will have its first bulk closing on Sept 5th, 2025.
  • 02/21/2025 The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has launched a new mortgage program for native Hawaiian first time homebuyers (source: HawaiiNewsNow).
  • 02/21/2025 Design ideas for the city's $63M Ala Wai Pedestrian Bridge project are available in this pdf from the Department of Transportation's website (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 02/20/2025 Check out Kona's 10 best oceanfront condos.
  • 02/19/2025 With a significant rise in condo insurance premiums, Hawaii lawmakers are proposing bills to help stabilize the market (source: CivilBeat).
  • 02/19/2025 Laulima Gateway Center is a new shopping center planned in Kapolei, with an expected completion in 2026 or 2027. The Center will be a 100,000 sf venue offering retail, dining and various services, including a 30,000 sf grocery store (source: PBN).
  • 02/17/2025 Check out Maui's 10 most luxurious oceanfront condos.
  • 02/17/2025 Maui County was unable to get an independent contract study done on the proposed phase-out of vacation rentals and now plans to conduct research in-house instead. A study by Kloninger & Sims - summer 2024 - forecast prohibiting vacation rentals on Maui would cost the County in the range of $53M - $92M, due to lost property, transient accommodation and general excise taxes (source: MauiNow).
  • 02/16/2025 Kaliu - a new luxury condo project in Kakaako - starts owner-occupant sales tomorrow, Feb 17h, 10am. The owner-occupant buyer must be present to execute an owner-occupant affidavit, which is required when signing the purchase contract. 1BR from $890K, 2BR from $1.25M and 3BR from $2.71M.
  • 02/16/2025 The freshest matcha tea in Hawaii can be found on Maui, where a couple makes match using the State's only traditional mill, with ingredients sourced from Wazuka, a small town in Japan. You can try the matcha at Collab Cafe (source: KauaiNow). 
  • 02/16/2025 A fire broke out yesterday in a 16th floor unit at the Moana Vista Apartments, but was quickly contained (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 02/15/2025 Ko Olina plans to utilize 2 parcels near its entrance, total 18 acres, to develop a venue that represents Hawaiian culture, possibly a Hawaiian culture center of some sort, administered by The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (source: PBN).
  • 02/14/2025 Bill 105, a Bill that would allow people to rebuild their homes and business in Lahaina to the way there were before the 2023 wildfires, even if they don't meet today's code, is likely going to the Maui Council for review in March (source: MauiNow).
  • 02/14/2025 Bill 27, A Bill to exempt state-financed housing projects from County approval, has passed a second reading in the Senate (source: MauiNow).
  • 02/13/2025 Waimea Town, Kauai begins its annual 9 day celebration this coming Saturday and will include long distance canoe races, storytelling, rodeos, films, concerts and eating contests (source: KauaiNow).
  • 02/13/2025 Maui County invites residents to share ideas and get an overview of Maui County Hazard Mitigation planning process and discuss how the public can provide input. Feb 27, 2025 5pm to 6pm, Velma McWayne Santos Community Center (source: MauiNow).
  • 02/13/2025 December 2024 a 43-unit development of tiny homes in Honolulu was completed, housing former homeless, incurring electricity costs 4 to 5 times that of an average single-family home on Oahu, since they run on electric generators (source: CivilBeat).
  • 02/12/2025 Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is the number 1 hotel in the US, based on a 2025 ranking by US News.
  • 02/12/2025 Hawaii's General Excise Tax used to be 4% in Honolulu, but in 2005 a 0.5% surcharge was added to help pay for the Honolulu Rail, which has become a $10 billion project. This surcharge was to expire in 2022, but was extended to 2030, and now a new Bill advancing in the Senate looks to extend the 0.5% surcharge to 2045 (source: CivilBeat).
  • 02/11/2025 The Park On Keeaumoku construction is ahead of schedule and expected to close on all sold units during Q4 of this year - Liona Tower is 98% sold and Rycroft Tower is 67% sold.
  • 02/11/2025 The second property tax installment, for the 2024-2025 tax year, is due no later than Feb 20, 2025.
  • 02/11/2025 8 most neighborly towns in Hawaii (source: WorldAtlas). 
