On Maui, luxury real estate truly lives up to its billing. Unparalleled comfort, sophistication, and enjoyment are all part of the package when you buy a home on the Valley Isle.

But how does one decide which part of this tropical paradise to live in? I’ve got just the advice you need. As one of the top Maui realtors, you can count on me to find the best spot on the island.

When choosing where to live on Maui, begin with these three main considerations:

Your ideal or preferred lifestyle

Do you need a home that keeps you close to work? Are you a retiree looking for an idyllic retreat to make the most of retirement? Are you a thrill-seeker that needs quick access to the island’s best surfing or diving spots?

Answering questions like these will help you identify the ideal area to begin searching for your Maui home.

How you plan to use the property

Buying property on Maui is a great idea, even if you don’t mean to use it as your primary residence. Because of its desirable location, Valley Isle presents many investment opportunities.

If income-generating opportunities are your motivation for buying a Maui luxury property, look into beach communities, historic sites, and other tourist-friendly locations. The constant influx of visitors will work to your advantage.

Photo Credit: Rajiv Perera

Timing and market conditions

Like any real estate transaction, sound timing and strategy when buying translates to huge dividends. Paying attention to how the Maui real estate market is performing can help you score your dream home or investment property at the best value.

Understanding real estate market trends on Maui becomes much easier when you work with a knowledgeable and savvy local area expert like yours truly, Greg Burns. Let’s work together to achieve your real estate goals on the Valley Isle. Connect with me anytime through the contact details listed at the end of this article.

3 Exceptional Residential Communities on Maui

Here’s a sneak peek of some of the most desirable communities on Maui. If you’ve figured out your lifestyle, purpose, and buying strategy, you can start checking these community pages to see how your buying plans measure up:

Photo Credit: Tristan Ramberg

Wailea

This affluent area along Maui’s south shores is home to some of the finest beaches you will find in Hawaii. Its strong tourist appeal makes it a great location for investment properties.

Lahaina

Brimming with history and culture, the capital of the former Kingdom of Hawaii offers more than just your expected serving of sun, surf, and sand. You will find a diverse range of homes here, from grand historic estates to posh ocean-facing condo suites.

Makawao

Located in Upcountry Maui, communities like Makawao have cooler conditions, elevated viewpoints, and are surrounded by quaint local restaurants and cafés, boutique shops, and art galleries. While a bit removed from Maui’s best-known beaches, this part of the island offers idyllic escapes for buyers looking for comfort and tranquility.

The post How To Choose Your Ideal Maui Neighborhood appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Gracing the slopes of the West Maui Mountains this estate is one of the top properties in Hawaii. Built with the classic plantation days in mind, 65 Wili Okai Way offers the best of style and modern amenities. Situated in the highly sought after gated neighborhood of Pu'unoa and placed perfectly on a fully manicured, fruit bearing 5 acres of land, this 5 bedroom 5.5 bathroom estate with a separate 2 bedroom / 2 bathroom guest home exudes the quintessential Hawaiian family retreat experience. The level of detail is of the highest of finishes including incredible custom metal work from famed artist Larry Padilla throughout the property including all the fire torches and several architectural elements. 65 Wili Okai Way is conveniently located to the heart of Lahaina town, Kaanapali and Kapalua as well as the West Maui Airport for quick island-hopping adventures.

Address: 65 Wili Okai Way, Lahaina, HI 96761

Price: $8,750,000

For more information, please contact Greg Burns at (808) 214-0302 or greg@isleluxury.com

Greg Burns is the exclusive agent representing the Maui, HI real estate market as a member of the Haute Residence Real Estate Network. View all of his listings here.

Photo Credit: Elite Pacific Properties Photo Credit: Elite Pacific Properties Photo Credit: Elite Pacific Properties Photo Credit: Elite Pacific Properties

The post Greg Burns Presents A Beautiful Lahaina Estate appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Hale 'Imi Ola. Translated from Hawaiian, the name means, “The House to Seek Your Best Life.” This Makena jewel's open floor plan encourages a harmonious balance of indoor/outdoor living, and a truly one of a kind space to make memories that will last a lifetime.Located directly across the street from the turquoise waters Ahihi Bay and the Makena coastline, this sprawling contemporary 5,680 sq.ft. complex boasts 4 en-suite bedrooms and ocean views fromevery room. Built on a full acre, Hale Imi Ola is exceedingly private, surrounded by a rock wall with a gated entry. The composition of its surrounding lanais, gardens and pools complete with a waterfall, hot tub and pool bejeweled with Italian-made Bisazza glass pool tiles rival that of any five-star resort. This luxurious property was listed with previous Realtors for three consecutive years without receiving any offers. In less than one year, I brought the owner multiple offers and a 30 day escrow.

