LIHUE — Raising awareness of different types of homes available for purchase is why the Kauai Board of Realtors is hosting its third annual Islandwide Open House on Saturday.
“Everyone should come,” said Donna Rice, Realtor, broker and KBR immediate past president. “It will give them a good cross of single-family homes that are available across the island.”
From Kekaha to Haena, residents can look at available properties — some affordable and some luxury. It’s a chance to tour million-dollar homes, too, and see what you can get for your money.
One in Princeville is listed at $2.9 million, while another is offered at $1.2 million. In Lihue, Hokua Realty offers one for $9.7 million at the new Hokuala development. Another is Koloa is listed at $7.4 million, and another Koloa home is $5.6 million.
A Sun Village condominium in Lihue is listed at $179,000, while a Waimea home is offered at $430,000. Lots in Kalaheo range from $285,000 to $1.4 million.
The current median price for a home on Kauai, according to Hawaii Information Services, is $744,000. That number drops to $399,000 in Waimea and rises to $1.2 million in Hanalei.
KBR, in a message to the community, wrote: “Kauai’s economy has improved over the last few years but our housing production remains low. This has created a shortage of both properties to purchase or rent.”
It is seeking solutions by “encouraging creative, innovative, cost-effective ways to build our much-needed infrastructure.”
KBR has been working with the county on ways to increase affordable housing through additional rental units, multi-family use, additional dwelling units and farm worker housing.
KBR been working with the county on a bill that would allow those who own additional dwelling units on their property to use them as rental units.
“The original bill was only for Lihue, but we got them to expand it to the whole island. Every township has a housing shortage, so instead of just the bill focusing on Lihue, we gave them (the council) evidence that it also needed to focus on other townships,” Rice said.
The Islandwide Open House is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. To view properties that will be part of it, go to www.kauaiboard.com.
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Bethany Freudenthal, courts, crime and county reporter, can be reached at 652-7891 or bfreudenthal@thegardenisland.com.
