The neighborhood or community you choose to call "Home" can make a huge difference in your quality of life. Hawaii Kai is a special place on the island of Oahu. Built around Maunalua Bay, the emphasis of the community is on enjoying the water: water sports, water views, waterfront real estate.
Within Hawaii Kai are many diverse neighborhoods, which vary not just by price, but by amenities (parks, tennis, boat docks), views (none to 270 degree panoramic ocean views), style and age (new to 1960's), and location (proximity to schools, shopping). Nothing in Hawaii Kai is far from schools or shopping or the water, but each neighborhood is unique. Visit the Neighborhoods Page on my web site to request free Reports on all or some of the possibilities (no obligation).
Finding a community and neighborhood which fits your family's lifestyle and needs, is just as important a decision as square footage or the number of bedrooms. Your first consideration should be deciding on the neighborhood which suits you best - this may take some time, as well as become a process of elimination.
Create a checklist of what you value most in a neighborhood (I'll assume you've chosen Hawaii Kai as the community). Some items to start your list would be Public vs. Private schools and their accessibility, where you work and how you can get there, and association fees. Many areas in Hawaii Kai are associations, but certainly not all.
In my next blog, I'll explain more about your choices and factors to consider when you decide to relocate to Hawaii Kai. I specialize in Hawaii Kai real estate, so contact me for details about the real estate market there for condos or single family homes.
Barbara Abe, REALTOR
barbara@barbarashawaii.com
808-226-2537
www.movetohawaiikai.com
www.barbarashawaii.com
Thanks to our Honolulu Board of Realtors,
we agents on Oahu are so lucky to have complete
and current real estate market statistics for the island
ready by the first of every month.
Here's what our reports showed for
Hawaii Kai real estate in August.
Single Family Homes
11 sales during August vs. 26 a year ago
Median sales price $779,000 vs. $854,500 a year ago
114 sales during 2008 vs. 162 a year ago
Median sales price $852,500 vs. $872,000 a year ago
Year-to-date, number of sales was down 29.6% and median price down 2.2%
This compares to decreases of 26.8% and 2.8% island-wide.
Condos
17 sales during August vs. 20 a year ago
Median sales price $575,000 vs. $525,000 a year ago
137 sales during 2008 vs. 179 a year ago
Median sales price $545,000 vs. $540,000 a year ago
Year-t-date, number of sales was down 23.5% and median price up 0.9%
This compares to a decrease of 27.0% for sales, and increase of 1.5% for prices island-wide
Today's Honolulu Advertiser echoed the trend: median home price dropping to $635,000 or 2.3%, and sales volume down by "nearly a third" over August, 2007. This marks the 7th time in 8 months the median price for a single-family home has dropped on Oahu over the previous year. Harvey Shapiro, research economist for the Honolulu Board of Realtors, said the number of new listings also was down in August. Shapiro explained that sales and new listings are both shrinking and these conditions limit inventory expansion. As a result, prices will hold steady.
Visit the page on my web site for Hawaii Kai Market News for a thorough analysis of August statistics for Hawaii Kai. And contact me with any questions - I specialize in Hawaii Kai real estate sales.
Barbara Abe, REALTOR
barbara@barbarashawaii.com
www.movetohawaiikai.com
808-226-2537
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The Brooking Institution recently released the report, Shrinking the Carbon Footprint of Metropolitan America, ranking the carbon footprints of the nation's 100 largest metropolitan areas based on total metric tons of carbon emissions per capita in 2005.
And...Honolulu topped the list for the smallest footprint! Factors contributing to Honolulu's #1 spot are high-density living, a well-used public transportation system, and the favorable weather.
According to the September issue of Sierra, residents of metropolitan areas have smaller carbon footprints than the average American. Areas that ranked on the bottom of the Brookings list generally depend on cars for transportation and coal for energy.
This is one more reason to move to healthy Hawaii! Contact me for my extensive Relocation Package and information on moving your pets to our Aloha state.
Barbara Abe, Realtor
Hawaii Kai is my Home
808-226-2537
www.movetohawaiikai.com
barbara@barbarashawaii.com
Natasha Kai became one of the few athletes with Hawaii ties to ever win a gold medal at the Olympic Games. She and the U.S. Women's Soccer Team beat Brazil 1-0 in extra time to win the gold in women's soccer for the 3rd time in 4 Olympic competitions.
