Waikiki
Known in Hawaiian as “spouting fresh water” because of the streams that once separated Waikiki from the interior of Oahu, this community was originally a hotspot for Hawaiian royalty. The first recorded history begins in 1790 when Kalanikupule, the chief of Oahu, hijacked a ship to start an attack against Kamehameha I. This began the battle of Nuuanu Pali when Kamehamela defeated Kalanikupule and took control of Oahu.
In the late 1800s King Kalakaua invited famous guests to his private beach house, such as Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote many novels on Oahu. It became a vacation destination for the rest of the world in 1901 when its first hotel, the Moana Surfrider, was built at Diamond Head. Due to the area’s extreme swampiness, which caused serious mosquito problems, the swamp was replaced with the Ala Wai Canal in 1921. At that time more hotels were built, confirming Waikiki as a destination for wealthy tourists.
Located on the South Shore of the island, Waikiki extends from the Ala Wai Canal, which was dug to drain former wetlands, on the west and north, to Diamond Head on the east. The community is home to the “Father of modern surfing,” Duke Kahanamoku, who won Olympic gold medals in the 100-meter freestyle in 1912 and 1920. He later became a Hollywood actor and helped spread the popularity of surfing and the spirit of Hawaii around the world. The statue of him at legendary Waikiki Beach is a symbol of the community.
Today, Waikiki is populated with a plethora of high-rises and resort hotels. The beach is fairly short and the surf there is known for its long rolling break, which makes it perfect for any type of surfing. Though Waikiki is known as a great vacation destination, thousands of residents call it home, primarily in high-rise condos and apartment buildings that offer unparalleled ocean and mountain views, and amenities such as pools and barbecue stations.
Offering great views of the Honolulu skyline, Waikiki residents also enjoy world-class shopping, entertainment, and dining on the main strip of Kalakaua Avenue. Other Waikiki attractions are the Waikiki Aquarium, as well as the nearby Honolulu Zoo and the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. Waikiki is also adjacent to the Ala Moana Shopping Center, known as the world’s largest open air shopping center, and just a short distance to the specialty stores and theaters of Ward Centers.
Testimonials
“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 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!!!”
“We interviewed three different Realtors and we Team Lally were incredibly organized and impressive. We hired them to help us find a home in Hawaii. They had such great local knowledge and incredibly responsive. True Professionals!! Unfortunately, my job situation changed and we ended up not buying a home, but if we are coming back we know who we would work with. Team Lally is #1 in our book!”
“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 …
“Team Lally did a wonderful job selling our home and answering all of our questions and concerns! Howard and Christopher have been there for my every need even after the sale of my home! A wonderful crew over there!”
“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.”
“Team Lally definitely earned our business. They took pictures of our house and gave us a detailed pictorial guide of what we could do to get our house ready for the market. Everything they recommended was doable, concrete, and incredibly helpful. They are consistent, very professional and we’d highly recommend them!”
“When my husband and I got transferred here with the Coast Guard we were interested in purchasing our first home. We found Adrianne through other military members that she had helped. Adrianne and her team went above and beyond to help us find our first home. She took out all the stress and helped us every step of the way, from finding a home to finding a lender to get a loan. We found a short sell and she helped us get into our house and close within a month! Adrianne and her team has made us feel like family the way they take the time to call and check on us throughout the years and through their client appreciation events. Thanks again Adrianne and Team Lally!”
“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”
“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!”