There are three ways you can get to Maui, by plane, by boat and possibly by submarine, but so far as we know, the latter is not really offered, so it comes down to plane or boat.
Most visitors arrive by plane, landing at one of 3 airports, either the central Kahului Airport, or one of the two smaller airports, namely Hana on the eastern coast and Kapalua on the west.
Cruise ships are also a popular means to get to Maui, and Kahului is the main port of call for these sea-faring visitors. A smaller port of call can also be found between Lahaina and Kihei.
While on Maui, there are a few options to travel about and see the sights. For a small $1 fare, hop on the Maui Public Transportation System and tour around the island. The cost is $1 per boarding, so carry a few of those greenbacks if you plan to get off and on during the course of your venture.
Another cost-effective mode of transportation is cycling. There are bicycle rental shops on Maui where you can pick up some two-wheel freedom for a small rental charge. Don’t let the wonders of a nice bike ride around Maui pass you by. See the island and breathe the air at a comfortable pace on a fun bicycle tour of the island.
Car rentals are always available for those with a place to be and a time to be there. Perhaps consider a topless vehicle and enjoy your drive with Maui’s spectacular sky all around you. For the most part, Maui can be explored on bike, on foot and by bus, with time to get home for dinner, with no need to ever set foot in a car.
Maui is a great place to visit and an incredible place to live. Take a trip to one of the most beautiful places in the world and experience for yourself what everyone who visits talks about and what those who choose to stay have discovered.
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With volcanoes that reach 10,000 feet into the sky and beaches that walk out into the ocean, Maui’s natural environment is as diverse as the people who visit and live on this beautiful island.
The southern region is hot, dry and without a lot of vegetation, but is home to rare plants, insects and birds. Walk along the most recent lava flow on the dry south flank of Haleakala in the reserve of ‘Ahihi-Kina‘u. With boulder beach communities, dry shrub lands and pioneer vegetation, the southern tip of Maui is a world onto itself waiting for you to discover.
When you find yourself in the northern part of Maui, you will find the wind a little gustier and the skies a little cloudier than other parts of the island, but the temperature is more consistent in this region and features include rare sub-alpine grasslands and forests. Rare plants are present for your photographic skills to capture.
If you find yourself heading up the volcano to view a sunset or sunrise, and it is recommended that you try to do that at least once, pack for chillier temperatures as you get higher up. In the winter, snow will be present on the top of the volcano while sea level is still a warm beach-faring temperature. Do not get caught off guard and find yourself with a chill while enjoying one of the most spectacular views you will ever see anywhere in the world.
It does rain in Maui, but the intensity depends on the area. Some areas can get heavy rainfalls, but most will only ever see a drizzle now and again, and never one that lasts too long. Winds can turn brisk without warning, so be prepared to hold on to your hat when you are hiking along some of the corridors. Turning a corner can put you into a pleasant breeze, but it can also be a trade wind waiting around the corner and then you will find your hat flying through the air.
Maui has a diverse natural environment for fun and pleasure, something for everyone and always with something to discover.
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- Nov
- 08
Maui: Place To Live And Work
Maui is the second largest island of the Hawaiian Islands, and the 17th largest island in the United States. With a population of 144,444 (as of 2010), Maui is the third most populated Hawaiian Island. Maui’s original name was “‘Ihikapalaumaewa”. The island’s current name came from the Polynesian navigator credited with discovery of the Hawaiian Islands. According to that legend, Hawai’iloa named the island of Maui after his son, who in turn was named for the demigod Maui. Another name for Maui is “Valley Isle” because of the large and numerous valleys carved between the island’s northwestern and southeastern volcanoes.
The island’s volcanoes are just a couple examples of places tourists like to visit when they are on Maui. Also popular amongst tourists are the Haleakala National Park, the Hana Highway, and Lahaina, which is a gateway to the beach resorts of Kaanapali and Kapalua. Tourism is a huge industry for Maui, bringing in over $3.5 billion in 2007, with a majority of the tourist coming from the US and Canada.
Along with the importance of the tourism dollars for Maui, agriculture has a significant role in the Maui economy. Coffee, papaya, sugar, pineapples, and beautiful tropical flowers are some examples of Maui’s diverse agricultural exports.
More recently, government research groups and high technology companies have discovered Maui as a business environment conducive to growth in these areas. As a result, the Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC) in Kihei is a U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Center providing over 10,000,000 hours of computing time per year to the research, science, and military communities.
The high elevation, dry climate and negligible pollution offer year-round ability to observe satellites, missiles, orbital debris, and astronomical objects, making Maui an excellent locale for astronomical research and development, as well as a wonderful location for the astronomy hobbyist.
