See our
aerial tour of Laie oceanfront homes.
Laie homes is located within a small coastal community on the northeastern side of Oahu. It’s one of the island’s North Shore communities and the Kamehameha Highway passes right through it, with the expansive Pacific Ocean on one side and the Koolau Mountains rising on the other. It’s on the eastern edge of the North Shore and a good distance away from the world-famous seven mile stretch of coastline that’s home to beaches including Pipeline and Sunset. Laie is one of few North Shore communities with a shopping center, which offers a grocery store, casual restaurants, a movie theater, and other small stores. Located directly on the water, Laie is home to beautiful beaches that offer residents the perfect place to enjoy water sports like diving, fishing, surfing and kitesurfing.
Laie Beach Park, also known as Pounders Beach, is a popular spot for bodyboarders and
Hukilau Beach, at the north end of Laie, has calmer waters, making it a great place to learn how to surf, for families with children, and for beach barbecues
The town is a quiet, primarily residential community; however, it does get a good amount of traffic, as people drive through on their way to or from the North Shore’s beaches. Visitors also come to Laie because it’s home to the Hawaii campus of
Brigham Young University, the world’s fifth oldest Mormon Temple, and the
Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii’s number one paid visitor attraction. In addition, locals come to Laie to enjoy the beaches, hiking trails, and the view from
Laie Point.
While it’s not a large town, real estate in Laie offers variety, from the types and sizes of homes to the prices. There are small cottages on the makai (ocean) and mauka (mountain) sides of Kamehameha Highway and there are also expansive, ultra-luxe oceanfront estates. The smallest homes measure close to 1,000 sq ft and offer 2-3 bedrooms, while the largest offer over 4,000 sq ft of living space and 7 bedrooms or more. Although it’s hard to talk about a “standard” Laie home, most of the houses here fall in the 2,000 - 2,500 sq ft range and have 4-5 bedrooms. Lot sizes also vary considerably. Smaller lots offer 5,000 - 7,000 sq ft of land, while the nicely-sized lots fall in the 10,000 - 12,000 sq ft range. The largest lots are typically found on the ocean side of the Kamehameha Hwy., and are most often
beachfront properties.
Most houses in Laie are 1 or 2-story single family homes. Many also include an ohana unit or studio that can house extended family or can be rented out. Most were built in the 1960s and 1970s, but you’ll find houses built as early as the ‘40s and as recently as 2011. Some of the older homes have been remodelled, but some need repairs and TLC to really make them shine. The design of homes here ranges from rustic beach cottages to beachfront villas with modern accents. A number of homes feature high ceilings and open spaces. Properties close to the water often have a 2nd floor lanai (or two or three) that offer ocean views, whether the home is directly on the water or not. Naupaka Street, which leads to Laie Point peninsula, is home to quite a few higher-end oceanfront homes that give spectacular views of the ocean, sunrise, and the coastline.
Beachfront or not, most homes in Laie are in very close proximity to the ocean, which is a major attraction for many residents. In addition, people are drawn to the town because it is serene and peacefully quiet, because the beautiful natural environment hasn’t been disturbed by high-rise development, and because it’s easy to feel isolated from the rest of the world here and that’s probably why beautiful oceanfront estates have been built in this town. One of the most impressive is a 10 bedroom, 14 bathroom villa with private tennis court, an indoor and an outdoor pool. With over 21,000 sq ft of living space, it sits on 169,000 sq ft (3.8 acres) of land, and fronts a massive section of white, sandy beach. This property, like most of Laie’s other beachfront estates, is located on the makai side of Kamehameha Hwy. Other impressive estates offer 3,000 - 4,000 sq ft, 5+ bedrooms, over 21,000 sq ft of land area, and front up to 100-foot stretches of beaches that are usually deserted. A variety of design elements, like hardwood floors and accents, vaulted ceilings, indoor and outdoor water features, lush landscaping, and spacious layouts, combined with the size of the homes, the size of the lots, and the waterfront location, combine to make these properties unique gems on Oahu.
For buyers who want to get away from the hustle and bustle in Honolulu and enjoy a quiet, country lifestyle where they can enjoy the beauty of Oahu’s North Shore, Laie could be the perfect place! Offering homes in a wide range of prices, sizes, designs and locales, the town offers homes to fit every lifestyle. Once you get up here and take a look around, you may never want to leave.
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