  • 02/11/2025 Hawaii's Governor, Josh Green, and consul general of Japan to Hawaii, Yoshinori Kodama, have signed an action plan to bring more visitors from Japan to Hawaii, which includes an expanded VIP entry program. Japanese visitors spend $1.07 billion in 2024, which is 14% more than 2023, but down 52.5% compared to 2019 (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 02/10/2025 A $4 billion settlement to resolve Maui wildfire lawsuits can proceed, allowing the settlement to start flowing to more than 1,000 homeowners and businesses, despite the insurance industry's objections (source: CivilBeat).
  • 02/10/2025 The right of the Kahala Hotel to use the public beach in front of its hotel with beach equipment is, after a lengthy ruling, pending further litigation, with an end result that could impact other beachfront hotels. In Waikiki, there are now guidelines, whereby the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Moana Surfrider and Outrigger Waikiki may only place beach equipment on the beach when it is rented to a named customer, prior to occupying the beach space (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 02/10/2025 Home fire in Maui Meadows - firefighters were able to prevent fire from spreading to neighboring homes (source: MauiNow).
  • 02/10/2025 Residents are invited to learn more about the Lahaina wildfire debris transfer to a permanent site, scheduled for Feb 15th 10:30am - 1pm at the Lahaina Resource Center (source: HawaiiNewsNow). 
  • 02/09/2025 Bills are introduced to appropriate up to $600M more to the Department of Hawaiian Homelands to develop more housing for Hawaiians, including more housing at its Kauluokahai subdivision in East Kapolei (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 02/08/2025 The median sales price of a condo in Maui has fallen to $675,000 - the lowest price level in 2 years (source: MauiNow).
  • 02/07/2025 Starwood Capital Group owns the land located at the former Woods Golf Course in Princeville, Kauai and wants to develop luxury properties on that land. However, beneath the golf course are hundreds of decomposed cattle that were killed during an anthrax outbreak more than a century ago, which has some led to some concerned Princeville residents filing a lawsuit against the developer (source: CivilBeat).
  • 02/07/2025 Limited service hotels are gaining popularity such as Hampton Inn & Suites Oahu/Kapolei and AC Hotel by Marriott Maui Wailea. Hyatt Place and Hyatt House Hotel will be the first hotels built in DR Horton's Hoopili master-planned community in West Oahu (source: PBN).
  • 02/07/2025 Hawaii's Supreme Court posed many questions pertaining to the validity of the $4 billion proposed deal to settle Maui wildfire litigation. A decision by the court could determine whether the proposed settlement can prevent insurer from obtaining compensation, through litigation, from parties deemed responsible for the fire. It may be weeks before a decision (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 02/07/2025 The City is offering $5M in grants to entice development of more low-income rental housing. The City is also seeking developers to build four new affordable housing projects on these parcels: 1615 Ala Wai Blvd, 436 Ena Rd, 130 S. Beretania St and 1421 Pensacola St (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 02/06/2025 Honolulu's Mayor is making a push to utilize city-owned land across Oahu to develop more affordable housing over the coming years, especially along the Honolulu Rail (source: StarAdvertiser). 
  • 02/06/2025 Standard homeowners insurance typically does not cover flood damage and the Hawaii Dept. of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division encourages homeowners and renters to understand their insurance policies and consider adding flood coverage (source: KauaiNow).
  • 02/06/2025 Honolulu market update - click here.
  • 02/05/2025 Three Hawaii Senate committees have advanced a bill that would allow the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to built high-rises on its 31 acres location on the oceanside of Ala Moana Blvd as seen here. The proposal focuses on affordable housing and market rate units, all for Hawaii residents, but possibly with 1 tower being a hotel or condo hotel (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 02/05/2025 Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea has a new sushi restaurant, Komo. 
  • 02/05/2025 A new Bill - Bill 217 - would require visitors driving on parts of Hana Hwy on Maui to pay a road toll fee (source: HawaiiNewsNow).
  • 02/04/2025 Bill 1296 is advancing. If the Bill becomes law, it will not be required for owners to obtain a special management area permit for structures in Lahaina that were destroyed in the August 2023 wildfires (source: MauiNow).
