Congratulations Robert Vafaie for selling this beautiful home in Makawao!

Healthy buyer demand and constrained supply continue to be the story for much of the country. Nationally, showing activity in July remained substantially higher than a year before and multiple offer situations are a frequent experience in many markets. With the inventory of homes for sale still constrained, a competitive market for buyers shows little sign of waning.

Brett Christiansen has generously made the decision to support two local organizations, Paia Youth Center & IMUA Family Services. Maui Property is proud to recognize and encourage Brett’s generosity by matching his donation to these worthy causes. If you would like to learn more about these organization, please follow the links below.

Paia Youth Center

IMUA Family Services

Thank you for your continued support of these organizations, which help Families and Children of Maui.

Congratulations to Brett Christiansen and his Buyers for closing on this multi-family home in Makawao!

June Market Update, from RAM:

While much of the country was working on a phased reopening of the economy in June, real estate activity continued to strengthen as well. Nationally, June showing activity as tracked by Showing Time was up notably from the COVID-19 depressed levels in recent months but was also up from June 2019, reflecting pent-up demand by prospective home buyers.

While buyer activity continues to be robust, seller activity continues to be a bit softer, with fewer homes being #listed for sale than a year ago. Many housing experts believe sellers remain reluctant to list their homes due to continued concerns over COVID-19, which was beginning to see a resurgence in June. Until sellers regain confidence, housing inventory will continue to be constrained during what is expected to be an active summer selling season.

Hawai'i has announced NEW Pre-Travel Testing Protocol in order to combat COVID-19 and reduce the islands potential exposure.  Governor David Ige has announced new protocols effective August 1st for travelers visiting the islands from out of state.  So if you're planning on making a trip to Hawai'i or coming back home, be sure to know the new procedures.

Beginning August 1st, proof of a negative COVID test result prior to arriving in the islands in order to avoid the mandatory 14-day quarantine upon entering the state.  If you're unable to provide proof of a negative test or chose not to take one then you will be required to observe the 14-day quarantine.

We've provided some links to various resources about travel to Hawai'i below. Be sure to complete your own research to stay up to date on the policies and procedures before traveling to Hawai'i.  We are all eager to get back to the way things were, but we hope that you'll continue to abide by the recommendations from the CDC about social / physical distancing and wearing a mask. Stay Safe. Stay informed. 

Additional Covid-19 & Hawai'i Travel Resources:

• Hawaii Department of Transportation
• Maui County Covid-19 Updates
• State of Hawaii Covid-19 Information
• Travel Information & Interisland Travel Forms

Do you have any resources we can add to the list?  Let us know! 

If you have decided to move to Maui, the most beautiful island in the world (we’re a little biased), know that there are a number of choices to consider.  In no particular order, here are 5 of the top places to live in Maui.

Paia

(pronounced Pie-E-A) Located on the north shore of Maui, Paia offers a quick walk to the Island’s best surf spots. You can enjoy kite surfing, boogie boarding, windsurfing, and body surfing. Paia is fortunate enough to be steps away from the best beaches on Maui. 

The town is very easily walkable, surrounded by local stores, eateries, art galleries and cozy cafes.  Moreover, if you choose to live in Paia, Maui, you will have wide-ranging small businesses, high-end boutique stores, massage therapists, bars & restaurants, tattoo shops, gas stations, or surf shops just around the corner. With so much near you, you may never want to leave the town.

In Paia, the weather is near perfect year-round, and the locals are amicable. The town is quite small, and host to historical locations like Old Paia Sugar Mill, churches & temples. The demand for housing is high is the Paia area.  For those residents and visitors to Maui looking to maintain an active lifestyle, Paia is definitely the place for you!

View the Paia Market Report, here.

Lahaina

Lahaina (pronounced La-Hi-Na) is one of the main areas of western Maui full of action, adventure, and leisure! The western coast of the Island has the most beautiful beaches ideal for surfing, foil boarding, SUP, SCUBA, snorkeling, and beach camping.

While visiting or living in Lahaina, you can experience the most exquisite sunset with the most beautiful scenery. From December through April, tourists flood the area for whale watching. Lahaina Front Street is a charming place where it’s fun to walk the street pop into art exhibits, see the banyan tree park, and explore! Exquisite ocean views, golf courses, West Maui Skate Park, historical sites, and a large number of restaurants make Lahaina one of the most wanted towns of the Island.

