Hawaii Life Real Estate Brokers » Hualalai

Kohala Coast Resort Deals (Four-Bedrooms or More)

Beth Thoma Robinson, R(B) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 01:00:52 +0000

Increasingly in the luxury end of the Kohala Coast Resort real estate market, we find among our buyers close-knit families who often travel with at least three generations, or both sets of grandparents, or several adult siblings. For these buyers, a three-bedroom condo or home is a bare minimum; lately we’ve had some clients for whom three-bedrooms is not enough. If you are looking for a Big Island resort property with four bedrooms or more, there are only a handful of deals among the condos and homes for sale.

This entry level 4-bed home at Kukio (MLS# 249867) is listed for $4,490,000

What Does it Cost to Buy a 4-Bedroom Home at the Big Island Luxury Resorts?

“Deal” is always relative in Hawaii resort real estate! So, let’s establish a baseline. For the most part, whether at Hualalai, Mauna Kea, Mauna Lani, or Waikoloa Beach Resort, attached condos have three bedrooms at most. That means for four bedrooms you are mostly looking at a single family detached home with its own swimming pool, even if classified as a condo. That also means, for the most part, a price tag that jumps a step above the condo level.

For example, you have many choices in 3-bedroom condos at Hualalai Resort in the $2.5 million range and some older condos creeping below $2 million. A 4-bedroom home at Hualalai will cost $4+ million.

Similarly, at Mauna Kea Resort, you can buy a 3-bedroom Wai’ula’ula condo under $900,000; the least expensive 4-bedroom property for sale at Mauna Kea would be the Kauna’oa paired town homes at $2 million and up.

At Mauna Lani Resort, a 3-bedroom condo might sell for as little as $600,000 fully furnished at Fairway Villas or Golf Villas; the 4-bedroom Champion Ridge home that sold in 2011 went for $2.9 million, although there are homes listed in the Champion Ridge for well less.

Current Best Buys in 4-Bedroom Hualalai Resort Property

Lowest priced 4-bed home for sale at Hualalai is this Na Hale at Kahikole (MLS# 239153) for $4,550,000

Starting from the top, I don’t see a listing that represents a “deal” for 4-bedroom real estate at Haulalai Resort, but remember that Hualalai Realty dominates the real estate listings and they have every incentive to keep asking prices high. The trick is for the buyer to work with an agent who knows the comps and is willing to be aggressive with offers.

For example, there were two “deals” in 2011: the sellers of a Kai Molino Estates home listed at $3,150,000 accepted $1,999,900! This is an older property (1997 vintage); in newer homes, the “deal” tag goes to a sale at Hainoa Estates. Last year’s deal was a home listed for $4,950,000 that sold for $3,500,000.

The least expensive 4-bed homes currently listed are in Na Hale at Kahikole, priced right around $4.5 million. A similar home sold in 2011 for an even $4 million. These are 3-bedroom villas with a separate 4th bedroom guest suite. At Hainoa Estates, list prices are currently a bit higher than at Kahikole. The question is whether either of the current sellers, listed for $4,695,000 and $4,795,000, will accept below $4 million.

Current Best Buys at Mauna Kea Resort

The 4th bedroom in this Mauna Kea Fairways North home (MLS# 245034) is a separate “ohana;” asking price $2,695,000

Last year’s screaming deal was a home at the Uplands at Mauna Kea that was a REO (bank-owned after foreclosure). It sold for $1,050,000.

This year? I’ve already blogged about the developer closeout at Kauna’oa, but not every 4-bedroom buyer will like a paired home, and with the Kauna’oa floor plans, not all buyers consider the 4th bedroom a suitable bedroom. Among the other six homes on the market at Mauna Kea, the two lowest priced (Fairways North at around $2.7 million) each have a challenge, but they’ve been on the market for years, so I’d say make them an offer.