  • 02/04/2025 Demolition of Aloha Stadium is scheduled to start this coming June to make room for a $450M planned project that would include 25,000 stadium seats, new residential neighborhoods, parks, a school, a grocery store and more (source: HawaiiNewsNow).
  • 02/04/2025 Grand Wailea Resort on Maui is seeking approval to built another 137 hotel rooms, but faces opposition from activities who are concerned construction could disturb iwi kapuna, which is bones of Hawaiian ancestors (source: KITV).
  • 02/04/2025 The State is evaluating offering leasehold condos on State Land (99 year lease) and the developer of recently built Ililani has been selected to come up with design concept for a 360 unit tower with prices starting at $456,400 for one bedroom units  and goes up to $862,600 for four bedrooms units (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 02/03/2025 Bill 738 aims to reduce the time a Hawaii government agency has to concur or not with new development proposals, which would help speed up the approval process and ultimately create more housing (source: MauiNow).
  • 02/03/2025 Dec 2024 Maui saw 227,800 visitors, which is 15% higher than December 2023, but 17.3% below Dec 2019, when Maui saw 275,419 visitors (source: MauiNow).
  • 02/02/2025 This coming Thursday, the Hawaii Supreme Court will hear arguments from attorneys representing various parties to help determine the allocation of the $4 billion settlement for the nearly 10,000 Maui wildfire survivors (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 02/01/2025 9.7M visitors arrived in Hawaii 2024 and spend $21BL vs the record 2019 visitors of 10.4M with $18BL in spendings. However, taking inflation in to account 2019 spending was a bit more than 2024 (source: PBN).
  • 01/31/2025 Kuilei Place is about 85% sold out and all existing structures on the planned site is expected to be demolished within a few weeks.
  • 01/31/2025 720,488 Japanese tourists visited Hawaii 2024 vs 580,172 in 2023 and 1,580,000 in 2019. More Japanese are now traveling to much cheaper locations such as Taiwan and Korea (source: PBN).
  • 01/31/2025 Waikoloa Village is expected to get two new hotels: A Holiday Inn Express (expected to open 2027) and a Candlewood Suites (expected to open 2028) - (source: PBN).
  • 01/30/2025 A deal worth $4BL has been reached for Maui fire victims and soon we will know how much each victim will receive (source: KHON2).
  • 01/30/2025 A decision on Bill 534 has been deferred until next week. The Bill is proposed by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) and, if it became law as written, the Bill would allow OHA to built  five 400 ft residential towers on its 31 acres of land, located on the oceanside of Ala Moana Blvd, as seen on this map (source: StarAdvertiser)
  • 01/29/2025 Hawaii State (all islands) vacation rental occupancy was 52.1% in 2024, which is 6.7% less than 2023 and 29.7% less than 2019. Hotel occupancy was 73.3% in 2024 (source: DBEDT).
  • 01/29/2025 Sales have just started for Kaliu, a luxury condo that is to be built.
  • 01/29/2025 It will possibly be one year before the State is able to offer (hurricane) insurance for condo associations, meant to help reduce the sky rocketing insurance premiums, and even so, there are questions around obtaining the capital required to offer such insurance (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 01/29/2025 Hawaii hotel revenue for 2024 totaled $5.48 billion, up 21.5% from $4.51 billion in 2019. However, when taking inflation into account it is a small revenue drop (source: PBN).
  • 01/29/2025 Maui's eviction moratorium, put in place since the Lahaina wildfires, is set to expire next week and some Maui residents are asking the Governor to extend the moratorium (source: KITV).
  • 01/28/2025 Kauai lawmakers are proposing bills to address Kauai's expensive housing - including high-density housing in Lihue -  where the median price of single-family homes has reached $1.4M (source: CivilBeat).
  • 01/27/2025 The University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization has developed a tool that consolidates data on subsidized housing programs on Oahu, meant to assist in better understanding Oahu's affordable housing situation and hopefully leading to better policy making decisions (source: UHERO).  
