If you want to be at the southernmost tip of the United States, then you better head to the Kau District of the Big Island in Hawaii. Although Kau is the largest district on the Big Island with its 992 square miles, it 5,600-person population represents the smallest population on the Island. The terrain varies from black sand covered coastline to lava laden landscapes to massive forests of native plants and trees like ohi’a. Additionally, Kau is home to most of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the Kilauea and Mauna Loa Volcanoes. On the eastern side of the district, there are coffee farms and macadamia nut and produce orchards scattered throughout the area.
Kau is filled with small historic villages and rural subdivisions in remote areas. It has a diverse population with residents who are very adverse to resorts coming to the area. They enjoy and gravitate to this area because the villages are off the beaten path and provide the much sought-after seclusion they desire.
Like most of the other districts on the Big Island, the main villages and subdivisions located in Kau feature homes and vacant land for every budget. The latest figures show that the median sales price of a home is about $95K and is on the market about 167 days; for land, the numbers show the median sales prices is about $25K and 318 days on the market.
Naalehu and Pahala are the two major towns in the Kau district where several popular neighborhoods and subdivisions are situated. Many of these neighborhoods offer homes and land for sale.
Naalehu
As the southernmost town in the United States, Naalehu is a quiet and scenic town that has a very community-oriented feel to it. Residents love where they live and soak in every bit of what Naalehu has to offer. Because of the very rich soil and green pastures, this ideal countryside has much to offer in terms of the crops and orchards which strongly contribute to the economy.
There are several neighborhoods in Naalehu that are more popular and have properties in many price ranges. Discovery Harbor and Mark Twain Estates are located more inland and have vacant parcels of land priced from the mid-$60s to $100K and single family homes from the mid-$100s to high-$300s. Other neighborhoods like Kona Gardens have parcels starting under $10K and go up from there to multiple-acre lots for about $40K. Kula Kai Estates and Kona Garden Estates offer larger, multiple-acre parcels starting under $30K and climbing to just over $100K with Kona Gardens Estates being a gated community. For those wanting more exclusive communities with unparalleled views, Kamaoa Homestead and Kiolakaa-Kea Homesteads offer high-acreage lots from about $100K to over $1 million and single family homes priced from the mid $400s to well over $1 million.
Pahala
The town of Pahala is a tropical paradise and is exactly what you see in your mind when you think of Hawaii. With the unbelievably sunny days and fun eclectic shops and restaurants located in the Village Center, this is a favorite area for those desiring that worry-free life in sunny Hawaii. Additionally, macadamia nut orchards, fruit orchards and coffee farms are very prevalent in Pahala. Kau coffee is the main coffee produced here and is becoming very popular to the point of giving Kona coffee a run for its money. Homes here are priced from the low-$100s to the high $100s and are ideal for second and vacation homes. Wood Valley Estates offers high-acreage lots between the high-$300s and mid $700s. Pahala Village features in town homes priced throughout the $100s.
Kau real estate has something for everyone. For those who need to see the ocean every day, there are beautiful properties with the most panoramic views that need to be seen to be believed. If you desire to have nut orchards, livestock or a coffee farms, there are areas of Kau that have dark rich soil and lush green pastures. Come to Kau when you visit the Big Island. You will dream of living here and feel an immediate pull to do so.