NEWS FROM KAUAI - 2020
 


GREETINGS FROM KAUAI, the safest place in the world!

This year has not been the best of times or the worst of times in Kauai. I have waited for some of the uncertainty to end before attempting to tell you what was going on here. Hawaii like the rest of the country was hit hard by the pandemic. However, on Kauai our losses were primarily economic starvation fed by the loss of tourism.

Kauai was lucky to have a young mayor who stepped in immediately to slow down the spread. Initially, a nine-p.m. curfew and practically a complete shutdown spared this island from extensive illness. This was followed by travel quarantines. There have been no on-island deaths from Covid. Stores and restaurants have gradually continued to open. There are still a few hotel restaurants that are closed but these will reopen as tourists return.

For the most part, the people of Kauai embraced the restrictions, limiting social interactions. Mask wearing is universal. Stores are constantly cleaned and allow a minimum of customers. Nearly all meetings, church services and other gatherings have gone virtual.

Fourteen day quarantines for both inter-island and transpacific travel have been hugely successful and have produced very few travel related Covid cases. As of 10/15/20 quarantines are now waivable for travelers who have had a negative approved pretest taken within 72 hours prior to arrival.

For the short term, the visitor will see that unemployment is still very high. Food banks and many other organizations feed the hungry. Neighbors are helping neighbors. Organization such as churches and service groups have donated goods and services.

All of this led to the tourism slogan with which I started this newsletter: Kauai, the safest place in the world. Visitors from the mainland and neighboring islands will be welcomed back but only if they practice good hygiene and social distancing. The local population has been in isolation and are indeed wary of visitors letting their guard down.

I usually write newsletters for the off-island resident with some interest in owning property on Kauai. This has been an interesting time to be a realtor. The onset of the pandemic largely shut down real estate activity. The uncertainty was more than potential buyers could handle. That was to be expected. What was not expected was that after a short period the pace picked up. Firstly, among locals and secondly from mainland buyers who were willing to purchase a property sight unseen aided by virtual tours and video walkthroughs. In spite of all the difficulties, prices have modestly improved. Today we have a very active market and if this continues our inventory will reach a low, and sales prices will continue to increase. This activity is spurred by the lowest interest rates seen in a lifetime.

If you think this may be your time, please get in touch by phone and/or email. You can actually shop using my website joe@joewilliamshawaii.com. Many of the listings that you will see are supported by virtual walkthroughs to give you a good feel for a new home on Kauai.

I do hope to see many of you on island this winter so please get in touch to set up some viewing time or just to talk story.

If you are delaying a trip, call or email so we can touch base and decide what course of action you might take to become a Kauai property owner.

Listed below are some useful websites to assist you with the latest information on travel and other restrictions: https://hawaiicovid19.com/travel-partners/ | https://ets.hawaii.gov/travelhelp/  &  www.kauai.gov/covid-19


Joe Williams, RS

Oceanfront Sotheby’s International Realty

(808) 652 2984

www.joewilliamshawaii.com | www.joewilliams.oceanfrontsir.com