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The Coconut ChroniclesThe MauiRealEstate.com Newsletter Volume 8 » page 2 ...
Coconut Community Spotlight: KiheiLocated in the rain shadow of Haleakala among the sun kissed beaches of Maui's South Shore is the community of Kihei. This town of 16,000 swells to populations twice that size during tourist season as island visitors flock to the area for its sunshine and beautiful beaches. Kihei HistoryHawaiian legend tells of two cloud warriors that did battle along the flanks of Haleakala. One warrior came from the south and the other the north. The two battled back and forth until a truce was eventually called. When the two warriors parted, the ensuing clear space of blue sky was known as Alanui o Lani or the Highway to Heaven. This place is what we now know as South Maui and Kihei. Early inhabitants of the area were known primarily to be fishermen. A number of areas along the Kihei coast had fish ponds used for aquaculture. It was thought that many of these ponds were dedicated to Ali'i or royalty. The prehistoric inhabitants supplemented their diet through locally grown sweet potato and poi traded from taro grown in the windward areas of Maui. South Maui and the Kihei area were home to one of the more significant battles in Kamehameha's conquest of Maui. When Kamehameha landed with his forces in 1790, his warriors were driven back to their canoes by fierce resistance. Kamehameha was able to turn the tide when he burned the canoes of his war fleet eliminating the option to retreat. His forces emboldened, marched onto Wailuku where a final confrontation in the Iao Valley defeated Maui's warriors once and for all. Kihei was an area of minimal population throughout the first half of the 20th century. While agriculture boomed in the Central Valley, Lahaina, the North Shore and the Upcountry, South Maui remained occupied by a limited population of fishermen and Kiawe (Mesquite) harvesters. In an effort to shift population to Kihei, the government offered 11 beach lots in 1932. Only 6 were sold. Up until the early 50's, land here was cheaper than almost anyplace on island. As more tourists began to descend to Hawaii, Kihei's population increased as appreciation for the area's beautiful beaches and sunny weather grew. BeachesWhen most people think of Kihei, they think of the beach. Kihei beaches come in all types. Whether you want the ideal beach for snorkeling, taking a long walk, having a picnic or learning to surf, Kihei has a beach for you. Starting at the North End of Kihei is Sugar Beach. This is arguably the best walking beach on the island. This stretch of beach runs all the way from North Kihei to Ma'alaea to the West. The nice sandy beach is a great place to take in a sunset, watch whales in the wintertime or go for a quick dip. The South end of Sugar Beach is also a popular spot for outrigger canoe teams. South of Sugar Beach is Mai Poina Oe Lau Beach Park. Try saying that ten times in a row. This is a great spot for windsurfing. It has consistent side shore winds and generally has flat water or small waves. There may be a few select days in the summer with bigger waves when south swells sneak through the narrow window between Kahoolawe and Maui. For those that are learning to surf, the area around Cove Park is a good place for surf lessons. The gentle waves make for a pleasant learning experience. The best swimming beaches start at Charley Young central Kihei. The north area of this beach is a good place for snorkeling. Just south of Charlie Young are some of Maui's most popular beaches, the Kamaole Beach Parks. Nice sandy beaches combined with grassy areas for picnicking have made these beaches a strong draw for residents and visitors alike. If you are looking for a beach with a little more solitude, Keawakapu is a long beautiful sandy beach with great swimming. This beach at the end of South Kihei road runs down into the Wailea area and sees fewer visitors due to its less conspicuous public access. Kihei ActivitiesAs you may have already noticed, Kihei is a town that thrives around the ocean. Visitors and residents use Kihei as an area to embark on a number of ocean adventures. The Kihei Boat Ramp is a place where snorkelers and scuba divers head out to explore the waters around Molokini. Molokini is a sunken crater and now a marine sanctuary. This is one of the most popular if not the best places for underwater exploration around Maui. As I mentioned earlier, North Kihei is a popular area for canoeing. This whole stretch of coast also gets a good bit of kayak traffic. No matter what your choice of water sport might be, Kihei has options. For those that are looking for land based activities, Kihei has its own golf course with the Elleair Country Club. Not to mention the proximity of all of the courses in Wailea and Makena. You can keep the kids entertained down at Kalama Park. The park has playgrounds, skate park, and in line skating rink and is home to a number of youth athletic leagues. It's also not a bad place for a picnic or to fly a kite with the beautiful Pacific just to the West. Kihei Homes for SaleKihei offers a diverse array of homes for sale ranging from starter homes to luxurious oceanfront and beachfront estates. Communities such as Piilani, Hale Piilani, Piilani Villages, Waiohuli Estates and the Meadowlands are good family oriented neighborhoods with prices in the $400k's-$600k. Older homes in areas such as Keonekai start in the