Tony Kawaguchi, M.Div., R.A.
REMAX 808 Realty
The best Real Estate office in Hawaii!
808-395-5776
alohatony@gmail.com
Oahu Real Estate Specialist Tony Kawaguchi
Your Oahu Real Estate Agent
Aloha! I'm Tony Kawaguchi, with REMAX 808 in Oahu.
I'll make buying and selling real estate a great experience for you.
You can search all the Real Estate listings on Oahu very easily, and in
great detail. All the finest homes, condos, and land for sale in Oahu,
covering areas such as Honolulu, Diamond Head, Aiea, Lanikai, Kailua,
Kahala, Hawaii Kai, Portlock, Kaneohe, The North Shore, Mililani,
Kapolei, Ewa Beach, Waikiki and more! I can help you with any property
for sale on all of Oahu.
With offices in Honolulu, Waikiki, West Oahu, and windward Oahu, REMAX
is Hawaii's most respected real estate company with the most
experienced professional real estate agents. Unlike other companies in
Hawaii who have a lot of newbies and part timers, we only hire seasoned
full time pros who can provide you with a real estate experience that
will exceed your expectations.
I specialize in the City & County of Honolulu, which is the entire
island of Oahu, and I have REMAX partners on neighbor islands to help
all your home buying and selling in Hawaii.
I'll help you buy or sell your personal residence, vacation home or
investment property anywhere in Oahu, and if you're moving to Hawaii, I
can also help you with relocation.
Oahu Overview
The island of Oahu has nearly 1 million people living on it and over 4
million visitors per year. Surprisingly, only 5% of Hawaii's land is
used, and Oahu is mostly vacant land, primarily mountains and
conservation land. However, we've used up nearly all the land that is
zoned for residential housing, so land values are very high! Oahu is a
unique mixture of tropical paradise and big city activity and
amenities. In Oahu you can sip margaritas at a world class beach resort
just a few minutes from the large downtown Honolulu business district.
Oahu
has everything any big city has, except for a professional sports team.
But several times a year professional teams visit us for pre-season
basketball, the NFL all stars game, and other exhibition games. 30
minutes from downtown Honolulu are some of the most beautiful tropical
locations where the rich and famous have their estate homes. Oahu is
truly a unique place that can be enjoyed by all kinds of people.
Oahu is where famously crowded Waikiki beach is located, with beach
front condos and shopping all over the place. Some call it Vegas on the
beach, as Waikiki Beach major hotels right there on the sand along with
Gucci and Prada steps away. If you live in Waikiki, you're right in all
the action, with late night activities to suit any taste. A lot of
people who want to buy a vacation home will look for a small condo in
Waikiki, and there are dozens of buildings to choose from, ranging from
about $200k for a small studio to as much as $5million for a luxury
penthouse with sweeping ocean views.
Honolulu is the state capital and the economic center of Hawaii, and is
located on the south side of Oahu. It's a bit confusing, because as
mentioned the entire island is considered Honolulu city and county. So
even if you're in Kailua, you're still in Honolulu. However, none of us
ever say we are in Honolulu unless we are actually downtown. Within
Honolulu there are numerous little cities and neighborhoods, and
usually people will be pretty specific when referring to where they
live.
Climate
The temperatures in Oahu are around 85 degrees in the summer and around
75 degrees in the winter. You can swim and surf without a wetsuit all
year round, which makes Oahu ideal for people who love water sports. In
the winter the water may dip to about 75degrees, which feels a bit
chilly at first, but once you get used to it, it's fine. In the summer
the water gets as warm as 85, so it feels perfect.
If you live in Hawaii you probably will wear a sweater a few days a
year, and thatss about it. Most of us don't take a jacket around at
all, though once you get used to the weather here, you get cold easily.
When the temperature dips to 70degrees, we get cold!
Basically Hawaii has great weather year round, but in the winter it
rains a lot in some areas, and can rain on the entire island at once,
on a rare occasion. We love when it rains because it cools us down and
makes everything turn green. The lush green mountains are part of the
majestic beauty of Oahu when it's raining. Otherwise, it gets quite dry
on the west side and in Hawaii Kai.
