Real Estate and the Power of Staying Power

Real estate requires patience—not just from agents, but from buyers and sellers too.

In a slower market, it’s easy to get discouraged. For sellers, a home may sit longer than expected. Showings may be fewer. An offer may fall through. A price adjustment may be necessary. It’s natural to wonder, “Is this ever going to sell?”

For buyers, it’s a different kind of frustration. Interest rates may make the numbers uncomfortable. The right home may not come on the market. Or the home you hoped for may go to someone else.

That’s where staying power comes in. And sometimes, a little historical perspective helps.

According to the Honolulu Board of REALTORS®, Oʻahu’s annual median single-family home price rose from $590,000 in 2005 to $1,139,000 in 2025—an increase of approximately 93%. Over those same 20 years, the annual median condominium price increased from $269,000 to $507,250—approximately 89%.

But those gains didn’t happen in a straight line. The single-family median fell from $643,500 in 2007 to $575,000 in 2009. It wasn’t until 2013 that the annual median surpassed its 2007 level. For owners navigating those years, patience required more than a reassuring slogan. It required the financial ability—and the willingness—to weather uncertainty.

Looking back, the long-term growth is clear. Living through the pauses and downturns is another matter.

These figures reflect islandwide median sales prices, rather than the appreciation of any particular property. They don’t account for inflation or ownership costs, and individual results vary. Still, they offer a useful reminder: one difficult season doesn’t tell the whole story.

Staying power doesn’t mean stubbornly sticking to the original plan. Sometimes it means being willing to change the plan.

For sellers, that may mean adjusting the price, improving presentation or allowing more time. You can have substantial equity built over years of ownership and still need to price realistically for today’s buyer.

For buyers, it may mean revisiting the budget, considering another neighborhood or choosing a home that meets your needs without stretching your finances too thin. The ability to comfortably own and maintain a property is part of what gives you staying power in the first place.

And for homeowners who aren’t planning a move, it may mean remembering why you bought: a place to live, put down roots and build a future. A home’s value isn’t measured only when it sells.

Real estate has always moved in cycles. Markets rise, fall, stall—and change again. Oʻahu’s history makes a compelling case for keeping a long-term perspective, even when the short term feels uncomfortable.

Stay informed. Stay flexible. Stay realistic. And when the goal still makes sense, stay the course.

Because the rewards of real estate often take time—and staying power gives you the opportunity to realize them.