Posted by Katie Minkus, R(BIC) on March 16th, 2010 |
Tags: Big Island, For Sale, Hamakua Coast, Hawaii, Land
The County of Hawai‘i is proceeding with the sale of 16 parcels of land located in Pa‘auilo in the Hāmākua District of the Island of Hawai‘i, during one of the worst Seller’s market in the island’s history.
Hawaii County Pa’auilo land parcel to be auctioned.
The County claims it’s selling this land to make up for a budget deficit. Which begs the question, what are they going to sell next year to make up for next year’s shortfall in the budget? Read entire post →
Posted by Ron Margolis, RA, ABR on March 4th, 2010 |
Tags: Condos, For Sale, Foreclosures, Hawaii, Homes, Kapaa, Kauai, Land, Lihue, Princeville, REO, Short Sales
The latest two weeks of new listings on Kauai feature something old and something new.
My new listing of 10.8 acres on Kuamoo Rd. offer a superb opportunity for a developer.
Zoned R-2, 2 homes to an acre, this is an opportunity for a smaller subdivision or CPR. Let me know if you need a preliminary map or topo of this property. Read entire post →
Posted by Sagar Hallal, RA on February 27th, 2010 |
Tags: Education, Hanalei, Kapaa, Kauai, Kilauea, Land, Life, Lihue, Wailua
It seems so simple: put some seeds in the ground, water them, harvest the results. But anyone who’s experienced the joys and frustrations of growing a vegetable garden knows how thoroughly complex it can be. Multiply that by 10, or a hundred, and you’ve got the life of a farmer.
So, we are very thankful for people like Glen Hontz. Glen is going to be launching a 15 week Organic Gardening and Farming training program on March 4, at the Kauai Community College, meeting for 5 hours every Thursday till June. Read entire post →
Posted by Courtney Haas Welborn, R(B) on February 19th, 2010 |
Tags: For Sale, Kauai, Kilauea, Land
Entrance to Kilauea, Kauai Property
Ever wonder what it would be like to customize your own home? Create a dwelling place that you’ve only kept in your mind’s eye?
Well, here’s a jump start on that dream. Imagine 4.39 acres with a mixture of topography: gently sloping grassy land, a stream running through it, ridges and valleys to explore, and the grandeur of Mt. Namahana before you. Now that’s a foundation to build on! A remarkable piece of land (MLS 221914) within the exclusive Namahana Farms community gives you this opportunity. To the right of the property is a large piece of conservation land so your piece of paradise remains private. Read entire post →
Posted by Ron Margolis, RA, ABR on February 2nd, 2010 |
Tags: Kauai, Land, Princeville, REO, Sales Stats
Kaha Lani Condo adjacent to Wailua County Golf Course
January 2010’s sales statistics showed a Kauai market with more energy and more opportunity than one year ago. We had 52 transactions for the month as compared to only 20 last January. That’s an increase in transaction volume of 160%.
The median price however (the price of the property that falls in the middle of the total number of properties for sale on the island) has adjusted down as compared to one year ago. The median price of a single family Kauai home was down to $375,000 as compared to $466,785 just one year ago. And compared to the peak of the market in mid 2006 when median prices on the island of Kauai were above $650,000.
Kaha Lani REO offers lowest price in the complex in 8 years
It’s good to see land transactions starting to happen too as buyers realize that owning a parcel of land on Kauai is much more affordable now. The total dollar volume of land transactions for January 2010 was up a whopping 321% from just one year ago. Construction loans are still available for those getting ready to build. However, the land loan market has become more constrained with lenders like American Savings and First Hawaiian Bank requiring 35% or more down payment. Over 50% of the land transaction volume in January 2010 were cash only sales.
Hale Honu - Princeville REO 2 BR condo for $239,000
REOs, bank-owned properties and Short Sales comprised 35% of the Kauai real estate market and the percentage of transactions coming from that distressed market segment continues to grow statewide. Buyers who want to take full advantage of this segment of the Kauai market need to have their pre-approval (different than pre-qualification) and their proof of funds ready to submit with any offer and as in all transactions, but especially when dealing with the banks, CASH is KING. Email me for a list of all Kauai’s distressed properties (foreclosure and pre-foreclosure).
