Kailua
In Hawaiian, Kailua means “two seas,” named because of the two lagoons in the district that run through Kailua Bay. Mainly a residential community, Kailua is just 30 minutes from Honolulu and has a population of about 36,000 residents. The community is accessible from the Pali Highway (Route 61).
According to an archaeological excavation report, the earliest settlers in Kailua are believed to have dwelled on the slopes of the Kawainui Marsh as early as 500 AD. In the 16th century, Kailua replaced Waikiki as the residential seat of the Alii Aimoku of Oahu. According to historical accounts, the biggest event in Kailua was in 1795 when King Kamehameha I conquered O’ahu in his mission to unite the Hawaiian Islands. The King granted old Kailua to the chiefs and warriors who had helped him. The land that they received was used for agriculture, such as the cultivation of rice, taro and sugarcane, and eventually to raise cattle. Kailua is home to numerous ancient temple ruins, including the ones at Ulupo Heiau State Historic Site, a temple whose construction was attributed to the legendary Menehune and which later became a luakini, dedicated to human sacrifice.
Often called Hawaii’s best beach, Kailua Beach is about two miles long and crescent-shaped. It’s a popular location for surfing and bodysurfing due to its light to medium waves. Kailua Beach also has steady trade winds that make it one of the world’s best kitesurfing and windsurfing spots.
Kailua is known for its strong sense of community, holding Christmas and Fourth of July parades every year. To add to its family reputation, to the town also holds block parties, Little League games, and canoe paddling events.
Real estate in Kailua offers ample opportunities for both buying and renting. Many neighborhoods offer a plethora of single-family homes, as well as condominiums and townhomes. Known predominately as a beach community, most residential areas are no more than a few miles from the beach. Architecture tends to be modest post-war post and pier bungalows, or mid-century bungalows, plantation or ranch-style homes, mainly built between 1945 and 1965. For more modern construction, luxury homes and estates can be found in other areas of Kailua, such as in Lanikai and Beachside. Thanks to its beautiful commute to Honolulu, gorgeous beaches, and proximity to Marine Crops Base Hawaii, the property values in Kailua have held up much better than most other areas on Oahu, despite the current economic downturn.
Testimonials
“Aloha! Calen at Team Lally has worked with my husband and I since day 1 of our search for our home. She was always so prompt with emails, house listings and also giving us an unbiased and honest opinion. She’s extremely knowledgeable about real estate and was constantly patient if we had any questions. She would always make sure that we could get the most bout of our money and would constantly be negotiating for us with our best interests at heart. She was on top of things and I didn’t have to go hunting for her or feel alone in this process. Our experience with working with Calen at Team Lally has been such a pleasant and personal experience that anyone should be blessed with! Elizabeth and Justin Munson”
“Team Lally did a fantastic job in every aspect of my home buying process. Adrienne was always quick to respond to any and every question I could come up with. She and her team did every thing they could to make sure my home buying process was successful. Adrienne also proved to be a great resource for recommending local contractors after I bought the house and needed a bit of work done to it.”
“Last year my wife and I came to Hawaii for a quick to buy a house for our impending move to the islands. Cherrie worked hard and helped us to get under contrsct and then close the deal. Hats off to the Lally Team”
“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 has been very helpful during our short sale process. They are committed to us and have a lot experience in short sales so it makes it much smoother to complete this long drawn out process. I am thankful for all their help, expertise, and patience during this short sale. I absolutely recommend Team Lally for anyone who wants an experienced Team working for them in the real estate and housing market.”
“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.”
“I walked away from my property three years ago and assumed that it would get foreclosed upon or just disappear….Three years later I was contacted by a tenant that was being rented the condo from a company that was operating illegally and claimed to have ownership of it….I contacted Team Lally and they were able to navigate these very difficult waters: me not having paid my mortgage for three years, a company claiming ownership, the condo association not happy because they were not paid for three years…Team Lally worked through all of this to complete a short sale of the property and I paid virtually nothing…I worked with other real estate companies in the past and Team Lally blows them away, I would highly recommend them for all your real estate needs”
“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.”
“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 and her team helped tremendously with the sale of our home. I had relocated to the mainland on short notice due to a job and my wife was left with the daunting task to prep and sell our home before she could follow. Adrienne helped her get the property ready and advised her along the way. The sale closed pretty close to the schedule that Adrienne estimated and soon after my wife was able to join me on the mainland. Thanks Adrienne and Team Lally.”