The remainder of the large Hawaiian Islands include Hawaii (The Big Island), Kaua’i (The Garden Isle), Kaho’olawe (The Target Island), Lana’i (The Pineapple Island), Moloka’i (The Friendly Island), Ni’ihau (The Forbidden Isle), and O’ahu (The Gathering Place). The Hawaiian Islands are actually exposed mountaintops of the undersea mountain range called the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain, which was created by volcanic activity. Located about 1,800 miles from the nearest continent, the Hawaiian Islands have always been, and will always be, a destination of choice where a person can go to truly get away from it all.
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The Whaler on Kaanapali Beach Condos is just one of many Maui condos in the Smith Team database. Located in the heart of Kaanapali and directly on Kaanapali Beach, the Whaler on Kaanapali Beach Condos are luxury, high-rise condominiums that provide guests with access to all the activities that make Maui famous. Each suite provides many comforts of home including cable TV, high speed internet access, in-suite laundry, and private lanais. Still, the proximity to 36 holes of championship golf at Kaanapali Golf Resort as well beach activities and water sports make the Whaler on Kaanapali Beach Condos an excellent location for your Maui vacation!
Our new Whaler on Kaanapali Beach Condos page provides some detailed information.
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We were tempted to write about how the extension of the Bush Tax Cuts might have a positive impact on real estate; however, there still appears to be a lot of uncertainty in this regard.
What one thing has a stronger and more immediate impact on our local economy than anything else? Tourism, of course. So it was very welcome news to see that Maui has led the rest of the state out of the occupancy slough this year. Read more.
Furthermore, anecdotal news we are receiving from a number of vacation rental managers indicate that things are definitely looking up for the next 5 months. If you are planning to come to Maui soon, and haven’t made your reservations, we would suggest doing so soon.
Although we don’t do any property management ourselves; we will be quite happy to assist you in finding a terrific deal. Simply send us your travel dates, number of people travelling, preferred budget and type of accommodations, and we will do our best to assist you.
Have a wonderful week.
Mahalo Nui Loa,
The Smith Team
P.S. It promises to be a great season for Whale Watching, a most popular pastime for locals as well as our Winter visitors. Read more.
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According to noted economist, Paul Brewbaker, “If Maui real estate prices haven’t already hit bottom, they’re not going to get much lower.”
He further stated that it wasn’t worth looking for the last 5 dollars, and if you want a bargain, the time to act is now.
In addition, even if prices do drop further, the likelihood is that interest rates will more than offset any possible savings for those who are financing their purchases.
The uptick in housing prices in California, fortells an uptick here, as Maui closely follows the trends in California; although normally with a lag time. Read the full article.
Next week, we will put up a link to the video, so you can see for yourself the data which Mr. Brewbaker is using for his forecast.
Have a wonderful week!
Mahalo Nui Loa,
The Smith Team
P.S. Ho’onanea at Lahaina is a brand new D.R. Horton project with terrific pre-construction pricing. Here are three representative Listings.
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Maui County is the collection of 4 separate islands in the state of Hawaii: Lana’i, Kaho’olawe, Moloka’i, and of course Hawaii’s second largest island Maui. The region is known for stunning landscapes and tropical weather and as such has become one of the top tourist destinations in the United States. Recently, real estate in Maui has begun to see a resurgence and if you’re interested in Maui properties, the Smith Team can give you valuable insight into different regions on the islands.
Sub-regions
Maui is divided into several distinct sub-regions that are defined by major geographic features like mountains or valleys. Generally speaking, each region is met with a unique climate and these regions can be broken down crudely as follows:
- Windward lowlands
- Leeward lowlands
- Interior lowlands
- Leeward High-altitude mountain slopes
- Leeward Low-altitude mountain slopes
- High mountains
Climate
As with all the Hawaiian Islands, Maui’s climate is defined by a two season year. Most of the regions throughout Maui will have mild, consistent weather patterns characterized by warm temperatures and high humidity. However, geographical idiosyncrasies in Maui allow for much more variability in weather patterns than other Hawaiian Islands and rainfall, cloud cover, and winds can differ markedly across regions. Indeed, more than any other of the Hawaiian Islands, Maui’s weather is influenced by marine environments. Weather patterns tend to be determined by elevation and the effect of trade winds and because of the rugged topography of Maui weather patterns are highly variable.
Since the climate in Maui is dependant on the geography, we see patterns emerging in each of Maui’s distinct sub-regions. In the windward lowlands, which are generally below 2,000 feet and located on the north and north-east sides of an island, the weather is moderately rainy as the trade winds bring showers. It’s not uncommon to see overcast skies and temperatures tend to be very consistent.
In the leeward lowlands temperatures during the day are slightly higher while evening temperatures are cooler, on average. For the most part, the weather is dry but it is not uncommon to see periodic rain showers that follow the wind patterns. The interior lowlands are marked by more variable weather and this region will share weather patterns with other lowland sub-regions. Strong afternoon showers and hot afternoon weather is quite common.
