Choosing the Best Interior Designer on Maui

Maui Interior Designers

Transforming your space with the perfect interior design is easier said than done. Maui is a location unlike any other, and there are some unique challenges to successfully designing or redesigning your living space. Great designers will embrace the laid-back vibe of island life while balancing your taste, needs, and budget. 

Many of the newer condos and homes on Maui feature open floor plans and ample indoor-outdoor living spaces, while older properties may lack a contemporary layout and require more remodeling.

Either way, a great interior designer will usually strive to incorporate a tropical aesthetic with materials that withstand the area’s salty air and intense UV rays.

The best interior…

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Maui's Best Vacation Rentals to Rent or Own

Vacation Rentals Maui

From Maui’s incredible beauty and world-class beaches to its unforgettable sunsets and breathtaking scenery, it is the ultimate destination for a tropical island getaway.

When searching for a vacation rental on Maui, either to rent or to own, most people are looking for something that combines the comforts and luxuries of home with the authentic feel of the islands.  However, with numerous vacation rentals on Maui to choose from, identifying the property that’s the best fit for you can be a little overwhelming.

After 16 years of living and working on Maui, with intimate knowledge of these complexes, I’ve put together a short list of some of the best options Maui has to offer at a variety of price…

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Maui Real Estate Market Report April 2026: Iran War Shrouds Market in Uncertainty

Maui Real Estate Market

For nearly two years, the broader real estate market on Maui has been in decline, as evidenced by several key metrics, including total closed sales and median and average closed sale prices.

While our micro-markets and certain segments of our market have performed differently (e.g., apartment-zoned short-term rentals vs. hotel-zoned short-term rentals; single-family homes vs. condos, luxury market vs. non-luxury market), the overall trends have been falling prices, rising inventory, and an increasingly buyer-friendly market.

Factors such as Bill 9's efforts to take away short term rental rights, higher mortgage rates, and now the war in Iran have been weighing…

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Wailea Real Estate Market Report April 2026

Wailea Real Estate Market

Wailea is one of Maui's most pristine and coveted resort areas. Known primarily for its amazing sunny weather, calm beaches, and luxury lifestyle, Wailea is also home to some of Maui's most beautiful properties and a robust luxury real estate market.

There are 18 different communities with condos for sale in Wailea, 9 of which are currently approved for short-term rentals and 9 of which are not. There are 8 residential neighborhoods with homes for sale in Wailea, all of which are gated. 

Makena, a smaller but more expensive market, is included in MLS statistical reporting alongside Wailea. However, with the addition of Makena Golf and Beach Club and the ultra-luxury oceanfront homes in Makena, the…

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Does Maui Have a Water Problem? 

Does Maui have a Water Problem

The Hawaiian Islands occupy a unique position on Planet Earth and are subject to distinct, sometimes extreme, weather patterns. Here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, 2,300 miles from California, Hawaii exists because of a fixed volcanic hot spot in the ocean (a deep plume of magma under the slowly moving Pacific Plate) that has been flowing for millions of years and is currently creating the Big Island.

It's a miracle that life exists in Hawaii and living here in Hawaii, at least in my humble opinion, is also miraculous.

Amazingly, Hawaii Island, the largest of the chain, is still growing from its active volcanoes, while the rest of the main Hawaiian Islands, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Lanai, Molokai, and Niihau,…

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Using a 1031 Exchange on Maui to Leverage Up Without Losing Your Gains to Taxes

1031 Exchange Maui

From the stable cash flow of rental income to the exceptional growth of property value and more, Maui investment properties hold tremendous financial potential. When you sell a rental property or second home, you will ideally enjoy a handsome profit. As is the case with all types of income, Uncle Sam try to take a cut.

Depending on how much appreciation your subject property of the 1031 exchange has had, tax liabilities from selling can be substantial. So, you'll understandably want to avoid taxes, if possible, and maximize your return on your initial investment. Fortunately, you can do so legally with one of the largest wealth-building tools for real estate…

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Montage at Kapalua to Become St. Regis 

St Regis Maui

It was recently announced that Marriott International signed a management agreement with the Tennessee-based owners of the Montage Resort at Kapalua Bay, KWC Management.

The former management agreement was between KWC Management and White Label Asset Management, who continued to operate under the Montage brand after KWC had purchased the property in November of 2023. Marriott will now operate the Resort under their luxury St. Regis Resort Division. 

The Montage Kapalua property has consistently been regarded as one of the very best resorts in the State of Hawaii, and last traded hands when Lantern Asset Management purchased it in 2013 through a foreclosure sale, after it was owned by the infamous Lehman…

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HOA Fees on Maui: Explained

Why are HOA Fees on Maui So Expensive?

Homeowners’ Associations have been around in the United States since the mid-20th century. They operate as non-profit organizations whose primary objectives are to organize, maintain, and protect properties along with their owners within planned communities or subdivisions, condominium complexes, and cooperative ownership agreements. There is a wide variety of HOAs across the country, and specifically on Maui. 

Some HOAs can be very small, with only a few properties in the association, while others can involve 1,000s of homeowners. The most common type of HOA on Maui is a condominium community HOA.

There are hundreds of condo complexes on Maui, and their HOAs use the funds they collect from owners to cover things…

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Explore Maui Neighborhoods and Communities for Families

Neighborhoods on Maui for Families

For a relatively small island, Maui offers a large diversity of lifestyles and microclimates that appeal to a wide range of people.

If you would like a hot, sunny, and dry climate with a beach lifestyle, you’ll find yourself drawn to Kihei, Wailea, Lahaina, or Ka’anapali.

Windsports and surfing enthusiasts are typically drawn to the windswept Northshore, where the community of Spreckelsville offers unparalleled access to extreme ocean sports and the Maui Country Club. Others are seeking a cooler, more rural, tropical rainforest setting in places like Makawao, Haiku, and Hana. Or even a relatively cold setting in upper Kula.

As you search for the ideal community for you and your…

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The 10 Best Luxury Residential Condo Communities on Maui

 Maui's Best Luxury Condo Communties

While much of the focus on Maui’s condo communities over the last two years has centered on short-term rental complexes and which ones are possibly affected by Bill 9, many buyers still prefer condos for personal use only, as primary residences or second homes. 

There are many benefits of using a condo zoned for long-term use only if your plans are to live in it full-time or spend more than just a few weeks in the unit per year. The first benefit is significant savings on property tax rates. 

Short-term rental condo owners pay a much higher property tax rate, approximately double that of the non-owner-occupied rate. If you're purchasing the unit as your primary residence, you’ll pay an…

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