Honolulu and Oahu
No matter where you’re from you’ve probably heard of Honolulu. Unless you’ve spend time in Hawaii, however, you may never have heard of Oahu. In reality, what most people call “Honolulu” is actually the island of Oahu. That is, the names are used interchangeably these days to mean the entire island on which the capital of Hawaii sits. Technically, though, Honolulu makes up only one small part of the island of Oahu – the urban center on the island’s southeastern shore.
The local government structure on Oahu backs up the practice of calling the whole island “Honolulu.” Established as a consolidated city-county in 1907, the City and County of Honolulu is divided into nine administrative districts that encompass the entire island of Oahu. Honolulu’s urban district serves as the state’s largest city and capital, while the county consists of a diverse group of unincorporated subdivisions, which are unofficial towns and cities. Some are surfing paradises and tourist havens, like North Shore and Waikiki, and others, like Kailua and Mililani, are residential bedroom communities for business professionals seeking a quieter life.
The spectacular scenery that dominates Honolulu, as well as its laid-back island vibe, makes it a desirable real estate hotspot. Today the housing trend in Honolulu is still strong compared to some mainland areas. In fact, according to the Honolulu Board of Realtors, in 2013 the residential real estate market continued to enjoy strong sales, with thousands of homes changing hands at a median home price of $575,000.
Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting
HONOLULU COUNTY QUICK FACTS
(Source: U.S. Census, Honolulu Board of Realtors)
| Population (2012) |
976,372 |
| Population growth, 2010 to 2012 |
+2.4% |
| Median Age (2012) |
37.6 |
| Land Area |
596.66 miles |
| Persons per square mile |
1,586 |
| Median Household Income (2011) |
$71,263 |
OAHU RESIDENTIAL RESALES
(Source: Honolulu Board of Realtors)
| Type of Home |
Median Sales Price |
# Sold |
||
|
|
|
|||
| 2013 | Single family |
$684,000 |
296 |
|
| Condominium |
$330,000 |
407 |
||
| 2010 | Single Family |
$592,750 |
3,051 |
|
| Condominium |
$305,000 |
3,934 |
||
| 2009 | Single Family |
$575,000 |
2,585 |
|
| Condominium |
$302,000 |
3,467 |
||
| 2008 | Single Family |
$624,000 |
2,741 |
|
| Condominium |
$325,000 |
3,933 |
SALE PRICE BY NEIGHBORHOOD
Median Sales Price
(Source: Honolulu Board of Realtors)
|
Single-Family Homes |
Condominiums |
|
|
|
||
| Metro Honolulu |
$722,500 |
$320,000 |
| Diamond Head/Waikiki |
$936,000 |
$437,500 |
| Hawaii Kai |
$850,000 |
$539,000 |
| Kailua |
$774,500 |
$415,000 |
| Kaneohe |
$663,800 |
$400,000 |
| North Shore |
$797,500 |
$325,000 |
| Central Oahu/Mililani |
$580,000 |
$307,500 |
| Leeward Coast/Waianae |
$380,000 |
$154,000 |
| Ewa Plain |
$465,000 |
$299,000 |
| Makakilo/Kapolei |
$560,000 |
$299,000 |
| Waipahu |
$550,000 |
$280,000 |
| Pearl City |
$627,300 |
$302,900 |
Testimonials
“When it comes to Team Work, Team Lally is the best!. Great communication and customer service. Adrianne and Attilio kept us updated during the entire process of selling our home. The entire helped us through the process and gave us great advice. Thank you Team Lally!!!”
“The pros of Team Lally simply cannot be surprised in the real estate world. They have done and seen it all. I was astounded and relieved to see them address all my concerns and even accurately predict what would happen next. The mark of a true professional is to be so in tune with your chosen field that to a lay person like me, it looks like magic!”
“Adrienne was very helpful in selling our house. It took us a year and a half to decide to list and never did we feel pressured to do so before we were ready. We always received good information and all of our questions were answered in a timely fashion. Adrienne and her team were able to work with the buyers agent and our lenders to close our short sale in a timely fashion. I would not hesitate to refer friends to Adrienne when selling or buying a home.”
“Adrienne and Atillio knew the urgency in selling our home and worked so quick that at times I was overwhelmed. When they got a buyer, their team Member Howard Nett was so helpful in keeping us informed and updated as to how things were progressing and things we needed to do, that it made this whole process comfortable for us. We are VERY satisfied with their services. We recommend Team Lally when you are looking to sell your home.”
“We worked with Cathy from Team Lally during the purchase of our new house, and it was great. She was very professional, knowledgeable, responsive and fun to work with. We found a great house that we love and moved in ahead of the estimated closing date. Best of all, we paid less than the asking price, and her recommended offer was right on point with the VA appraisal. Overall, it was a great experience, and I would recommend Cathy and Team Lally to anyone looking for a house.”
“When my husband and I began working with Team Lally, we thought we were in an impossible situation. We had been working with our then current realtor for more than a year and to no avail. The short sale on our condo proved to be too much for her. Three failed contracts later, we were finally referred to Team Lally. At this point in the process, we were very disappointed and a skeptical.To our surprise we were greeted with smiling faces and reassuring words by Adrienne Lally and Attilio Leonardi, however, I still remained skeptical. Then we were introduced to Howard, an Agent with Team Lally. From the start he was professional and extremely efficient and patient. He worked day and night and made me feel we were Team Lally’s only clients. I would honestly have so much anxiety with our short sale and yet every time I spoke with Howard I was put at ease. It took six months to close, but it was to no fault of our Realtors but due to our Mortgage Company (GreenTree) dragging their feet and playing hardball. The entire process was made easy with Team Lally steering us. Howard’s communication and explanations in all of this is what made it straightforward. Whether via email or telephone, I felt informed of the whole process. Again, I honestly at one point thought we were his only clients. Thank you Howard. Team Lally is EXCELLENT! They used every avenue to promote our property, from the internet like Zillow and Trulia to mailings to magazines. They took a disappointing …
“Adrienne was very in tune to my desires to sell my property. I was losing money on it and even though I didn’t do a short sale, she was very much prepared in advising me of all of my options. We sold the property for what I was hoping to get for it and the process was smooth and as painless as possible. She was always available to answer my questions and I couldn’t have had a more professional team helping me out.”
“I purchased my home as a single woman nearly 10 years ago in what I call a “big girl moment”. I improved it over the years, and then decided to move home to the mainland to be closer to my family. I was referred to Team Lally, and much differently than other agents I was referred to, they called me immediately, providing a full scope of their services, which is impressive. I liked the fact that they had me meet them in their office, outside the potentially emotional environment of my home. This is business, after all! My home was first shown on June 10 and closed at a handsome price on August 30. Wow. These guys communicate regularly by phone, provide excellent service via email and while closing the sale I experienced the best possible service. Were I to contemplate moving back to Hawaii, Team Lally would be my first call!”
“Team Lally are great. I have not had the chance to buy a house yet but I know that whenever we walk in the office we are considered not only a valued customer but as family. I am lucky to have them on my side.”
“My esperience working with Team Lally was outstanding! The entire team collaborated with me, even though I was 12 time zones away! Working together, we were able to focus my search on the selected properties during my inital 8 day visit to Oahu. Team Lally helped me understand the local market, while listening to, and addressing my concerns all along the way! The outcome was the right house, at a great price! We even closed on the property before my final arrival on island! My thanks to all! Team Lally is truly a customer focused team!”