The highest rainfall averages come in the leeward high-altitude mountain slope regions. Cloud cover is predominant and extensive rainfall is observed year round. The temperature is usually quite mild while humidity is relatively high. On the leeward low-altitude mountain slope side there is also more rainfall but less than on the windward side. Higher temperatures and cloud cover are also common.
Finally, the high mountains of Maui exceed 3,000 feet and as your elevation increases, rainfall decreases quite rapidly. Relative humidity is fairly low but you also see the lowest temperatures in Hawaii. In fact, air temperatures can drop below zero.
Throughout Maui, rainfall is much more common than you would expect. Nevertheless, showers tend to be light and they don’t last long. Thunder and lightening are very rare and during the summer we see dryer weather due to the dominant trade winds.
Economy
In Maui, there are two predominant industries: agriculture and tourism. In recent years, the government has been trying to encourage technology companies to invest in Maui because its business environment is ideal for expansion in such industries. Still, coffee, macadamia nuts, papaya, tropical flowers, pineapple, and sugar are the major exports of Hawaii and this holds true for Maui as well. Maui Land & Pineapple Company and Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company are the major agricultural players in Maui. Some 37,000 acres of sugarcane are produced by Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company making it the largest operation of its kind in Hawaii. In addition, Maui has become an important location for space research and is home to advanced satellite tracking facilities as well as research and development facilities that are world renowned for data collection and communication support.
As of March 2009, the unemployment rate spiked to a staggering 9% due to growing economic concerns throughout the country and the world. However, over the past several months the island has seen dramatic improvements in industry that suggest unemployment rates will start falling very soon.
Tourism
Tourism is obviously one of the leading industries on the island. The major tourist destinations in Maui include Hana, Lahaina, and Haleakala National Park. Maui is blessed with curving roads, soaring mountains, black sand beaches, and luxurious waterfalls making it a dream spot for any tourist. Visitors tend to congregate around West and South Maui and 2004 figures show 2,207,826 people visiting Maui. By far, domestic tourists make up the bulk of visitors to the island but there is also a thriving cruise ship industry.
Maui Landsat satellite photo source: [1]
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The past couple of years have marked trying times in the state of Hawaii but many will be happy to hear that leading economists are pointing to early signs of recovery. The University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization announced that despite low visitor figures, Hawaii is on the path to recovery.
As the tourist industry continues to slump, experts from the University are predicting a 2.9 per cent gain in arrivals for 2010 along with improvements in gross domestic product (GDP). Indeed, figures for Hawaiian GDP call for a contraction of about negative 0.2 per cent this year but point out that this is actually an improvement on the 1.3 per cent contraction that was estimated for 2008. Likewise, 2009 saw a GDP contraction of 0.4 per cent so while economists are cautiously optimistic there are early signs of improvement. Moreover, by 2011 these same economists predict GDP growth of 0.5 per cent.
The past year has certainly been a turning point for many businesses in Hawaii. The mostly unexpected economic downturn has prevented development and wreaked havoc with the tourism industry. Yet, as world and national economic conditions continue to improve, leading economists see bright things for the future of the Hawaiian tourism industry. At the moment, Hawaii is still suffering from serious state budget woes and job loss statistics whose impact is just starting to be felt.
Still, the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization sees improvement in jobs figures in the near future. This year may see continued job losses, up to about 0.8 per cent, but as tourism improves the main job sources in Hawaii (retail, the visitor industry, and government) will see more jobs returning to the market. And while noticeable increases in jobs isn’t forecasted until 2011, visitor spending, construction employment, and building permits all seem to be recovering suggesting more future jobs.
Even inflation has been halted by the struggling economy, but the University is expecting a slight bump in inflation this year.
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A line of around 400 formed outside the Whole Foods Market which had its grand opening in the Maui Mall on February 24th. Shoppers seemed impressed by the variety, quality, and affordability of the nations leading organic supermarket. Customers raved about the freshness of everything from fruit and vegetables to prepared desserts, cupcakes, tarts, and pies.
Various food samples provided customers with ample opportunity to judge the quality of the goods on offer. One particularly popular item was a strawberry shortcake retailing for $17.99. Asked about the prices, customers admitted that they’d expect to pay nearly the same at other big name supermarkets like Safeway.
Nevertheless, not all the reviews were glowing. Some customers complained that they couldn’t find what they had come looking for, especially when it came to more exotic fare. While some of these items may have sold out quickly, others may not be available. Yet, the variety of fresh produce, meats, seafood, and organic goods was enough to keep most shoppers happy.
