Maui Real Estate Blog

Recently my family and I spent the weekend at Maui's luxurious Fairmont Kea Lani hotel in Wailea!  This is a beautiful resort situated right off of Polo Beach, providing a magnificent setting.  If you are interested in vacationing in Wailea, but cannot decide between the other grand resorts, I certainly recommend the Fairmont Kea Lani.

Most people prefer the exquisite Grand Wailea for their luxurious accommodations and fabulous pool area, but we decided on the Fairmont for its generous-sized rooms, relaxed vibe (and to take advantage of their fantastic resident discount rate)!

Rooms at the Fairmont Kea Lani are all suites that have been recently updated and measure about 800 square feet.  Included in these suites is a Stereo with a CD player and DVD player, a wet bar with microwave and mini refrigerator (at no extra cost!).  The living area has a TV with a pull-out couch for extra guests and can be closed off for privacy from the master suite (so important!).

One of the highlights of the suite is the bathroom!  The beautifully appointed bathroom is so large that is includes two pedestal sinks, a generously sized soaking tub, a shower, and ample room to dance around if you need to.  Bathrobes and are also provided in the rooms to feel extra pampered.

We were upgraded to the Deluxe Ocean Suite so our private lanai had views of the ocean and the hotel's grand pools.  Waking up in the morning to the sounds of the waves and watching the stunning sunsets in the evening were truly remarkable!

We spent a LOT of time out by the pool, which was truly relaxing.  The Kea Lani has 3 different pools.  Two are for kids and families and the other is only for adults.  We hung out by the pool for families so we could swim with our 2 year-old daughter, which she loved!  The pool also has a water slide, which many of the other children enjoyed.  

Pool servers were always on hand to bring you drinks and food from their menu.  I especially loved when they would serve you complimentary pineapple slices.  It was like tasting it for the first time - very sweet and refreshing on a warm and sunny day!  Private cabanas were available for rent, but we opted for the comfortable lounge chairs set in the shade.

It was also fun to stay there during the holiday season since the grand lobby was festively decorated with poinsettias, beautiful garland, and a large and elaborately decorated Christmas tree. 

The holiday season is my favorite time of year on Maui, so it was a treat to enjoy such luxury during this time. 

I can't wait to go back!

Piilani Villages II and III is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Kihei, which located in South Maui.  The nearby location to stores, restaurants, beautiful beaches, and schools cannot be beat.  Families, couples, and retirees also enjoy the peace and quiet of the area.

It is Christmas-time and many neighbors have lights and holiday decorations adorning their homes.  It's always fun to stroll around and enjoy the festive displays.

Piilani Villages II and III is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Kihei, which located in South Maui.  The nearby location to stores, restaurants, beautiful beaches, and schools cannot be beat.  Families, couples, and retirees also enjoy the peace and quiet of the area.

Homes in the neighborhood range from 2 bedroom/2 bath to 4 bedroom/3.5 bath floor-plans.  If you are interested in homes for sale in the neighborhood, click here.

These are the homes that have sold in the past 6 months (6/10/09 through 12/10/09):

Christmas is certainly in the air here on Maui!  Just this morning I saw a man with a santa hat on while cruising on his moped down South Kihei Road!  If that doesn't put you in the spirit, then nothing will.

Tree lots are bursting with fresh trees and busy with helping people select the perfect one.  Our tree is now trimmed after an adventurous tree hunting weekend.  We haven't had a live tree in a few years since we were accustomed to chopping ours down in farm while living in California.  Christmas trees don't grow so well here on Maui, so we didn't have that option this year.

Fake trees are a popular and eco-friendly option here, but nothing beats a real, pine-scented noble fir which looked so beautiful in the Home Depot tree lot.  My husband, however, had always wanted to plant a Norfolk pine tree in our yard and thought it would be perfect to buy a living Norfolk pine as our Christmas tree this year.

You see Norfolk pine trees all over the island.  These grand pine trees are have beautiful long needles and a slightly crooked trunk that remind me a lot of something out of Dr. Seuss.  They grow quite large, and as a novice gardener, I was intimidated by taking on such a complicated task as planting an actual tree, but the idea of trimming a living tree rather than one that has been cut down was appealing to me.  Besides, if there are so many of these trees on the island, how hard can growing one be?