Four Bedrooms at Mauna Lani Resort

Second floor is a second master suite in this 4-bed Ka Milo floor plan (MLS# 246447) for $1,095,000

There IS a 4-bed condo floor plan at Ka Milo at Mauna Lani Resort. Its compact layout is well thought through to place a second master suite on a second floor directly above the ground floor master. The disadvantage for some buyers would be the lack of a private pool, but for the buyer who just needs four bedrooms and doesn’t mind the shared amenities, here is an option for only $1,095,000.

If you need your privacy and a pool, the entry level single family home community at Mauna Lani Resort is Champion Ridge. There is a home listed at $1,750,000 (MLS# 248964), almost a million less than anything else in there. Challenges: 2-story floor plan that many find odd and a lot that backs up to the road.

If your budget allows, step up to 49 Black Sand Beach, where the view or pool at any individual home is less of an issue when you can walk to the private beach club amenities. The lowest priced 4-bed home for sale at 49 Black Sand has been reduced to $2,995,000 (MLS# 226747)…and having been on the market almost 2.5 years, perhaps they are ready to make a deal.

Screaming Deals at Waikoloa Beach Resort

Single family home at Kolea (MLS# 226945) is now priced at $2,600,000 – less than a penthouse condo

Speaking of 2.5 years on market, look at the date stamp on the MLS photo for the house on Lot 16, Kolea at Waikoloa Beach Resort. Originally asking $4.9 million, the price is down to $2.6 million for this 5-bedroom home. Privacy is a plus; lack of ocean view a minus, but you are easy walking distance from the beach at Anaehoomalu Bay, or the restaurants and shops at the King’s Shops and Queen’s Marketplace. As recently as 2010, a 3-bedroom Kolea condo sold for $2,550,000, so for the right buyer, this is a deal.

Two Halii Kai condos connected to make a 6-bedroom unit; each master has its own lanai with ocean view…$1,030,00 each

Finally, if you want the most bang for buck defined as number of bedrooms for the price, here’s your deal: Halii Kai 8F (MLS# 249218) and 8G (MLS# 249216), two penthouse condos of 3 bedrooms each that have been combined with a door between. That gives you a total of 6 bedrooms with two master suites (each having its own lanai). The asking price for the pair is $2,060,000! Again, you won’t have a private pool, but if your family prefers to have the kids splashing in the big pool while the adults sip their mojitos at the Ocean Club bar and watch for whales, this is a situation one can truly call unique.

A hui hou,

Beth Thoma Robinson, R(B)

Private $18.5 Million Hualalai Resort Estate – An Island Within An Island

Beverly Molfino, R(S) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 06:31:52 +0000

“Spectacular”, “Stunning views”, “Incredible”, “Private”, “Peaceful” and “Secluded” were just some of the enthusiastic statements which I heard numerous times when I held a Broker Open House last week to preview the Hale Ku Mana estate, a Hualalai Resort home for sale ensconced by a private golf course.

The guests, who were treated to pineapple cocktails and gourmet appetizers, included Realtors and the key people who helped design, build and decorate this $18.5 million dollar “island within and island” home at the Hualalai Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii. The guests mingled in the ample entertaining areas around the courtyard, infinity pool, the numerous lanais and grand living room, while viewing artwork created specifically for the home. Artists include Helen Turley, CF’s mother, Sue Graham of London and local artist, Patrick Rankin of Hawi. Patrick explained the stories behind his original Hawaiian paintings to the guests, one of which is a Hawaiian woman, a focal art piece on the wall in the living room.

Private tours were given of the innovative and hand crafted estate before the sun set so the guests could experience the golden glow cast upon the home and on the numerous reflecting pools around the property.

The builder and interior designer for the estate, CF Turley III, mingled with the guests and told the story of how he and his partner had an original design and vision for the home, but then took an architecturally inspirational trip to Bali and Southeast Asia before the home was built. What they discovered in Bali convinced them to completely alter the plans for the estate. They loved the open-air bedrooms with seemingly floating elements in the bathrooms with vaulted ceilings and furnishings that created a sense of a sanctuary within each home. They incorporated their inspiration into a brand new Balinese styled design for the estate, which has 10,056 square feet of living space, and is located on 1.33 acres, bringing the outdoors in with natural wood and stone throughout the space. Each of the 5 bedrooms and 5 ½ bathrooms has a stunning open air, but private living area.

The guests then asked CF for the story behind the exquisite antique Indonesian furniture and hand carved statuary throughout the property. CF gave credit to Jeanne Marie Imports for the original South East Asian decorative art and antiques. CF pointed to one golden carpet in a guest room and said, “That silk antique carpet is almost 200 years old. We created the interior design of this bedroom around that carpet. The headboard is part of a gate from an ancient Balinese monastery”. And so it went on with stories behind the collector pieces as the guests enjoyed learning of each artistic vignette in all of the rooms of the estate. Note: All of the furnishings and decor are being sold with the house.

The caterers, while busy creating hand passed hors d’oeuvre’s for the guests, made it a point to inform me how much they enjoyed the well designed and spacious kitchen and butler pantry while preparing and serving during the open house. The bar tender liked the functionality of the space to serve from the outdoor bar area, while replenishing directly from the kitchen from the pass through window.

Near the end of the party, many of us gathered on the lanai of the bedroom on the southern edge of the property and relaxed while we watched the sun set across the Ke’olu Golf Course, and ocean. The warm tropical breeze came down from Hualalai, the volcano in the distance, as the garden lights came on. This is where we all felt the true meaning of the estate’s name, Hale Ku Mana-House of Spiritual Healing.

I will be holding open homes by appointment every Sunday, beginning on January 1^st from 11am – 4pm if you would like to experience the beauty of this estate and perhaps call it home for yourself.

I invite you to view the listing details and more photos of this unique private estate and call me directly for a tour or more information.

Beverly Molfino
808.963.6880
Beverly@HawaiiLife.com

“My greatest strengths are my knowledge of the island, the lifestyle of the Hamakua and Kohala Coasts, and an ability to make and grow relationships based on trust.”

Hualalai Realty Joins North Hawaii Broker’s Caravan

Beth Thoma Robinson, R(B) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 22:15:35 +0000

The majority of properties for sale at Hualalai Resort are listed by Hualalai Realty. The majority of homes and vacant lots sold at Hualalai Resort are sold by Hualalai Realty…and by that I mean, the sale as reported in the MLS shows the buyer “represented” by Hualalai Realty as well (8 out of 11 sales so far this year where Hualalai was on both sides; they also represented buyers on 3 of the 6 sales of properties not listed by Hualalai).

With such a dominant position, why would Hualalai Realty put two of their listings on last week’s Broker’s Caravan?

Sensuous curves and big ocean view mark Lipoa Place home for sale at Hualalai Resort (MLS# 239946). Listed for $7,595,000; one of two properties on caravan in this price range

My answer may surprise you. I don’t think they joined the Broker’s Caravan to sell listings. I think Hualalai’s real estate brokers joined it to get and keep listings.

Hualalai real estate is hot this year (hmmm…what does that say to us mere mortals wondering whether this is a good time to buy real estate in Hawai’i??). Volume is up 29% over the same period in 2010! Prices ranged from only $995,000 on the Hainoa Villas REO (bank-owned post-foreclosure) to $16,950,000 for a front row home.

Of those 17 closed sales…6 were listed by outside brokerages. In other words, about a third of the real estate for sale at Hualalai is currently listed by outside brokers. About a third of the sales of Hualalai property closed this year were listed by outside brokers as well. It appears, based on the statistics, that if you are a seller of Hualalai property, there is no particular advantage to listing with Hualalai Realty.

Hualalai Realty argues sellers should list with them because they are on-site. They know the “membership” (insiders do not speak of homeowners or property owners) and about one-third of the 300 members have “bought up” one or more times.

