Christmas is just a few days away. Still stumped on what to get the family or that special someone? While none of these suggestions will fit under the tree, maybe the keys would fit nicely in your Christmas stocking. Here are four of our listings that would make this a Christmas to truly remember.

For Those That Love The Ocean

If there is a certain someone in your life who loves the ocean and ocean sports, you would be hard pressed to find a better option on the market than Sugar Cove Building 6. This is the ultimate North Shore lifestyle property. This whole building in the Sugar Cove condominiums is located right above the golden sand of the beach. The beach is as good as it gets for water sports. Long considered a good spot for windsurfing, these days it is a hot spot for wing foiling, kiting, surfing, stand up paddling, body boarding and fishing. Our agent Ridge Lenny gives a taste of the lifestyle on offer in the video below.

While location may be the biggest amenity of Sugar Cove Building 6, the condo itself is a one of a kind offering. Originally three separate units, it was consolidated into one primary living space and a guest space. Overall, it includes eight bedrooms, seven bathrooms, three half bathrooms and a total of 5,950 square feet of living space. This other video highlights the quality design, materials and finishing.

The asking price for Sugar Cove Building 6 is $17,000,000. Contact The Maui Real Estate Team for more information.

For Those That Demand The Highest Quality

A Design Nerd’s Dream. Impeccable finishing. Precision Crafted. Carefully Curated. Just some of the ways that people describe the Oasis in Spreckelsville.

This immaculate property includes a 2 bedroom, 3 bathroom main home, a detached garage with second story studio apartment, a soaking tub, lap pool and a zero edge main pool. The construction is truly of the highest quality as are the fixtures and building materials. It is sold with furnishings and selected artwork. Again, all of these items carefully chosen by the owner with an attention to detail and quality rarely seen on Maui. Check out our previous posts on the Oasis, its outdoor spaces and design details. Offered for $9,800,000.

For Those That Want to Build The Best…

Five Star Location. A big lot of 1.88 acres. A gated subdivision with only one other vacant lot. Easy access to beautiful beaches and fantastic resort amenities. All of the above make 21 Ualei Place a truly tantalizing spot to build a spectacular luxury home. Located in the One Palauea subdivision, the lot is just to the south of the Fairmont Kealani. Palauea Beach, Polo Beach and the Wailea Beach Path are all a short minutes walk from the property. The Wailea Blue, Emerald and Gold golf courses are again all close by.

This lot is offered for $6,500,000. Check out the 21 Ualei Place listing page for more photos and details.

For Those That Want to Build Now!

Building takes time and patience. One of the biggest time sinks can be the permit process. That is particularly true when you are in a special management area close to the ocean. That makes 300 Mehana Unit B in Haiku the perfect spot if you want to build your dream cottage on Maui sooner rather than later. SMA approvals are done and the permits approved for a 1,000 square foot accessory farm dwelling (cottage), detached garage and agricultural workshop. The CPR property includes 4.22 acres of land. There is plenty of room for gardens or orchards. Set close to the ocean, you can hear the waves and smell the salt in the air. The ocean and Haleakala views are both fantastic.

Grab your builder and break ground in the new year. The asking price for 300 Mehana Unit B is $895,000. Check out the listing page for more photos and details.

Contact Your Favorite Maui Real Estate Elves

There you go! Four last minute gift ideas for the family or a special someone clearly not on the naughty list. Contact The Maui Real Estate Team for help with these properties or if you have something else in mind on your real estate holiday wish list. We look forward to being of service.

Billy Jalbert

Rising gas prices. A more chaotic climate. Improved health and wellness. There are a lot of reasons why driving less has more appeal these days. Maui is a pretty rural place. As a result, it is not exactly an easy place to live car free. That said, there are parts of the island where there are more conveniences and amenities accessible by foot or by bike. We recently created a handful of Walkable community pages on MauiRealEstate.com that highlight areas within a higher concentration of amenities within walking distance. This is a quick overview of those new pages on the site and a few communities that are worth an honorable mention.

