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Jaws Swell Sends January Out With A Bang

The last two days of the month brought some very large surf to the North Shore of Maui. The swell started to rise significantly late in the morning of the 30th and continued to build throughout the day to heights well in excess of the 25 feet necessary for a high surf warning. This big surf meant Maui’s world famous big wave break came to life. I had the opportunity to head out to Haiku to watch the action at Jaws both on the late afternoon of the 30th and the morning of the 31st.

Each day had its own distinct personality. The afternoon of the 30th was a building swell with particularly big and hollow barrels. I arrived just as the wind was dying and was able to see the very tail end of the windsurfing action. The windsurfers were interspersed with a handful of tow surfers (surfers being pulled into the waves by Jet Skis). After the windsurfers packed up, it was just the tow surfers left in the lineup. I was able to watch Maui Real Estate Team Agent Martin Lenny’s son Kai catch a couple on his windsurfer before towing into a few nice waves. The beautiful late afternoon light was a striking contrast with the menacing looking surf. Here is a quick video showing some of the waves from Monday afternoon.

The surf peaked in size overnight and then started to come down on the morning on the 31st. While the surf was smaller, it was still substantial by the standards of mortal surfers. The composition of the wave riders had also changed. With lighter winds, the line up was dominated by surfers paddling into the waves with their own two hands. There was also one tow team surfing the left and legendary waterman Robbie Naish was out on a stand up paddle board. Here is some video I captured from yesterday morning.

I always enjoy the opportunity to head down the bumpy, old, dirt roads that lead you to the cliffs above Jaws. This wave is a sensory experience and a true spectacle of nature. While I can’t bring you the full sounds of the roaring surf or the smell of the salty mist generated by the waves, I hope these videos give you at least a taste of the visual feast that Jaws offers.


By » 2/1/2012 » in

2011 Paia Real Estate Statistics

It is almost February, but I still wanted to take a look back at how some of the individual communities on Maui performed in 2011. I thought no better place to start than our own back yard, the Paia Real Estate market. The Paia market ranges from modest entry level homes to beautiful oceanfront estates. We saw activity in all segments of the market in 2011. I have included the sales numbers below as well as a few thoughts on the market.

Comparison of 2011 and 2010 Paia Home Sales Volume

There were 26 homes sold in Paia during 2011 at a median price of $597,000. That compares to 23 homes sold in Paia during 2010 at a median price of $590,000**. That translates to a 13% increase in volume and a 1% increase in median.

Of the 26 homes sold, four were short sales and five were bank owned properties. That equates to roughly 35% of the total sales. By comparison, there was one bank owned property and three short sales in Paia during 2010. That translates to roughly 17% of the sales for the year. By simple math, there was just over double the activity in the bank owned and short sale market in 2011 when comparing the two years.

Here are a few other notes about the Paia area 2011 real estate sales. The Paia stats includes the high end Spreckelsville neighborhood. There were seven homes sold in Spreckelsville in 2011. That compares to three sales in Spreckelsville in 2010. That is a 133% increase in activity for the Spreckelsville Real Estate market.

There were a total of four oceanfront sales in the Paia area in 2011. Two of the oceanfront sales were in Spreckelsville and two were in the Kuau area. That compares to two sales in 2010. That is a 100% increase in sales activity along the beach and oceanfront in the Paia area.

In 2011, the Paia real estate market saw the highest ever sale along Maui’s North Shore. A beautiful oceanfront estate in Spreckelsville with an acre of land and two homes sold for $9,650,000. On the other end of the spectrum, there was a 500 square foot residential condo in Kuau that sold as a short sale for $168,000. That was the lowest priced sale we have seen in Paia going all the way back to 1999.