Currently there are 127 Kauai properties in escrow. Some of these are short sales which are waiting for the bank’s approval and that can sometimes take a while. It is essential if you are going to pursue purchasing a short sale that your buyer’s agent properly sets your expectations. As a buyer it is essential that you understand the process you may be up against. Until all the lien holders have agreed on the terms of the deal, as a buyer, though you have agreed on a price with the seller and come to a meeting of the minds, you really DO NOT have a deal. Read entire post →
Posted by Sagar Hallal, RA on January 25th, 2010 |
Tags: Kauai, Land, Life
Recently I’ve been in touch with a Kauai farmer who’s renting and would like to purchase his own acreage to cultivate. A common conundrum – Kauai land is currently too expensive for him, but does he really want to uproot his family and relocate to Hawaii Island, where acreage is substantially more affordable?
Fresh greens
Which got us to thinking about leasing farmland. To encapsulate: a large percentage of privately-held land on Kauai is in the hands of several large landowners – Grove Farm, Alexander & Baldwin, Gay & Robinson, etc… Since the demise of sugar, much of these lands have been sitting fallow, save for some cattle ranching.
Many on Kauai, however, are starting to think about food security. It doesn’t make sense for an island with so much fertile land and water to still be importing so much of its food, but it also doesn’t pay – yet – to do large-scale agriculture on these lands.
So why not lease portions of this land to small farmers? It could be a win-win-win situation: the land-owners avoid selling off their land during a down market, but are able to generate cash-flow; farmers are able to ply their livelihood without mortgaging their future; the people of Kauai are blessed with more local food. (Indeed, the area around Honoka’a on Hawaii Island is a model for land use of this sort.)
South shore ag lands
It’s a nice fantasy, but in actuality this scenario on Kauai is still in its infancy – for whatever reason, there’s just not much leased land available – yet. Grove Farm has some pieces adjacent to the Isenberg Tract in Lihue that are currently leased to Pioneer Seed – there is a waiting list. The State of Hawaii is offering a couple of pieces in Hanapepe with 35 year leases.
There is good news on the horizon, however: within the next few years, Grove Farm has plans to open the Maha’ulepu Agricultural Valley, 800 acres of leased land for diversified ag mauka of Poipu (contact me if you’d like an application).
And the prospect of a Farmworker Housing Bill, depending on the form it eventually takes, could impact the situation as well – I’ll be blogging about this soon.
I’d love to hear if someone reading this post knows of any other ag land to lease on Kauai.
Posted by David Buck, R, BIC on January 24th, 2010 |
Tags: Deals, Honolulu, Land, Oahu, Palolo
Diamond Head, Waikiki and Ocean Views!
I recently re-listed 2733 La’i Road in the back of Palolo Valley for a steal at $450,000.
Where else can you find this much space and privacy in Honolulu for such a price? A 6,000 sq. ft. lot on neighboring Wilhelmina Rise recently sold for $600,000 or ($100/sq. ft.)!
This is like country living in town! Panoramic Ocean and Mountain views abound this pristine 3.98 acre parcel on very desirable La’i Road in the very/very back of Palolo Valley. This gated community estate site has unlimited opportunity to build the home of your dreams in an area rarely available. This lot is located 10 minutes from downtown, 5 minutes from Kahala, beaches and schools. Zoned P-1 with an allowable 5000 square foot home.
Some might ask what P-1 land is? It falls under the state’s Conservation District. Most of Tantalus and Roundtop is zoned P-1. When this lot was originally listed in late 2007, it was on market for $925,000. At the time, this was based on the following sale of 3852 Puu Kakea Place that sold for $1,150,000 or $12.78/sq. ft. We’re now priced at a bargain $2.60/sq. ft.! Where else can you find something like this in East Honolulu? Read entire post →
Posted by Sagar Hallal, RA on January 5th, 2010 |
Tags: Land, Life, Maui, News
Baby Pineapples
It was great to see this bit of good news in the New Year’s Day’s edition of the Honolulu Advertiser: Hawaii execs step in to keep Maui Gold pineapple growing.
