The Coconut Chronicles

The MauiRealEstate.com Newsletter

Volume V, featuring Wailuku and new developments on Maui

Aloha! Welcome to the fifth edition of The Coconut Chronicles presented by Billy and Pete Jalbert of the Maui Real Estate Team. We hope everyone had a safe and very happy holiday season and that the New Year is getting off to a great start.

New Content on MauiRealEstate.com
Some of you may have noticed that we recently added a Blog to MauiRealEstate.com. We have been busy posting new articles on everything from listings, to the future of Wailuku real estate to pictures of recent big surf out at Jaws. The blog will in some ways be an extension of our efforts with the Coconut Chronicles. Many of the articles will focus on real estate, but we also plan on capturing Maui Events and Activities. We will be posting new content on the blog at least a couple times a week and sometimes more. This should be another great way for you to stay on top of the Maui Real Estate market.

• The Coconut Chronicles, Volume 5 ~ page 1
  • Billy & Pete's Picks
  • Maui Moments -- Whale Watching with Malia
• Coconut Community Spotlight: Wailuku ~ page 2
  • Wailuku History
  • Wailuku Activities
  • Wailuku Real Estate
  • Taste of the Tropics: Roasted Chicken with Wild Rice Soup
  • Coconut Cultural Calendar
• Maui Real Estate Market Update ~ page 3

Each month The Coconut Chronicles will present some properties that may be intriguing to you. There are literally hundreds of active listings to choose from. Our goal is to provide you with a snapshot of some properties that may be right for you! This month we are focused on new developments on Maui.

Maui is a growing community with new developments that have recently been approved and a number of developments in the planning process. The list below provides an overview of some developments in varying stages of the approval process. Some are in their infancy, while others have recently gained approval. Some of these recently approved developments have lots for sale on the MLS. Since subdivision approval is a dynamic process, we plan to keep our customers up to date on new subdivision news through our new blog.

Peahi Farms
Peahi Farms was mentioned in a previous issue of the chronicles as a new development in Haiku awaiting approval. The county recently gave the go ahead to put lots on the market. 10 of the 16 lots are now listed ranging in price from $1,627,500 to $3,255,000. This innovative development has allocated a majority of its 240 acres to agriculture. Agricultural activities will include an organic farm, high protein cattle grazing and a native plant nursery. Both solar and wind power will be used to help power the development making it one of if not the most sustainable low impact developments created in the Hawaiian Islands. The views from the development will be spectacular with lots located along the cliff front overlooking the ocean. Select lots will have views of the famous Peahi or "Jaws" surfbreak.

Kai Malu at Wailea
Kai Malu is a new 86 home development being constructed in the heart of Wailea. This gated community is nestled along the Wailea Blue Course and will feature ocean and mountain views, walking paths, a community pavilion with an exercise area and a community infinity pool. The complex is being developed in two phases. Phase one will consist of 34 units. 17 of the homes are deemed owner occupant only. Reservations will likely start to be accepted sometime in the next month. Prices for phase I will range between $975,000 and $1,245,000. Phase 2 will consist of 52 houses with 50% dedicated to owner occupants. There are two model home types planned for the community. Two-thirds of the homes will be the Lewa model. The Lewa model is 1,796 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. The remainder of the units will be the 1,852 square foot Honua model. This will also have a 3 bedroom and 2.5 baths. The main difference between the models is the location of the master with the Lewa having an upstairs master bedroom and the Honua a downstairs master bedroom. Pricing and reservation information will likely be released in February. Construction of the first units will not be completed until early 2006.

Honua Kai
Honua Kai is a new condo development planned for the Kaanapali area by Intrawest. Intrawest is well renowned for its ski town developments such as Whistler in British Columbia. The complex is planned for the North End of Airport Beach, an area known for its great diving and snorkeling. The complex itself will have 700 units divided between two towers and three town home clusters. The towers will be called the North Enclave and the South Enclave. The plan is to build the South Enclave and one or two town home clusters first. The North Enclave is planned to be built next with the last phase of the development to be the final town home cluster. The grounds will have numerous water features and native plantings. The architectural theme is said to be "Old Hawaiian." Timeframes for project approval and construction are still to be determined as are prices for units in the complex.

One Palau'ea Bay
We talked a little bit about One Palau'ea Bay in our last Coconut Chronicles featuring Wailea. This 17 home site development is one of the most exclusive on Maui. Lots range from 1.0 to 1.9 acres. The gated community is located right across from Palau'ea Beach and surrounds a significant 20 acre archaeological site. A number of the homes will be designed by internationally renowned architect Tan Hok Ben. The landscape architecture will be provided by Bill Bensley. Mr. Bensley's work is featured at some of the finest resorts all over the world. Combined, the work of the two architects will make the homes as much a piece of art as a home. The rest of the homes are to adhere to strict architectural guidelines to preserve the theme of the community. A model home has been completed and another one of the Tan Hok Ben designed homes is currently under construction.

Koa at Kehalani
Koa at Kehalani is a 72 homesite subdivision located across from the current Wailuku Heights subdivision. It is part of the overall Kehalani subdivision master plan. A good portion of Kehalani has been completed with two other communities in Kehalani in progress. The townhomes in Ilihai at Kehalani have already sold out while phase one of the Ohia community within Kehalani has also sold out. Lot sizes in Koa at Kehalani will range from approximately 7,700 square feet to 21,000 square feet.

Walaka Maui
The Walaka Maui complex is a new complex in central Kihei that is currently undergoing construction. While the complex will not be complete until fall of 2005, units are now on the market as of the last week of November.