Outside listing agents argue that they give sellers more individual attention, have fewer or no conflicts of interest (unintentional dual agency occurs when a brokerage lists competing properties), and use all the tools of marketing that Hualalai Realty has been slow to adapt.

Now, it appears that Hualalai’s on-site real estate team is courting the cooperating broker pool. Not coincidentally, this happened at the very next caravan after the outside Hualalai listing agents got together to participate in the Broker Caravan and sponsored an open house for homeowners a few weeks later.

You can read several blog posts written by Hawaii Life agents who attended that Kohala Coast real estate caravan and wrote about what they saw. Other agents are our best friends when it comes to advertising our listings!

Hali’ipua Villas model home (MLS# 242221) was the second Hualalai resort property on caravan, asking $2,690,000. My business partner, Pam, blogged about this listing when we previewed it for a client last December

As a broker representing sellers of Big Island luxury real estate, the two most important steps in my marketing plan are:

Proper presentation in the MLS
Exposure to other Big Island brokers in my markets

Each year, the National Association of Realtors asks people who bought a home the year before, “How did you find the property you bought?” For the past few years, the answers are clear. About a third found that particular property themselves online…whether or not they used an agent to represent them in the purchase. About a third of the time, it was their agent who brought the property to their attention.

At the peak of the market for Hawai’i luxury real estate, developers’ on-site sales teams could afford to be a bit cocky and difficult with cooperating brokers. Client registration in advance was absolutely required. Sales were not reported in the MLS (thus giving the developer the upper hand in negotiations). That is no longer the case.

Whether you are a buyer or seller of luxury Hawaii real estate, even at Hualalai and Kukio, you have the right to uncompromised representation. Maybe competition in the high-end market, leading to better marketing, is one of the reasons for the increase in Kohala Coast luxury real estate sales!

A hui hou,

Beth Thoma Robinson, R(B)
Direct: 808.443.4588
Email: beth@HawaiiLife.com

Sunsets in Puako Beach – Why Buy Oceanfront Property?

Katie Minkus, R(BIC) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 02:00:18 +0000

Most people who own property in Hawaii have an emotional connection to the place that they call home, it’s one of the things that makes selling property here difficult!

Sunsets like this one, from August 10th, still take my breath away—the colors are incredible!

Sunsets are one of the things I’m absolutely in love with on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast. I spent my first four years on island living in Kohala Estates, a non-gated community on the Kohala Coast, up mauka enough to see unbelievable, incredible sunsets every evening. I took so many ridiculously gorgeous sunset photos when I lived there I swear I have a 1,000-page coffee table book of sunset photos to share.

Ultimately, what has my heart are the sunsets in #Puako Beach

These two videos (above) are two days apart—same exact spot. How’s that? It’s so different, every night! Each one is beautiful, unique, subject to the waves, wind, tide, and volcano. Sunsets are one reason to buy oceanfront property in Hawaii—especially somewhere like Puako Beach.

#1 = No one and nothing will be in the view between you and that glowing orb in the sky as it disappears below and beyond the deep blue Pacific Ocean everyday. That’s pretty hard to beat.

The best property in Puako to buy oceanfront right now in my opinion? I’d buy all three lots in Puako One and build an eco-friendly, luxury estate/low density lodge appropriate for renting to small groups of active executives—a retreat, sales incentive trip, ultimate off-site—or simply keep for family, relatives, and friends to visit.

There is nothing like Puako, and Puako One could be the absolute ultimate for those with vision for the best and highest use of the ‘aina and the Puako community. I’m just sayin’…

Kona Caravan Home for Sale: Holualoa

Katie Minkus, R(BIC) — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:00:41 +0000

This week’s Kona Caravan Home for Sale is a 4 bedroom/2 bathroom home on the slopes of Hualalai (MLS# 246385) currently priced at $799,000.

