Honolulu, Hawaii Real Estate

Honolulu is not one place. Buying in Manoa is a completely different life from buying in Kakaako, and the price per square foot tells you almost nothing about which one you would rather live in. It helps to think of the city as a handful of distinct neighborhoods that happen to share a zip code range.

Kakaako and Ala Moana are where most of the new high rise inventory is. Modern buildings, walkable to Ala Moana Center and the beach parks, and the easiest part of town to live in without a car. You pay for that in maintenance fees, which on newer towers run well above what most mainland buyers expect.

Manoa, Nuuanu and Makiki are the older residential valleys. More single family homes, more mature trees, more rain, and a quieter feel five minutes from downtown. Manoa in particular sits near the university and has more homes with yards without leaving town.

Waikiki is its own market. A lot of the inventory is small, a lot of it is investor owned, and some buildings allow short term rentals while others do not. That distinction matters enormously and it is worth confirming before you fall in love with a unit.

Downtown and Chinatown offer some of the lowest entry prices in urban Honolulu, with the trade offs you would expect from any dense city core.

Why buyers choose Honolulu

Being near work and able to walk to things, in exchange for less square footage. If your commute is downtown or to Tripler, living in town is worth real money in hours you get back every week.

The honest trade off

Most of what you can buy here under a million dollars is a condo, which means a maintenance fee and an association. That is not a problem in itself, but it changes how you should evaluate a purchase. Two units at the same price can carry very different monthly costs, and a low fee is not automatically the better deal if the building has underfunded reserves.

If you are using a VA loan

Honolulu has 487 VA approved condo projects, by far the most on the island. The building has to be approved, not just you, so it is worth checking before you write an offer. Send me a building name and I will look it up.

Honolulu covers several zip codes, and each one feels like its own neighborhood. Here is a quick guide to what you will find in each, so you can narrow your search.

• 96813 Downtown Honolulu, Chinatown and the Capitol District Mostly condos, including some of the lowest entry prices in urban Honolulu.
• 96814 Ala Moana and Kakaako Newer high-rise condo towers near Ala Moana Center and the beach parks.
• 96815 Waikiki and parts of Kapahulu and Diamond Head Mostly condos. Some buildings allow short-term rentals and some do not, and some are leasehold, so check both before you write an offer.
• 96816 Kaimuki, Kahala, Palolo and parts of Diamond Head A mix of older single-family homes, townhomes and low-rise condos.
• 96817 Nuuanu, Liliha and Kalihi Single-family homes up the valleys plus condos closer to town.
• 96822 Manoa and parts of Makiki Many single-family homes in the valley and condos toward Makiki.
• 96826 McCully and Moiliili Walk-up and mid-rise condos between Waikiki and the university.

First condo in town? Read my first-time buyer checklist for Honolulu condos. Ready for a plan? Get your Buyer Game Plan or call or text me at (808) 459-6450.