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 July, 2024 - The condo hurricane insurance coverage issue is entering legislative races. (7/20/24) - On the North Shore, Kawaihāpai Airfield, formerly known as Dillingham Airfield, gets a new 50-year lease on life. (7/14/24) - The sales figures for June for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was another mixed month. Median sale prices increased nicely - they actually are at the highest they've been in nine months, and the combined three-month moving average is the highest in over a year. This was in spite of the strange sales volume. Homes sales increased a tad, while condo sales dropped sizably (maybe due to the financing challenges caused by low hurricane insurance coverage). This may also explain the mixed inventory levels - the number of homes decreased, while condos increased. Pending sales volume looks positive. (7/6/24) - Happy Independence Day! (7/4/24)  June, 2024 - Nationally, the May median house sale price set another record. (6/26/24) - One analysis predicts huge economic costs if vacation rentals are phased out. (6/20/24) - Some North Shore oceanfront homeowners are facing huge fines. (6/16/24) - Happy Kamehameha Day! (6/11/24) - The May sales numbers for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a mixed month, which is a bit of a surprise considering the positive previous month. Sales volume was up for condos, but down for homes, and the combined three-month average was still high. Median prices were down a little compared to both the previous month and twelve months ago. Inventory for homes and condos continued its slow upward trend. Pending sales volume looks neutral. (6/7/24) - Impressive visuals from Starship Launch 4 - both during liftoff and reentry. One of next test flights may be splashing down north of Hawaii.(6/6/24)  May, 2024 - Rising Hawaii insurance costs starting to be felt by condo owners. (5/31/24) - Nationally, sales volume dipped a little in April, but once again, median sales price increased year-over-year. (5/30/24) - Happy Memorial Day! (5/27/24) - Maui's plan to ban thousands of vacation rentals may face a rocky road. (5/26/24) - U.S. home prices have soared since 2020. (5/24/24) - Residential project proposed for former St. Francis School in Manoa. (5/20/24) - Did New York just kneecap Airbnb? (5/15/24) - Governor signs latest vacation rental bill into law. (5/11/24) - U.S. home prices continue to rise despite high mortgage interest rates. (5/10/24) - Interesting article on the conversion of office towers to residential buildings. (5/9/24) - The sales figures for April for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was the first fully positive month in a while. Most every data point moved in a positive direction compared to both last month and one year ago. Inventory levels increased a little, and pending sales volume looks to be on an even track. (5/8/24) - Happy Lei Day! (5/1/24)  April, 2024 - U.S. pending home sales up 3.4% in March. (4/25/24) - New Hawaii short-term rental law passes final committee and goes to Governor for signature. (4/25/24) - Nationally, existing-home sales in March decreased 4.3%, but the median price increased 4.8%. (4/19/24) - The March sales numbers for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a mixed month. Sales volume was up for both property types from the previous month, but down from a year ago. Median prices were mixed whether compared to the previous month or twelve months ago. Inventory for homes decreased a little, while that for condos increased. Pending sales volume looks positive. (4/6/24) - Here's a look at the latest Honolulu Skyline stations, and construction, from the airport to Dillingham Blvd. (4/4/24)  March, 2024 - Happy Easter! (3/31/24) - Nationally, existing-home sales surged in February. (3/25/24) - February mortgage applications for new homes increased sizeably. (3/20/24) - Happy St. Patrick's Day! (3/17/24) - UHERO released a study on why condos are so expensive in Hawaii. Here is a direct link to the PDF report. (3/16/24) - Proposed high-rise near Punahou School sparks backlash. (3/12/24) - The sales figures for February for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was another neutral-to-positive. Most every data point was slightly positive or just barely changed. Inventory levels were mixed, and pending sales volume looks promising. (3/8/24) - An epic performance to start off the month. (Try it full-screen, and then adjust settings for HD.) For a fun backstage look at someone living their dream try this rehearsal video. (3/1/24)  February, 2024 - Nationally, existing-home sales rose in January. (2/28/24) - Hawaii lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow counties to phase out vacation rentals completely. (2/21/24) - Honolulu gets federal funds to help extend rail line to Kakaako. (2/18/24) - Happy Valentine's Day! (2/14/24) - The January sales numbers for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a neutral-to-positive month. Sales volume was up a little from last month, and twelve months ago. Median prices increased from a year ago, but were mixed compared to last month. Inventory was basically flat when compared to the last few months, and pending sales volume looks a tiny bit better. (2/6/24) - Something for the skiers out there. (2/1/24)  January, 2024 - Nationally, pending home sales climbed in December. (1/30/24) - Proposed apartment tower on Waialae Avenue facing opposition. (1/25/24) - Is OHA backing off pushing to develop Kakaako Makai? (1/20/24) - With all the upcoming construction projects, there may be a shortage of construction workers. (1/19/24) - Two links showing what's available at Waioha at Koa Ridge, and Kuilei Place on Kapiolani Blvd. (1/11/24) - The sales figures for December for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a neutral-to-negative month. Most every data point