Overall, the numbers show that the Paia Real Estate market saw improvements over 2010. The 13% increase in home sales was a little better than the 10% increase for home sales throughout Maui County. The increase in median offers little for determining changes in values. The small sample size plays a factor. The increased activity on the high end of the market is also providing an upwards pull on the median. I would expect to see a similar performance for the Paia Real Estate Market in 2012 barring any big changes in the overall economic picture. If you are interested in purchasing a home in Maui’s quirky North Shore Beach town, you can browse the current inventory of Paia Real Estate listings on MauiRealEstate.com. You may also contact The Maui Real Estate Team directly for additional assistance buying or selling Paia property.

**2010 figures include two sales that were not reported on the Maui MLS that did not involve Realtors.

By » 1/29/2012 » in

Hawaiian Islands Land Trust Buy Back The Beach Benefit Luau

The Hawaiian Islands Land Trust is an organization that was created out of four separate conservation organizations in Hawaii. In January 2011, The Kauai Public Land Trust, Oahu Land Trust, Hawaii Island Land Trust and Maui Coastal Land Trust merged into a statewide conservation organization. The goal of the trust is to preserve and protect the natural and cultural treasures of the Hawaiian Islands. On Maui, they have preserved tracts of land from Waihee, to Spreckelsville, to Kipahulu, to Ulupalakua to Kapalua. The Maui Coastal Land Trust has used the Luau as their big annual fundraiser for ten years. They are continuing the tradition into its 11th year under the new Hawaii Islands Land Trust. This year’s Buy Back The Beach Luau is scheduled for Saturday Night, January 28th.

Hawaiian Islands Land Trust Buy Back the Beach Benefit Luau at Old Lahaina Luau January 28, 2012

As always, the Buy Back The Beach Luau promises to be a great event. Mistresses of Ceremony Joni DeMello and Liz Morales of Ahumanu will guide attendees through a celebration of the bounty of Hawai‘i culminating in a private concert by HAPA. Luau food will be provided via Old Lahaina Luau, Aloha Mixed Plate, Star Noodle and Leoda’s Kitchen. In addition to the entertainment, there are a number of impressive auction items available including an Afternoon with U.S. Poet Laureate William S Merwin, A Hike in The Cloud Forest of Waikamoi, A visit to the Haleakala Observatory, and a five night/six day stay in Napa Valley.

The fun starts tomorrow at 5:00 PM. Tickets for the event are $150. They may still be purchased online or via phone at (808) 244-5263. This is a great opportunity to enjoy good food, good music and help preserve our beautiful Maui Landscape.


By » 1/27/2012 » in

Fourth Friday Paia-Big Surf January

Friday, January 27th brings another installment of Fourth Friday in Paia. The theme of this month’s Fourth Friday is Big Surf. January is the peak of Big Wave season for Maui’s North Shore and wave riders from all over the world congregate to this beautiful beach town to test their mettle in the jumbo surf. The event runs from 6:00-9:00 PM. Some merchants will be having refreshments. Some are having music and others will be hosting sales. Some are doing all of the above. Here is a list of some of the events planned by Paia’s different businesses for this installment of Fourth Friday.

Paia Art Galleries

  • Maui Crafts Guild – 69 Hana Hwy (579-9697) Whimsical gourd artist, Jennifer Throne, will be the featured artist at the Maui Crafts Guild from January 27 until February 23, 2012. You can meet the artist during her opening reception from 6:30 to 9 PM on Friday, January 27. Refreshments and live music will be part of the festivities at the store in conjunction with Paia Town’s Fourth Friday celebration.
  • Maui Hands – 84 Hana Hwy (579-9245) For 4th Friday we will feature artist Linda Whittemore demonstrating her work of viscosity oil painting. We will also feature a large collection of wave artwork in different mediums. Refreshments will be served
  • Turnbull Fine Art – 137 Hana Hwy (579-9385) will be having Ed Lane as our featured artist that night. Ed’s Fun bright colors of Maui represent our Paia town.

Paia Beauty Services

  • Thee Salon -109 Baldwin Ave (579-6333) offering “A New Do for a New You”, call for details.