Featured Walkable Areas of Maui

• Walkable Paia : For a small town, Paia has a lot going on. It has restaurants, a great grocery store, a Bank of Hawaii Branch, a yoga studio, massage studios, coffee shops, a post office, the beach and more all in and around town. If you live in the neighborhoods to the East and North of town, almost all of this is accessible via your own two feet. As an added bonus, the North Shore bike path runs to the West of town, through Spreckelsville and into Kahului. Paia is the one area of the island where you really could go for longer stretches without driving.
• Walkable Wailuku : Downtown Wailuku is the seat of Maui County Government. It is also home to federal and state agencies, medical facilities, law offices and other professional services. The homes and condos in the downtown area give options to those who work downtown that want to avoid commuting by car. Add in restaurants, the Iao Theater, shops, a library and other amenities and there are plenty of things accessible by foot. While you will still find yourself driving to some amenities, your odometer is less likely to get a workout.
• Walkable Makawao : Upcountry Maui may not be the first place you think of when it comes to walkability. That said, downtown Makawao is another small town with a lot going on. There are restaurants, a public library, Eddie Tam Park, a post office, shops, coffee, yoga and more. There are quite a few neighborhoods within walking distance of these attractions. Again, this is a place where it may be difficult to completely avoid car dependence, but you could get away with driving less when you live close to Makawao.
• Walkable Lahaina : Front Street is a renowned tourist destination. That said, residents living in the neighborhoods close to Front Street are located close to restaurants, shops, grocery stores, the beach, surfing and more. Put on your walking shoes or grab your cruiser bike. This is an area where you can leave your car parked in the driveway more often than not.

Honorable Mention

The Kulamalu area of Pukalani wouldn’t have received a mention 10 years ago. While there was a Long’s Drugs and a Fitness Center, this was a convenient but car dependent community. Then came the Saturday’s Farmer’s Market, followed by Food Trucks. A new brewery and a great pizza place in the last year are two great new additions. The Cottages at Kulamalu and Kulamalu Hilltop are now two neighborhoods where owners now have some great amenities within walking distance.

There are parts of Kihei where you may not need a car as much depending on your lifestyle. Areas of South Kihei and Central Kihei offer restaurants, shops, grocery stores and beaches within walking distance.

Contact The Maui Real Estate Team

Contact The Maui Real Estate Team if you are looking for a home that decreases your car dependence. We would welcome the chance to help you find a home or condo that might help change your lifestyle.

Billy Jalbert

The initial economic impacts of Covid-19 included lost jobs and disruption of income for large numbers of people around the globe. With the local Maui economy largely dependent upon tourism, our small island was among the nation’s hardest hit. The original CARES act that passed in the spring of 2020 offered relief to homeowners who struggled to pay their mortgages due to job loss or depressed wages. Those struggling homeowners were able to work with their lender to pause or reduce their mortgage payments for a period time. What started as a 6 month program was extended to 18 months. A total of over 7.25 million borrowers used forbearance as a means of relief for at least some period of time. That number of homeowners in forbearance is down to approximately 2,000,000 by around the end of June.

As of September, some of the borrowers who were among the first to enter the forbearance program will come to the end of their 18 month forbearance period. At this time, it does not appear as if there will be additional extensions of the program. What does the end of forbearance mean for those borrowers and the market as a whole?

The good news is that Fannie, Freddie and FHA are saying the right things about borrowers coming to the end of their forbearance. Recent guidelines released by those entities are focused on loan modifications for borrowers struggling to make their payments due to Covid related financial struggles. If you are a homeowner faced with the end of forbearance in the immediate future, remain proactive in your discussions with your mortgage holder. Ask about loan modification programs.

For those that may not be able to get a loan modification or the terms of a modification are too onerous, selling may be the only option. During the mortgage meltdown of the 2000s, borrowers struggled with the dual challenge of economic hardship and plunging prices. The result was a wave of foreclosures. Current market conditions couldn’t be more different as prices on island and for much of the continent climbed steadily over the last twelve months. The good news is that the recent appreciation should allow the majority of borrowers who need to sell to pay off the balance of their loan. That should significantly curtail the number of foreclosures. Feel free to Contact The Maui Real Estate Team if you are trying to get a sense of the current market value of your property. We would be more than willing to help out with a free broker’s price opinion.

Based on the above, it seems unlikely that the end of forbearance will significantly change the Maui market. The impact of the end of forbearance in the Canadian market seems to reinforce that notion. About 17% of the mortgages in Canada went into forbearance. As of February, 98% of the forbearance programs expired. As of the end of June, the average home price in Canada was up 25.9% year over year.

While the end of forbearance might lead to a small bump in inventory, a drastic influx of distressed property seems less likely. Real Estate economists are predicting a gradual increase in inventories as the year progresses. Post forbearance properties should be one component of that increase.

