Buyer closing costs in Hawaii typically range from 1.5% to 3% of the purchase price. They include escrow fees (split with the seller), title insurance, recording fees, and prepaid items — property taxes, HOA dues, and homeowner's insurance. Your escrow company will provide an itemized estimate before closing. Cash transactions sit at the lower end of the range. Financed purchases sit at the higher end.

Maui's short-term rental rules changed in December 2025. Bill 9, signed by Mayor Richard Bissen on December 15, 2025, phases out transient vacation rental use in apartment-zoned (A-1 and A-2) districts on what is commonly called the "Minatoya List." West Maui units must end short-term rental use by January 1, 2029. South Maui and the rest of Maui County have until January 1, 2030. Properties zoned hotel or in lawful short-term rental districts are not affected. Always verify the specific zoning and permit status of any property directly with Maui County Planning before relying on any short-term rental assumption. See our short-term rental laws guide for more.

Standard escrow in Hawaii runs 30 to 45 days from accepted offer to closing. Cash transactions can close in 14 to 21 days. Financed purchases run on the lender's timeline and typically land in the 30 to 45 day range. Your agent and escrow officer coordinate the parties to keep the schedule on track.

Maui County sets property tax rates annually for the fiscal year that runs July 1 through June 30. Rates are tiered by classification (owner-occupied, non-owner-occupied, hotel/resort, short-term rental, agricultural, etc.) and by assessed value within each tier. Owner-occupants who file the required exemption typically receive a lower rate than non-owner-occupied properties. Current rates are published by the Maui County Real Property Tax Division — see our property tax article for details. Tax laws and rates change. Not legal, tax, or financial advice. Consult a licensed CPA for guidance specific to your situation.

Yes. There are no restrictions on foreign ownership of U.S. real estate. Two withholding regimes apply when a foreign or non-resident seller eventually sells: FIRPTA (federal) and HARPTA (Hawaii state). Both can be reduced or refunded with the right planning, including a withholding certificate application or filing a U.S. tax return to claim the difference. Foreign and non-resident buyers should work with a qualified U.S. CPA and a Hawaii real estate attorney from the start of the transaction. See our HARPTA article for more. Not tax or legal advice.

Hawaii does not legally require an attorney to close a real estate transaction. Escrow companies handle most closings here. An attorney is advisable in specific situations: leasehold properties, title disputes, complex estate or trust ownership, 1031 exchanges, foreign-national transactions, and any purchase where you have legal questions. I am not an attorney and nothing on this site is legal advice. I am happy to refer you to Hawaii real estate attorneys I have worked with over the years.

CPR stands for Condominium Property Regime — a Hawaii-specific application of condominium law (Chapter 514B of the Hawaii Revised Statutes) that allows a single parcel of land to be divided into two or more separately ownable units. CPRs are commonly used to create independently deeded units on what would otherwise look like a single-family lot — duplex configurations, ʻohana cottages, multi-unit estates. Each unit gets its own TMK, deed, and tax bill. CPR properties have specific lender, title, and rental considerations. Always review the CPR documents carefully and consult a Hawaii real estate attorney before purchase.

Hawaii is consistently among the more expensive states in the country, and Maui has its own cost profile. Categories that are notably different from many mainland markets include groceries, electricity, fuel, and shipping. The Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publish current cost-of-living data for Hawaii. Costs vary significantly by lifestyle and household, so personal research into your specific situation is the best way to estimate.

This is a personal decision and there is no single right answer. Each Hawaiian island has its own character, pace, community, and lifestyle. The best way to choose is to spend meaningful time on each one and notice how each feels. I have been on Maui since 2000 and I am happy to share what I know about this island, but the right island for you is the one where you feel at home.

The Maui condo market evolves continuously. Inventory levels, median prices, days on market, and months of supply are reported monthly by RAM and are summarized in our market reports. Bill 9 — the December 2025 short-term rental phase-out for apartment-zoned districts — is part of the current picture for some condo categories and is worth understanding before listing. The most useful first step is a current comparative market analysis for your specific building and unit.

Days on market varies significantly by property type, location, condition, and pricing. Recent monthly and 12-month average days on market for single-family homes and condominiums are reported by RAM and are summarized in our market reports. Once under contract, standard escrow runs 30 to 45 days. Cash transactions can close in 14 to 21 days. Accurate pricing from the start tends to be the most important factor in time on market.