For years, we’ve seen the steady erosion of the commercial operations of those two stand-bys of Hawaiian agriculture – pineapple & sugar; so much so that, today, there’s almost none left. It’s entirely understandable – high labor and land costs make the likelihood of turning a profit increasingly difficult.
What’s interesting about this latest venture is the new owners’ strategy – to market the pineapples almost exclusively in Hawaii.
“Schenk said the new company plans to focus on the local market, selling about 90 percent of its harvest in Hawai’i. Haliimaile will supply fresh fruit to local hotels, restaurants and supermarkets while increasing its direct-to-consumer business.”
“That’s a different business strategy from that of Maui Pineapple Co., which exported some of its fruit to the West Coast where it had to compete with cheaper imports from Central America.”
We hope that this is the sign of a new trend – preserving Hawaii’s agricultural heritage and at the same time reducing Hawaii’s dependence on imported food.
Posted by Sagar Hallal, RA on December 15th, 2009 |
Tags: Kalaheo, Kauai, Kilauea, Land, Lihue, Maui, Molokai, News, Oahu
A commercial dairy on Kauai to produce manure and County-subsidized farm-grade compost – these were a couple of the ideas thrown about in Kilauea at the first meeting of the Kauai chapter of the Hawaii Farmers Union.
The Hawaii Island chapter has been active for several years, and there are now chapters on Oahu, Maui & Molokai as well. The National Farmers Union is the oldest grassroots farmers organization in the country, founded in 1902. It serves primarily small farmers, as opposed to the American Farm Bureau, which is more aligned with corporate interests. The stated mission of the HFU is to “…advance the rights of farmers to create vibrant and prosperous agricultural communities for the benefit of all through cooperation, legislation & education.” Among their most recent accomplishments is to affect a ban on GMO taro & coffee on Hawaii Island. The meeting was attended by over a dozen small farmers from Kauai’s north shore – additional meetings are planned for Lihue & Kalaheo. It is hoped that the Kauai chapter will be a vibrant and active group, advocating for the needs of the many small farmers on the island and in the state. This is just one more step in bringing Kauai to food self-sufficiency.
All farmers and friends of farmer are invited to join and add their voices to the group’s. And if anyone out there has interest in starting a dairy on Kauai, let me know!
Posted by Erik Hinshaw, R(S) on October 19th, 2009 |
Tags: Big Island, For Sale, Kona, Land, Vacation
I am working with a couple from California who wanted a vacation getaway. The congested resorts and condos are not for them. I suggested a small Kona coffee farm. Coffee farms here in Kona can often sell for the price of a condo or small home elsewhere. For this couple a small coffee farm sounded just right.
There are plenty of local companies that will manage the farm for you. At the end of the year you have a well groomed farm and a nice check to boot. You can even package up some coffee with your own label for friends and family. Not a bad gift as Kona Coffee often sells for $20 a pound or more.
For those who want to get their hands dirty I asked my friend John of Kona King Coffee what was up at his coffee farm this time of year. “We are in day 5 of our largest-yet-this-season coffee cherry pick on the Kona King Coffee Captain Cook Farm. Thus far during this pick we have picked over 9000 pounds of coffee cherry (the we in this statement is the coffee pickers that we employ, between 6 and 12 each day). Of the coffee cherry picked, roughly 6000 pounds we have processed through our pulping machine, a process which removes the outer pulp from the cherry and leaves the green coffee bean encased in parchment and covered in a mucoid film. Once the pulp is removed the beans are sent to the fermentation vats where the mucoid film is broken down through a bacterial process which takes 12-18 hours. Any immature beans and overripe beans float to the surface and are removed during this phase of the process.
Once the fermentation process (the icky goo phase) is complete the beans are thoroughly washed and placed on one of the two drying decks. The coffee at this point is referred to ‘parchment’ and is dried to a moisture content of 9-12%. We installed a solar powered fan this year on one of the drying decks and it has reduced the drying time about 30%, it’s great to see the fan turn on every time there is even a hint of sunshine. I must sign off now the icky goo is calling…”
Whether you are a hands on or hands off type there are a wide variety of farms on the market from under $100,000 to several million.
Gallery of Kona Coffee Farms for Sale >>
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