North Kona Offers a Wide Variety of Subdivisions

There are so many types of residential subdivisions in the North Kona area. They stretch from the coastline and up the gentle slopes of Hualalai into the clouds of Kaloko. If you are planning a purchase of either vacant land or an existing home in the North Kona or anywhere on our Big Island, take some time to assess your expectations, wants, and needs.

Price point and your budget might automatically do some of that for you. Are you looking for a gated community? Are amenities like tennis courts or community pool a plus? How will the HOA fees (Home Owners Association) going to affect your monthly budget? Do you want to live in a community with rules (Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions)  for the neighborhood otherwise known as CC&Rs?  They describe the requirements and limitations about what you can and can’t do with your property. CC&Rs are designed to protect, preserve, and enhance property values in the community. Architectural design such as minimum square feet of living space, roof material, and height restrictions can also come into play. The fact is, not everyone likes to be told what color they can paint their home or whether you can park your boat in your driveway. On the other side of the coin, some homeowners want to be assured their neighbor isn’t going for the bright neon home look to express individuality. Or have the “Salty Tutu” parked in the front yard ready to roll out to sea. Be sure that your personal preferences and lifestyle are factored into the area you choose to invest and live.

Over the past twenty plus years that Audrey and I have been living here in Kona, there are three subdivisions that we have built our personal home and lived in for three to five plus years. The first one was built in Kona Acres. This area is located adjacent to another subdivision called Kona Palisades and is accessed off of a main road called Kaiminani Drive. Kona Acres was a perfect location for our first build. Elevation runs from around 700 – 1200 ft. Each lot is one acre, and the area has a nice country feel yet very close to town and the airport. It was an older development started in the late 1970’s and Zoned Ag. 1 for “Gentleman Farming” use. They have a volunteer HOA with optional annual dues of $20 (subject to change by HOA vote). Most associations post their CC&Rs online. Many of the guidelines in this type of CC&Rs fall under the same restrictions the County of Hawaii enforce.

Kona Acres Map

Our next home was built in Kona Heavens. We were fortunate to find a lot at the end of dead end road There are no through roads in most of the subdivision. The lot had a big buffer of undeveloped land to the north that added great privacy. The lot was also at an ideal elevation approximately 1000 ft. Kona Heavens is located a few miles South of Kona Acres and has many similarities to the Kona Acres HOA with dues being optional. The original developer built larger upscale homes in the mid-1990s. The clean look of underground utilities is noticeable as soon as you enter the development. This offers many of the homes fantastic unobstructed coastline views. I submitted our house plans to the design review committee for approval. Things like minimum square feet, type of roof material came into play. We complied and received approval without any issues.

Audrey & I used a machete to see if our Kona Heavens Lot had a View… Good news… It Did!

The third and current home has been built in Hualalai Vistas. This is the newest of subdivisions that we have built in to date. New construction is in full swing right now with as many as five or more new homes being built currently in this tiny little 45 lot community. Please see my earlier posts for details and a progressive look at the construction process of our latest home.

These three subdivisions all fit our lifestyle at the time and that’s important when making one of the biggest decisions one might make in life. If you are seeking your next dream home and might be interested in the North Kona area, please contact me. I would be happy to share with you my personal experience and assist any way I can.

Aloha and Mahalo for reading my blog!