  • 01/27/2025 A run down building located at 121 Banyan Drive, Hilo, owned by the State, had a developer propose a $20M renovation plan, which would include converting 80% of its 152 units to long-term rentals. However, lack of decision making on the proposal, by the State, lead to the developer revoking their proposal (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 01/25/2025 A plan to redevelop the 10.85 acre Paradise Cove Luau lot in Ko Olina is progressing, which would include restaurants, shops, an art venue, spaces for workshops and more (source: PBN).
  • 01/25/2025 A Bill has been introduced, which would allow Lahaina owner to rebuilt, without special area permits, normally required (source: MauiNow).
  • 01/24/2025 President Trump is requesting the Fed to cut interest rates (source: USA Today).
  • 01/24/2025 Kuhio Park Terrace, a public housing complex located in Kalihi, has requested its approximate 60 tenants to move out by the end of February with plans to take the low-rise complex down and instead develop a large-scale affordable housing project (source: HawaiiNewsNow).
  • 01/23/2025 Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki (see current map of Hilton Hawaiian Village) is seeking permits to build a 36 story tower along Ala Moana Blvd, which would be located right here (source: KHON2).
  • 01/22/2025 The cost to built 450 temporary homes for Maui wildfire survivors came out to $411,000 per home, which does not take into account the land value (source: CivilBeat). 
  • 01/21/2026 Maui County median sales price for single-family homes, Dec 2024, was $1,374,238 (source: MauiNow).
  • 01/21/2026 The City & County of Honolulu is seeking a developer to create affordable housing units in four city-owned properties, starting with redevelopment of the property located at 1615 Ala Wai Blvd (source: PBN).
  • 01/21/2026 In order to revitalize Honolulu's Downtown cleaning up homelessness and further reducing crime is a proposed starting point and discussions take place to create a Business Improvement District to help address these issues, most efficiently (source: StarAdvertiser). 
  • 01/20/2025 Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton will open on Maui's North Shore this coming April and neighboring Maui Seaside Hotel will be upgraded and rebranded as Maui Seaside Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, scheduled to open June 2026 (source: PBN).
  • 01/19/2025 Military housing members occupy about 14,700 out of an estimated 105,868 rentals on Oahu and 2,150 own a property on Oahu (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 01/18/2025 The section of Queen Street between Hokua and the old IBM building will be closed tomorrow - Jan 19th - for filming of an upcoming movie, The Wrecking Crew (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 01/17/2025 Kakaako construction progress: The Park Ward Village, Victoria Place (completed), Ulana Ward Village, Kalae, Alia and The Launiu.
  • 01/17/2025 Systematic barriers in Hawaii constrains housing production, which is a key factor in the lack of affordable housing being developed, according to Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp (source: MauiNow).
  • 01/16/2025 The City & County of Honolulu is planning to develop affordable housing units at 1615 Ala Wai Blvd, a 3-story property it acquired through condemnation 1 year ago (source: City & County of Honolulu).
  • 01/15/2025 Business leaders and politicians have plans to revitalize Downtown Honolulu with more safety, shops, restaurants, condos and more (source: CivilBeat).
  • 01/15/2025 South Maui's long-term proposed development plans do not include enough affordable housing and could worsen traffic and water supply, according to some (source: CivilBeat).
  • 01/14/2025 A California real estate developer, Kam Sang Co., has purchased two oceanfront parcels in Ko Olina for $216M with plans to develop an Atlantis Resort on one of the lots and a luxury hotel on the other lot - total costs estimated at $2.5BL (source: PBN).
  • 01/14/2025 Maui's wildfires cause $50M loss in annual income, according to a report from The University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization (source: MauiNow).
  • 01/13/2025 Bill Ackman, the billionaire hedge fund manager, proposes merger of his Pershing Square with Howard Hughes Corporation, the developer of Ward Village (source: Reuters).
  • 01/13/2025 Solving Hawaii's housing crisis is the center in new legislative session and different approaches / ideas are discussed (source: CivilBeat). 
  • 01/12/2025 It is a challenge rebuilding Lahaina, while keeping its historic character, due to the current building codes and laws (source: MauiNow).
  • 01/10/2025 AirBnB sued for discrimination, after a host rejected renting to a family with 3 kids (source: Reuters).
  • 01/10/2024 Haleiwa Backyards - a proposed development in Haleiwa Town, which would include 30,000 sq ft commercial space and 150 rental units - is facing pushback from residents (source: KHON2).