mid $600k's and can run up to the $800k's. Maui Meadows is one of the nicer neighborhoods in the Kihei area with prices from the high $600k's to over $2 million. Part of the value and demand for Maui Meadows stems from the area's views and larger ½ acre lot sizes. Newer neighborhoods like Keonekai, Honu Alahele, Ke Alii Kai feature homes with more modern amenities and higher prices. Their prices start anywhere from the $800k's up to the $900k's. As one would suspect, homes on the beach and near the beach are particularly in demand. Halama Street is a neighborhood in Central Kihei right on the beach. Homes across from the beach have sold recently around the low one million dollar range. Beach and ocean front properties on Halama Street and other areas of Kihei run from about $3.5 million up to $10 million dollars. In addition to all of the aforementioned neighborhoods, there are wide variety of homes throughout Kihei that may meet you or your families needs. Contact The Maui Real Estate Team today to learn more about Kihei and Kihei properties. Please Note: This article was originally published in June of 2005. Prices in our market have changed since this time. Contact us today for a Kihei Real Estate Market update or you can use our site to view all of the current MLS listings for Kihei Homes for Sale. Kihei CondosAs much diversity as there is in terms of homes, Kihei's 80 plus condo complexes offer housing options to suit almost any need. As you could see in this month's "Billy and Pete's Picks", there are a number of condos targeted at owner occupants. The units that we listed tended to be among the larger and more recently developed complexes. There are other owner occupant complexes that have fewer units if that is a preference. There are many more options when one includes properties that permit vacation rentals. Amenities and location are what generally differentiate complexes that permit vacation rentals and those that do not permit rentals. The superior location and amenities of vacation rental permitted complexes also tends to result in higher pricing. There are a few complexes where vacation rentals with studio and one bedroom units in the $200k's. However, most one bedroom units are now starting in the low $300k's. Two bedroom units are starting in the $400k's. Prices increase based on factors such as location, amenities and ocean or beachfront. In North Kihei, Sugar Beach Resort is one of the most sought after complexes. Its location on Sugar Beach and the long walks accessible along Ma'alaea Bay combine with amenities at the complex such as pool, barbecues, Jacuzzis saunas, tennis and putting greens have resulted in sales prices starting in the mid $400k's and ranging up to mid $500k's for one bedrooms. Comparable beach access and the rising prices at Sugar Beach raised demand for neighboring complexes such as Ma'alaea Surf and Nani Kai Hale. As you go further south in North Kihei, the complexes do not have comparable beaches. Most of the area is rocky and the shallower water is not as ideal for swimming. That being said, the beautiful views and oceanfront location have fueled demand for units in places like Kauhale Makai. This property's oceanfront location, nicely manicured grounds and amenities such as pool, central air and convenience stores have prices ranging between the mid $200s for studios up to the high $500k's for 2 bedroom/ 2 baths. Other complexes such as Maui Sunset and Luana Kai are also seeing considerable demand. In South Kihei, there are a number of complexes across the street from the Ocean that have become incredibly popular over the last few years. The ability to walk across the street to Kamaole Beach combined with nice amenities and garden like settings have made places like Hale Kamaole, Kamaole Sands, Maui Banyan and Maui Kamaole increasingly popular. Comps in these units range from the mid $300k's for a one bedroom up to the high $600k's for larger 2 bedroom units. As prices have increased at these complexes, other more affordable complexes such as Maui Vista across from Charley Young have increased in popularity. The places that are selling at the highest premium are the beach front complexes in South Maui. Condos such as The Royal Mauian, Mana Kai and Hale Pau Hana benefit from being on some of the prettiest beaches on Maui. A limited inventory and turn over in these complexes have only added to market demand. When these condos come on the market, they have been selling in the $800k's all the way up to $1,000,000. With the vast assortment of condos in Kihei, give us a call so we can help you find a condo that fits your specific needs. Please note this article was published in June of 2005. Contact us for a Kihei Condo market update or use our site to check out all of the current listings for Kihei Condos for Sale. Taste of the Tropics
Coconut Cultural Calendar
Exhibits Main Gallery, 1st floor exhibits Shows Sunday, May 1 Monday, May 2 Friday, May 6 Friday, May 6
Saturday, May 7 Saturday, May 7 Wednesday, May 11 Friday, May 13 Saturday-Sunday, May 14-15 Wednesday, May 18 Thursday, May 19 Friday-Saturday, May 20-21 Tuesday, May 24 Wednesday, May 25 IMAGINARY HEROES Thursday, May 26 Tuesday, May 31 Classes at Hui No' Eau Tiny Hands: Parent and Child Marbling and Monoprinting with Watercolor and Ink Watercolor: Tropical Flowers Glass Fusing Jewelry Making Clay and Kiln Building: Backyard Firing VISITING ARTIST VISITING ARTIST
Continued in » Real Estate Market Update |
