Maui Property Tax Rates for 2018-2019 Fiscal Year

The Maui County Council approved the new property tax rates for the July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019 Fiscal Year.

The figures below show the rates for each year.  Traditionally, the lowest tax rate is for Homeowner, where this is their declared primary residence.  The highest tax rate remains the Time Share Classification.   This is the first year the county has added the category of Short Term Rental for those condominiums that are rented for a period of time less than 180 days.  Read More on Maui Short Term Rentals.

Maui County assesses taxes based on the tax rate multiplied by the assessed value of the property.  The county assesses values each year based on the sales in the prior fiscal year. 

What is HARPTA, the new law, and are there any exemptions?

What is HARPTA?

HARPTA is the Hawaii Real Property Tax Act.  HARPTA is a Withholding Tax on Sales of Hawaii Real Property by Nonresident Persons.  The " withholding obligation is generally imposed on the transferee/buyer when a Hawaii real property interest is acquired from a nonresident person. This withholding serves to collect Hawaii income tax that may be owed by the nonresident person."*  This is similar to the withholding in California, often referred to as CalFIRPTA, and the federal withholding tax on the disposition of real property known as FIRPTA (Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act)." Read More in Tax Information Release No. 2017-01

Per the State of Hawaii's

Frequently Asked Questions: What is the difference between Leasehold and Fee Simple Ownership in Hawaii

Alaeloa: a rare gem, oceanfront and ocean view cottages in Napili, Maui

Why is there leasehold property? The History of Leasehold Property in West Maui:

With the development of the Kaanapali Resort in 1961 and later the Kapalua Resort in 1978, Maui became a vacation destination. As tourism flourished and became the mainstay of our economy, local landowners partnered with developers to build Leasehold condominiums on family-owned properties or on former agricultural land.  In West Maui, many local landowners saw this as a way to retain ownership of their land and derive income from the lease rents.  Leases were typically set for 99 years,

The Kapalua Bay Villas: 2017 Year End Real Estate Market Update

The view out toward Molokai from the upgraded kitchen in Kapalua Bay Villa 14G3-5

The gated community of the Kapalua Bay Villas is situated overlooking Oneloa Bay, with direct access to the white sand beach.  The Montage Residences Kapalua Bay and the Spa Montage are the neighboring properties to the south.

Bay Villas amenities include central air conditioning (not in all units but may be installed), three swimming pools, BBQ areas and tennis courts.  You'll find a mix of one and two bedroom floor plans in this popular oceanfront community.  Short term rentals are allowed.

Featured above: Kapalua Bay Villas 19G5, 14G3-5 and 38B2

We are seeing

MAUI REAL ESTATE STATISTICS: Jan-Sept 2017 vs. Jan-Sept 2016

THE CONDO AND HOME MARKETS | Key Metrics

Comparing key metrics through September 2017 Year Over Year with 2016:

While there are more new home listings, there were fewer new condo listings through Sept. 2017.  Other key indicators show increases in Pending Sales, Number of Sales, Median Sales Prices, and Average Sales Prices, while Days on Market till closing is down.  Our busy season begins in Mid Nov, tends to quiet down first two weeks of December, and then remains active

The Realtor's Association of Maui has released it's monthly report on Maui's real estate statistics for July 2017.   

While there are fewer properties to sell when compared with 2016 and inventory is down, the Median Sales Price is up.  For more information read: Maui Real Estate Statistics.

The resort market trends are also showing an upward trajectory, particularly condos in the resort areas of Wailea, Makena and Kapalua.  Condo and home sales are down in Kaanapali.  Home sales are also down in Kapalua, while up in Wailea.  Though it should be noted--with such a small sampling, the statistics can vary widely at any given time.  

To put it in perspective, there are 1877 condominiums and 1181 homesites in the Wailea Resort and 219

KAPALUA RESORT CONDO SALES: 

KAPALUA VILLAS & THE LUXURY CONDOMINIUM SECTOR

Comparing the YTD sales in the various Kapalua condominium communities, we are seeing increases in some areas and not in others. I have broken the graphs below into two segments: the Kapalua Villas (Bay, Ridge and Golf) and the Luxury Condominium Segment (Montage Residences, Kapalua Bay, Coconut Grove, Ironwoods and the Ritz-Carlton Residences).

KAPALUA RESORT CONDOMINIUM SALES: Key Metrics
CONDO SALES: January 1-July 31, 2017 vs. January 1- July 31, 2016

A Look at the Resort Markets as compared with the overall Maui Real Estate Market.

Maui's Resort Markets of Kaanapali, Kapalua, Wailea 

January 1-July 31, 2017 vs. January 1- July 31, 2016

Comparing the YTD sales in the resort markets with the same period in 2016, we are seeing more condo sales in Kapalua and Wailea and Makena, while in Kaanpali, condo sales is down. Inventory is increasing in the condo markets, with the exception of Wailea, which has an absorption rate of just 9.2 months.  Part of the substantial growth in the Kapalua Condominium Market can be attributed to sales at the Montage Residences Kapalua Bay with 3 sales ranging from $3.795-$6.475M (which is the highest condominium sale on record for 2017 on Maui), and Coconut Grove

Kapalua Condominium Sales: Market Spotlight on Coconut Grove Kapalua Bay and Montage Residences Kapalua Bay

For prospective buyers of luxury oceanfront condominium residences in Kapalua, the Coconut Grove Kapalua Bay and Montage Residences Kapalua Bay are often compared and considered for the similarity of size and their location overlooking Maui's much loved Kapalua Bay.  While both offer three bedroom and three bedroom plus den floor plans and are in similar price ranges, there are some very important differences:

Maui Luxury Real Estate

Maui Ranks Amongst the Top 10 Luxury Real Estate Markets in 2016 and an Overview of Maui Luxury Real Estate Sales in 2018

Per Realtor.com's Luxury Home Index Research Report, Maui ranks 8th in the Nation's Top County Level Luxury Real Estate Markets, behind markets such as San Francisco, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Manhattan, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Marin.  The next Hawaii county real estate market to make the list is Kauai at #17.

Maui one of the Hottest Luxury Housing Markets in 2016

Previously Maui had ranked #17 on the list, making it also one of the "Top 20 Movers" which identifies the hottest markets as those that have moved the fastest since last year amongst the highest 100 ranked counties across seven