  • 01/09/2025 The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is expected to take ownership of The Courtyards at Waipouli in Kauai with plans to turn the units in to affordable housing (source: KauaiNow).
  • 01/09/2025 Top rated, Empire Steak House from NYC, will open in Ilikai on Jan 11th (source: PBN).
  • 01/08/2025 The Office of Hawaiian Affairs owns 31 acres of land in Kakaako on the oceanside of Ala Moana Blvd, known as Kakaako Makai - see details on this map - and they are trying to get approvals to built condos, proposing 50% restricted / affordable units and 50% market rate units, which would also be for owner occupants only (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 01/05/2025 Market update - click here.
  • 01/05/2025 Maui's eviction moratorium, established to support survivors of the 2023 Lahaina fires is set to expire Feb 4, 2025 (source: MauiNow).  
  • 01/01/2025 Wishing you all a Happy New Year - see New Year celebrations around the world.
  • 12/31/2024 Hawaii has many rental scams, with scammers often using for sale photos to post a fake rental (source: KITV). 
  • 12/30/2024 Mauna Kea Golf Course has completed an extensive renovation (source: BigIslandNow).
  • 12/29/2024 The Honolulu Rail Agency requests eminent domain on 7 parcels owned by Kamehameha Schools, needed to build the rail (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 12/28/2024 A number of North Shore beaches on Kauai and Big Island are closed due to high surf conditions (source: HawaiiNewsNow).
  • 12/28/2024 Candidates interested in joining their local neighborhood board, on Oahu, can now submit their application and the deadline is Feb 21, 2025  - learn more here (source: StarAdvertiser).
  • 12/27/2024 Vacation rentals occupancy, across Hawaii State, was down 2.4% November 2024 compared to November 2023 (source: PBN). Maui County had the highest occupancy November 2024 (source: MauiNow).
  • 12/24/2024 Kanai A Nalu, a condo in Maalaea, has prepared a plan for erosion control and public comments are due Jan 22, 2025 (source: MauiNow).
  • 12/24/2024 Maui County releases long-term plans for the rebuilding of Lahaina (source: HawaiiNewsNow).
  • 12/24/2024 The developer of Modea, a planned condo in Downtown Honolulu, via a conversion of the former Davies Pacific Center office building, has stopped sales and the entire project (source: PBN).
  • 12/24/2024 Hitachi Rail Honolulu JV, a major contractor for the Honolulu rail project, is requesting $324M in compensation due to rail construction delays (source: CivilBeat).
  • 12/23/2024 The first phase at Parkway Village at Kapolei have been completed, which includes 401 affordable units (source: PBN).
  • 12/20/2024 Developer of a proposed new Aloha Stadium project releases new renderings (source: KHON2 and StarAdvertiser).
  • 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).
  • 12/19/2024 Hololani - 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).
  • 12/17/2024 Mian & Bao, a restaurant serving Chinese-inspired dishes, has opened in Ward Village, located right here (Google Maps).
  • 12/17/2024 Expected Completion: The Park On Keeaumoku (late 2025 or early 2026), The Park Ward Village (early 2026), Alia (early 2027).
  • 12/17/2024 US News & World Report ranks Maui Nr 3, on its Best Places to Visit in the US for 2025.
  • 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).
  • 12/9/2024 Kona 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).
  • 12/6/2024 Market Update - click here.
  • 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).
  • 12/4/2024 The 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).
  • 10/31/2024 The average US mortgage rate is now 6.72% - see historic graph here.
  • 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 Clothing and lifestyle brands Yireh and MahinaMade will both open stores within Ward Village's South Shore Market today.
  • 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).
  • 10/25/2024 Nobu, an upscale Japanese restaurant, is expected to open a branch at the Grand Wailea, Maui summer 2025 (source: PBN).
  • 10/24/2024 Dean & Deluca has opened in Koula, Ward Village.
  • 10/23/2024 Koa 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.
  • 10/9/2024 Nationwide property taxes increased 6.9% in 2023, translating to $363 Billion - see report from ATTOM Data Solutions. 
  • 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 Park Ward Village & Kalae Construction progress - click here (short video).