Some prices at the Whole Foods Market were even considerably lower. Take Synergy drinks which are often sold between $5.50 and $6.50 per bottle around the island were going for $4.49 at Whole Foods. Some customers were skeptical that prices may have been lowered for the grand opening, to entice customers to make a return visit.
The new store at Kahului is actually the second Whole Foods location in Hawaii. The first store opened in 2008 on Oahu and another store is expected to open in the fall of 2001 in Kailua, Oahu.
The Maui Mall store is at the same location where locals found the Star Market. Whole Foods represents 26,366 square feet of organic shopping and employs around 140 people. What locals will be happy to hear is that of the 205 Hawaiian suppliers, 60 of them are from Maui. Clearly, Whole Foods puts an emphasis on local produce, seafood, and other goods.
The store management must have been happy with their first day considering several hundred waited in line to get in. The support for local farmers and the variety of products available likely attracted the crowds.
To get an idea of the variety, you could find 16 brands of yogurt of different types from organic, rice, sheep milk, and even goat milk yogurt. The more carnivorous of us could find prepared baby back ribs, boneless pork chops, turkey sausage and other organic products. Customers were also greeted with seafood and salad bars and a wide selection of olives and more. Prices also compared to other supermarkets.
There were even a large number of prepared or ready to cook meals including meats, pizza, sandwiches, salads, and desserts. You’d find Mexican, Japanese, and European cuisine alongside a coffee bar with all the fixings. Staff members were helpful and ready to serve.
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During the recent recession, affordable housing has become a major concern of local councils. Maui County Council members therefore have been working toward changing the county’s residential work force housing guidelines in order to encourage more development of affordable housing. Members will continue to tinker with the policy which was originally written in 2006 to ensure that as luxury properties were developed so would be affordable housing projects.
Unfortunately, the economy’s recent nose dive hasn’t helped matters much and in its entire life span, this affordable housing policy has only been applied to three housing projects. Many are pointing to these facts as proof that the ordinance isn’t getting the job done. On the other hand, supporters of the ordinance are quick to mention the fact that the poor economy is stalling all new housing projects, not just affordable housing projects. With nobody building due to the recession, little has been done to ensure affordable housing for county residents.
Regardless, something needs to be done to kick start the fledgling construction industry and most people are looking to the government to take the necessary steps to provide housing opportunities for Maui residents. As such, the local government is taking the first steps to revising this ineffective policy.
In their efforts, the city council is reducing the number of affordable homes that must be developed in a new sub-division with five or more homes. Indeed, the first draft of the new ordinance calls for only 25 per cent of new homes in a development to fall into the category of “affordable.” Previously, 40 per cent of new homes in a development were required to be affordable options. If the new ordinance passes, County Council suggests that it apply only to projects in which the houses are expected to bring in $600,000 or less in the open market.
Last year, the average single-family home in Maui sold for around $720,000. With regards to the existing law, when a developer works on a project with market rate homes starting at more than $600,000 at least 50% of these properties are required to be affordable.
Essentially, changes to the affordable housing policy are being lobbied for by local developers and contractors. Hoping for the limit on affordable homes to be lowered to 15%, developers are arguing that the county needs to do something to get construction back on track. New construction will provide new jobs as well as affordable homes.
However, not everybody agrees with these changes. Non-profit organizations and charity groups would prefer a higher threshold, perhaps 30 per cent. As you can see, the county is faced with the challenge of making a compromise. The county needs to take the necessary steps to increase construction but without giving developers the opportunity to take advantage of any loop holes and create neighborhoods only for the wealthiest members of society.
There are also problems with the language of the ordinance that makes it difficult to understand. When a developer works on a project of 100 homes, they can build the affordable homes either “on-site” or “off-site” and this changes the requirement for affordable homes. At the moment, a company can build 100 luxury homes and then have the choice to build either 25 affordable homes at the same site or 40 affordable homes at another site in the same planning district. Local groups want the requirement for off-site affordable homes to be raised to 50 per cent. But some locals are concerned that these kinds of laws will lead to class segregation where luxury homes would be built in one neighborhood and affordable homes in another. The idea of homogenous neighborhoods is a concern because of the difference in community services often seen in neighborhoods of varying wealth.
Nevertheless, the county voted 5-0 in favor of the current ordinance changes and the mayor gives them full support. Over the past year, developers and real estate representatives alike have been submitting proposed changes to this work force housing policy as they want to lift deed restrictions and get rid of a companion law that would force developers to provide their own water sources.
Approximately 3,100 homes have been proposed since the work force housing policy was passed but some of these projects are still in the planning phases while others have lost funding or are hoping for the market to improve before they proceed. Other changes that might be accompanying the housing ordinance are geared to encourage development of affordable housing while preventing owners from selling these affordable homes at market rates.
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