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| Bon Festival | RP Tax due | Most Livable Cities |
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Aloha, Friends and ʻOhana,
We’ve entered the second half of the year. For a comprehensive midyear real estate market recap covering Kona and the Big Island resorts, please visit our Market Insight blog. In today’s market, preparation makes all the difference.
Our team continues to stay busy with a wide range of interesting projects, including a few major ones we cannot share just yet. What keeps this business so rewarding is that no two properties, transactions, or clients are ever the same.
Recently, we helped clients purchase a home they had previously missed out on(not with us!). This was an off-market deal and pure coincidence. As you can imagine, both sides were quite happy. We also assisted a family whose father helped me purchase my first home in Kona many years ago. Moments like these remind me how personal and meaningful our business can be.
The World Cup wrapped up. I enjoyed the games, and mostly, there was something special about watching people around the world come together. It made me feel grateful to be part of such a diverse and connected world. I also realized the world is big, life is short, and I still have much more to see.
According to The Economist, the world’s 10 most livable cities are Copenhagen, Vienna, Melbourne, Sydney, Zurich, Geneva, Osaka, Adelaide, Vancouver, and Tokyo. Vancouver is the only North American city in the top 10, while Tokyo is the only megacity. How many have you visited or lived in? |
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Big Island's real property tax season is here. July marks the start of the fiscal year, with the first-half payment due August 20. Property owners may pay the full year at once or in two installments. This year, Hawaiʻi County introduced a 0.775% long-term rental rate, reduced the homeowner rate from 0.615% to 0.575%, and created a new tax class for properties valued above $4 million. (More on Big Island real property tax ) |
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| | Mahalo to everyone who attended or volunteered at the Daifukuji Bon Festival! This was my fourth year as co-chair, and the event was a wonderful success. Many guests praised the food and asked where to find O’z Kitchen afterward. A special mahalo to Tomo and Yuuki for donating their time, labor, kindness, and energy. Their orange food truck is near Randy’s Huli Chicken—please stop by and support them! |
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| The new Kainani Above Keauhou condominium project has released pricing for its first phase. Two-bedroom residences start at $1.3995 million, three-bedroom residences at $1.599 million, and four-bedroom residences at $1.699 million. Before sales open to the public, the project must complete a 30-day owner-occupant sales period.
Here is more information. |
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As always, I’ve linked the latest Big Island lifestyle video above, along with market insights, local happenings, and a little slice of life from here in Kona. I hope you enjoy it. If you’re planning a visit to the Big Island, let’s connect. I’d love to catch up.
Mahalo,
Kai |
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Each month we share our Market Update - insights carefully gathered and analyzed to help you stay on top of what really matters. We send out the latest market updates during the first week of each month. |
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| | | Oahu : $1,165,000 | $520,000 Maui: $1,250,000 | $670,000 Kauai: $1,325,000 | $787,000 Hawaii(Kona): $1,250,000| $570,000
source: Title Guaranty Escrow |
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Why Bon Dance Traditions in Hawaiʻi Still Bring Communities Together |
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What makes Bon Dance Festival such a meaningful part of life in Kona? This year’s event at Daifukuji temple brought together kids, seniors, longtime temple members, local families, visitors, volunteers, and businesses in one joyful circle. As co-chair, I saw firsthand how things come together behind the scenes - from preparing food and parking to setting up the yagura, performing taiko, and cleaning up afterward.
It almost feel if Bon Festival has much deeper meaning in Hawaii than in Japan. The tradition evolved into something uniquely local. With Japanese food, contemporary music, and people of many backgrounds dancing circles, Bon Dance shows how tradition can remain rooted in gratitude while continuing to welcome new generations.
The Bon Dance season is still going strong here on the island with plenty of opportunity to participate. If you are curious, visit the blog from below. |
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| | Sunday, August 16, 2026 8:00AM - 12:00 noon Kona Daifukuji Temple Come see exotic unique orchids. Ask questions to orchid experts. Taiko performance. LINK |
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| | | | Saturday, August 1, 2026 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM Kona Hongwanji Social Hall Incredible lineup, including Paʻani Pila and Gary & Kurin Haleamau, with Billy V serving as our Master of Ceremonies. Local food. LINK |
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| Fresh on the Market: Latest Listings from the Past 30 Days |
| Ready to explore your next dream property? Here are the newest listings in Kona and across the Big Island Resorts, each offering its own slice of paradise. |
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Just Listed 78-7032 Mololani St | Listed $4,495,000 |
| | In Bayview Estates, this 2020 custom residence captures the Kona Coast from an uncommon vantage point. The home is positioned farther toward the ocean than many neighboring properties, while both adjacent residences sit behind the pool and lanai view corridor. The result is a remarkable sense of openness, with sweeping 270-degree ocean and coastline views and year-round sunsets unfolding across the horizon. |
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| Villa at Keauhou COMING SOON |
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| Charming Treehouse COMING SOON |
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| | | Alii Lani Condo COMING SOON |
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Listing Update Now in Resort Node - STVR-friendly! 75-5506 Kona Bay Dr | Listed $5,350,000 |
| | Designed by Lucky Bennett, the home reflects a deliberate alignment of architecture, climate, and coastline within a guard-gated community with 24-hour security, direct shoreline access, and proximity to Kailua Pier, Ali‘i Drive, and a nearby community park with pickleball courts. Here is the video. |
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| | | 73-1203 Ahulani St, 96740 |
| 7 BD 7 BA 4,949 SF $1,650,000 JUST LISTED - 2 Homes Multi-Family & Investment Opportunity in Kailua-Kona! |
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| | | | 0 BD 0 BA 0 SF $499,999 1-acre ocean-view building site. Currently features a mature coffee farm and a permitted storage |
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"We are very happy clients of Kai and Emil from Compass | KE Team Hawaii who provided us with excellent service. They both went out of their way, substantially above traditional brokerage services, to meet our needs. They provided us guidance and explained to us all the requirements to close our real estate purchase and make informed decisions. We greatly appreciate and value their services and their professionalism. If another opportunity presents itself, we will use their services and/or recommend their services to others. We will rate their services 10 out of 10. Again, excellent!!"
Gi Gi Fenster |
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By the way, We never too busy for any of your referrals. |
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Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Nothing herein shall be construed as legal, accounting or other professional advice outside the realm of real estate brokerage. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions. |
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