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HAPPY NEW YEAR from warm and mostly sunny Kauai.
This has been a busy year for our island and an unexpected change for me. I joined Century 21 All Islands fifteen years ago. In October 2017, C21 was sold to Oceanfront Sotheby’s International Realty, and I became part of a leading full service real estate company with all the advantages of being aligned with Sotheby’s International prestige. This has been a seamless transition enhanced by local ownership and additional colleagues.
Both Kauai and all of the state of Hawaii continue to set records in the number of visitors who travel here. The state and island are showing a 7.5% increase over last year.
That said, the travel industry reports a burgeoning economy. Visitor spending means everyone is working. Unemployment on Kauai is less than two percent.
Visitor arrivals have been enhanced by increased air travel. Airlines have put on more direct flights to Kauai. Hawaiian Airlines has purchased new aircraft that offer nonstop flights to Kauai from several west coast cities. Southwest has announced plans to fly to the Aloha state in 2018.
The Hawaii legislature has funded a feasibility study for a state-owned ferry system. Given past experience, this should produce interesting comment!
Here on Kauai the new Kilauea Lighthouse Village is taking shape, anchored by The Market, a Foodland subsidiary. The popular restaurant, Verde, a bank, boutique shops, and other retail ventures are also coming. Buildings are rising above the dust fences. A spring opening is in the plans.
The new 24/7 urgent health facility in Princeville along Hanalei Plantation Road, is in the final stages of construction. Scheduled to open in the spring of 2018, the urgent care will provide X-ray and lab facilities by board-certified emergency physicians and nurses.
Island-wide, real estate housing development continues. Those interested in new multimillion dollar properties can check out the luxury homes in the Kukui’ula Resort in Poipu. In Lihue, Hokula, a new Timbers Resort is positioned on the Kauai Lagoons golf course. This project is a mixture of fractional and full ownership options with the HoloHolo Grill featuring upscale Hawaiian comfort food in collaboration with award winning chef Sam Choy.
In Princeville, plans have been announced to market the North Shore Preserve, a high end low key ranch focused residential community on 650 acres that is part of the 1000 acres owned by Princeville Development. The 2 to 6 acre homesites are to the north and east of the Prince Golf Course and will have Anini Beach access directly from the development. I recently took a tour of the Preserve and the views from these estate lots were stunning.
Of course, there are many resale homes and properties on the market. A review of MLS statistics continues to show a healthy real estate market. The number of units sold is about the same as last year with prices holding steady. The exception is in the high-end estate home market where there has been an unusual demand and some price increase.
The Aloha State was ranked the second best state for retirement in Wall St.’s “Best States for a Healthy Retirement” report. One major factor cited was that the slower pace of island life leads to less stress and more time to take care of one’s health.
I hope you will enjoy a healthy, happy 2018. Schedule your next Kauai visit now and maybe think seriously about your healthy retirement.
My e-mail remains the same, but I can also be reached at joseph.williams@oceanfrontsir.com. You can still search the MLS through my website www.joewilliamshawaii.com but now you will be searching through Sotheby’s.
Call 808 652 2984 or email me and I will assist you to locate that perfect Kauai home.
Mahalo,
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