Sneak Peek at the October 2014 Maui Real Estate Statistics

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It’s time for our monthly look at the pulse of the Maui Real Estate market. Our sneak peek at the Maui Stats gives a look at median prices, sales volume, pending sales and a few other notable numbers from the October Maui Real Estate Sales activity. We also give our thoughts on some of the more eye catching numbers and what it all means for prospective buyers and sellers. Without further ado, here are the October numbers.

October Maui Real Estate Sales Volumes and Medians

This table compares the real estate sales volumes during October 2013 and October 2014 in Maui County, Hawaii.

By my count there were 83 homes sold in October at a median price of $566,000. Last October, there were 82 homes sold at a median price of $540,000. That calculates to a 1% increase in sales activity and a 5% increase in median prices.

Maui Realtors have reported 94 condo sales for October with a median price of $407,000. By comparison, there were 104 condos sold in October of 2013 with a median price of $360,000. That means that October 2014 was 10% lower in sales volume and 13% higher on price.

By my count, there were 14 land sales reported in Maui during October with a median price of $467,500. Last October, there were 23 sales with a median price of $370,000. That is a 39% drop in sales activity and a 26% increase in median price when comparing October 2014 to October 2013.

Notable Numbers from The October Maui Real Estate Sales

While compiling this month’s medians and sales volumes, I came across some other numbers that I thought were worth sharing. Here are some of the high sales and other notable closes from the October real estate transactions.

  • The highest priced home to sell in October was located in Kihei. The 4,800 square foot oceanfront home on Halama Street closed for $5,750,000.
  • That was one of four home sales over $2,000,000 in October. The other high dollar closes were in Wailea, Makena and Paia.
  • The highest priced condo sale in October was at the Andaz Residences in Wailea. The three bedroom condo closed for $5,495,000. That is the third condo to close at Andaz and the first sale in eleven months. There are nine units still for sale in Wailea’s newest luxury beachfront condo development.
  • There were 9 total condo sales over $1,500,000 last month including the Andaz transaction. Honua Kai had the most activity with five closes. There were also sales at Wailea Ekahi, Wailea Elua and Hoolei.
  • The highest priced piece of land was a lot on the beach in Ka’anapali. The 1.16 acre parcel sold for $5,600,000.
  • There were 11 bank owned transactions that closed in October. That is up from the seven that closed in October of 2013.
  • Short sale transactions continue to be slow with 4 successful transactions closing last month. There were 24 short sales in October of 2013. This 83% drop in short sale transactions stems from improved equity positions for sellers.

The October Maui Real Estate Market saw the continuation of recent trends. Home sales are roughly keeping pace with last year, while condo and land sales are down. As discussed in the September stats, it appears as if a decrease in inventory for entry level condos is driving the decrease in condo activity. I did not delve into the land market in quite the same level of detail, but anecdotal evidence would also suggest that a shrinking inventory of lower priced lots may be contributing to the lower sales volume. Looking at the October 2013 sales, the totals from that month were buoyed by a large number of new development sales in Haiku. The lots in that subdivision were priced lower than other sales of comparable properties.

The one other number from this month’s stats that I found noteworthy was the high number of luxury condo sales. There had been a decrease in the sale of condos priced over $1,500,000 over the last couple of months including zero sales in that price range during September. I had a close eye on the October sales to see if this might be a trend or just variability in the market. It appears to be the latter. The nine total sales was buoyed by the continued strong interest in Honua Kai. There have now been 22 sales at Honua Kai over $1,500,000 since the start of the year.

October Pending Sales

For the most part, October sales stem from contracts that were agreed upon one to two months prior to closing. To get a better sense of more current buyer demand, we also documented the pending sales from last month.

This chart compares the number of Maui properties that went under contract in October of 2014 and October of 2013

It is interesting to see that home pendings are up significantly compared to last year. Condo sales continue to under perform compared to last year. Land pending appear to be down significantly, but a little digging helps explain the discrepancy. The October 2013 numbers were inflated by 14 contracts at the Peahi Hui development in Haiku. Buyers actually signed reservation agreements for that community dating back to June of 2013. Formal contracts weren’t penned until October when final subdivision approval was granted.

What Does This Mean for Buyers and Sellers who Are Interested in The Maui Real Estate Market?

Now that it is November, we only have about one month left until the start of our peak real estate season. As peak season approaches, what do the current conditions tell us about what buyers and sellers might expect? For buyers, it will depend in part on where you are searching in the market. There is quite a bit of variability in market conditions depending on price and location. In general, lower priced home and condo buyers are going to find limited inventory and a competitive market. Really well priced homes and condos in most market segments have the potential to attract multiple offers. There is typically more inventory to choose from and less competition at the high end of the market, but you may also find some more resolute sellers with the means to wait for pricing that fits their needs. Sellers will need to take into account market conditions in their particular neighborhood and price point when considering a go to market strategy. Overpriced properties are sitting in this market. If a seller needs to or wants to sell quickly, they need to price as close as they can to recent comparable sales. Contact The Maui Real Estate Team if you are considering buying or selling property on Maui, we would welcome the opportunity to sit down with you for a free consultation to discuss your real estate needs.

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