We didn't find any at Home Depot, so we headed up to Kula Hardware up in Kula, where we purchased one... or actually about 5 of them since they were all planted in the same pot for fullness effect.  We brought it home and decorated it very carefully since the branches of these trees are very delicate.  With the weight of the ornaments and strung lights, it is leaning quite a bit to the right, but it is quite a beautiful little tree!

It'll be fun to plant it once the holidays are over and then to see how much it has grown a year from now (if it survives, that is).

But, if you are looking for a living Norfolk pine to decorate this Christmas, head up to Kula Hardware.  They have a great selection at great prices.

Planning a move to Maui is exciting (and may be a little stressful) with all that is involved in transporting your furniture, cars, and other belongings.  If you are planning to relocate with your cat or dog, however, please be aware of Hawaii's Pet Quarantine Laws. 

Hawaii is a rabies-free state and wants to keep it that way, which means any cat or dog originating from the Mainland needs to undergo a 120 day quarantine process before entering the state to ensure your pet is rabies-free.

We underwent this process with our dog a few years ago before moving to Maui, and although it was very rigorous with the amount of paperwork and the number of deadlines to meet (not to mention the stress of transporting him in the cargo area of the airplane!), everything went smoothly and he arrived in Maui safe and sound. 

Your pet can stay with you in the Mainland during the 120 day quarantine process, which is what we did.  The 120 days is basically just a waiting period once the lab at KSU has received your pet's blood sample for the OIE-FAVN rabies blood test.  Your local veterinarian helps you with this process, as well as other shots, microchiping, flea and tick treatment, and health certificate that is required for your pet.

Be sure to check the Hawaii's Pet Quarantine Laws website and follow their quarantine checklist to make sure you meet each and every requirement.  Otherwise, your pet may have to stay in Honolulu until each requirement is met, which can be expensive, as well as a hassle.

It may seem like an intimidating process, at least it did for me, but as long as you follow each step and fulfill each requirement of the quarantine procedure, it's pretty easy to receive clearance for your pet to enter the state of Hawaii.

When in need of boarding for your pet on Maui while on vacation, I HIGHLY recommend The Ohana Animal Inn, in Kula.  The facility is located on a beautiful piece of land with views of the ocean and of the West Maui Mountains.  The location is a place I wouldn't mind taking a vacation at, so I always feel happy to leave my dog in their care.  

We've taken our cocker spaniel there for the past 3 years whenever we need to plan a trip to the mainland, and it's the best boarding facility I've ever seen.  I especially like how reasonable the rates are, given its location and size.  Dogs of any size are $25 a night.  They take any pet, so you if own chickens, mice, or turtles, you are in luck!  Check out their website for more information.

We live in Kihei and the drive to Kula may be considered 'out of the way' for many, but the drive to the boarding facility is so beautiful that the drive is worth it.

Just across the drive way of the boarding facility, is a small little farm with goats, turkeys, chickens, and geese.  It's a lot of fun to see these animals, especially for my 2 year-old daughter, and it adds to the character of The Ohana Animal Inn.

TIP:  If you are planning on making reservations for your pet at The Ohana Animal Inn during the Thanksgiving or Christmas break, make sure you book early since it does fill up quickly!

After such hearing such wonderful praises from other parents about Valley Isle Gymnastics in Kahului on Maui, I decided to sign up my 2 and a half year-old daughter for a toddler class.

And I'm very glad I did!  Although I was very interested in enrolling her in an activity over the summer, I wasn't sure if she was ready for a structured class, nor emotionally ready to engage in an activity with other children (I just pictured her standing off to the side as she just watched rather than participate).  So therefore, I wasn't ready to pay for a class that she wouldn't appreciate or enjoy.

As I've noticed her developing more and more and becoming more engaging with other children, I felt it was time to sign her up for a gymnastics class.

She is enrolled in a weekly 45 minute Discovery Class with other 2 and 3 year-olds.  The class, which also requires parent participation, focuses on basic gymnastic skills.  They get get to play on the large trampoline, low bars, various mats, and balance beams. 