Maui property values are specific to each property — building, floor, view, condition, HOA financial health, location, and many other factors that automated estimates often miss. The most reliable way to estimate current value is a comparative market analysis based on actual recent sales of comparable properties, drawn from RAM data. Reach out for a current analysis of your specific property.

I do not make market predictions and am respectfully cautious of anyone who does with confidence. What I can share is current market data reported by RAM and summarized in our monthly and annual market reports. Past performance is a record, not a forecast.

Maui has six distinct regions, each with its own character, microclimate, and lifestyle: South Maui (Wailea, Mākena, Kīhei), West Maui (Kāʻanapali, Kapalua, Lahaina), Upcountry (Makawao, Kula, Pukalani), North Shore (Pāʻia, Hāʻiku), East Maui (Hāna, Keʻanae, Nāhiku), and Central Maui (Kahului, Wailuku). No region is "better" than another — they are different choices for different lifestyles. Some people are happiest steps from the beach. Others prefer the cooler air of the upcountry slopes. The right fit is always personal. I have worked across all of them since 2001.

A 1031 exchange — named for Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code — allows an investor to defer capital gains tax when selling investment real estate by reinvesting the proceeds into a like-kind replacement property within strict deadlines: 45 calendar days from the sale of the relinquished property to identify replacement properties, and 180 calendar days from the sale to close on the replacement. 1031 exchanges have specific rules and require coordination with a qualified intermediary, your CPA, and your real estate attorney from the start. Not tax, legal, or financial advice.

Pre-approval for a Hawaii mortgage follows the same general process as on the mainland — income documentation, credit review, asset verification — with some Hawaii-specific nuances. Hawaii has property types that not all mainland lenders routinely finance, including leasehold, CPR, condo-hotel, and non-warrantable condominiums. Use a lender who closes Hawaii transactions regularly. Pre-approval (not pre-qualification) is what is typically expected with a serious offer in this market.

The Hawaii insurance market changed substantially after the August 2023 Lahaina wildfires. Premiums for some property types and locations have increased, and some carriers have adjusted their coverage in higher-risk areas. Standard Hawaii homeowner policies typically exclude hurricane and flood — separate coverage is required and is often a lender condition. The most useful first step is to obtain insurance pre-qualification on a specific property at the same time as mortgage pre-qualification. See our insurance article for more. Insurance market conditions change. Consult a licensed Hawaii insurance professional for guidance specific to your situation.

The August 2024 National Association of REALTORS® settlement changed how buyer's agent compensation is structured nationwide. Two important changes for any 2026 transaction: (1) buyer's agent compensation can no longer be advertised on the MLS, though sellers and listing brokers can still offer to pay a buyer's agent — the offer is now negotiated outside the MLS, in the contract, or as a seller concession; and (2) buyers must sign a written representation agreement with their agent before touring properties. Specific compensation arrangements vary by transaction and should always be discussed openly at the start.

The HOA file is one of the most important due-diligence documents on any Maui condo purchase. Items to review carefully include: the reserve study and reserve balance, special assessment history and any pending or planned assessments, insurance coverage and master policy details, recent and upcoming building maintenance or renovation projects, financial statements and budget, and meeting minutes from the past 12 to 24 months. Your real estate professional and a Hawaii real estate attorney can help you understand what each document means for your specific situation.

Maui properties may be exposed to several types of natural risk, depending on location: wildfire, hurricane, tsunami, coastal flooding, and earthquakes. Air quality on Maui is generally excellent, though VOG (volcanic smog from Big Island volcanic activity) can occasionally drift across the channel depending on wind patterns and is monitored by the Hawaii Department of Health. Hazard maps and risk information are published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), the U.S. Geological Survey, and Maui County. Insurance carriers factor these exposures into pricing and coverage. The most useful step is to verify the hazard zones for any specific property and obtain insurance pre-qualification before making an offer.

An accessory dwelling — locally called an ʻohana, cottage, or ADU — is a secondary residential unit on the same lot as a primary home. Maui County allows them in zones that specifically permit accessory dwellings, with maximum unit size scaled to lot area, and parking, setbacks, and water meter capacity all factored in. Maui County does not permit accessory dwellings to be used for short-term rentals. Whether a property has a permitted ʻohana unit, an unpermitted addition, or no accessory dwelling at all is a critical question to answer in due diligence — verify directly with Maui County Planning before relying on any seller representation.