was either neutral or negative, but with the reduced sales volume, it's not easy to generalize. Inventory dropped sizeably, and pending sales volume looks positive. (1/7/24) - Happy New Year! (1/1/24)  December, 2024 - U.S. home prices accelerated at their fastest annual rate of the year in most recently released S&P/Case-Shiller monthly Home Price Indices. (12/30/23) - Merry Christmas! (12/25/23) - Nationally, housing starts soared last month. (12/20/23) - Honolulu's building permit delays have been a long-term issue. (12/14/23) - The November sales numbers for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a fairly neutral month. Sales volume dropped from the previous month, which fits the seasonal pattern, but wasn't far off from one year ago. Median prices increased monthly, but were mixed compared to last year. Inventory inched up a tad again, and pending sales volume looks good. (12/7/23)  November, 2023 - More federal funding made available for Skyline light rail system. (11/30/23) - Happy Thanksgiving! (11/23/23) - Nationally, once again, last month's median sale price increased, while sales volume decreased. (11/22/23) - Kalakaua Avenue Bridge into Waikiki to undergo major repairs. (11/21/23) - Professional self-certification of building permits for some types of projects may improve permit delays. (11/18/23) - Waikiki Trump Hotel to be rebranded as a Hilton. (11/17/23) - Due to qualifying guidelines, sales of "affordable" new condo units have been slow. (11/14/23) - Happy Veterans Day! Thank you to all who have served, and to those who continue to wear the uniform. (11/11/23) - The sales figures for October for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a basically flat month. For every data point that was positive, there was a balancing negative one depending on which property type one is looking at, or whether you are comparing it to the previous month, or twelve months ago. Inventory inched up a little, which is good, and pending sales volume looks flat. (11/7/23)  October, 2023 - Happy Halloween! (10/31/23) - A new condo tower has been announced for Kapiolani Blvd near Sheridan St. (10/22/23) - Nationally, the September annualized sales pace is the lowest in thirteen years. (10/21/23) - Interesting article about the disparity in approval times for Honolulu building permits. (10/19/23) - The September sales numbers for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a neutral-to-negative month. Sales volume dropped quite a bit. Median prices were mixed, but the median price for condos did go up. Inventory was basically flat, and pending sales volume looks the same. (10/9/23) - Nice little video of the recent Kilauea eruptions. (10/1/23)  September, 2023 - Once again, nationally, existing home sales decreased a little, and the median price went up in the previous month. (9/27/23) - U.S. multi-family construction starts near record high. (9/22/23) - The city has upgraded the smart parking meters in Waikiki and payment for parking is being enforced again. (9/18/23) - The sales figures for August for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a neutral-to-positive month. Most data points were positive compared to the previous month. Only the sales volume compared to a year ago was down substantially, but that market was a different world, and in two months that strong contrast probably will disappear. Inventory was flat again, and pending sales volume looks very good. (9/7/23) - Happy Labor Day! (9/4/23)  August, 2023 - Zillow is bullish on U.S. housing prices. (8/31/23) - New home sales benefit from low existing home inventory. (8/26/23) - Nationally, sales volume slipped a bit in July, but the median price increased. (8/24/23) - Continued median price growth across the country. (8/19/23) - Happy Statehood Day! (8/18/23) - A proposed new Ala Moana luxury condo tower, at 1538 Kapiolani Blvd, has been approved by the Honolulu City Council. (8/15/23) - The July sales numbers for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a basically flat month. Sales volume dropped a little. Median prices for homes and condos moved small amounts, plus or minus, depending if the comparison was with the previous month or one-year ago. Inventory was flat, and pending sales volume looks the same. (8/6/23) - A time-lapse aerial view of the first segment of Honolulu's new rail system. (8/1/23) July, 2023 - Not easy to say who is in the right here, or if it's just part of the process, but Nicole Scherzinger's Oahu home construction plans have run into opposition. (7/31/23) - Pending home sales in escrow ticked up a hair in June. (7/27/23) - Can downtown Honolulu be revitalized by the conversion of commercial buildings to residential? (7/22/23) - Nationally, existing home sales retreated a bit in June, but the median sale price almost set a new record. (7/20/23) - The sales figures for June for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a rather mixed month. Some data points were positive, and others were negative. The three-month moving average for combined sales volume was at the highest point in about eight months. Median sale prices for homes and condos were mixed. Inventory inched upward again, and pending sales volume appears neutral. (7/6/23) - Happy Independence Day! (7/4/23) June, 2023 - A data-heavy look at the U.S. real estate market from interest rates to new construction. (6/25/23) - Nationally, existing-home sales marginally increased in May. (6/23/23) - Two new residential condo towers announced to replace Ward Center. (6/16/23) - Happy Kamehameha Day! (6/11/23) - The May sales numbers for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a positive month. All data points were positive compared to the previous month - definitely a ways to go compared to 1-year ago. Inventory was little changed, and pending sales volume looks fairly even as well. (6/7/23) - For the start of summer and