Lahaina has all the necessary local amenities, including grocery stores, post office, gas stations, banks, fire stations, community centers, shopping options, public and paid parking, yoga & fitness center, and a very happening nightlife.  If you want a lively beach night, Lahaina is the place for you!

View the Lahaina market report, here.

Makawao

Makawao (pronounced MAKA-WOW) is a beautiful area located in Upcountry Maui. The city has small local restaurants, cafes, and art galleries situated on a high elevation with beautiful views. The views consist of miles of crystal-clear ocean, beautifully patterned clouds, and the most picturesque scenery. The location is not crowded, and the town receives few tourists. Makawao’s amenities are within walking distance or a quick public transport away. 

Makawao is a small town, with soil that is perfect for having your own garden. You may have to travel to nearby Kahului for essentials. As it is a more rural area of Maui, most of the homes are single-family homes.

The weather in the town is calm.  If you’re lucky, you may also have a glimpse of Oprah! Makawao is known for hosting music events in year-round, beautiful weather.

View the Makawao market report, here.

Haiku

Haiku is another excellent option to choose for living on Maui Island, a bit off the beaten path.  While generally not full of tourists, if you plan to live in Haiku it is an ideal location for families or young children who need to be entertained. As the demand is quite high, the market moves quickly. You can rent or buy real estate in Haiku and enjoy surfing, windsurfing, SUPing, kitesurfing, or tow surfing from your own backyard. Ho‘okipa Beach is about 20 minutes away offers the biggest waves for the adventurous surfers and on especially windy days you can find an award-winning show of expert kite and windsurfers.

The town center and marketplace of Haiku offers almost necessities. You will easily find restaurants, general stores, community centers, boutiques, fitness centers, and unique boutique food trucks. Haiku offers the most delicious food, including wood-fired Pizza, vegetarian cuisine, and many more exciting options.

The North Shore of Maui is famous for stunning waterfalls and picturesque scenery. The waterfalls include the Twin Falls and the Makapipi Falls.

Haiku Elementary School and Root school are the best for kids. The lifestyle and community of Haiku are quite easily adjustable and welcoming.

Kihei

(pronounced Key-Hey) If you don’t know the island you may not be familiar with Kihei. Kihei is another beautiful town of Maui filled with beaches with soft sand stretching for miles. Everywhere in Kihei is 5 minutes from a beach! The most notable beaches are Charley Young Beach, Kamaole beach, and the Keawakapu. In winter, you can see the whales breaching the beaches and swimming freely. A few miles from the beaches, beautiful resorts are offering the most delicious cuisines.

If you are interested in snorkeling, Makena is the most incredible snorkeling location on the Island and is just a short drive away.

Kihei has everything except a hospital! Local businesses include three grocery stores, post office, libraries, community centers, dozens of restaurants, shopping centers, movie theatres, golf courses, and stage shows. The town is just a 25-minute drive from the airport of Kahului. Kahului has all the big stores, the market for groceries and home goods.

The property values in Kehei are quite high, but there are many condos and rental units available. View a Kehei market report, here.

Wrap up

Maui is an exquisite island and too big to be covered in one blog. The small towns may be located close to each other, but they are all still individually unique. If you plan to move to the beautiful island of Maui, there are so many things to consider, be sure to give us a call. Tell us about your lifestyle and we’re happy to make suggestions on areas that will suit your needs!

Buyers have been quicker to return to the housing market in force than sellers, who have been showing a bit more reluctance to list their homes than is typical for this time of year. But trends are improving and as states and localities continue to moderate their COVID-19 policies, real estate activity is expected to continue to improve in the coming weeks.

Stats Provided by Realtors Association of Maui 05/2020 Report

Please join us in welcoming Brett Christiansen to the Maui Property Team. 

Brett joins MP with over a decade in the Real Estate and Vacation Rental Industry, you can count on Brett to provide you with professional service for buying, selling, and managing short-term rentals.

Get to Know Brett

It gives us great pleasure to announce that Josef Erlemann has joined the Maui Property Team, as Team Leader & Technology Director. 

Josef has built his career in real estate around his dedication to helping others, a personal strength that also defined his work of 20+ years as a business owner in the direct marketing industry. Josef brings both knowledge and passion for Maui’s diverse housing market to his work as a Realtor with Maui Property.

Please join us in welcoming Josef to our team! Get to know Joe