Front of this Holualoa plantation-style home

Upgraded kitchen with stainless appliances and granite counter tops

The remodeled kitchen is masterfully done with KitchenAid stainless appliances, including 3 ovens (conventional, microwave-convection, and warming). The hardwood cabinets are topped with granite and there is a window over the kitchen sink that looks out over the large backyard.

Light and bright master bedroom

Being all on one level, the entire home is light and airy with cathedral ceilings and fans throughout.

Large backyard grassy area

Situated on a acre, there is plenty of room in the backyard for adding a pool, garage, and/or workshop. The sunny, mauka lanai is accessible from the kitchen and great room.

Can you imagine living here? With this much peach surrounding you?

To see previous Kona Caravan Home for Sale highlights, click here.

Big Island Real Estate – Kohala Homes For Sale with “Ohana” (Guest House)

Beth Thoma Robinson, R(B) — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 22:10:39 +0000

When I get a list of criteria from someone looking at homes for sale on the Big Island, one of the most frequent requests is that it has what we in Hawaii call an ‘ohana. On the Mainland, this might be referred to as a mother-in-law suite, granny flat, or separate guest quarters. I have a theory why: baby boomers.

Many of the buyers I work with are “of a certain age”…as am I. As kids, we watched the same cartoons; as teenagers, we wore out the same albums; our parents made the same sarcastic comments about our hair and clothes. Now, as we look at property, we share stories of role reversal as our parents age. I’ve stopped being surprised at how many of my clients looking at Hawaii real estate for a second, or “retirement” home think more about the needs of their parents than they do about their adult children who will have lives and homes of their own.

Newer single family homes at the Kohala Coast resorts from Hualalai to Mauna Kea almost always have a separate pod or two for guests and relatives. For example, the most recent Kohala Coast Broker’s Caravan began at a Lipoa Place residence for sale at Hualalai Resort (MLS# 233807), which has such a well-designed guest cottage that I heard more than one real estate agent exclaim, “I could be happy living right here.”

Separate ‘ohana (guest house) enhances Hualalai Resort property for sale for $6,700,000 (MLS# 233807)

Beyond the resorts, many homes have guest rooms, but not a separate pod or cottage, so I’ve created a gallery of homes for sale with ‘ohana in North Kohala, including some in Kohala Estates, Kohala Ranch, Hawi, and Kapaau.

Prices on these properties range from $550,000 for a home in Kapa’au (MLS# 245223) directly across from the historic plantation manager house on Union Mill Road…to $13,750,000 (MLS# 232548) for the oceanfront estate at Puakea Bay Ranch.

Ocean view Hawi home (MLS# 242263) with separate two-story guest house offered for $1,200,000

There is also a “For Sale by Owner” property in Kapa’au that has a cute, small one bedroom house with a detached ‘ohana studio. Asking price is $465,000, but I have my own thoughts on what it should sell for in this market. Not in the MLS, so call if you want more info!

Video Tour of Hualalai Homes For Sale on the Big Island

Pat Strausse, RB — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 23:00:12 +0000

Recently, Big Island Realtors were treated to the opportunity to tour the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai to see eleven homes and condos for sale. ThisÂ was a rare treat to be invited into this exclusive world to see so manyÂ properties for sale.

Hualalai homes are known for their style, size, finish materials, views, and separate guest quarters, such as this inviting property

The prices on the tour ranged from $1,795,000 for a Villa condo up to $10,298,000 for a 5,032 sq. ft. home with spectacular ocean views.Â Home sizesÂ are largeâ€”from about 4,500 sq. ft. to just under 6,000 sq. ft.Â Most houses had four bedrooms with a main house and separate guest houses.

I thought it would be nice to share some of this tour with the Hawaii Life blog readers.Â So, here is a short video tour of some of the homes we ran through that day…

Oh, if you liked what you saw and want to join the Hualalai lifestyle, you’ll want to bring along the big checkbook.Â The social membership fee for Hualalai is an initial fee of $250,000, and of course, you will have your continuing monthly fees after that. But, there is only one Four Seasons Resort Hualalai and it is an exceptional world to live in.