Oahu geography
At 597 square miles, Oahu is the third largest island of Hawaii, behind
Hawaii and Maui islands. Oahu is located between Molokai and Kauai, and
you can see Molokai on a clear day from the south side. Oahu has two
main mountain ranges: the Waianae mountains on the west side and the
Koolau mountains on the east side. The Koolaus are certainly the more
beautiful mountains because it is on the rainy side. Of course the real
estate is more expensive too.
Unlike the big island, Oahu has no active volcanoes, but there are many
remnants of the volcanoes such as Diamond Head, Koko Head (Hawaii Kai),
and Punchbowl (town). In fact Hanauma Bay, the famous snorkeling spot,
is an old crater left by a volcano. If you're looking for volcanoes, go
to the Big Island.
Hanauma Bay is a world famous ocean preserve where millions of people
snorkel and enjoy a huge variety of sea creatures. The fish in Hanauma
bay swim right up to you and have almost no fear. The bay is quite
large, with a lot more sea life than most people will ever see. 99% of
the people who snorkel here stay within a few yards of shore, but most
of the fish are on the outside of the reef, where the water is a little
deeper. If you go here and you are a strong swimmer with snorkeling
experience, you might consider venturing out to the deeper water. Just
remember the deeper the water, the more danger of drowning.
The Pali Lookout is one of the best views on Oahu, where you can see
most of the windward side, including Kailua and Kaneohe. It's
incredibly beautiful and incredibly windy up there. Sometimes it is 20
degrees colder up at the lookout than down in town. 3,000 feet above
Windward Oahu, the Pali lookout is a must see for visitors, and is even
fun for residents to go see once in a while. If you are ever too hot on
Oahu, go up to the Pali.
Real Estate Geography
In terms of the real estate geography, the Island of Oahu is divided
usually into 11 major areas. They are Central Oahu, Metro Oahu, Kailua,
Kaneohe, Diamond Head, Hawaii Kai, Waikiki, North Shore, Pearl
City/Aiea, Makakilo, Ewa Plain, Waipahu, and Waianae.
Central Oahu
This includes Mililani, Waipio, and Waipahu. As the name indicates it's
the center of the island, where real estate is a little cheaper than in
town or on the east side. A lot of people like Mililani and Waipio
because many of the homes are newer, built in the last 10 years.
Mililani Mauka is a nice planned community that feel familiar to
mainlanders because of the nice manicured street landscaping and the
new shopping centers.
There are dozens of great neighborhoods in central Oahu, although not
all of them are newer. There are also older areas that are not as nice,
actually a bit run down. If you find the right area, central Oahu can
be really nice. You certainly get a lot more for your money, as homes
here can cost 20% less than on the east side, and they're still newer.
Commuting from central Oahu can be a nightmare if you have to go into
town (what we would call Honolulu) during rush hour. From Mililani
Mauka to town it can take 45minutes to an hour, depending on traffic.
Keep in mind it's only a 20 mile drive, so 45 minutes means you're
driving pretty slow! I can say from experience that it's not a fun
drive. So if you have to commute into town, keep that in mind when you
buy in Mililani. When you see the difference in the quality of homes
you get in Mililani Mauka, you may decide as many other have, that it's
well worth the drive.
Waipio Gentry is an excellent example of what I'm saying here. The
houses were built recently so they are very nice, with excellent
planning in those neighborhoods. You can get a very nice 2000 sqft
house for about $650k. The same type of house doesn't even exist in
town, but if it did it might be 30% more.
Now I realize that what this doesn't make sense, but the Central region
as divided by Honolulu Board of Realtors also includes downtown,
Waikiki, Wahiawa, and Waikele. If you draw a circle around these areas
on the map, it will be totally nonsense to you. So none of actually
call these areas part of central Oahu, but for some stupid reason the
HBR does. Ignore them, they are wrong.