Address:  7555 Makena Rd, Kihei, HI 96753

Price: Recently Sold

For more information, please contact Mark Waite at (808) 214-9475 or mark@somaislandliving.com

Mark Wait is the exclusive agent representing the Maui real estate market as a member of the Haute Residence Real Estate Network. View all of his listings here.

Photos courtesy of Mark Waite

The post A Kihei Home With A Harmonious Balance appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

The cash is rolling in like 30 footers during a pro surf competition. Over 55 homes sold for $5 million or more from the beginning of the year to end of July, tripling the previous year’s total. There were 23 sales in the $10 million and over market during the same period — double the year before. Jetting from the tech center to the tropical island is nothing new. In fact, it’s a well worn path.

Photo courtesy of Curbed.com

Hawaii’s tech tycoons  currently include Facebook Chief exec Mark Zuckerberg who bought a 700-acre estate on the sparsely populated Kauai reportedly for $100 million.

“You’re not seeing them buy penthouses in Honolulu -- they’re buying vast estates,” Winston Chesterfield, a director at research firm Wealth-X told Bloomberg. “It’s wild, it’s green, there’s ocean, there’s animals. There’s a very strong organic sense.”

Other Silicon Valley famous faces waking up to lush landscapes and aqua seas include Marc Benioff owner of the Salesforce clouding company and now Time Magazine, who purchased his Big Island compound in 2000 for the bargain basement price $12.5 million.

Larry Ellison (Photo courtesy of Forbes)

Oracle founder Larry Ellison (he purchased the entire island — or 98 percent of it — of Lanai from Dole Foods’ mogul David Murdock for a mighty $300 million in 2012). Mind you, when your net worth tops $49 billion and you are the 7th richest person in the world (according to Forbes), you can afford to spend a portion of it on an island to experiment with “environmentally sound ways to live.”

Only $20 or so billion behind Ellison is Michael Dell, owner of Dell Technologies whose net worth is $20.8 billion. He purchased the Four Seasons Resort Maui — just one of Silicon Valley’s elite who are investing in exclusive Hawaiian hotels as well as their own properties.

Paul Allen, the cofounder of Microsoft and talented part-time guitarist, like Ellison once owned an entire island. Now he merely owns a property on the Big Island, spending $7.5 million on a 10 acre farm in Kailua called the Thurston Estate. It consists of a 12,000 square-foot main house, along with living quarters for employees, a private harbor and bridge to a small island.

Peter Thiel (photo courtesy of Startupdaily.net)

Controversial PayPal founder, early Facebook investor and Trump supporter, Peter Thiel purchased a 1.7 acre ocean front property in Maui for 2011 for a then record $27 million. The home is made up of 4 pavilions, wrapping around a courtyard and swimming pool.

Innovation is in these mavericks’ blood and for many, owning a spread in paradise isn’t enough. Many, as in the case or Larry Ellison, aim to do something constructive with the land.

The Larry Ellison owned Four Seasons Resort In Lanai

“We’ve looked at agriculture, and it is one of the few industries that has not been transformed by modern technology,” he said at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay last year. He plans to make the island a model that changes agriculture for the world by growing the freshest, most nutritional produce and profitably selling it for less than mass-produced imports. He has built a $15 million high-tech greenhouse with the aim to produce better food that costs less. “Lanai is step No. 1,” Ellison said. “We think we can transform agriculture.”

Pierre Omidyar, the founder of Ebay has purchased a farm in Kauau with the aim of importing almost 700 cows to start a dairy farm. His goal is decrease the island-state’s heavy reliance on imported milk, while using sustainable agriculture practices. His efforts have been met with opposition from sections of the tourism industry, worried about the smell from cow manure and flies on their resorts. Clearly, when profits are concerned, Hawaii’s wealthy feel it’s worth making a stink over.

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