summer road trips, something very different, a very heartfelt final Carpool Karaoke that's as much about friendship as it is about music. (6/5/23) May, 2023 - Honolulu City Council considering ways to decrease property taxes for lower income homeowners. More information on the current plan can be found in this brochure. (5/31/23) - Happy Memorial Day! (5/29/23) - Nationally, existing homes sales faded in April, as did the median price. (5/23/23) - Honolulu considering taxing vacant homes at a higher rate. (5/20/23) - From UHERO, the latest economic forecast for Hawaii. (5/16/23) - The sales figures for April for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a negative month. Sales volume for both property types decreased from the previous month. The median sale price for homes dropped under $1M again, and the condo median price went down as well. Inventory kept on inching downward, and pending sales volume appears neutral. (5/8/23) - Happy Lei Day! (5/1/23)  April, 2023 - Nationally, have home prices bottomed out? (4/26/23) - From UHERO, an analysis of the possible effect on home prices and rents if the number of short-term rentals were reduced. (4/25/23/) - A calmer discussion of the recent changes to the formulas lenders use to adjust interest rate pricing depending on credit score. (4/22/23) - More on the subject of no bedroom windows, feedback from people who have lived in units without them. (4/19/23) - Some bedrooms may not have windows if commercial buildings in Honolulu are allowed to convert to residential buildings. (4/18/23) - Happy Easter! (4/9/23) - The March sales numbers for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a positive month. Month-over-month data may be more meaningful now than year-over-year data. Sales volume for both property types increased significantly from February. Median prices bounced back as well for both homes and condos. The median home price is back over $1M, and the condo median price was actually an increase year-over-year as well. Inventory went down a hair, and pending sales volume looks positive. (4/7/23) - After a three year hiatus, the Honolulu Festival - Nagaoka Fireworks returned in March. (4/6/23) March, 2023 - U.S. pending home sales increased for the third month in a row. (3/31/23) - Interesting analysis whether home prices nationally have stopped falling. (3/28/23) - More background on the construction timeline for ultra-luxury Mandarin Oriental Honolulu. (3/24/23) - Nationally, February home prices posted their first year-over-year decrease in over a decade. (3/19/23) - Happy St. Patrick's Day! (3/17/23) - The sales figures for February for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a mixed month. Sales volume for both property types increased from the previous month, which would fit with exiting the winter months, but interest rates are still holding things back. The median sale price for homes increased from last month, but the condo median price dropped, and both are down from a year ago. Inventory went down a hair, and pending sales volume may indicate a positive improvement. (3/8/23) February, 2023 - Nationally, January existing home sales declined, but the median price went up once again. (2/28/23) - Interesting analysis of the recent market trends and future prospects. (2/24/23) - Illegal vacation rentals are the target of several proposed new laws. (2/23/23) - Two new condo projects are moving forward. Registration has begun for Kuilei Place in Mo'ili'ili with 60% affordable units, and sales have begun for luxury high-rise Alia 888 Ala Moana in Kaka'ako. Please note, in order to represent a buyer, and offer our buyer rebate, developers often require that an agent must accompany a buyer on their first visit to a sales office. (2/17/23) - Wall Street is losing out to amateur buyers in this market. (2/15/23) - Happy Valentine's Day! (2/14/23) - The January sales numbers for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was a neutral-to-negative month. It looks as if the combination of high interest rates and the usual winter slowdown finally had some real impact. The median home price dipped under $1M for the first time in ages, but on very low sales volume, while the condo median price has been relatively consistent for the last six months. Sales volume was lower all around, which makes comparing other data points less useful. Inventory was basically flat, and pending sales looks fairly even as well. (2/6/23) - It didn't last long. The "free" parking meters have been upgraded. (2/2/23) - For the skiers out there, a repeat video from a few years back, but a fun one. (2/1/23) January, 2023 - In addition to increasing housing supply, deregulation may have a huge impact on employment. (1/30/23) - Nationally, home sales slowed in December, but the median price went up again. (1/23/23) - A proposed State bill would set a fine of $500 for feeding feral chickens. (1/21/23) - Some Honolulu parking meters may not work for a few months. (1/19/23) - OHA tries again to lift ban on residential development in Kaka'ako-Makai. (1/18/23) - Interesting article on homebuying trends for 2023. (1/16/23) - The sales figures for December for the Oahu real estate market have been released by the Honolulu Board of Realtors®. Here is a single-page set of charts showing the last 12 months of data. It was another mixed month. Sales volume increased for the first time in several months. Median sale prices were mixed but leaning towards positive. Inventory dropped significantly, and pending sales volume also looks positive. (1/9/23) - Happy New Year! (1/1/23) - To learn more about our 50% Oahu Buyer Rebate* and the savings it offers buyers on their real estate purchases, including Honolulu homes and Waikiki condos, properties from Honolulu to the North Shore, Kailua to Kapolei, and across all Oahu, please click here. |
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