Here is a brief overview of the features of Walaka Maui:

• Seventeen one bedroom units, one two bedroom penthouse unit
• Each unit has two baths
• Square footage of one bedroom is 840 square feet including tiled lanai
• Each unit has two separate parking stalls with select units having a stall and a garage
• Air conditioning
• Granite counters
• Private tiled lanais
• Tiled kitchen and bathroom floors
• 9 foot ceilings
• Ocean and mountain views
• Tiled walk-in shower

Ke Alii Kai
This is a new condo development planned for the central Kihei area. Information on the development is limited thus far. More information on the project will become available in spring 2005. We will post additional information as it becomes available on the Blog.

Developments in Spreckelsville
Henry Spencer is working with the county on approval of a 16 lot subdivision between Hana Highway and Spreckelsville Beach. Spencer is attempting to get subdivision approval and to rezone the property to accommodate larger lot sizes. The area is currently zoned for 10,000 square foot lots while Spencer is hoping to sell lots ranging in size between ½ acre and more than an acre. Billy is keeping in close contact with the developer on the status of the subdivision process. We will post any updates on the blog.

If you see any complexes that look interesting please contact us today. Note: this article was published in early 2005. There are new developments that are in process since this publication. For up to date development news, check out the latest in the new developments section of the Maui Real Estate Blog

Every winter, Maui gets some very important and special visitors. No, I am not talking about the celebrities staying at the Wailea and Kapalua Resorts. Our special visitors never make it to Wailea's beautiful beaches. They prefer to frolic in the waters offshore. The visitors are of course Maui's Humpback whales. Humpbacks first start arriving in Maui around November and will linger in the area's waters until sometime in May. The Humpbacks use the area around Maui for mating and birthing. During the winter months it is hard not to spot a whale spouting, surfacing or best yet breaching clear of the water. The first whale of the season was spotted in late October. I did not start seeing the whales on the North shore until the last few weeks. Since then, seeing some sign of whales has been almost a daily occurrence.

While any whale sighting is exciting, there are a number of companies that offer whale watching trips. Having seen these gentle giants frolicking in the distance, I decided that I wanted a more up close and personal viewing. I had not been on a whale watching trip since I was a tourist visiting the island. I could think of no better companion on the trip than my three year old niece Malia. Billy's daughter is a pretty smart kid with a remarkable knowledge of the ocean and its creatures. I can say this type of stuff as a proud uncle. Her ocean savvy is due in part to living in proximity to the water and a good bit to 100+ viewings of Finding Nemo. Her knowledge of the movie has expanded from knowing the character's names to knowing each of the character's species. When I asked her if she wanted to go on a boat ride to go see some whales, I received a very enthusiastic response. Our field trip was on!

Malia tells her Uncle Pete it is time to go watch some whales!

We departed from Ma'alaea boarding the Pacific Whale Foundation's Ocean Spirit. The Pacific Whale Foundation is a non profit with the mission to inspire and promote appreciation, understanding and protection of whales, dolphins, coral reefs and our planet's oceans. The foundation provides both an educational and entertaining experience. Malia and I took our seats on the comfortable and spacious catamaran. It wasn't long before we were zooming South out of the Harbor toward Molokini. The skies were clear and the seas calm and gentle. The ship's naturalists gave a steady and entertaining stream of facts on the whales while all eyes were focused on the horizons looking for the tell tale signs of whales. We were not long out of the harbor when someone yelled "Six O'clock!" About a thousand yards in back of the boat, we could see the spout of a couple of whales. The captain swung the boat around and we slowly cruised towards the whales. When we were within a few hundred yards, the boat shifted back and forth between a slow crawl and neutral. When we neared a hundred yards distance, the engines are turned off. Whales are protected species and there are strict laws limiting human contact with the animals. The boats are prohibited by law from motoring right up next to the whale. That being said, the whales will often swim right by the boats when the engines have been turned off. In the case of these first whales, we saw them take a few gulps of air before their tales lifted above the surface and they headed under for an extended stay.

Malia was awed both by the whales and the boat itself. Whenever a new sighting was announced, we scurried over to that side of the boat and I would put Malia on my shoulders to get a better vantage point. A number of times, the crew would put a hydrophone out in the water to listen to the whale's singing. The male humpbacks are famous for their vocalizations as they play the courting game. As the whales would disappear into the depths, we would scan the horizon for the next pod. All told we probably saw 3 or 4 small pods with over a dozen surface sightings of these beautiful mammals. In between whales, Malia spent a good bit of time exploring the boat. It was hard to tell whether she found the boat or the whales more fascinating. Just around Malia's nap time, we started making our way back to the Harbor. We would get one last treat as we pulled into the harbor. A couple of good sized sea turtles were basking on the surface near harbor's entrance. It was the perfect end to a perfect day. Malia had a big smile on her face as we returned to the car and she was quick to ask when we would go whale watching again. It took two minutes into the car ride before she was fast asleep dreaming of splashing whales or zooming catamarans.

The Pacific Whale Foundation offers 15 Whale Watching Trips daily out of Maalaea and Lahaina Harbors. Trips are seasonal running between December 1 and May 15th. Trips run about two hours long and cost $19 and $29 dollars for adults. Kids between 7 and 12 are $15 and kids under 6 are free per each paying adult. Kama'aina receive a discount with adults costing $12 through the Whale Foundation. If you want to bring a bit of the magic of whales to your own home computer, you can listen to Whales singing live off the coast of Maui on whalesong.net.

Continued in » Coconut Community Spotlight: Wailuku

1. The Coconut Chronicles - Page 1
2. Coconut Community Spotlight: Wailuku
3. Maui Real Estate Market Update

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