Kohala Coast "Neighborhoods" 2010 Market Recap

2010—for Kohala “Gold” Coast neighborhoods the year was…well, better than 2009!

Ahhh…relax on the Big Island’s Gold Coast under the covered lanai of this Kohala Ranch estate asking $2,499,000 (MLS# 240141)

I’ve started lumping the residential neighborhoods of Kohala Ranch, Kohala-by-the-Sea, Kohala Waterfront, and Kohala Estates together when looking at active and sold properties on this part of the Big Island’s Gold Coast.

While some owners and potential buyers might not agree given there are some vast differences in location (Kohala Waterfront, for example, sits makai of the highway), in general the price points take care of the distinctions between ‘hoods, and to see an overview of the area versus a specific neighborhood seems to make the most sense—especially when there’s only one sale in an entire year, as there was in Kohala Estates in 2010 (a two-story foreclosure sold for $440,000 in November.)

The most activity by far was found in Kohala Ranch—with 9 homes and 7 parcels of land changing hands in 2010. The lowest priced home sold for $840,000 while the most expensive sold for $2.6M, both located in the prestigious Heathers section of the Ranch.

In fact, 6 of the 9 houses sold were in the Heathers, demonstrating once again buyer’s preference for a desirable location. The least expensive lot that sold in 2010 went for $150K in August for 3 acres in the Meadows, and the most expensive was a tie between 10+ acres at the Summit in February, and a 3+ acre parcel in the Heathers in December—both for $450K.

Sales in Kohala-by-the-Sea were slow by comparison with only two houses changing hands—one for $865,000 and the other for $1,600,000—both in the Spring. There were only 4 lot sales—from $150,000 to $350,000 with the last property selling in August. Seems to me, there might be some motivated sellers in this subdivision, such as our gorgeous lot listed at $275,000 (MLS# 231301). Click here to see a video of this property offering.

Kohala Waterfront saw only two sales all year long—one estate home that sold as a short sale for $1,400,000, and one parcel conveyed for $590,000—both in May.

The whales are breaching, the weather is fantastic, it must be winter, and the “selling season” has begun. What Kohala Coast neighborhood property will be the next to sell? Perhaps this one, asking $649,000 in Kohala Estates??