May Newsletter

Aloha All,

With Spring settled in and the Summer looming around the corner, there is a lot of Maui activity to keep track of.   Many readers are interested in one or two items so to help with those who prefer more details and charts, we are including links to several of the items covered in this Newsletter.  

Reviewing year over year real estate activity, the median sales price decreased 6.4 percent to $1,290,000 for Single Family homes and 8.9 percent to $651,250 for Condominium homes. Days on Market increased 8.7 percent for Single Family homes and 17.4 percent for Condominium homes.  New Listings increased 3.4 percent for Single Family homes, but decreased 21.3 percent for Condominium homes. Pending Sales increased 1.6 percent for Single Family homes and 9.7 percent for Condominium homes.

Here are the details: https://media.salecore.com/GetFile.ashx?p=DpRTFshdg

The Budget for Maui was approved effective July 1, 2026.  Following is the link for more details:

Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Overview

Last but definitely not least, following is the proposed property tax for 2026-27.  Be sure to pay attention to the lowering of tier tables which may impact some property owners.  There is so much detail to cover we asked Perplexity for assistance us.  Please note that the first reading by the full Council with be May 15th with the following sometime in June: 

https://www.perplexity.ai/computer/a/maui-county-fy2027-residential-.cIPr2L7VxeNF8UkMMbr5g

Some things to look forward to: Finally! Merriman’s restaurant should open late 2026 in the former location of Five Palms at the Mana Kai in South Maui. https://manakaimauiresort.com/restaurant

Bob Hansen RB-17532               Clint Hansen BIC RB-59245            Donna D. Hansen R(S)-49765                                                                                                      808-283-9456                                               808-280-2764                                           808-280-1650                                                                            dad@MauiRealEstate.net       ClintHansen33@gmail.com          Hansens@MauiRealEstate.net

MAUI LUXURY REAL ESTATE LLC, The Hansen Ohana ~ Maui’s Real Estate Family over 30 year

      Information herein believed to be reliable but not guaranteed and subject to change

                                                                MauiRealEstate.NET

Iao Valley Closure

If the Iao Needle was on your Maui itinerary, you’ll want to rethink your timing. Iao Valley State Monument is closed from April 27 through June 26, pulling one of Central Maui’s most iconic stops off the map for two months.

For travelers who had already penciled it in, the news stings. Iao has never been a casual drop-in, between reservation requirements for non-residents, limited parking, and set operating hours, visiting has always taken a bit of planning. Now that window has narrowed considerably.

If your trip falls within the closure, consider reworking your Central Maui day around nearby alternatives like the Bailey House MuseumKepaniwai Heritage Gardens, or the Waihee Ridge Trail.

Beautiful Olinda

An unforgettable evening in Olinda-where the sky puts on a show and every

moment feels like a gift.

First Quarter Stats

Maui’s housing market started 2026 with more sales, steady prices for homes, and softer prices for condos.

Market at a glance

Total closings across homes, condos, and land rose about 9% year-over-year, even as overall dollar volume slipped roughly 11% to about $516 million. Single-family home sales climbed 13% to 176, condos rose 10% to 183, and the median home price held near $1,300,000 while the condo median eased to about $699,000. Median days on market hovered around four months for both segments, showing that well-priced listings are still moving.

Where buyers are shopping

South Maui led the island with 37% of all sales, followed by West Maui at 24% and Central Maui at 18%. South recorded 142 total sales, West 92, and Central 70 for the quarter, with most regions posting modest gains in activity compared with 2025. South Maui also drove much of the growth in single-family transactions, with home sales there jumping from 28 to 46.

Homes vs. condos

For single-family homes, more sales but slightly lower total volume suggest buyers are active but spreading dollars over a broader price range. In West Maui, Lahaina’s home sales more than doubled even as medians pulled back, while Kaanapali and Napili/Kahana/Honokowai saw fewer sales and lower prices, creating selective opportunities. In the condo market, higher unit volume but a 12% drop in the median price points to more attainable options, especially outside the very top luxury tier.

Inventory and negotiation

Inventory has improved from the tightest years and now sits in the mid-single-digit months of supply for homes and low double digits for condos, giving buyers more choice than in 2021–2022. Roughly 36% of home deals and 18% of condo sales were cash, and about 30% of homes and 18% of condos still closed at or over list price, so accurately priced listings retain solid leverage.

Luxury snapshot

At the high end, the top home sale was 461 Laulea Place at $7,950,000, with several other single-family closings between roughly $5 million and $6.6 million. The highest condo sale was Makena Surf A103 at $9,000,000, alongside notable Wailea and Honua Kai sales in the $3.5 million to $6 million range. Luxury demand remains strong, while most of the softening is occurring in the mid-market and select sub-areas.

When The Storm Isn’t The Only Thing Brewing

Ran into Costco in Maui today ahead of the storm—wall-to-wall people.

Packed aisles. Long lines. Zero breathing room.

And you could feel it… people getting edgy.

Short tempers. Tight spaces. Little things turning into something bigger than they should be.

For a moment, it didn’t feel like Maui.

Storm’s coming—but that’s not what stood out.

It was how fast patience started to disappear.