Homes and Short Term Vacation Rentals in Maui County

How can you tell if the vacation rental listing of a Home is a scam or a legal rental?

Updated 2.22.22

I often get calls from people planning their vacation here on Maui and considering a home instead of a condo or hotel. The calls sometimes come when it just seems too good to be true; at other times, it's after they've paid deposits and can't reach their contact; and some come after they google the address and see the home is listed for sale.  Unfortunately, in almost all of these cases, the property is not a legal vacation rental.  Photos are simply taken from websites and used in online ads in a rental scam. 

It breaks my heart to hear these stories--sometimes they call before they've

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,