Pete Jalbert

July 1 marks the start of the new fiscal year and that means updated property tax rates for Maui County. While there are quite a few rates that stayed the same this year, there were also a few notable changes.

Here are a couple of things to note about our tax rates before detailing the changes by property classification. Tax rates are impacted by the use and zoning of the property. The county has a tiered tax system based on the value of the property. Tier 1 is for properties assessed at a price of upto $800,000. Tier 2 is for properties assessed between $800,001 to $1,500,000. Tier 3 is for properties assessed for more than $1,500,000.

All tax rates below are per $1,000 of assessed value. Here are the tax rates for 21/22 with notes on any change in rate from the last fiscal year.

• Owner occupied Tier 1 $2.41 (down .10), Tier 2 $2.51 (down .10), Tier 3 $2.71 (up .10)
• Non-owner Occupied Tier 1 $5.45, Tier 2 $6.05, Tier 3 $8.00 (up $1.10)
• Apartment $5.55
• Short Term Rental Tier 1 $11.11 (up .03), Tier 2 $11.15 (up .07), Tier 3 $11.20 (up .12)
• Hotel & Resort $11.75 (up $1.05)
• Agricultural $5.94
• Conservation $6.43
• Timeshare $14.60 (up .20)
• Commercial $6.29
• Industrial $7.20
• Commercialized Residential $4.40

Property taxes are paid biannually in Maui county with payments due on August 20th and February 20th. Check out the Maui County Property Tax Frequently Asked Questions pages if you have additional questions on assessments and classifications.

Pete Jalbert

Maui Farmers need support now more than ever. With many island restaurants closed and others limited to take out only, a key market for local farmers dried up. The best way to support local farmers at this time is by purchasing CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) boxes.

One of my personal silver linings coming out of Covid-19 is my family’s purchase of CSA boxes. I always wanted to eat more locally. I knew CSAs were a great way to do it. For one reason or another, we just never subscribed. It took Covid-19 to change things. We are now eating really fresh produce every day.

I put together a list of local farmers and agribusinesses that offer box pick ups or delivery services below. Some farms are seeing pretty strong demand and only have wait lists. I included links to the Instagram profiles of a number of farms. That seems to be one of the best ways to find pick up information and availability.

Maui CSA Boxes

• Kumu Farms. My family ordered Kumu Farms Boxes over the last few weeks. We typically receive a variety of greens and vegetables, fruit, locally grown coffee and a choice of ground local venison or beef. The box we purchase costs $50. They have fruit boxes starting at $30 and general fruit and vegetable boxes starting at $40. Kumu Farms Instagram Page
• Okoa Farms. Okoa Farms is well known to those who attend the island’s Upcountry or Central Maui farmer’s markets. Their boxes can be customized. They have a minimum charge of $50 for delivery or $20 for a box at one of their pick up locations. Okoa Farms Instagram Page.
• Kahomoku Farms This farm also happens to be run by Grammy Award Winning Hawaiian Musician. Boxes of fruits and veggies start at $25. George Kahomoku on Instagram.
• Island Fresh Delivery This CSA offers all vegetable options, fruit and vegetable options and Juices. You can also include add-ons that range from CDB to Macadamia Nuts. Boxes start at $30. Island Fresh Delivery Instagram
• Pono Grown Farms Located up in beautiful Olinda. They provide a variety of vegetables and fruit in their boxes. Boxes for pick up start at $25. Pono Grown Farm Instagram
• Keokea Fields Fresh greens and veggies. $30 for a box.
• Kupa’a Farms A Kula farm offering local vegetables and fruit. Their CSA is currently full and are taking people on a wait list. Kupaa Farms Instagram
• O’o Farm Fresh greens, herbs, vegetables and fruits. Available for pick up in Kula and Lahaina. Boxes are $40
• Maui Grown Organics Organic fruit, vegetables and herbs. Boxes range from $40-$333.
• Lapa’au Farms Another Olinda based farm offering vegetables and fruit. This farm is unique in that they are also offering Oyster Mushrooms that they grow at the farm. This CSA is full and taking people on their wait list. Lapa’au Farm Instagram
• Moku Roots This West Maui vegan/ zero waste eatery is offering produce boxes including local fruits and vegetables for $35.
• Ono Organic Farms This East Maui farm offers fruits and vegetables. They have farm box pick up at Queen Ka’ahumanu Center. They also run a farm stand out in Hana. Ono Organic Farms Instagram
• Coconut Information This Haiku farm/cooking school is offering weekly CSAs with Coconut Milk, Coconut Oil, Coconut Water and miscellaneous produce. Boxes are $75. Coconut Information Instagram
• Volcano Medicine CSA This Kula CSA has a few spots left. They are asking for a ten week commitment for $350. Produce boxes will include local fruit and vegetables.
• Graze and Sprout Farm Sunflower shoots, microgreens, pastured eggs and sourdough bread. $25 for a box. Pickups in Kihei and Makawao.