I love the Big Island! Aloha.

Tango Extravaganza at the Hapuna Prince Hotel on the Kohala Coast

Katie Minkus, R(BIC) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 20:02:07 +0000

One of the most amazing things about living in rural Hawaii is how much culture comes to us!

Originally scheduled to be at the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort, Tango Extravaganza was forced to move locations to the Hapuna Beach Hotel due to the Four Season’s tsunami closure.

On Tuesday night, April 5th, those of us who attended were treated to a feast of the sensesâ€”the music, the color, the dancing…fabulous! A fundraiser for Hawaii Performing Arts Festivalâ€™s 2011 season, the five musicians were funny, sad, gleeful, thoughtful, and oh-so talented.

The dancers changed clothes no less than five times, each more gorgeous than the last. At the end, I felt like I could dance tango! But of course, there are a lot of things that I think I can do…instead, we enjoyed another perfect evening on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast. Culture, warm weather, good friends…How does it get better than this?

Kolea vs. Hualalai – Why the Auction Results Were Different

Beth Thoma Robinson, R(B) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 23:00:40 +0000

Two weeks have passed since the Concierge Auction sale of an oceanfront home at Kolea and a penthouse Kolea villa. As I reported in my earlier post about the auction results, the home immediately was noted as “contingent” in the MLS with a $4 million price reduction.

Although I was assured the condo is indeed being sold with no minimum as advertised, the MLS still shows it as active.Â Last night, I ran into the rental manager for the home who said it continues to be shown to prospects. That is not surprising because at the price obtained at auction it would be subject to lender approval as a short sale. In other words, it may be some time before we know the end result of either auction.

As I commented in my earlier post, I have some thoughts on why Concierge Auction was apparently much more successful at selling Hualalai and Kukio properties than in the Kolea sales.

The Kolea Beach Club pool area is modest because most owners prefer to walk a few steps farther to the beach…

Waikoloa Beach Resort versus Hualalai Resort

If only we’d had a “Cher” to advertise as a Kolea owner! Back in the days when I was selling Kolea for the developer, we were in competition with similarly priced new luxury projects at Mauna Lani and Mauna Kea. Given Kolea’s beachfront location, we would sell against them by saying that the newer condos at Mauna Lani (Villages or Ka Milo) had no ocean views, and were far from the beach; the newer condos and homes at Mauna Kea (Wai’ula’ula and Kumulani) were the far mauka side of the highway. In turn, their sales agents sniffed that Waikoloa Beach Resort was “downscale” and “Disneyland.”

The real question for buyers in deciding which resort fits them is neither views nor distance from the beach, but lifestyle. Each of these resorts offers a slightly different package of amenities. Waikoloa Beach Resort is the most “a la carte,” having no amenities program for property owners tied in with the resorts, hotels, and golf courses. Mauna Lani Resort owners are invited to their (no-cost) Advantage Program and have access to the Beach Club amenities as well as charging privileges and discounts at the Resort.

Mauna Kea Resort owners have a choice of three levels of membership, with fees ranging from $5,100 to $16,850/year on top of homeowners association dues. Most Mauna Kea property owners purchase at least the social level which allows them to use the chairs and towels at the Mauna Kea and Hapuna Prince hotels’ famous beaches.

The auction publicity brought many prospective buyers to take a fresh look at Waikoloa Beach Resort. I’m working with several who chose not to participate in the auction, but confess to liking the energy of the resort and the fact that they can not only walk to the beach via Kolea’s private path, they can walk to restaurants, shopping, and the amenities of two hotels.

Owners of property at the Hualalai Resort, or Kukio are looking for an entirely different level of private amenities…and prepared to pay for them. Which brings me to…

Cost Structure of the Auction and Resort Property Ownership

The fine print in the Kolea auction brochure explained a fairly complicated structure of credits for a winning bidder who had placed an opening bid prior to the start of the auction at pre-determined levels, and a buyer’s premium of 10% of the winning bid paid to the Auction House at the close of the deal.

During the auction, bidders on both the house and the condo called for “time out” and it was clear that was because bidders had in mind a total price they were willing to pay, and needed to calculate what their bid could be to keep their total purchase price at or below that number.

For the Kolea condo, the minimum buyers premium of $175,000 was a significant amount in the minds of bidders. For the oceanfront residence, the questions I heard before the auction related to the seemingly high costs of ownership and maintenance.

In contrast, the buyer of any of the condos listed in the $2.5 million range at Hualalai Resort communities will be paying a $225,000 membership “deposit” and over $30,000 per year for the Amenity Program on top of homeowners association dues similar to the $2,000/month for a Kolea penthouse villa. The buyer at Hualalai or Kukio (with its even more expensive and exclusive amenity program) is by definition someone prepared to pay these amounts regardless of purchase price.

Purchase Price: Distressed Property Sales at Kolea

Hindsight is 20:20 and perhaps Concierge Auctions had no experience conducting sales in neighborhoods where the “comps” for the properties being auctioned included short sales and REO (foreclosures).

When prospective buyers walked into the oceanfront Kolea home and their eye immediately traveled through the house to the spectacular view, the auction house representative would walk them straight to the poolside lanai, open his arms wide to take in the view and exclaim, “THIS is what you are buying. It happens to come with a home attached,” and if that was true, why would a buyer spend more than the $4 million cost of the bank-owned house a few lots away?

Similarly, with a REO of the identical Kolea penthouse floorplan with a closer walk to the beach, being listed at only $1,390,000 only days before the auction of Kolea 2C, just how much more would a savvy investor pay at auction? It would be as if the Hualalai auction had been of a Hainoa Villa during the period when a foreclosure was listed for $995,000, and a short sale (still available!) at $1,295,000…but the villa being auctioned was listed at a $1 million premium.

The bottom line is whether the right lifestyle for you is to be found at Kolea or Hualalai, or at Ka Milo or Kauna’oa for that matter, there are values to be found. The bidders at the auction fell out early because they wanted to snatch something below even foreclosure prices. The happy new owners I have enjoying their Kohala Coast resort lifestyle today are the ones who realize the game is not to always get something below the last asking price, but to get something that will be a steal compared to next year’s asking price.

Hualalai Resort CLOSED Until April 30th From Tsunami

Katie Minkus, R(BIC) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 21:13:35 +0000

A friend had invited me to hear Mango Tango, and see the Tango Extravaganza Show at the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort in early April. The event has now changed venues to the Hapuna Prince Hotel because the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast is closed until April 30, 2011.

The “adult only” pool at the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort on the Kohala Coast of the Big Islandâ€”post tsunami

Here is a link to the official press release from the resort, which in effect says, “The resort sustained damage from the storm surge, bringing water, sand, and debris onto the grounds, mainly affecting pool areas, landscaping, a restaurant, and 12 guest rooms and suites.”

In typical Four Seasons “style,” although there was no significant structural damage from the tsunami, the resort has extended its closure to six weeks in order to bring the resort back to “perfect form.” There’s a reason this is Forbes five-star resort and rated AAA five-diamond…nothing less than perfection is acceptable for the “guest experience.”

The Kona Village Resort is closed indefinitely due to significant tsunami damage

On another note, the beloved Kona Village Resort is closed indefinitely due to significant damage. Check out this video showing the numerous hale (island-style bungalows) that were damaged by the Japan tsunami. Some hales were even knocked off their foundations and furniture was found 400 yards back from the ocean.

The Kona Village Resort is world renowned for offering luxury accommodations conspicuously missing some “modern conveniences” such as telephones and TVs. There is no time frame yet as to when this oceanfront resort will reopen to the publicâ€”or what will happen to the hotel employees’ jobs in the meantime.