It’s the first week of August and that means it is time to take a look at how the Maui Real Estate market performed during the month of July. It was a busy month of sales on island as the numbers below will show. Our sneak peek at the July stats looks at sales volume, median prices, notable sales, and pending sales. We also give a few thoughts on what stood out in the July sales activity, and what we think is going on in the market. Without further ado, here are the July numbers.
July Maui Real Estate Sales Volumes and Medians
By my count, there were 128 homes sold in July with a median price of $590,000. Last July, there were 99 homes sold with a median price of $568,000. That calculates to a 29% increase in sales volume and roughly a 4% increase in median price.
There were 93 condos sold in Maui last month with a median sales price of $399,000. In July of 2014, there were 83 condos sold at a median price of $375,000. That represents a 12% increase in sales volume and a 6% increase in median price.
There were 13 lots sold in Maui during July with a median sales price of $250,000. There were 9 lots sold last July with a median sales price of $550,000. That is an increase in sales volume of 44% and a decrease in median price of 55%.
Other Notable Numbers from the July Maui Real Estate Sales
While compiling the sales volume and median price, I came across a few more notable numbers that I thought were worth sharing.
- The 128 homes sold in July was the highest total number of homes sold in Maui County during any single month since the downturn.
- The highest priced home that sold last month was a residential condominium located in the Maluhia at Wailea subdivision. This 4 bedroom/4 bath home with 5,121 square feet of living space sold for $6,900,000.
- The Maluhia sale was one of 6 home sales over $2,000,000. The other sales included two more properties in Wailea, two homes in Ka’anapali and a home in Maui Meadows.
- The highest priced condo to sell in July was located in the Wailea Beach Villas. The three bedroom, three bath, direct oceanfront condo sold for $8,500,000.
- It was a relatively quiet month for luxury condo sales with only one other unit sold for more than $1,500,000. That condo was located at Ka’anapali Alii.
- The highest priced land sale was $10,800,000 for a .47 acre lot in the Maluaka Subdivision of the Makena Golf and Beach Club. I believe this is the first Makena Golf and Beach Club sale reported in the MLS.
- There were a total of 19 bank owned or REO transactions that closed in July. That compares to 11 bank owned sales in July of 2014.
- There were 8 short sale transactions that closed successfully in July. There were 7 short sales that closed successfully last July.
Some Quick Thoughts on the July 2015 Maui Real Estate Sales Activity
July was a busy and interesting month for the Maui Real Estate market. There are a few different items from the stats that are worth discussion. The most noteworthy number was the number of home sales in the month. As I mentioned above, this was the busiest month for home sales since the real estate market crashed back in 2008. Not only that, it was the busiest month by a pretty healthy margin. What is driving this increased activity? If I were to guess at a primary driver, I would imagine that it is buyers trying to get into the market before interest rates increase. With rates expected to increase in the fall, we are likely to see heightened activity over the coming months. I imagine we will see a lag in activity once more substantive rate increases occur. There are two reasons why I am expecting this lag. First, buyers who require financing will have less buying power. Second, a boost in sales activity now tends to come at the expense of sales activity later. This happened when there were tax incentives for first time home buyers during the economic stimulus.
The dip in median sales price for land is notable. This shift is not attributable to a decrease in values. Instead it is a reflection of buyers at the lower price points of the market seeking out lower priced land options with the stock of lower priced homes steadily dwindling.
Sticking to land for a moment, the $10,800,000 sale at the Makena Golf and Beach club is worth a second mention. This is the most expensive cost per square foot sale of residential land in Maui history. The Makena Golf and Beach Club is set to become the most high end community on Maui. It will be interesting to watch sales within this new development over the coming years.
Shifting to the condo market, there were a couple of items that I thought were worth a mention. First, this is the second straight month where the 2015 sales exceeded the totals for 2014. Things look promising for that trend to continue based on the pending sales. On the other side of the spectrum, this is the second month in a row where high end condo sales have been down. I am not so sure that this is a trend as much as it is just variability in the market. That said, it will be worth keeping an eye on the luxury condo market over the coming months.
Pending Sales in July
We like to keep track on the number of properties that go pending in a particular month on our blog. Not only were sales strong last month, it was a pretty good month for pending sales.
Pending home, condo and land sales all increased last month compared to July of 2014. Again, I would attribute a good portion of this increased activity to buyer’s trying to take advantage of lower interest rates.
What Does This All Mean for Maui Buyers and Sellers?
Buyers looking at properties at or below the median sales prices for Maui will find that the market remains competitive. Well priced properties in this price range are quick to sell. Buyers shopping in this range should get pre-approved prior to their search if they require financing. When a property comes on that meets their needs, being slow to act could cost you an opportunity. Sellers will find that this is an interesting market. While there is increased sales activity, I am reticent to call this a true seller’s market. There is varying level of activity depending on geography and price points. Overpriced properties are sitting at almost all price points. These variable market conditions only serve to increase the importance of quality representation. Contact The Maui Real Estate Team if you are interested in exploring the Maui Real Estate Market. We would welcome the chance to sit down with you and learn more about your real estate needs.