Kai, a multi-sport star at Kahuku High, and at UH in soccer, scored a goal to beat Canada 2-1 and help the U.S. into the semifinals.
Read about other Hawaiian Olympians on the 2008 Team USA/Hawaii at my Point 2 blog.
Barbara Abe, Realtor
Hawaii Kai is my Home
808-226-2537
www.movetohawaiikai.com
barbara@barbarashawaii.com
Those of us who live in Honolulu have always known this is a healthy place to live - the air is clean, water good, life expectancy longer. The latest issue of AARP confirms the benefits, placing Honolulu #2 in the list of Healthiest Hometowns in the country.
The weather makes outdoor exercise easy, and the scenery of beautiful Hawaii adds motivation (ever seen the sunset over Diamond Head?). In fact, AARP said "residents of Honolulu spend more time exercising than people in almost any other city surveyed."
Any where you go on the island, you'll find folks walking, jogging, swimming, surfing, biking, or just enjoying the many parks along the water. Oahu has a wide range of recreational facilities from Haunauma Bay to North Shore. Honolulu County is committed to preserving the beauty and ecosystem of the island, with strict growth limits, recycling and sustainable economic efforts, and programs to protect the shoreline.
Hawaii Kai, where I live and work, on the east end of Oahu, is a special place in Honolulu. The community enjoys a proximity to all kinds of water sports not found anywhere else on the island, as well as golf, parks, hiking trails, high school track, many tennis courts - the list goes on & on. I haven't seen figures, but my guess is that Hawaii Kai residents are even more active than the general Honolulu population.
Contact me for specifics on the Hawaii Kai housing market, and how you can enjoy our lifestyle. I'll email my free relocation package and information on our neighborhoods.
Aloha,
Barbara Abe, REALTOR
barbara@barbarashawaii.com
www.movetohawaiikai.com
808-226-2537
Aloha! I would like to be your real estate connection for Hawaii Kai, on the eastern end of Oahu. Whether you are a Buyer or Seller of residential property, my goal is to exceed your expectations.
Once up
on a time I came to Hawaii from England to spend one year. Like many before (and after) me, I fell in love with the islands, stayed, and many years later it is the only place I want to call home.
For over 20 years I have been working as a full-time realtor and loving it - there is nothing as satisfying as finding the perfect property for a buyer or connecting a seller with the perfect buyer for their property.
Member Honolulu Board of Realtors, Hawaii Association of Realtors and National Association of Rea
ltors. Designations: GRI - Graduate Realtor Institute; CRS - Certified Residential Specialist.
Associated with the best non-franchised real estate company on the island, East Oahu Realty, Inc.
Currently involved in a public/private partnership with the City & County of Honolulu to build a Dog Park in Hawaii Kai. Together with other Hawaii Kai dog owners formed a non-profit corporation, Hui 'Ilio Hawaii, to advance this cause.
I specialize in all neighborhoods of Hawaii Kai and East Honolulu, and am knowledgeable about most Oahu areas. My special areas of expertise are Hawaii Kai marinafront properties, Hahaione Valley, Mariners Ridge, Mariners Cove, Mariners Valley, Queens Gate (golf course homes), Laulima, Kamehame Ridge, Na Pali Haweo and Kalama Valley. As well as single family homes, I am very familiar with condominiums and townhouses all over Honolulu.
*******
Barbara receives my hearty recommendation as a knowledgeableand dependable real estate agent. Because of her expertise and tenacity we were able to close the sale of our home at a great price and in a very timely manner. My siblings and I give her two thumbs up for a job well done. Carol Tashima
Barbara is very easy to work with, listened to our needs, and pays attention to detail. Thank you, Barbara, for finding and selling our first home and for your help in finding and purchasing the perfect home that we live in now. Carswell J Ross, Jr & family.
When the time came to sell my house I went first to a discount broker. After months of no activity and endless frustration in what was claimed to be a robust market, Barbara came to the rescue. Within one week she had a fantastic offer and two strong back-up offers. With her market knowledge, honesty and integrity, Barbara is the only way to go! Gloria P Lee.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Barbara Abe - Best Realtor in the Universe! Jody & Jim.
Thank you, thank you......You have been so nice to us throughout our house buying experience. I'm so glad we met you by chance one Sunday up on Mariner's Ridge - remember? Michael & Florence.
...most of all we would like to thank you for finding us our beautiful home. We enjoy it so much! Al & Cecilia
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