Buying a Home in Hawaii

Buying a Home in Hawaii
Wailuku 

Wailuku is the county seat of Maui, and the location of most of the main government and health services. Governmental offices, the hospital, main police station, and other services are located in or near Wailuku. It sits at the stunning entrance to Iao Valley, with the daily mesmerizing views of the sharply sculpted and lush green slopes. Whether clouds fringe the mountains and filter light down below, or the views are crisp and clear, one never grows tired of West Maui mountain views, or the frequent evenings with sunlight beautifully piercing the clouds behind the valley (a 'pukalani' or 'hole in the clouds/heavens'). Wailuku has the cozy downtown with narrow streets and local businesses, boutique shops and restaurants, that are at the center of the monthly "first Fridays" event, with music, food, and vendors. 
Wailuku has a mixture of plantation era homes, narrow streets, and older school facilities, as well as a patchwork of newer developments, subdivisions, and shopping centers. The central location, slightly higher elevation and cooling trade winds brings more rain than close neighbor Kahului, and cooling evening shade from the West Maui Mountains. A great central place to live, work, and play.

Kahului


The heart of the island...
Formerly known as "Dream City" when it was built increment by increment in the 1950's and following, most of Kahului's neighborhoods were built as new affordable housing for the plantation workers. And a strong sense of family and community still pervades these neighborhoods. Still at the center of most of the growth in Maui County, Kahului is experiencing rapid expansion of amenities, retail, and residential property. The sprawling Maui Lani subdivision complex is ever growing, and straddles both Wailuku and Kahului, with the largest master planned community on Maui. It already encompasses over 1,100 homeowners, new schools, a golf course, medical facilities, etc. The convenience and centrality of Kahului-whether in Maui Lani or the other neighborhoods-locates you at the heart of business, industry, banking, and retail, with the theaters, airport, Costco, the main bus terminal in town. Kahului is warm and sunny almost all the time, and is drier than neighboring Wailuku. 

Kihei


Kihei Town, Just Hanging Around….
...If you long to be minutes from the beach, to a broad slice of the local food and entertainment scene, and to have sunshine almost every day, Kihei might be the place on Maui for you. Whether you love walks on the beach, surfing, tennis, skateboarding, snorkeling, or just soaking in the awesome sunset views each day, Kihei is a great place to live and work. One of the youngest and fastest growing communities on Maui, Kihei barely existed a few decades ago-being hot, dry scrubland and downwind from the dusty and sometimes smoky sugarcane field operations. But in recent decades, this long, thin strip of town has grown up on the coast of some of South Maui's nicest beaches. Kihei also features the "tech park" which hosts a number of great employers, and Kihei is a second large hub of employment for local workers. Kihei is one of the few outlying mini-communities on Maui that could largely encompass your weekly life, without needing to travel into Central Maui much for shopping, etc. It is a great community for families, probably outdoing most other cities on Maui for access to numerous public playgrounds, parks, pools, safe walking paths, and all around family activities. It also attracts lots of young singles and couples who find Kihei a little livelier than some of the other bedroom communities of Maui. Kihei's biggest selling point is again, the proximity to great beaches. A pro or con, depending on how you look at it, is that it is a few degrees hotter than other parts of the island, and hardly ever seems to get rain, even when the rest of the island is getting well-watered. The schools are generally well regarded in the community, but there seems to be a never-ending delay in getting a public high school built here.

Kapalua 


World Class Luxury resides in Kapalua…
If you're craving a stunningly beautiful, luxurious, and peaceful retreat, Kapalua might be the place for you. At the far northern end of the Honoapiilani Hwy, past all the heavy traffic of Lahaina and Kaanapali, lies the emerald of Kapalua. The aggressive slopes of the West Maui mountains slow and ease back as they stretch down to the azure Pacific, fingers of mountain ridges tucking lush green forest and gulches between, with Kapalua's old pineapple plantation land, rich and fertile, carving irregular flat swaths down the mountainside. Oceanside, jagged rocky coastlines are interrupted by lovely sandy beaches great for all your favorite watersports. Championship surfing happens nearby in Honolua Bay, snorkeling, swimming, or just enjoying a relaxing coastal stroll with vistas sprawling to Lana'i and Moloka'i, and often sunsets in between. A short drive from the conveniences of Lahaina and Kaanapali, with the restaurant and entertainment scene, but remote enough from the busy streets to set back and enjoy the relaxing pace of life. 
Looking forward to show you around…

Lahaina / Kaanapali


If you dream of having daily, enchanting sunsets over azure waves and cloud-studded skies, looking over the peaceful channels of the Lahaina Roads, where humpback whales calve and frolic annually-then Lahaina or Kaanapali might be the place for you. Each unique view angle of the ocean from Maui offers vistas beautiful in their own right-but in Lahaina and Kaanapali you get a spectacular grouping of Lana'i and Moloka'i islands and often a sunset sandwiched between them. And from some locations,  you can even see Kahoolawe and Molokini. The coastline all around the southern and western end of West Maui also boasts some of the best beaches, alternatively offering great surfing, snorkeling, swimming, or just kicking back on a sandy beach. Many hotels and tourist activities center on this side of the island-extending high-end shopping opportunities, golf, water sports, loads of great dining, and nightly local entertainment to both residents and visitors alike. 


Buying a Home in Hawaii

Being a Hawaii mortgage banker and a mortgage broker gives Makai Mortgage the distinction of being both a direct lender and a broker to over twenty banks. This means a greater number of available loan options and a greater possibility of making your dream of buying a home in Hawaii a reality.

Mortgage Banker & Broker

Makai Mortgae can make Hawaii home loans directly, which often results in significant cost savings and faster loan processing times. In addition, our extensive portfolio of financing partners give you access to a wide variety of loan programs so we can pair you with product specific for your individual needs. 

Property Classifications Unique to Hawaii

Ohana

Many homes in Hawaii have an attached or detached accessory dwelling known locally as an ohana. A single-family residence with an ohana is considered a 1- unit home, but it is sometimes confusing to brokers and lenders on the mainland. At Makai, we work with the best lenders in the business who have extensive experience in lending on these types of properties – making it possible to close your loan quickly and smoothly.


CPR

A CPR (Condo Project Regime) property is another classification that is common in Hawaii. When a homeowner decides to sell the units on their property separately, they begin the CPR process. This process results in the units each having their own address. A CPR property has two or more units and may have common areas much like a condominium. While the property may resemble a condominium, it does not have to be financed like one – which could result in you paying a much higher rate. Be sure to work with a lender who understands these properties and guides you to the best loan option available.