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Hana and East Maui Real Estate: Rural Land and Homes (2026)

By Tony Kawaguchi, REALTOR (RS-66616), The Kawaguchi Group, eXp Realty (RB-21841). Selling in Hawaii since 2005. Updated November 13, 2026.

Black lava rocks along the Hana coast
The coast at Hana Bay, April 2006. Photo: Forest and Kim Starr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Quick answer (updated November 13, 2026): Hana and East Maui are rural, remote and rarely traded. The Title Guaranty Hawaii market report shows no East Maui house or condo sales in October 2026, so prices here are set one property at a time. The drive from Kahului is about 2.5 to 3 hours by our estimate. Before you buy, confirm legal access, water and wastewater, zoning and what the county has permitted on the property.

Hana sits on Maui's far eastern coast at the end of the winding Hana Highway, with Kipahulu and the Haleakala National Park coastal district beyond. It is wet, green and quiet, with a small town center, ranch land and long stretches of conservation and agricultural land.

Buying here is different from anywhere else on Maui. Services are limited, contractors and materials have to come a long way, and a lot of land is held in large tracts. Here is what to know.

What is for sale

Expect a small number of single-family homes, agricultural parcels, and occasional larger acreage. Many parcels are agriculturally zoned or partly in the conservation district, which strictly limits building. Because there are so few sales, I use a long look-back window and nearby rural comparables, and I tell buyers plainly how much uncertainty is in any price.

A one-lane bridge on the Hana Highway surrounded by rainforest
One of the one-lane bridges on the Hana Highway. Photo: Jonathanking, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Water, power and wastewater

Some properties are on county water and some use catchment or private systems. Heavy rainfall makes catchment workable, but the system still needs maintenance and testing. Many rural homes on both islands still use cesspools. State law requires every cesspool in Hawaii to be upgraded, converted or connected to sewer by 2050, so a buyer should know what system a property has and what replacing it would involve. Ask how power and internet reach the property and how reliable they are.

Rental rules

Apartment-zoned condos: Maui County's Ordinance 5909 (Bill 9) phases out transient vacation rental use in the A-1 and A-2 apartment districts. In the West Maui community plan area the use must end on January 1, 2029; everywhere else in the county it ends on January 1, 2031. Validly existing timeshare units and uses operating under a variance are exempt, and hotel-zoned properties are not covered. A separate 2026 ordinance created new H-3 and H-4 hotel districts that some apartment-zoned complexes are trying to move into, one property at a time, so a building's status can change; I track it in my Maui rezoning update.

Houses: in residential and agricultural districts, nightly rentals generally need a county short-term rental home or bed-and-breakfast permit, and those permits are limited. Never assume a house can be rented nightly because a previous owner did it. Rental permits in East Maui are limited, and the community has strong views about visitor traffic. Assume no nightly rental unless the county permit is in place and transferable.

Nightly rental income is taxed separately from property tax: the state transient accommodations tax is 11% as of January 1, 2026, each county adds a 3% county TAT, and general excise tax is 4.5% in both Maui County and Hawaii County, so plan on about 18.5% of gross rent before income tax.

Aerial view of green pastures along the Hana coast
The Hana coast from the air, March 2004. Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Hazards and access

Before you fall for a view, check four maps for the exact parcel: the state's Flood Hazard Assessment Tool for FEMA flood zones, the tsunami evacuation zone map, the Hawaii Sea Level Rise Viewer for shoreline exposure, and the Special Management Area boundary, which adds a permit layer for most work near the shoreline. After the August 2023 wildfires, I also ask about vegetation, defensible space and insurance availability early, especially on dry leeward slopes. Condo buyers should read the association's budget, reserve study and master insurance policy, because master premiums have pushed maintenance fees up across Hawaii.

On the Hana side, landslides and flooding can close the highway, so road access and how long it would take to get help are part of the evaluation.

Getting around

From Kahului Airport, Hana is about 2.5 to 3 hours or more on the Hana Highway, with one-lane bridges and many curves. Hana also has a small airport; check current scheduled service before you plan around it. These are our own estimates for light traffic, not official figures; rush hour, events and road work can add a lot of time.

Land tenure

Most Maui homes sell fee simple, meaning you own the land and the building. Leasehold still shows up, mainly in some condo projects, and when it does, the years left on the lease and the lease rent terms matter as much as the price, because they affect value and financing. Department of Hawaiian Home Lands homestead leases have their own eligibility rules and are not sold on the open market like fee simple homes. On older rural parcels, title can involve kuleana or access questions that a title company should clear before closing.

Property taxes

Maui County taxes by how a property is used, not just what it is worth, so the same house can carry very different bills. If you live in the home full time and qualify, the county's home exemption takes $300,000 off the assessed value and moves you into the low owner-occupied class. To qualify you must occupy the home more than 270 days a year, not rent out the whole property, and file a Hawaii resident income tax return with a Maui County address; the claim deadline for the 2027 assessment year is December 31, 2026.

Source: County of Maui Resolution No. 26-69, FD2. Tiers apply to the portion of value in each band.
Maui County class (FY July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027) Rate per $1,000 of net taxable value
Owner-occupied (with home exemption) $1.65 up to $1.5M; $1.80 from $1.5M to $4.5M; $5.00 above $4.5M
Non-owner-occupied (second homes, most investor homes) $6.25 up to $1M; $9.00 from $1M to $2.5M; $17.00 above $2.5M
Long-term rental (12+ months to the same tenant, exemption granted) $2.90 up to $1.5M; $5.00 from $1.5M to $3M; $8.50 above $3M
TVR-STRH (permitted short-term rentals) $13.00 up to $900K; $15.00 from $900K to $3M; $17.00 above $3M
Hotel and resort / Time share / Apartment $11.80 / $14.90 / $3.50

Illustration only, before any minimum tax or other credits: on a home assessed at $900,000, the owner-occupied math starts by subtracting the $300,000 exemption from $900,000 and applying the tiered rates above, for about $990 a year. The same home as a second home in the non-owner-occupied class is roughly $5,625 a year. Check the county's assessment for the actual property.

Hana real estate FAQ

How much do homes cost in Hana?

There are too few sales to give a reliable median. The Title Guaranty Hawaii market report shows no East Maui house or condo sales in October 2026. Each property is priced from a long look-back of nearby rural sales.

How long is the drive to Hana?

Our estimate is about 2.5 to 3 hours or more from Kahului Airport on the Hana Highway, depending on traffic and road conditions.

Can I build on land in Hana?

Maybe. Much of East Maui is agricultural or conservation district land with strict limits. Check zoning, access, water and any Special Management Area rules with the county before you buy.

Do Hana homes have county water?

Some do, and some use catchment or private systems. Confirm the source, the system condition and water quality testing during your inspection period.

What are property taxes on a Hana home?

Using Maui County's July 2026 to June 2027 rates, a home assessed at $900,000 would be about $990 a year if you live there and get the $300,000 home exemption, or about $5,625 a year as a second home in the non-owner-occupied class, before any minimum tax or credits.

Can I run a vacation rental in Hana?

Only with a county permit, and those are limited. Do not assume a past rental use can continue.

What happens when the Hana Highway closes?

Landslides and flooding can close sections of the road. Residents plan for that with supplies and backup plans, and buyers should think about access to services.

Can Tony help me buy in Hana?

Yes. My team is based on Oahu, and for Maui purchases we help buyers through eXp Realty's statewide network, including referrals to agents who work Hana every day. Call or text (808) 201-3577.

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Sources

Tony Kawaguchi, REALTOR (RS-66616), The Kawaguchi Group, eXp Realty (RB-21841). Selling in Hawaii since 2005. Phone (808) 201-3577. The Kawaguchi Group is based on Oahu; for neighbor-island purchases we work with buyers through eXp Realty's statewide network, including referrals to agents who work those areas every day. This page is general information, not legal, tax, insurance or financial advice. Market statistics are deemed reliable but not guaranteed and can be revised. Drive times are our own estimates for light traffic and will vary. Photos are of the general area and are not listings.

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