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How's the Big Island real estate market right now?
By Tony Kawaguchi, REALTOR (RS-66616), The Kawaguchi Group, eXp Realty (RB-21841). Selling in Hawaii since 2005. Updated November 10, 2026.
The Big Island's island-wide median is not the Kona market, and it is not the Hilo market either. In October 2026, Title Guaranty's Hawaii Island Residential Sales Report — compiling Hawaii Information Service and board statistics, effective November 2, 2026 — put the single-family median at $514,500 on 170 sales, up 3.5% from a year earlier. Puna alone accounted for 79 of those sales, at a median of $342,000. North Kona had 32 sales at a median of $1.0 million. Condos are a much smaller slice: 38 island-wide sales at a median of $535,000, down 13.0%, and 24 of those closings were in North Kona, at $550,000.
Year to date through October, 1,639 single-family homes had sold, down 3.7%, at a median of $550,000, down 1.6%. Condo sales totaled 416, down 5.9%, at a median of $616,500, down 2.5%. The Big Island also has an active vacant-land market that the other islands do not match at this scale: 1,112 land sales year to date, at a median of $60,000, up 20.0% from a year earlier. For area context, see my Big Island real estate guide.
| Area | Sales | Median price |
|---|---|---|
| Puna | 79 | $342,000 |
| North Kona | 32 | $1,000,000 |
| South Hilo | 21 | $570,000 |
| Kaʻū | 13 | $235,000 |
| South Kohala | 11 | $913,800 |
| South Kona | 9 | $810,000 |
| Hamakua | 3 | $835,000 |
| North Kohala | 2 | $1,600,000 |
| North Hilo | 0 | — |
October condo volume was concentrated on the west side: 24 North Kona sales at a $550,000 median, 11 South Kohala sales at $760,000, and 3 South Hilo sales at $325,000.
What the island-wide number is actually averaging
If you only remember one thing from this page, remember this: nearly half of October's single-family sales were in Puna, at about one-third the North Kona median. That is why Hawaii Island can show a $514,500 median in the same month that Kona houses are selling at a million dollars. UHERO made the same point with 2025 annual figures: Hawaiʻi County's median disguises a wide gap between the Kona side and lower-priced areas around Hilo and the south. Treating "the Big Island" as one price is how buyers overstretch in Puna or undershoot in Kona.
Hamakua (3 sales) and North Kohala (2 sales) are too thin, in a single month, to read as a trend. I would not set a list price from those medians alone.
What it means for buyers
Decide the side of the island first, then look at the live listings. A budget built around the $514,500 island median will not buy the mid-point of the North Kona market, and a budget built around Kona will look very different in Hilo or Puna. Condo buyers should know that most of the October activity was in North Kona, at a $550,000 median, with a smaller South Kohala group at a higher $760,000 median. If land is part of the plan, the island had 1,112 vacant-land sales year to date — a real market, but one where I still check access, water, and what can actually be built, not just the $60,000 median. Upcoming pages will cover North Kona, Hilo, Puna, and South Kohala and Waikoloa.
What it means for sellers
Year-to-date single-family sales are down 3.7%, and the year-to-date median is down 1.6%. That is a fairly steady island-wide picture, not a collapse, but it is also not a reason to list at a Kona number if the property is in Puna, or the reverse. Condo sellers are working with a smaller, more location-specific market and a year-to-date median that is down 2.5%. I price from recent sales in the same district.
See how this compares with Hawaii statewide, Oahu, and Maui. Call me at (808) 201-3577.
Big Island housing market FAQ
How is the Big Island real estate market right now?
In October 2026, Hawaii Island single-family homes sold at a median of $514,500 on 170 sales, up 3.5% in price and down 9.6% in sales from a year earlier. Condos sold at a median of $535,000 on 38 sales, down 13.0% in price. The island-wide house median is pulled down by high-volume, lower-priced areas such as Puna; North Kona's median was $1.0 million. Figures are from Title Guaranty's October 2026 Hawaii Island report, effective November 2, 2026, compiling Hawaii Information Service and board statistics.
What is the median home price on the Big Island?
The October 2026 single-family median was $514,500, and the year-to-date median through October was $550,000. Those island-wide figures sit well below North Kona ($1.0 million in October) and South Kohala ($913,800), and well above Puna ($342,000) and Kaʻū ($235,000). The condo median was $535,000 in October and $616,500 year to date.
Why is the Big Island median so much lower than Oahu or Maui?
Because a large share of sales are in lower-priced districts. In October, Puna alone had 79 of the island's 170 single-family sales, at a $342,000 median. The west side looks more like the other islands: North Kona at $1.0 million and South Kohala at $913,800. Comparing a Puna median with an Oahu median is not a like-to-like comparison.
How is the Kona housing market different from Hilo or Puna?
In October 2026, North Kona single-family homes sold at a $1.0 million median on 32 sales, South Hilo at $570,000 on 21 sales, and Puna at $342,000 on 79 sales. Most condo activity was in North Kona (24 sales at $550,000). Those are different price bands, inventory mixes, and buyer pools, even though they share an island.
Are there many condos for sale on the Big Island?
Relative to houses, no. The island closed 38 condo sales in October and 416 year to date, compared with 170 and 1,639 single-family sales. October condo closings were concentrated in North Kona and South Kohala. The live listings on this page will show what is actually active now.
Is vacant land a big part of the Big Island market?
Yes, more than on the other main islands. Year to date through October 2026, Title Guaranty counted 1,112 vacant-land sales at a median of $60,000, up 20.0% from a year earlier, though the number of land sales was down 22.3%. A land median does not tell you whether a lot has infrastructure or a buildable site, so I treat land as its own search, not as a cheaper house.
Should I use a one-month median for Hamakua or North Kohala?
I would not, not by itself. Those districts had 3 and 2 single-family sales in October. A median on two or three closings can move sharply with a single property. I look at a longer window of sales and at the specific comps.
How can I talk with Tony about buying or selling on the Big Island?
Call or text The Kawaguchi Group at (808) 201-3577, or use the contact form on this site. I'm Tony Kawaguchi, REALTOR (RS-66616), with eXp Realty (RB-21841).
Sources
- Title Guaranty, Hawaii Island Residential Sales Report, October 2026, effective November 2, 2026, compiling Hawaii Information Service and board of REALTORS statistics.
- Hawaii Island Realtors statistics page: hawaiiislandrealtors.org/hawaii-island-statistics/.
- UHERO, The Hawaiʻi Housing Factbook 2026, May 7, 2026, on county-level variation within Hawaiʻi County.
Tony Kawaguchi, REALTOR (RS-66616), The Kawaguchi Group, eXp Realty (RB-21841). Selling in Hawaii since 2005. Phone (808) 201-3577. This page is general information, not personalized financial, tax or legal advice; consult the appropriate licensed professional for your situation. Market statistics are deemed reliable but not guaranteed and can be revised as late sales are reported.