Oahu Real Estate Info

2 Main Factors In Choosing a House or Condo

     Those coming to Oahu often have a hard time picking where to live on the Island. Those in the military have an easier time. They can live in the provided housing or they usually look in the areas closest to their base. However, there are those who like to stretch their wings a little to see a different part of Hawaii.

Oahu Real Estate Costs

     Currently the 2 most expensive real estate areas are Kahala, which has always been at the peak, and new favorite Kailua. The growth of Kailua in the past few years has come as residents have sought out the slower paced Hawaii lifestyle it offers; especially as other parts of Oahu have become more developed and more crowded. The fact that the cast of Lost lives there probably doesn't hurt either. (Read more about Kailua)

     Kahala has been the Beverly Hills of Oahu for some time. A drive down Kahala Drive is more than enough to show you why. Large, gated houses and estates line the road with beautiful beach just a few steps away from the road. Other parts of Kahala have lower price tags, but it's all relative, of course. Still, with Kahala Mall convenient to most residents and peaceful, green neighborhoods, it's not a bad place to hang your hat. But bring your checkbook.

     Real estate is expensive everywhere in Hawaii, reaching new heights in the past couple of years. The jump during that time has taken values so high that longtime owners have seen their property taxes climb to unimaginable levels. Relief for them had to be passed by the government in order to quell the crisis. Imagine the shock of seeing your tax bill almost double in one year. That's what some Hawaii homeowners faced. Welcome to Hawaii.

     Despite the mind boggling leap house and condo prices have made recently, you can take some consolation in that they are still less than New York City. And the air is cleaner, too.

An Oahu Property You Can Commute From

Oahu residents, like mainlanders, commute from all ranges of distance to their jobs, most of which are in downtown Honolulu or nearby. In an attempt to relieve some of this congestion, a '2nd City' was started called Kapolei on the lower West side of Oahu. Located near the now-closed Barbers Point Naval Base, it has grown exponentially in a very few years. Kapolei is now a self-sufficient area with parks, stores and everything else residents required. They even have their own Christmas parade, a sure sign of a town that has arrived.

     What hasn't happened so far is the growth of jobs and workplaces centered in that area to take some of the load off Downtown. Most residents still commute in, perpetuating the traffic problem. Still, there are some signs that industries will move or take root there eventually that will hopefully fulfill the original goals for the community. Right now, though it is a suburb.

     The commuting issue is taking on new dimensions as the city presses forward with the Rail solution that will almost certainly happen. Despite active opposition and pleas to consider other options, Mayor Hanneman has made it clear that this is what will be. One end of the line would begin in Kapolei, then make its way along such areas as King St and Downtown. Whether this actually clears up the traffic problem will not be known for some time, as it will be years before the system is built.

     Keep these two issues in mind when looking over real estate here in Hawaii. We'll close with one recent finding that is very relevant. The idea of buying a home farther from the workplace because of cheaper places is not the logical idea it once was; studies have found that the lost time and extra expenses that come from commuting - and the side effects of commuting - actually offset the savings in the lower home cost. You're better off looking somewhere that you truly want to live, no matter where that is, and work from there.