Farmer’s Markets

There are still Farmer’s Markets happening on the island. Here is a list and scheduled times. These are great places to support not just farmers but some of the islands other food businesses. Markets are using a variety of means to try to ensure a safe experience for shoppers and vendors.

• Wednesday Farmer’s Market at Waipuna Chapel, Kula 8:00 AM-1:00 PM
• The Upcountry Farmer’s Market is one of if not the largest farmer’s markets on island. The last few weeks, they were doing a drive through farmer’s market. It sounds like they are going to be trying a different set up this week that allows pedestrian traffic. All attendees will be required to wear masks. The market runs from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM behind Long’s Drugs at the Kulamalu Town Center.
• The Saturday Market at Oskie Rice Arena in Olinda. The market runs from 12:00 PM-4:00 PM.
• Queen Ka’ahumanu Shopping Center Farmer’s Market. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
• Lipoa Street Farmer’s Market Check their Facebook page for items that can be pre-ordered for Saturday Pick up.
• Napili Farmer’s Market Wednesday and Saturday’s 8:00 AM-12:00PM.

This is a list of Farmers Market that I am aware of that are still operating during stay at home and social distancing restrictions. Send us a message if you are aware of other Farmer’s Markets on island continuing to operate.

Maui Fish and Meat

• Lopes Farm Maui Lopes Farm offers a variety of locally raised meats including lamb, chicken, beef, pork. They also sell farm boxes. Meat prices start at $4.00 a pound and go up from there. Lopes Farm Instagram
• Maui Fish Delivery Delivering whole fish to your doorstep. Check out their webpage for tutorials on how to filet fish, recipes and more. Check out the Maui Fish Delivery Instagram page for availability.
• Malama Farms Kurabota Pork lovingly raised in Haiku on a diet heavy on Canoe Plants and tropical fruits. A variety of cuts available for pick up. Check out the Malama Farms Instagram to see the good life these pigs live.
• Toohey’s Butchery and Bistro Selling Butcher bundles with a variety of cuts of meat and produce. The bundle costs $125. Check the Toohey’s Butchery Instagram for the menu of the weekly bundle.

Other Local Agricultural Products Available

These are some of the other Maui made products available at this time for pick-up or delivery.

• Stacey’s Garden Delivers offers delivery of their own products as well as products from Pono Pies, Maiden Hawaiian Naturals, Maui Tonics, Maui Wild Cultures, Maui Raw, Firmiana’s Cultured Vegetables, Maka’alae Kombucha and Farm Fresh Eggs. We ordered products from Stacey’s, Pono Pies, and Maui Wild Cultures and they were all delicious. The breadfuit and chorizo tamales from Pono Pies are not on the menu, but worth inquiring about.
• Haleakala Creamery allows you to pick up goat cheese, goat yogurt and goat ice cream right from the gate of the farm.
• Maui Tonics offers delivery of a variety of tonics using local tumeric and ginger.
• Broth Box from Alive and Well A variety of broths and cold pressed juices. The box may be customized with produce, meats and more. Available for pick up and delivery.
• Haleakala Supah Shots Locally made elixirs including a spicy mix of chili pepper water and juices.

Other Resources

I found a lot of these farms and vendors on the Eat Local Maui Facebook Page. There are smaller farms that pop up on this page here and there that don’t seem to have any webpage or social media presence. It is worth keeping an eye on this page for more local produce options, farmer’s market information, food truck information and more.

The list above is not 100% comprehensive. While I spent a fair amount of time putting it together, I am sure there are others that I overlooked. Contact the Maui Real Estate Team if you are a local farmer or business that would like to be added to this list.

I know Covid-19 is bringing a lot of attention to local farms. Let’s hope that local interest and support persists when this pandemic passes.

Pete Jalbert