Paia Boutiques

  • Biasa Rose -104 Hana Hwy (579-8602) Come by for great deals and a great party.
  • Lotus Heart – Lotus Heart Gifts in the Paia Courtyard is offering 15% storewide discount and FREE Om pants with $100 or more purchase for January. Yummy vegan ice cream!
  • Maui Girl – 12 Baldwin Ave (579-9266) 10% off from 6-9
  • Puka Puka – 43 Hana Hwy (579-3080) Puka Puka is screening “Trade Wind”, a windsurfing movie filmed at Ho’okipa in 1982 by Jack McCoy. Time TBA
  • Tamara Catz Boutique – 83 Hana Hwy (579-9184) Jewelry trunk show with Kyote designs and live music by Andonimus Maximus.
  • Wings Hawaii – 71 Baldwin Ave (579-3110) Becky Dosh of Wings will be painting a surfboard throughout the night. Come get a great deal on their “Honi Honi” line of bikinis, and meet the surfers that wear them.

Big Surf Fourth Friday Paia

Paia Grocery/Wine Stores

  • Mana Foods – 49 Baldwin Ave (579-8078) January 27th: North Shore’s very own Maui Preserved will sample their delicious handcrafted and island grown foods inside Mana Foods (49 Baldwin Avenue, Paia) at the bamboo Tiki demo bar.

Home Furnishings

  • Indigo – 149 Hana Hwy (579-9199) Come warm up for DJ VADIM Tropi-Step Tour 2012 starting across the street at Charley’s at 8.
  • Pearl – 285 Hana Hwy (579-8899) Pearl will be clearing out select bedding, pillows and more to make room for new Spring merchandise. Savings up to 40%!! Refreshments, lite pupus and savings galore! Open until 8pm

Paia Restaurants

  • Charley’s – 142 Hana Hwy (579-9453) Maui B-boys and girls, vinyl addicts, and electro-lovers unite! UK electronic music pioneer, DJ Vadim, is setting up camp in Charlies Paia on January 27th (Fourth Friday) for your booty-shaking pleasure. DJ Vadim’s Hawaii Tropi-step 2012 Tour comes to Paia, direct from Honolulu, featuring live vocals from fresh talent Karen Be, discovered by Vadim last year on the streets of undergrowth of East London. Warm up comes from neo-locals Helmet Conspiracy (London, Paris, Haiku), and island-favourites DJ Trip and DJ Nadi serving a tropical blend of global dance floor fillers. One of the founding fathers of the ‘trip-hop’ sound in the 1990s along with collaborators DJ Krush (Japan) and DJ Cam (France), Russian ex-pat DJ Vadim has earned his reputation as one of the hardest working men in entertainment over the past two decades. With more than 2,500 career shows and a list of production and remix clients including Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Prince, Talib Kweili, The Roots, Public Enemy, Ghost face killah, Method Man, Redman, Kraftwerk, and Fat Freddys Drop, Vadim is guaranteed to blow the doors off Charlies’ legendary saloon. Come out and support this night of international organically grown dopeness! Starts at 8PM. Tickets – $15 on the door – advance @ www.charliesmaui.com and 808 579 8085
  • Café Mambo – 30 Baldwin Ave (579-8021) Surf Movies screened throughout the evening.

Paia Surf Shops

  • Sailboards Maui – 22 Baldwin Ave (579-8431) 20% off boardshorts, swimsuits, rashguards, and towels.

Here is a map of parking locations for the Fourth Friday Event. Arrive early as parking can get a little tight in town.

Parking Locations for Fourth Friday Event in Paia, Maui


By » 1/26/2012 » in

Official December 2012 Maui Real Estate Statistics and 2012 Year End Statistics

It has been a busy January so I have been slow to get around to statistics posts. The Realtors Association of Maui posted their official December Maui Real Estate Statistics a few days following my Unofficial Stats. There were no changes in the numbers from what I had posted. There was just some additional community level granularity and detail. There was also information on the overall year end 2011 Maui Real Estate Statistics. The year end numbers and their significance are the primary focus of this post.

