The Honolulu real estate market encompasses nearly the entire island of Oahu. Known as "The Gathering Place," Oahu is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands, and is home to 75% of the state's population. Honolulu is the largest city in the state of Hawaii, as well as its capital city. With its fine harbors and miles of coastline, the area has become the state's political, economic, educational and cultural center.
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Honolulu is the economic center of Hawaii, and is located on the south side of Oahu. Many people confuse Honolulu for one small area which is actually called "downtown" by locals. You might hear locals say they are going into "town," which could mean a variety of things, but usually means they are going to the busy commercial areas, which are primarily the business district and Waikiki.
The areas of Honolulu that are not considered "town" are places that are more suburban like Diamond Head, Kahala, Hawaii Kai, Dowsett, Manoa, and so on. These places may have Honolulu as their address, but none of their residents will tell you they live in town.
Honolulu is a bit confusing because the entire island is considered Honolulu City and County. So, even if you're in Kailua, you're still in Honolulu. So once you move here, you might live in "town" or on "the windward side" or in Ewa Beach, but if you live anywhere on Oahu, your address could still be Honolulu.
To make things even more confusing, the "City and County of Honolulu" is a frequently used term to describe the governing body of the island of Oahu, even if you don't live in the city of Honolulu! Among locals though, none of us ever say we are in Honolulu unless we are actually downtown. Within the Honolulu real estate market, there are numerous little cities and neighborhoods, so residents will usually be pretty specific when referring to where they live.
Metro Honolulu 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 not even locals may remember all the neighborhoods. Honolulu is a GIANT area, especially in terms of population. This is definitely the most densely occupied area of Hawaii.
If you like living in Honolulu Town, you'll be referred to as a "townie." There are hundreds of condos and single family homes in Metro Oahu, so it's important to know exactly where Honolulu condos and houses are located when you're looking at them. Prices in town are higher than along the outskirts of the island because it's far easier to commute to work when it's 5 miles instead of 20 miles. On Oahu, that difference can be everything. Sitting in traffic is one of the downsides of having a nicer, more affordable house in Aiea, Pearl City, Ewa, Kapolei, or Mililani.
30 minutes from Downtown Honolulu are some of the most beautiful locales where the rich and famous have estate homes. Oahu is truly a unique place that can be enjoyed by all kinds of people.
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.
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 though, it's unlikely that you would ever find any of these neighborhoods. That's why you need someone local to help you in your Honolulu property search.
There are about a million condominiums in Downtown Honolulu, or at least it seems that way. For people who like the hustle and bustle of city life, this area is the place to be. Unlike New York, you'll probably feel safe in most areas, and there are plenty of ways to get away from people just by hopping on the freeway or the Pali highway. Most Downtown Honolulu condos offer beautiful ocean views. You can see Diamond Head off in the distance, or watch the surfers catching waves.
Presenting ONE Ala Moana #1505, a resort-style 2 bedroom, 2 bath ocean view luxury residence in the heart of Honolulu. Enjoy stunning, direct Pacific Ocean & Ala Moana Be...
Listing courtesy of Sachi HI Pacific Century Prop..
Brand New Construction w/ breathtaking views of Manoa Valley from almost every room. This home was built to stand apart from the rest & is an Entertainer's dream. Upgrade...
Listing courtesy of Soldier To Soldier HI Realty.
This Gorgeous turn-key executive a large single-family home is perfect for multi-generational living or great investment property. Enhance the living experience in this b...
Listing courtesy of Hawaii Homes International.
Fabulous ocean view from this high floor unit at Waikiki Beach Tower. Convenient location, steps to world famous Waikiki Beach, shopping and restaurants. Monthly MF $2,...
Listing courtesy of ILC & Swell Realty LLC.
Luxurious Suite at The Ritz-Carlton Residences Waikiki This spectacular unit is a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom residence located on the 23rd floor of the Eva Tower. The large la...
Listing courtesy of Hawaiian Joy LLC.
Finally! A 1,785 sqft unit in the rarely available “B” stack of Hokua Tower. This unit has a special intimate "indoor-outdoor" feeling featuring turquoise blue ocean and ...
Listing courtesy of Hara Realty, LLC.
Beautifully appointed three bedroom, three full bathroom, high floor unit, in the preferred stack of the Ae'o building. Situated directly behind Whole Foods Market, with ...
Listing courtesy of List Sotheby's Int'l Realty.
Ocean side corner, spacious 2BD/2BA/2PK unit in One Ala Moana. Close to Target, the shopping mall, and all the restaurants in the Ala Moana area. From this unit, you will...
Listing courtesy of Crossover Realty Hawaii LLC.
Picturesque Wiaikiki 2 bedroom/2 bath condo in the world famous and iconic Ilikai Hotel with sweeping unobstructed views of the ocean, Magic Island, sandy beaches, Waikik...
Listing courtesy of Coldwell Banker Realty.
100K PRICE REDUCTION! Rare opportunity to own a peaceful beautiful house on over an acre of land in Kalihi Valley! This newly renovated gated and private estate is locate...
Listing courtesy of RE/MAX Honolulu.
Based on information from the Multiple Listing Service of Hicentral MLS, Ltd. Listings last updated on . Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Copyright: 2022 by HiCentral MLS, Ltd. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, non-commercial use. It may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing.