Maui Real Estate FAQs

The median price for a single-family home on Maui is currently $1,200,000, and the median price for a condo on Maui is $675,000.

Maui is one of the most expensive real estate markets anywhere in the United States, and there is a wide variety of properties for sale.

Entry-level condos can start in the $200,000- $300,000 range, while large luxury estates in areas like Makena or Kapalua can exceed $30,000,000. Your budget will determine which areas and property types you should consider.

According to a UHERO report published in 2024, out-of-state buyers accounted for roughly 25% of all home and condo purchases in Hawaii.

This number is higher on Maui, where our robust second-home and short-term rental markets appeal to more out-of-state buyers.

Since the widespread adoption of DocuSign and the rise of virtual home tours, buying property out-of-state and even out-of-country has become very common.

Just like buying anywhere else, you'll want to get pre-approved for financing (or have proof of funds if paying cash), engage a local Maui buyer's agent, identify the property, make an offer, negotiate, and proceed through escrow, which typically takes 30–60 days.

Because you likely can't visit every property in person, video walkthroughs and a trusted local agent are essential.

We will work with a local escrow company (not attorneys) to close the transaction, and signing at closing can be done via DocuSign if the purchase is cash or via a mobile notary if financing is involved.

Yes. There are no restrictions against foreign nationals buying property on Maui. However, Canadians are the largest group of foreign nationals who own on Maui, and there are very few international buyers who aren't Canadian.

Buying property on Maui as a Canadian isn't any different than buying as a US citizen, except for calculating the exchange rate and coordinating signing for closing, where it has become harder to sign at an embassy in recent years, so many Canadians will go to the nearest border town with the US to sign with a US-based mobile notary.

I've even had Canadian clients sign a multi-million-dollar deal on a Maui property with a mobile notary in a restaurant parking lot because it was the easiest option.

There is more to know about selling as an out-of-state non-Hawaii resident or as a foreign national than there is about buying. When selling, out-of-state owners are subject to HARPTA, and foreign nationals are subject to both FIRPTA and HARPTA. 

Fee simple and leasehold are two different types of land tenure and property ownership. Fee simple, simply put, means you own the land and the structures on the land outright.

Leaseholds are not that common, but a good example is a condo complex like Kamaole Nalu. It is an older land development method, meaning you only own the structure while you lease the land beneath it.

Some complexes, such as Ka'anapali Alii, offer both leasehold and fee-simple units.

So, if you see a price that looks too good to be true vs. the comps, it's usually a leasehold. 

A leasehold property will come with a monthly lease rent and a term, typically 15-30 years. The term and lease rent are typically renegotiated every 10 years between the association and the lessor. Learn more about Fee Simple vs. Leasehold. 

Depending on the type of loan structures your lender is offering, you'll typically need 10-30% for a down payment for a home or condo on Maui.

FHA loans for first-time homebuyers can require as little as 5% down, VA loans can require no down payment, but for most purchases, you should budget 20%.

For short-term rental condos, you should budget 25-30% and work with a local Maui lender, as most mainland lenders and banks will not finance these types of properties. 

Most of our real estate transactions on Maui will close in 30-60 days, depending on whether financing is involved.

For cash transactions, my fastest closing was 12 days. My longest escrow, on a new construction home in Launiupoko, was 19 months from accepted offer to closing to allow for completion of construction. 

Financed purchases take longer to accommodate the loan approval process, which requires an appraisal. 

"Best" is going to vary from person to person and will depend entirely on how you see yourself living your best life on Maui.

If you're looking for luxury resort living, a vacation rental investment, or any of the three, consider Wailea, Ka'anapali, and Kapalua.

If you're looking for the most family-friendly communities with close access to schools, shopping, and the airport, consider Wailuku, Kahului, Kihei, and Upcountry.

If you're looking for a surf-and-windsports lifestyle within walking distance of the beach, consider Spreckelsville.

For a rural setting, consider Haiku and the Upcountry Maui areas of Makawao, Pukalani, and Kula.

If you want to narrow down which neighborhood would be best for you, feel free to give me a call at 808-214-4799 to talk about your goals, and I can help you narrow it down.

South Maui is one of the most sought-after areas on the island, encompassing Kihei, Wailea, and Makena.

Wailea is a designated resort area and certainly has a resort feel, with some of the world's biggest luxury hotel brands, including Four Seasons, Fairmont, and Andaz. Fine dining, luxury shopping, gated neighborhoods, and pristine golf courses can all be found here.

Kihei has a more local beach community vibe, with much more budget-friendly options, yet the same great beach experience. Kihei has a variety of wonderful beaches, including the Kamaole Beaches and Waipuilani Beach.

Kihei is a little denser and has a wider variety of real estate for sale. Real estate prices are higher in Wailea, but there are great options in both communities for a variety of properties.

It is safe to buy on West Maui now.

This is a commonly asked question and has certainly been a sensitive issue as Maui navigates a housing crisis, in part brought about by decades of Maui County's reluctance to advance development projects, exacerbated by the displacement of 14,000 residents after the fire.

Things are certainly safe on West Maui, and Lahaina is being rebuilt one house at a time. Commercial projects have not begun yet, and it could be 5 years or more before Front Street is back.

The good news is that the county has been advancing initiatives to help local residents purchase property and/or rebuild, the $ 4 billion-dollar settlement has begun to pay out to victims, and we should see significant improvements over the next couple of years.

I would not advise non-Lahaina residents to purchase in the burn zone, as there are many other options available nearby.

When I first moved to Maui, I lived on Front Street in Lahaina and loved every minute of it for many years. I never saw myself gravitating to Upcountry Maui, but now, 16 years later, I live in Upcountry and absolutely love it.

Upcountry Maui is quiet, peaceful, and a little cooler than the beach towns like Lahaina, Kihei, or Paia. Living here full-time with a busy work and home life, it's hard to get to the beach more than once or twice a week, and we are just about 20 minutes from the nearest beach.

Property prices are slightly lower per square foot in the Upcountry areas, and you're more likely to run into your neighbor on a walk than into throngs of tourists.

Maui County assesses property taxes first by classification of use, either owner-occupied, non-owner-occupied, apartment, hotel and resort, time share, short-term rental, long-term rental, agricultural, conservation, commercial, industrial, or commercialized residential.

Within each classification, there is a tiered structure for the amount of tax owed per 1,000 dollars of assessed value, which increases as the property's assessed value increases.

Maui County assesses property value annually and uses the mass appraisal technique, which can lead to some variances in tax assessed value vs. market value. Your property's assessed value is not based on its most recent sale. Learn more about Maui Property Tax.

If you are curious about a specific property's property tax, all listings on this website include a direct link on their details page to view the current property tax and historical information. 

Current Property Tax Rates Are as Follows (Rates are per $1,000 of assessed value):

Owner Occupied:

• Tier 1: up to $1,300,000=$1.65
• Tier 2: $1,300,000-$4,500,000=$1.80
• Tier 3: more than $4,500,000=$5.75

Non-Owner Occupied:

• Tier 1: up to $1,000,000=$5.87
• Tier 2: $1,000,000 to $3,000,000=$8.60
• Tier 3: more than $3,000,000=$17.00

Apartment (This is for multi-unit complexes, not individual apartments)

• There is only one tier, and the rate is $3.50

Hotel and Resort (This does not apply to hotel-zoned short-term rentals; the TVR-STRH rate will apply to those)

• There is only one rate, and the rate is $11.80

Time Share

• One rate at $14.70

Short Term Rental 

• Tier 1: up to $1,000,000=$12.50
• Tier 2: $1,000,001-$3,000,000=$14.00
• Tier 3: more than $3,000,000=$15.55

Long Term Rental

• Tier 1: up to $1,300,000=$2.95
• Tier 2: $1,300,001-$3,000,000=$5.00
• Tier 3: more than $3,000,000=$8.50

Agricultural: $5.74

Conservation: $6.43

Commercial: $6.05

Industrial: $7.05

The primary costs of ownership for a home or condo on Maui are property taxes, HOA fees, insurance, and utilities. If you have a mortgage, that will obviously be an additional monthly cost. 

If you're in a condo, HOA fees will cover your insurance master plan, but you will still want to carry contents of the interior insurance. HOA fees may also cover some of your utilities.

For older complexes, we will definitely want to review the reserve fund and ensure there are no new assessments on the horizon. 

When purchasing a property on Maui, your closing costs will typically be between 1 and 2% of the sales price, which will include escrow fees, title insurance, recording fees, and possible mortgage fees if financing. 

Conveyance taxes are paid by the seller in Hawaii. 

Conveyance tax is a transfer tax paid by the seller at closing. The tax rate is tiered and based on the sales price. An escrow officer can help us calculate what your specific conveyance tax would be.

Please reach out to me at evan@mauieliteproperty.com or 808-214-4799 if you would like a complimentary net sheet showing all of your estimated costs of selling a property on Maui. 

In 2024, the National Association of Realtors changed its rules, requiring buyers and their agents to sign a buyer representation agreement before viewing properties.

This agreement outlines a commission that the buyer guarantees to the buyer's agent, typically 2.5%, but it does not mean the buyer is paying that commission.

Commissions are still being paid from the seller through their proceeds at closing — not out of pocket by the buyer.

In the purchase contract drafted by the buyer, a new section states that the seller will pay the specific commission amount, eliminating any uncertainty in that regard. 

Working with a great realtor, an average one, or even worse, a bad one, can mean the difference between thousands, if not millions, of dollars saved or lost during a transaction.

There are certainly a handful of agents on Maui competing to be the 'best realtor' every year, yet it's an elusive designation, because what does 'best' mean?

Highest sales volume, most transactions, best reviews, most years of experience, and other qualifiers can be a good place to start, but they can't tell the whole story of who will be the best realtor for you.

I don't want to be so arrogant as to say that I am the 'best', we have a lot of great agents on Maui, but I have consistently been in the top 1% of agents on Maui and have sold over 160 million dollars in real estate in my 6 years in the business. I can promise that you will always get my best. 

I'm even prouder of my reviews that demonstrate my commitment to the highest level of service for my clients.

If you are looking for the best realtor on Maui for you, I would be honored to have the chance to discuss how I can be of service.