Metro Oahu
This is a large area that includes downtown, Salt Lake, Waikiki,
Punchbowl, University, Ala Moana, Chinatown, Old Pali, Punahou,
Kakaako, Manoa, Pacific Heights, Nuuanu, Makiki, Mccully, and Kalihi.
There are actually more, but even locals may not have heard of those
neighborhoods. This is a GIANT area, especially in terms of population.
This is definitely the most densely occupied area of Hawaii. If you
like living in these areas we locals call you a "towney." There are
hundreds of condos and single family homes in metro Oahu, where prices
are higher than central Oahu and properties tend to be more run down in
many neighborhoods.
While prices in town are more than in the outskirts of the island, it's
far easier to commute to work when it's 5 miles instead of 20 miles. In
Oahu, that difference can be everything. Sitting in traffic is the
extra cost of having a nicer cheaper house in Ewa or Mililani.
There are certain neighborhoods scattered throughout metro Oahu that
are pretty nice, meaning they have been updated or kept in great
condition. Some of the older neighborhoods, like Punahou, Manoa, and
Old Pali, have beautiful mature trees and old style charm, which can be
great if it's well taken care of. Unless you know what you're looking
for and where you're going, it's unlikely that you would ever find any
of these neighborhoods. That's why you need local knowledge to help you
for sure.
If there's one neighborhood that stands out in Metro Oahu, it's Manoa.
Manoa is a beautiful tree filled area with great appeal, a quaint
little shopping area frequented by college students from UH, and
beautiful mountains and valleys. Manoa rains a lot. A LOT. More rain
than any other city in Oahu.
Kailua
On the windward side of Oahu is one of the nicest communities in all of
Hawaii, Kailua town. While most of the houses were built in the 60's
and 70's, many of the residents here pride themselves on keeping their
homes in great condition. There are some exceptions, as you will see if
you drive through the neighborhoods, but many of the homes are newly
remodeled, or have been kept in wonderful condition.
Properties in Kailua demand a premium over almost any other area in
Hawaii, with a median price for single family homes well over $700k.
Kailua town is a quaint little assortment of stores and restaurants
that mainlanders seem to love. Of course Kailua is most famous for it's
beautiful beaches, which are exactly what you would imagine a beach in
Hawaii being like: white sand and crystal clear bluish water. It's
incredible.
Kailua is clean, with a recent update to it's commercial area that
makes all the stores look much nicer. The town has a small town charm
about it that appeals to just about everyone. A lot of the
professionals that work in town live in Kailua because of the ease of
commute. The Pali Hwy runs right up into Kailua making it a short drive
into town. While it does get congested at rush hour, it's nothing like
the drive from Ewa or Mililani. For people who can afford it, Kailua is
probably the best choice.
Kaneohe
Just north of Kailua is Kaneohe, and Kaneohe Bay marine corps base.
It's also an easy drive into town like Kailua, but it feels more like a
bigger city, complete with it's own mall, the Windward Mall. Kaneohe is
sort of it's own place apart from everything else on the island,
enclosed geographically, and with most of the things you need there, if
you live in Kaneohe you may not leave it often. The giant bay provides
all the water sports and beaches that you could want, although hammer
head sharks breed in that bay, so watch out.
Homes in Kaneohe are a little cheaper than Kailua, since the town is
not quite as appealing. Parts of it can feel run down, but a lot of
Kaneohe is quite beautiful. You can buy a home on the bay, or with a
great view of the bay, and it's not as expensive as you might think,
because there are plenty of homes that have the view, since it's a
GIANT bay.
Kaneohe marine corps base is a giant base that takes up a large portion
of the best real estate in Kaneohe. In fact there even great waves out
there that you can't surf unless you have a military pass. I would
think the government is sitting on billions of dollars worth of beach
front real estate at K-Bay. Since the base is right there, Kaneohe has
a very large military contingency as home owners. Kaneohe is a great
place to live, especially if you need to commute into town, because H3
comes right into Kaneohe.