  • 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 Market update (table) - click here.
  • 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.
  • 10/4/2024 Ward 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. 
  • 9/30/2024 Alana Pakkala has been named CEO of Kobayashi Group, the developer of luxury condos Park Lane, Hokua and One Ala Moana.
  • 9/29/2024 Maui Housing Committee Chair will not consider legislation for rent control - read more here.
  • 9/28/2024 Ulana Ward Village has topped off (last steel beam has been installed) - see video.
  • 9/25/2024 Hawaii State takes legal action against a homeowner, who's house partially collapsed into the ocean on Oahu's North Shore - read more here.
  • 9/23/2024 The Sky Signature Suites is a collection of Ritz-Carlton Waikiki Penthouse Residences, now available for vacation renting.
  • 9/20/2024 Muse Honolulu is a new luxury condo coming to Ala Moana. Sales is expected to commence very soon.
  • 9/19/2024 Kaliu - a Kakaako luxury condo project - will soon start sales.
  • 9/18/2024 Ward Village construction progress: Walking Bridge, Park Ward Village, Victoria Place, Kalae, Victoria Ward Park Makai and Ulana Ward Village.
  • 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.
  • 9/6/2024 New to Ward Village: Onkee (Korean restaurant) and Broome Street General Store.
  • 9/6/2024 The Economist Intelligence Unit ranks Honolulu as the best city to live in the US - read article here.
  • 9/6/2024 Market Update (table) - click here.
  • 8/27/2024 Ward Village sales progress: Park Ward Village (97% sold), Kalae (95% sold) and Launiu (55% sold).
  • 8/22/2024 Construction Progress: Park Ward Village, Victoria Place and Victoria Ward Park (Makai).
  • 7/25/2024 The Park on Keeaumoku is expected to complete the final concrete poor in a few days, marking the topping of both towers.  
  • 7/16/2024 See our Video Guide to Waikiki Condo Hotels.
  • 7/16/2024 Market Update (table) - click here.
  • 7/11/2024 See our video introducing Ward Village condos & lifestyle. 
  • 7/5/2024 See our video introducing Waikiki condos and lifestyle.
  • 7/2/2024 See our video introducing The Launiu Ward Village - a new luxury condo in Honolulu, currently selling pre-construction.
  • 6/21/2024 Kuilei Place is 75% sold.
  • 6/7/2024 Market update (table) - click here.
  • 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.
  • 5/29/2024 Overview of Honolulu's new condos and projects coming in the future.
  • 5/18/2024 By the end of Q1 (March 31st) Ward Village had reached $6BL in sales and contracted on 182 units at The Launiu according to Howard Hughes Corp's earnings report.
  • 4/18/2024 Market Update (table) - click here.
  • 4/18/2024 Alia is about 90% sold.
  • 4/9/2024 Launiu Ward Village owner-occupant sales round begins today.
  • 3/31/2024 Construction progress: The Park Ward Village and Ulana Ward Village.
  • 3/31/2024 The initial 50% units offered for sale in The Launiu Ward Village is almost sold out - just a few units left. 
  • 3/5/2024 See our Ala Moana video (condos & neighborhood overview).
  • 3/5/2024 Market Update (table) - click here
  • 2/15/2024 The walking bridge, which will connect Ward Village with Kewalo Basin Harbor is expected to be complete by this summer.
  • 2/12/2024 Renaissance Honolulu Hotel & Spa is scheduled to open Feb 28th.  
  • 2/12/2024 We have updated our Condo Hotel Guide, now that Honolulu is getting 2 separate property tax categories for short-term rentals.
  • 2/6/2024 Market update (table) - click here.
  • 2/1/2024 See our detailed Guide to Honolulu Property Taxes.
  • 1/31/2024 Ultra-luxury Launiu Ward Village sales is about to start. Contact us asap, if you are interested in learning more.
  • 1/23/2024 Kalae has broken ground and construction will soon begin.
  • 1/23/2024 Victoria Place is expected to be completed this year - November - with 3 bulk closings scheduled: Nov. 6, 13 & 20.
  • 1/16/2024 Trump 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 Market update (table) - click here.
  • 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.