Waimea and its communities have a true Aloha spirit

Welcome to the unbelievably, beautiful west side of Kauai. This area of the island is off the beaten path and a nice blend of natural wonder and magnificence.  From the white sugar beaches and crystal blue water to the Waimea Canyon that is 3,600 feet deep, it is easy to see why natives and transplants alike yearn to live here.  Waimea is an area that is made up of a few small towns: Kekaha, Hanapepe, and Waimea. Of the three little towns, Kekaha has the largest population with just over 3,000. The other two towns dance around a population of 2,000 people. 

Each town has something different to offer its residents and tourists alike. Waimea is in a most beautiful setting with the lush green rain forests, deep crevasses of Waimea Canyon and stretches of sunny white beaches.  Additionally, Waimea Town is featured as one of “12 Distinctive Destinations” by National Trust of Historic Preservation. The next town is Hanapepe – Kauai’s “biggest little town.”  This area is a wonderful place to live and visit. With a population of a little over 2,100, Hanapepe is known for its arts community. In fact there are more art galleries in Hanapepe than anywhere else in Kauai. Kekaha has the largest population of the three towns with about 3,000 people. This quaint town has its own unique beauty with some of the most beautiful beaches on the island as well as picturesque mountains that provide excellent trails for hiking and biking. Kekaha holds onto a strong history and culture that are totally Hawaiian.

The west side of Kauai has much to offer buyers in terms of real estate. Because this is still a growing area for tourism, vacation condos are few and far between.  This is an area of primarily single family homes. In Kekaha, single family homes are priced, for the most part, from the low to mid $300s for homes with lovely views but need TLC and a little more to bring the homes alive.  For homes that are closer to the beach, prices start just under $600K and climb to over $1 million. In terms of condos, there are a handful for sale Kekaha that are priced in the mid $400s to upper $500s. Waimea’s prices start in the upper 200s for homes that need some updating and work. Prices are for the most part in the mid $400s to mid $500s for single family homes and in the mid $200s to mid $300s for condos. As with any area, the closer to the beach the home is located, the higher the prices climb up to over $1 million. Hanapepe, a town of only single family homes, offers homes from under $300K for homes that need some major overhauling to the mid $600s for homes with nice views and wonderful green-filled landscapes. There are a few REOs and short sales in the Waimea real estate for buyers who do not mind putting some pretty major effort into restoring homes with character and a lot of potential.

If you are looking for an area that is less crowded and has a more local flavor to it, the west side of Kauai is what you want. With so much variety in landscapes and activity as well as a growing tourism industry which means a stable economy, this area is a great choice for home buyers and investors. Waimea and its communities have a true Aloha spirit.