The best thing about the class is her coach, Coach Rusty, since he is VERY patient and engaging with the children.  Each class has a focus and starts out with a 5 to 10 minute warm-up routine with stretching, music, and games.  After that the children are encouraged to roam and play with the various equipment with the coach's assistance of demonstrating certain techniques and movements.  The structure of the class is great for my daughter because of her limited attention span, like most 2 year-olds, and allows her to discover skills on her own, but with the help of an instructor.

It's only been her second class and she LOVES it!  She looks forward to it each week and isn't quite ready to leave when the class is over.  I highly recommend the class to other parents of 2 and 3 year-olds. 

Valley Isle Gymnastics also offers classes for other age groups ranging from 2 months to 18 years old, so definitely check it out!

Every time I visit Mana Kai, a gorgeous condominium resort located in South Maui, I instantly feel like I'm on vacation. 

The glorious ocean views, warm sun, and the white sandy beach just outside the building make me want to drop everything and just relax one of their beach chairs on the lawn and forget about what I have to do for the rest of the day.

If I were on vacation, I would definitely want to stay here.  Located in Kihei, just north of Wailea on South Kihei Road, Mana Kai is situated on one of Maui's premier beaches. 

The one and two bedroom condo units include a fully equipped kitchen and private lanai, and allow short-term vacation rentals.  This complex is perfect for someone who loves to vacation in South Maui, but would enjoy the benefit of leasing their unit to vacationers when not on the island.

Mana Kai Resort has recently been renovated and features a beautiful pool, activities desk, beauty shop, open-air dining that offers an EXCELLENT Happy Hour at Five Palms Grill, general store and gift shop, and Maui Yoga Path yoga center.

For more information about Mana Kai, or information on available condominium units for purchase, please contact me!

The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit has officially been extended!  Just last week, the bill was approved and signed by President Obama, which is great news for first-time home owners, as well as existing home-owners.

I wrote an earlier blog on the tax credit, which was set to expire November 30, 2009, about the details and qualifications for this credit. 

The extension to the existing first-time home buyer credit is the same amount, $8,000, and expires April 30, 2010.  If a binding contract is signed by April 30, 2010, the home purchase will qualify if it closes by June 30, 2010.

Income limits, however, have been extended for sales occurring after November 6, 2009. For single taxpayers, the limit is $125,000, and for married couples filing jointly, the limit is $225,000.

For sales occurring between January 1, 2009 and November 6, 2009, the limit for single taxpayers is $75,000 and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly.

There is also a credit for existing home owners, as well. 

A credit of $6,500 will be granted to existing home-owners for home purchases occuring between November 6, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010 (or purchased by June 30, 2010 with a binding contract signed by April 30, 2010).

One of the qualification of this credit is that the owner must have owned and lived in a home for 5 consecutive years of the 8 years prior to the new purchase date.

For income limits and more qualifications for the existing home-buyer credit, please visit:

http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/faq2.php#1

Photo courtesy of fotosearch

You may have heard about this inspirational story of an unbreakable bond between a U.S. Marine and a stray dog from Iraq, which aired on the Today Show a couple days ago.

If you haven't, I've included the video below. 

The story is so touching, I just had to share it.

It is a beautiful story of a stray dog, who had suffered the abuse of an Iraqi soldier, that captured the heart of a U.S. Marine, Dennis, while serving duty in Iraq.  After becoming briefly separated, the dog walked 75 miles to be reunited with the soldier.  Although it is against policy for soldiers to care for dogs while serving, Dennis was determined to keep him. 

He arranged for the dog to be flown to his home in San Diego, where Dennis would eventually meet up with him.  The cost of the dog's travel was going to amount to $5,000, but with the overwhelming help of his friends and strangers back in the U.S., his dog was able to make the trip. 

Dennis and 'Nubs' are now inseparable.

Piilani Villages II and III is one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Kihei, which located in South Maui.  The nearby location to stores, restaurants, beautiful beaches, and schools cannot be beat.  Families, couples, and retirees also enjoy the peace and quiet of the area. 

The neighborhood is a popular spot for trick-or-treaters on Halloween, and this recent Halloween was no exception.  Many neighbors get in the spirit with lawn decorations, making the evening a fun and festive event!

Homes in the neighborhood range from 2 bedroom/2 bath to 4 bedroom/3.5 bath floor-plans.  If you are interested in homes for sale in the neighborhood, click here.

These are the homes that have sold with the past 6 month, 5/3/09 through 11/3/09: