Update on HGTV episode “A young, active couple house hunts on Oahu for a home where they can start a family.”

Are you wondering what happened to Shavonne and Thi Truong after their HGTV episode filmed? They were looking for a newer home with easy access to the beach in the $500-700K range here on Oahu. They have dogs and hope to have children so a yard was important as well. For Thi light and lots of windows turned out to be an important detail. For Shavonne a great master suite with a large walk-in closet, and a spacious master bath turned out to be “must haves.” With that in mind we found three properties to consider.

Ko Olina Resort on Oahu’s Leeward Coast

First we looked at a great townhouse condo priced at $625,000 at Ko Olina Resort in the Ko Olina Golf Estate neighborhood. Although Thi & Shavonne were hoping for a single family home, the high ceilings and spaciousness of this town home surprised them. As it’s in the resort, the ease of being just a short distance to the beach was also a big plus. As we talked the idea of “no yard work or house maintenance” also meant more time at the beach together. In the end this is the home they chose and I could certainly see why. Although Thi and Shavonne hoped to get it, another lucky buyer bought it at full price. Prices have edged up slightly since then and there is a similar town home available now, MLS 201334665 priced at $660,000.

Golf in Kapolei

Next we looked at a great home with a backyard priced at $599,000 on a golf course in Kapolei. The home had a photovoltaic solar panel system – a big plus here in Hawaii as electricity if extremely expensive. The kitchen was updated too, another plus. Currently there is one home in a slightly older neighborhood on another golf course, MLS 201400992, priced at $639,000. For those with a bit higher budget there are lovely new homes on a golf course nearer the beach prices starting at $800,000 + that are definitely worth checking out. There is a wait for build-out of a few months, but as they are competitively priced it can be well worth it for a brand new home with a warranty.

Up on the hill in Makakilo

Finally we looked at a home in Makakilo. Makakilo is hill overlooking the Ewa Plain, with homes often having great Ocean, Mountain and City views. It’s a bit cooler as well with nice breezes. The hill is a mix of new and older homes. They looked at a newer home near the top of the hill with great views all around of mountains, Pearl Harbor and even a bit of ocean. Priced at $689,000, it was the highest priced home we looked at as well as the largest. Although they chose not to pursue it, this home quickly sold for $685,000.  If you liked the look of that home you might want to check out MLS 201334498 priced at  $656,780. Same builder and similar design, although the views aren’t quite as expansive. There is also a new home subdivision going in, and the homes have similar price points. Like the other new development I mentioned above there is a lag time as they can’t build them fast enough for the demand, but if a new home priced competitively sounds good it may be worth the wait. Many of them have great views.

The Conclusion?

Despite being only 15 minutes apart by car these three areas offer very different lifestyles and amenities with new or newer homes at attractive prices. If you are checking out one of these areas you’d best check out all three because, like the Truongs, you may surprise yourself and discover what at first seemed to not be a desirable option really is desirable after all. For the Truongs it was learning that a town house was actually a better option than a single family home. For others the surprise is often that a view or proximity to the beach is more important in the end then more square footage. When you are ready to start looking for your Hawaii Life what will you decide is the most important?