Although the renovated rooms at the Mauna Kea Hotel on Hawaii's Big Island have been sold out since the soft opening at Christmas time, the official Grand Open Celebration is this coming weekend.
The famous hotel was badly damaged in the October 2006 earthquake, but the catastrophe turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The 46-year-old hotel was in need of a facelift, and the renovation included upgrades to the standards today's traveler expects. In fact, rumor has it that Kona Village Resort is also now planning to close--entirely or in large part--for up to two years rather than inconvenience guests during major renovations.
The Grand Opening Celebration events at the Mauna Kea are also open to the general public, and a portion of the proceeds benefits Hawaii Community College - Palamanui Campus:
Friday, March 27 "Cuisine of the World" Dinner & Hiroshima Concert
6:30pm Dinner 8:00pm Concert $150 per person
Saturday, March 28 Grand Opening Lu'au & Cecilio & Kapono Concert
6:30pm Dinner 8:00pm Concert $150 per person
Although the hotel has been sold out, real estate sales at the Mauna Kea Resort have been slow this winter, and prices at the newer condo projects especially are beginning to drop.
A hui hou,
Beth Thoma Robinson R(S)
Do you know what a locavore is?
Ever try making your meals only with products grown or
raised within 100 miles of your home? The Big Island may be the most ideal place on the planet for a locavore to live.
Here in North Kohala, I do most of my shopping at Takata Store, which is conveniently located between my real estate office in Hawi, and my residence in Kapa'au.
Last night on my way home from work, I stopped in to Takata Store where I purchased locally grown salad greens and cilantro, flour tortillas made in Hilo, and a Big Island fresh salsa (guess what we were having for dinner!).
The parking lot was full and I had parked my car on the northern edge of the lot. Imagine my surprise when I spied "pork on the hoof" boldly rooting for something good to eat on the grassy area adjacent to a very active parking lot! Wild pigs can be a menace to our gardens, but they do find their way into backyard imu (luau pits). ONO!!
A hui hou,
Beth
Beth Thoma Robinson R(S)
beth@hawaiipalmproperties.com
Cell: 808-443-4588 Specializing in the Kohala Coast and vog-free North Kohala-
"We Know This Market by Heart!"
Hawaii Palm Properties, Inc * Office in downtown Hawi near Bamboo restaurant
808.889.1295 phone * 808.889.1296 fax
BLOG:: http://blogs.alohaliving.com/north-kohala-luxury-home-sales/
I've been getting calls and email the past 24 hours from owners at my favorite Kohala Coast (Waikoloa Beach Resort) condominium community, Hali'i Kai. It seems one of the owners tried to refinance, and was told by their Mainland lender that their rate would not be the quoted 5% but rather 8.25% because they'd discovered the property is classified as a "resort condo."
It used to be that Fannie Mae was leary of properties that were deemed "condotels"--which is a project where all units are required to be in a rental pool, and the building or community offers hotel-like services. Just because a property's zoning and CC&Rs allow for nightly rentals does not make it a condotel. However, if a property's zoning and location are within a "resort", and homeowner association rules permit short-term rentals, that has now become a new classification "resort condo", which Fannie Mae will not back.
What that means is that lenders would have to keep the loan on their own books. Luckily, at least one of our local lenders on the Big Island, the Kailua-Kona office of Wells Fargo Private Mortgage, has made the decision to offer those loans at attractive pricing...even for jumbo mortgages the rate is at 6.25%.
The other big change is that resort condos will require 30% down.
While these changes may seem unfair to prospective buyers, and further dampen the prospects for anxious sellers, from a broader perspective this is what is necessary to return to a healthy mortgage market. A high proportion of resort condos in the 2003-7 period were financed with low down payments, by owners who expected to either flip or get high income from vacation rentals. Consequently, the lenders are experiencing a high proportion of defaults. The new requirements and pricing are an attempt to accurately price given the risk profile recent history demands.
A hui hou,
Beth
Beth Thoma Robinson R(S)
beth@hawaiipalmproperties.com
Cell: 808-443-4588 Specializing in the Kohala Coast and vog-free North Kohala-
"We Know This Market by Heart!"
Hawaii Palm Properties, Inc * Office in downtown Hawi near Bamboo restaurant
808.889.1295 phone * 808.889.1296 fax
BLOG:: http://blogs.alohaliving.com/north-kohala-luxury-home-sales/
Worried about whether you will be bothered by VOG in your new Big Island home? The Hawaii Department of Health has just created a website for residents and visitors to check vog levels. The new site tracks sulfur dioxide levels in five locations: two sites right at Volcanoes National Park (which has had to close briefly due to the danger from elevated emissions in the past year); the nearby towns of Pahala to the southwest and Mountain View and Puna station to the northeast of the volcano; plus Hilo and Kona.
I guess they figure the amount of vog reaching North Kohala is not significant enough to warrant its own monitoring station.
You can actually click on each of the dots and see hour-by-hour readings. Right now the air quality is "good"...the levels are color-coded to make it easy to understand at a glance. This site also provides helpful links to additional information about volcanic-driven air pollution as well as the volcanic activity on the Big Island.
For our Mainland readers, it might be fun to compare the air quality here with air quality statistics for the city in which you live. Growing up in Denver, we were used to the winter inversions leaving a heavy veil over the city. Personally, I'll take a bit of vog.
A hui hou,
Beth
Beth Thoma Robinson R(S) beth@hawaiipalmproperties.com Cell: 808-443-4588 Hawaii Palm Properties, Inc Office in downtown Hawi near Bamboo restaurant 808.889.1295 phone 808.889.1296 fax www.hawaiipalmproperties.com
Prior to the earthquake of October 2006, two of the most popular activities for tourists (and locals wanting to show off cultural and natural wonders of Kohala) were Flumin' the Ditch and Hummer Safari. When water stopped flowing in the awesome Kohala Ditch due to earthquake damage, Flumin' the Ditch was instantly out of business. The Hummer tour business was sold to new owners, however the lease they had for access to remote areas was only through the end of 2008. My husband and I signed up for one of their last tours, and even though the access to the conservation area is right at the end of the street where we live, we were awed by the diverse habitats and beautiful waterfalls on the Safari.
There are still two ecotourism businesses providing visitors (and locals) the rich experience of our beautiful tropical North Kohala landscapes, both of them headquartered just past the town of Kapaau (the location of the Kamehameha statue).
A native Hawaiian local family runs ATV Outfitters, which has been offering guided tours of different lengths for over a decade. Their guides will provide you with a sense of the history and culture of North Kohala, as well as explaining the ecosystems through which you are driving. The dramatic cliffs and tall waterfalls are not to be missed!
A brand new ecotourism business began around the beginning of this year, bringing zipline fun to the Big Island for the first time. They were able to negotiate with private landowners for access, and carefully installed a zip line course on over 150 acres of wild terrain. I haven't personally done it yet, but the tourists interviewed this week in West Hawaii Today were loving it!
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The vog-free sunny skies of North Kohala and the Kohala Coast resorts of Mauna Kea, Mauna Lani and Waikoloa Beach Resort on the Big Island of Hawai'i: great places to live your Hawaii Life!
E komo mai—welcome to Kohala on the Big Island! Like most of my clients, this corner of paradise is my chosen home rather than my birthplace. I live and work in North Kohala (Hawi area) because I treasure its physical beauty and the sense of community, values, and Hawaiian culture. I also love the classic lifestyle of the Kohala Coast resorts, where I worked for the developer of the Kolea and Hali’i Kai oceanfront condo communities.
I offer you the diverse skills of a “professional chameleon” to work as your trusted advisor in Big Island real estate. As a PhD economist by training, I understand markets. As an 11-year veteran of Wall Street, I understand finance. As an entrepreneur, I ran both an artistic talent management business and a membership organization providing education for high net worth families. I’ve invested in real estate and managed my own rentals since I was in college. When my husband and I became full-time residents in Hawaii in 2005, I saw real estate as a natural avenue to continue to serve the client base I’d been working with for 30 years.
It really is a BIG Island, so I concentrate on only the districts of North and South Kohala (I can refer you to great agents elsewhere on the Big Island or throughout Hawaii).
Although there are modest starter homes from the $300,000s in the Hawi area, most of our Kohala and resort properties would be in the $500,000 to $5 million+ range.
Sellers--I take listings here in the Hawi/Kapaau area as well as in the Kohala Coast resorts, and if you have a property to sell I can bring the best of Internet technology to help us find the perfect buyer. I understand how to sell land and equestrian properties.
Buyers--Whether you are looking for a carefree second home in a luxurious Kohala Coast resort community, searching for a unique lot to build a “green” residence, planning for future retirement, or seeking savvy investment opportunities, I can help you sort through the options, guide you through the transaction and get you situated in the community. We often have pocket listings or ideas of who might consider selling to the right person, so don't be afraid to ask.
Sustainable agriculture is alive and well here in North Kohala, Hawi area and Waimea. And if you are interested in an equestrian property, acreage, or ranch, my horse consults free of charge!
Beth was my real estate agent on the purchase of two condos at the oceanfront Hali I Kai community. As a real estate investor and developer, I am very particular about the quality of the properties I buy and whom I deal with. Officially, Beth was working for the developer, but I felt like she was working for me. Many real estate agents try to sell you what they have, rather than listening to what you want. Beth listened to find me the right units, and creatively addressed my concerns during the months I was under contract in a shifting market. I appreciated her professionalism and initiative.
Michael J Newell Coeur D'Alene, Idaho (re: oceanfront Kohala Coast condos)
When we first considered buying property on Big Island we contacted a number of Realtors. Beth was the only Realtor who responded to our many questions the same day, always with a thoughtful considered response. She impressed us with listening very carefully to our specific needs and requirements so we were able to use our limited time to maximum effect. Her detailed local knowledge helped us to identify a property to buy on our second visit and we still have a great working relationship. We would have no hesitation in recommending her for buyers of either land or the many types of property on the Island.
Andrew and Corinne Latham, CA and Hawi
I want to thank you again for all your time and help that you gave us. If anyone else asks about a realtor to buy or sell, I will certainly send them your way. You are very competent and so prompt with all your communications. Continued blessings on your work!
Much Gratitude,
Francis Clare Fischer, Splendora, TX (re: sale of single family home in North Kohala)
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