Kaneohe includes Ahuimanu, Alii, Haiku, Kapuna Hala, Temple Valley,
Punaluu, Club View estates, Kaaawa (that's not a typo), Waihole, and a
bunch of smaller areas.
Diamond Head
If you have millions of dollars for a home, come to Diamond head. It is
the Beverly Hills of Oahu, the Bel Aire. Homes in Diamond Head are
incredibly beautiful, although you will sometimes find a run down shack
next door to a $5million mansion. The rich and famous who live in
Diamond Head enjoy incredible ocean views and stunning architecture
everywhere. Some of the most incredibly houses in Hawaii are in Diamond
Head. This area includes Kahala, Waialae Nui and Waialae Iki, Kapahulu,
Hawaii Loa Ridge, and for some reason, Aina Haina, which doesn't fit
the rest of the areas in this list.
For that matter, neither do Kaimuki and St. Louis, but I guess it's
mainly geography and not socio economic factors. The Diamond Head area
is truly great if you have the money, but for most people it's out of
reach. Diamond Head is wonderful because it's only 10 minutes from any
part of Honolulu, and yet it's out of the industrial areas just enough
to feel like a separate community. My favorite Mexican food restaurant
in Hawaii is in Diamond Head - Mi Casa. It's excellent.
Hawaii Kai
The top 2 communities in Oahu are probably Kailua and Hawaii Kai, in
terms of appeal, layout, and family friendliness. Hawaii Kai boasts
some of the state's best schools, and as a master planned neighborhood,
the layout is great. I have an entire page dedicated to Hawaii Kai,
since I live here. Prices in Hawaii Kai are pretty high compared to the
rest of the island, and are actually even higher than Kailua.
The huge marina that runs a mile into the city allows people to have a
house right on the water. It's fantastic! If you can afford Hawaii Kai
and you care about schools and convenience, you should definitely try
to live here.
Waikiki
What can I say about Waikiki that you don't already know? It's kind of
it's own thing apart from everything else that is Hawaii. It's Vegas on
the beach, it's a melting pot, it's a tourist trap, it's big city meets
beach resort, it's crazy, it's fun, it's wonderful and horrible at the
same time.
I find that many of the mainlanders who want to buy a condo want to buy
it in Waikiki. That makes the market there a very tight one, with
buyers from all over the world looking for their tiny piece of
paradise. I think the appeal is that the beach is so easy to swim in,
surf at, and walk around (except that you have to walk around all the
people.)
Condos in Waikiki are a commodity of their own, reaching as high as
$2million for a penthouse. There are thousands of condos in Waikiki, so
if you want one, all you have to do is ask. There are always a few
dozen available. Waikiki is not technically a region according to the
HBR, it's a neighborhood, but I included it here because it's such a
dominant area in real estate.
North Shore
The world famous North Shore has some of the best waves on the planet,
and thousands of pro surfers flock from all over to surf the winter
season, which lasts from about September to April. That alone has made
prices of homes near the best surf spots skyrocket to incredible levels
in the last few years. A house near Pipeline or Sunset can be well into
the millions for a decent property.
The North Shore has great hidden neighborhoods that tourists will never
see because they are a bit off the beaten path, at least the path of a
tourist guide book. Haleiwa, Waialua, Laie, Pupukea, are some of the
North Shore neighborhoods with nice properties, and there are many
other great areas with beautiful ocean views too. Life on the North
Shore, or "Country" as we call it here, is a lot slower paced. Families
go back many generations living up Country, so often it's all about who
you know.
If you're looking for a magnificent vacation home with ocean views
galore, the North Shore is the place for you, as long as you can afford
the price tag.
Pearl City
Located in about the middle of the south shore of Oahu, Pearl City is
right on the north shore of Pearl Harbor, as you might expect. Pearl
Harbor is not only the famous site of the Japanese attack, but it is
also the main shipping harbor for all of Hawaii, where the largest
commercial ships bring in their cargo. Everything from cars to food to
furniture to people are brought in at this harbor, making it more
industrial than other parts of the island. Just about everything bought
and sold in Hawaii comes in or out of Pearl Harbor.
