MAUI VACATION RENTAL (TRANSIENT ACCOMMODATIONS) FAQs

This post has been updated as of June, 2022:  Read the Updated Post on Maui Vacation Rentals and Short Term Rentals

As a realtor here on Maui, working primarily in resort areas, the most frequently asked questions I encounter are "can I vacation rent this property when I'm not using it?" and, if so, "can I manage the property myself on a website like VRBO or AirBnB?".  

The answer is, it depends. It isn't always straightforward, as there are several factors to consider that may govern the use of the property as a short term Transient Vacation Rental (TVR), including, but not limited to, state laws and statutes, Maui county zoning rules and regulations, and CC&R's (Declaration of Covenants,

Maui Real Estate Market Overview and Buyer Statistics 2016

Many Buyers and Sellers want to know where buyers of Maui County real estate call home (in this case, their legal residence).  There is often a misperception that the majority of our foreign buyers come from Asia.  While this might be true for Oahu's market (particularly Honolulu), it hasn't been the case for Maui County, which includes the islands of Molokai and Lanai.  Each year, Title Guaranty, one of Hawaii's most reputable Title and Escrow Companies, provides us with Buyer statistics.  

MAUI BUYER STATISTICS: TOP FOREIGN AND US BUYERS

As you can see, the bulk of purchases in 2016, made by foreign buyers of Maui real estate continue to be Canadian, with 59 transactions totaling

Maui County Vacation Rentals

Many prospective buyers of Maui real estate as a second home or residence often will ask about Short Term Rentals. After all, Maui is an idyllic spot and while most owners would like to spend all of their time here, obligations at home often limit their use of the property.

WHAT IS A SHORT TERM OR VACATION RENTAL?*

Maui County defines short term or what are commonly known as "vacation" rentals as anything less than 180 days, with rentals under 180 days allowed on properties located within what is defined as the Hotel District.

Many condominiums and subdivisions zoned in the Apartment, Agricultural or Residential districts, had rules and guidelines allowing short term rentals in their governing CC&R's