Metro Honolulu
While the various Oahu neighborhoods listed in this chapter are often referred to collectively as “Honolulu,” this name most literally applies to the neighborhoods nearest the city center. Located on the southeastern shore of Oahu, Honolulu is the 12th largest municipal government in the U.S., with a population of approximately 905,000 residents.
As the capital of Hawaii, Honolulu is the largest city in the Hawaiian Islands and the main airport and seaport location. Previously named Kou, Honolulu means “place of shelter,” and evidence shows that the first settlement in the area was as early as the 12th century. According to history, after Kamehameha I conquered Oahu, he moved his court to Waikiki in 1804. In 1809, his court relocated back to what is now downtown Honolulu. Kamehameha III moved the permanent capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom to Honolulu in 1845, and in the years that followed the area was transformed as a modern city and the center of commerce in the islands. The introduction of modern air travel helped bring rapid growth in development and tourism to the city.
One of the area’s darkest historical events occurred in 1900, when the Great Honolulu Chinatown Fire took place, in which fires set to incinerate garbage in response to the bubonic plague raged for 17 days, leaving 7,000 residents homeless.
The city of Honolulu is made up of various districts. Downtown Honolulu is known as the financial, commercial, and governmental center of Hawaii. The tallest building is the 438-foot First Hawaiian Center, located on King and Bishop Streets. The Hawaii Pacific University’s downtown campus is also located there. The Arts District is a 12-block area on the eastern edge of Chinatown, bounded by Bethel & Smith Streets and Nimitz Highway and Beretania Street. It is home to numerous arts and cultural institutions and part of the Chinatown Historic District. The Capitol District is the eastern part of downtown and is the current and historic center of Hawaii’s state government. It incorporates the Hawaii State Capitol, Honolulu Hale (City Hall), Iolani Palace, State Library, and the King Kamehameha I statue.
Downtown Honolulu is also home to various cultural opportunities, such as the Honolulu Symphony, which was established in 1900 and is the oldest U.S. symphony orchestra west of the Rocky Mountains. The Honolulu Academy of Arts has the largest collection of Asian and Western art in Hawaii, as well as the largest collection of Islamic art, in the Shangri La estate. The Hawaii State Art Museum also boasts a collection of traditional Hawaiian art. Other attractions include the Honolulu Zoo, the main zoo on the Hawaiian islands, the Waikiki Aquarium, as well as many botanical gardens. Named the fittest city by Men’s Fitness in 2004, Honolulu is also home to the Honolulu marathon, and the NCAA football Hawaii Bowl and Pro Bowl.
Real estate in the city of Honolulu is diverse, with a wide range of architectural styles to choose from. From luxury high rise condos to modest inland homes to stylish estates, the city offers something for every budget and buyer.
Testimonials
“Mrs Lally was very aggressive with advertising and putting our home out there. She sold our house 5 days after listing. Wow! We were excited and very impressed with her quick sale. We will definetly use her services again when we sell our next home.”
“I am a retired, disabled veteran. In the summer of 2013, I faced significant financial, professional, and personal challenges. At the center of these challenges was the fact that my home was under water and I could not continue making payments. I had previously worked with three other real estate agents on island (two from major companies and one independent) and could not better my situation. Facing the brink of foreclosure and financial ruin, I called Team Lally on a recommendation from a friend. From that moment forward, I was able to take comfort in the belief that these people would achieve the best possible outcomes for my circumstance. While all Team Lally members went above and beyond to help me, I would like to highlight a few.Adrienne Lally, President/Team Lally – Simply the best real estate professional I have ever worked with. Within 36 hours of first contact, she had personally assessed my home and situation, and developed a cogent, strategic plan for presentation, foreclosure avoidance, and best-pricing. Her knowledge of the Hawaii real estate market is beyond reproach and she repeatedly took the time to answer every question and concern that I had. As a veteran herself, she offered unique insight on my circumstance and developed a rapport I found with no other real estate agent. Most importantly, she maintained consistent contact throughout the process via weekly updates, even after I left the islands. I was never just a number to Adrienne Lally. If I am e…
“Aloha, I am in the Coast Guard and my husband is a self employed landscaper, together we are very hard workers, but we aren’t the only ones. Team Lally is a hardworking real estate team who deliver exception customer service, care about their customers needs, remain patient and cater to customers ultimate desire. We purchased a beautiful home in Makakilo August 2012. When Team Lally showed us the house for the first time, we said “this is the one we want and we will wait a year if we have to.” Team Lally understood our end desire, accommodated us, and didn’t try to detour us into another purchase. They remained patient and informative through the short sale process and in the end, six months later, we got the house we wanted and felt relieved that we had an outstanding team who assisted us in making our dreams come true. Thank you Team Lally, I will always refer your team and I hope others will trust in your team as we did. Mahalo Crystal & Sandro”
“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.”
Sold a Condo home in 2013 in Kapolei, HI.
“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!”
“Aloha, My name is Bryon Tucker. My wife and I sold our home via Short Sale with Remax Team Lally. We are very pleased with the sale! I have had the pleasure of working with Adrienne & Attilio for the past several years. They work hard and educate themselves. There is nobody in this business that works harder, studies more, and has the experience to sell your home.! And their marketing systems is second to none!! They make it easy….they handle the banks for you…so you don’t have to! When it comes to selling your home in distress, do what I did! Sell your home with Remax Team Lally! Yay!!!!”
“Aloha! I have worked with Adrienne for several years. She is the hardest worker and the most knowledgeable realtor I know. And there is nobody better than Team Lally when it comes to Short Sales! That’s why I used her! Her Team sold my home! And they make it easy with their outstanding team! And their marketing is 2nd to none! I highly recommend Adrienne and Team Lally!!”
“We had a friend that asked who could help their move to paradise. It sounds cool however they were stressed. After making a couple of calls, I knew who they needed to call. Team Lally exceeded their expectations and after the first call the stress level went way down. Thanks for your help. We can’t wait to make our visit and give you a hug in person.”
“Adrienne and her team were immediately responsive to my inquiry about their services and very thorough from the beginning. They applied their expertise through the listing, sale and close of my home at a high level of satisfaction for me. The sale of my home closed in just under 3 months. I moved out of state and felt they did an excellent job of communicating with me as an absentee seller.”