With that in mind, Pearl City is Oahu's most industrial area. There are
many neighborhoods in the areas surrounding Pearl Harbor, and because
of the thousands of people who work there, the real estate has been in
great demand. Pearl City employs a large percentage of the
island’s people, so housing those people nearby is a difficult
task at times. The hills above Pearl Harbor offer views of the ocean
and harbor as the ships come and go. It is quite a spectacle to watch
these giant ships bring their cargo in for the 1 million people who
live here in Hawaii
Makakilo
I'm often asked if there is new construction to be bought in Hawaii,
and Makakilo is one of the best places to buy it right now. This newly
developed community has many recently built homes with very high living
standards. Homes in Makakilo can range from $500k for a new townhouse
to over $1million for a large single family home. Makakilo is a great
alternative to living in Ewa or Kapolei, because it is still on the
west side the prices are cheaper than the east side, but the entire
community is newer and feels very upscale, unlike some areas of Ewa
Beach.
While the commute from Makakilo into town can be quite long, for those
who either don't mind commuting or can work on the west side, maybe
Kapolei, Makakilo is a fantastic area with beautiful homes.
Ewa Plain
The south west side of Oahu is called the Ewa Plain, pronounced with a
short "e" and a "v" sound, as in, "I'm driving fo-Ewa and Ewa." The
drive is what people hate about Ewa, but real estate prices and quality
are what they love. The homes in Ewa are for the most part, newly built
since about 1995, when the community started to really take off. A
house that costs $1million in Hawaii Kai might go for about $500k in
Ewa, and there are two main reasons: the heat and the traffic. It's
hotter in Ewa than the east side by about 5-10 degrees on hot days, and
the commute is a total killer.
However, if you can work on the east side somewhere, and you don't have
to sit in an hour and a half of traffic everyday, Ewa is a wonderful
option, because the homes are usually in great condition and built with
modern high standards. There are literally thousands of people who have
moved to Ewa from all over Oahu just to get a beautiful brand new
house. Many of these houses are starter homes, but there are several
neighborhoods that are now around $800k for a larger executive style
home. In fact there are plans now for a neighborhood that will be over
$1million.
If you don't have to drive into town, or you don't mind the drive, then
Ewa is a place where your money will buy you a lot more home than just
about anywhere else in Oahu.
Waipahu
Waipahu is probably best known for the shopping outlets in Waikele,
where great deals can be had on name brand goods. The cheap real estate
should not be forgotten, because Waipahu has some great deals on homes
too. You can get a nice 4 or 5 bedroom house of 2000sqft in Waipahu for
about $575k right now, which is quite a steal, considering prices
around Oahu.
Located a little closer to town than Ewa or Makakilo, Waipahu is quite
a large commercial area, which means there are a lot of jobs for people
who live there. Though it's not close to any beaches, it is close to a
lot of other things, like the water park, great shopping, and Pearl
Harbor. There are also several neighborhoods in Waipahu that have been
built since about 1990, meaning there are many options for people who
like newer homes. As Honolulu grows more out toward Ewa, Waipahu is
becoming a great alternative to living in town or living all the way in
Ewa.
Waianae
The Waianae coast, or the "Leeward" Coast, is like the end of the earth
to many who live in Oahu. You might find that once you live here, you
will go to the Waianae Coast once every few years. It's not only the
long drive from town (about 30 miles,) it's the completely different
culture and lifestyle out there. Recently, Schuller homes has put up
some new construction in Maili, which has drawn several hundred
families out to the Waianae Coast. New homes in Maili start around
$350k, which is absolutely an incredible bargain in Hawaii.
Why is real estate so cheap in Waianae, well for one thing it will take
you 2 hours to drive to town when there's traffic, so commuting from
Waianae is a nightmare. For another thing, Waianae has long had a
reputation of being the least desirable area in Oahu and the most
economically depressed. However, things have been changing there, as I
mentioned with the new home communities built by Schuller.