A Table of Year End Sales Volumes for 2010 and 2011

Table Comparing Real Estate Sales Volumes on Maui for 2010 and 2011

Chart Comparing 2010 and 2011 Maui Real Estate Sales Volumes

Chart Comparing 2010 and 2011 Maui Real Estate Sales Volumes

Home sales were up 10% when comparing 2011 to 2010 yearly totals. The median sales price for homes was down 6%. Condo sales were up just 1% with the median falling 18%. Land sales volume was up 9% with the median sales price down 25%.

It was encouraging to see increased activity across the board. Continued increases in sales volume are going to be necessary for median prices to stabilize. We saw median prices fall across all three property types. Those decreases are due in part to continued downward adjustments to property values. That being said, there are other factors impacting medians. I will discuss those more below.

Looking at the condo numbers, the one percent increase in activity was anomalous when compared to the other two property types. The big reason for that seemingly low increase can be traced to what I have called the Honua Kai effect. Honua Kai is a big beachfront development over in West Maui. The property first went for sale pre-construction back in 2005 and 2006. Construction started to finish and closes started to occur in 2009. There was a steady stream of sales through 2009 and well into 2010. These sales bolstered the overall Maui condo sales volumes for both years. While there were a smattering of long term contract sales that closed at Honua Kai in 2011, it wasn’t at near the same volume. The end of the “Honua Kai Effect” is the primary reason why the condo market saw the smallest year to year increase in activity.

As for the large decrease in condo medians, RAM executive Terry Tolman cites mainland owners dumping their condos at low prices as the primary reason for the 18% decrease. He references the Honua Kai Effect as another contributor. I would agree that Honua Kai played the bigger role in decreasing medians. Not only were there a lot of Honua Kai Sales in 2010, most were at higher price points. Sales started in the $500,000s and ran all the way up into the $4,000,000 range. Those closes helped raise the median for 2010. I would be less likely to attribute the decrease in medians to mainland owners dumping their second homes. If anything, vacation rental condo prices have held value much better than condos that are geared more towards Maui residents. I would argue that continued increases in foreclosure transaction volume were an additional drag on median prices. There were 269 REO condo sales in 2011 compared to 177 in 2010. The median price for the 269 REO condo sales was $145,000. To reiterate, there were decreases in condo values on Maui last year but not as much as what is implied by the percentage decrease in medians.

Land sales also saw a more significant decrease in median prices. As with the condo market, it is clear that values decreased for vacant land. I would also argue that the decrease in values were not quite as significant as the change in medians. While the cause for the bigger decrease isn’t quite as clear, Maui land sale statistics should always be viewed with an element of skepticism. Smaller sample size and the tremendous variability in the size, location and orientation of land sold make median price changes a relatively poor barometer of changes in value.

If time allows, I hope to do a couple more blog posts looking at the 2011 Maui Real Estate statistics for specific communities. In the interim, feel free to Contact The Maui Real Estate Team if you have any questions on the overall market, specific communities or if you would just like assistance buying or selling Maui Property.


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Paia Youth and Cultural Center

The Maui Real Estate Team is proud to be supporters of the Paia Youth and Cultural Center (PYCC). This program based youth center attracts kids from all over the North Shore, Upcountry, Central Maui and more. Some of the great programs offered at PYCC include a youth run radio station, a cooking program, multi media lab, the stone wave skate park, a Girls Club, Malama Pono and more. The Youth Center is situated right on the beach at Paia Bay so the kids also love to play in PYCC’s back yard. This is a fantastic new promo video put together by the Youth Center that I thought was worth sharing.

The board of the Paia Youth and Cultural Center is in the process of organizing their annual fundraising event. Save the date on your calendars, this year we will be having “Casino de Mayo” on Saturday Night May 5th, 2012. We will have more information on the event and how to buy tickets as it gets closer.

By » 1/21/2012 » in

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