Posts tagged real estate
Hawaii Kai Real Estate Debate on Golf Parcel
0Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board Debates Golf Academy
By Nina Wu at nwu@starbulletin.com Nine months after purchasing the lands, a Utah-based investor is envisioning a golf academy above the Hawaii Kai Golf Course.
The proposal is likely to spark another debate at this evening’s Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board meeting, where the public has weighed in on previous controversial development plans for the preservation-zoned parcels.
Management Solutions of Fountain Green, Utah, which formed Kulia i ka Nu’u Estates, acquired 83 acres in Mauuwai and 98 acres at Queen’s Rise from QRM LLC in July.
City property tax records show two transactions occurred in July, one at $5.6 million and another at $3.5 million.
Project manager Skip McWhorter, who was in Honolulu this week, said Kulia envisions building a complete golf academy, with classrooms and simulators for individual and group instruction for just the Mauuwai parcel, although size and details have yet to be ironed out. McWhorter said he also was in discussions with possible pro golf sponsors for the academy. “We would like to use the golf academy as a place to teach and train junior golfers,” said McWhorter. “Our goal is to continue to promote the game of golf in Hawaii. We want to provide an opportunity that is fun, recreational and beneficial for locals and junior golfers all over the island.”
At the same time, McWhorter said it would make sense for there to be accommodations, possibly vacation cabins, at the site for out-of-town golfers. “If we don’t have that there, we’re left with people commuting back and forth from Waikiki,” he said.
The two parcels are Management Solutions’ first investment on Oahu, according to partner Allen Jacobson, from Utah. Jacobson said the company did 14 months of due diligence and has no plans for Queen’s Rise at this time. Permitted uses on P2 general preservation lands such as Mauuwai include cemeteries, outdoor recreational facilities and vacation cabins as an accessory to those outdoor facilities, according to city Planning and Permitting Director David Tanoue.
Hawaii Kai Homes – Honolulu – Oahu
0Hawaii Kai Homes for Sale
There are numerous different neighborhoods to choose from including Anchorage, Hahaione-Lower, Hahaione-Upper, Kalama Valley, Kamehame Ridge, Kamilo Nui, Kamiloiki, Kealaula Kai, Koko Head Terrace, Koko Kai, Laulima, Luna Kai, Mariners Cove, Mariners Ridge, Mariners Valley, Napali Haweo, Napua Point, Paiko Lagoon, Portlock, Queens Gate, Spinnaker Isle, Triangle, and West Marina.
Koko Head Terrace as you can guess is on the slope of Koko Crater. on the back side of it, toward the Hawaii Kai Golf Course, you will find the Koko Head Botanical Garden. A two-mile loop trail leads visitors through a variety of dryland plant collections from Hawaii and around the world. Koko Crater is a large crater that is a strenuous 2-hour hike. The Queen’s Gate gated community is across the street from the garden. Koko Head Crater overlooks Makapu’u, Diamond Head, The Marina, Sandy Beach, and Hanauma Bay. Koko Head is the elevated, longer, flatter piece of land that extends into Maunalua Bay.
Honolulu – Hawaii Kai Homes
There are numerous shopping complexes and recreational activities. Shopping at Koko Marina, Hawaii Kai Towne Center, Costco, Safeway, Longs, Ross and more. Great restaurants such as Harbor Village, Blue Water Grill, The Shack, and my favorite, Kona Brewing.
Hanauma Bay, Makapuu Point Lighthouse, Sandy Beach (great kite flying here) and The Halona Blowhole are a short distance away. Here is a map of the area between Diamond Head and Makapuu.
Honolulu Hawaii is the Best Place to Live
1Happy New Year!
We have certainly had a lot of bad news lately.
Honolulu consistently ranks in the “Best” lists among major magazines, however.
Fortune Magazine rated Honolulu as the #67 best place to live in 2009.
It also rated it as the one of the Best places for a long life.
Business Week listed Honolulu at Number 1 in the US from a study done by Mercer Consulting.
No. 28: Honolulu – U.S.
Mercer score: 103.1
2007 rank: No. 27
GDP: $13.86 trillion (2007 est.)
Population: 303,824,646 (total country); 380,000 (total city)
Life expectancy: 78.14 years
A handy calculator shows you how to figure out the difference between where you live and Honolulu. For example, if you make $50,000 in Los Angeles, you will need to make $53,987 since the cost of living is 8% higher. Here’s the catch: employers in Honolulu typically pay 1.9% less than employers in Los Angeles. That explains a lot, doesn’t it? Anyone that has tried to get a job here knows that pay rates are typically lower. My guess is because of the sheer number of retail and tourism jobs, which tend to bring the median wage down. The closest similar income I found is DC – Washington. Even San Francisco costs less than Hawaii.
If you want to get a good comparison of Hawaii home costs (PDF) compared to the mainland, see Paul Brewbaker’s (Senior Vice President and Chief Economist with Bank of Hawaii), reports. They are excellent. He has data on domestic and Japanese arrivals, employment, tourism, inflation, growth (including Honolulu’s CPI or Consumer Price Index) and forecasts. Good stuff.
Unfortunately, the number of bankruptcies in Hawaii hit a 3-year high last week, according to the Star Bulletin. Foreclosures are up as well, with the majority apparently being held by Countrywide Home Loans, particularly on the Leeward and Ewa areas. It’s going to get worse before it gets better, it would seem.
Now is a great time to visit your local library, bookstores (don’t forget Jelly’s Honolulu or in Aiea!) and parks. Go camping! Start a blog! Get in shape. Stay positive, and Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.
Aloha,
Frank



