Is now a good time to sell my house in Kailua-kona?

For most Kailua-kona owners, the calendar that matters is their own. A sale works best when it fits your next move, your finances and the condition of the house.

To read the market in Kailua-kona, look at how long homes like yours take to go under contract and what they actually sold for in the last few months, not at asking prices.

More in How Do I Know When It’s Time to Sell My House?

Should I sell my Kailua-kona house as-is or fix it up first?

Make the inexpensive, visible repairs an inspector would flag, and skip the big projects. Sell as-is when the work would cost more, or take longer, than it would add.

Kailua-kona is a mix of older and newer homes. In our sample, six of 13 were built in 1980 or earlier, so an older house competes with newer ones and its condition shows. Older homes there also sell at a wider discount to new construction than the Hawaii median, 13.6 percent against 18.1 percent.

More in Should I Sell My House As-Is or Fix It Up First?

What are the benefits of selling my Kailua-kona house off-market?

Privacy, no repairs and a closing date you choose.

  • No public listing. No MLS listing, no listing photos and no open house.
  • The house as it stands. No repairs, no staging and no deep clean before closing.
  • Your date. Close in a few weeks or a few months, whichever suits your next move.
  • One counterpart. You deal with one buyer, not a run of showings and counteroffers.

The trade-off is exposure. A listing puts the house in front of every buyer in the market, and competition can push the price up. Should I Sell My House Off-Market? weighs both.

How fast can I sell my house in Kailua-kona?

Off-market, on the date you choose, whether that is a few weeks out or a few months, once the title work and the documents Hawaii requires are done.

A listing adds preparation, showings and negotiation up front, then the buyer’s inspection, appraisal and loan approval, any of which can push the date or end the deal.

If you are relocating, read How Do I Sell My House Fast When I’m Moving for Work?

What does it cost to sell a house in Kailua-kona?

On a listed sale, commission is usually the largest cost, followed by transfer taxes, title and closing fees, and any repairs or credits after the buyer’s inspection. A private sale to Address District has no commission.

On federal taxes, the IRS says an owner who owned and lived in the house as a main home for two of the five years before the sale may exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly.

Line by line in How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House?

How does selling my Kailua-kona house off-market work?

In four steps, with no listing and no showings.

  1. You tell us about the house, by the offer form or by contacting us.
  2. Someone on our team reviews the house and the neighborhood and may ask to see it.
  3. You get an offer, with no obligation to accept it.
  4. If you accept, a title company or closing attorney handles the closing on the date you choose.

You will know in writing who the buyer is before you sign anything.

How do I sell an inherited house in Kailua-kona?

Start with who has the authority to sign, usually the personal representative the probate court appoints, or a trustee. A title company will generally not close until that is documented.

Inherited property generally takes a basis equal to its value on the date of death, the IRS says, which can shrink the taxable gain. A probate attorney in Hawaii can explain the rest. More in How Do I Sell a House I Inherited?

How does Kailua-kona compare with nearby neighborhoods?

Waimea, 23 miles away, has two older homes among the eight we sampled. Kula, 76 miles away, counts one older home among the two we sampled. Honolulu, 159 miles away, shows one older home among the one we sampled. Kailua-kona ranks tied for 150th nationally for older homes, ahead of all of them.

Every neighborhood in the index has its own page, and the Hawaii page lists all 8 in the state.

Do older homes in Kailua-kona sell for less than new construction?

In our sample, yes. The average price of older homes in 96740 was 13.6 percent of the average price of new construction in the same ZIP code. The Hawaii median is 18.1 percent, and the index median is 23.1 percent. With six older homes behind it, treat the figure as a rough guide.

The gap reflects size, lot and condition as much as age, so price an older house against recent sales of other older houses nearby, not against new construction.

Kailua-kona by the numbers

Older homes
6
of 13 homes sampled, built 1980 or earlier
Share of older homes
46.2%
Hawaii 37.2%. Index 49.0%.
Older vs new
13.6%
Older home price as a share of new construction
National rank
#150 (tie)
of 1,192 ZIP codes
State rank
#1
of 8 in Hawaii
Minimum lot
13,199 sq ft
As recorded in the source data

Of the 13 homes in the Address District sample for Kailua-kona (96740), six were built in 1980 or earlier, a share of 46.2 percent. That places 96740 tied for 150th of 1,192 ZIP codes nationally for the number of older homes, and first of 8 in Hawaii.

Across the 8 Hawaii ZIP codes in the index, 37.2 percent of the homes sampled were built in 1980 or earlier, against 49.0 percent across all 1,192 ZIP codes.

How 96740 compares

Share of older homes

Homes in the sample built in 1980 or earlier

96740 Kailua-kona46.2%
Hawaii37.2%
All ZIP codes in the index49.0%

Older home prices against new construction

Average older home price as a share of new construction

96740 Kailua-kona13.6%
Hawaii median18.1%
Index median23.1%

Nearby neighborhoods in the index

ZIPPlaceDistanceRankShare
96743WaimeaHawaii County, HI23 mi43725.0%
96790KulaMaui County, HI76 mi76250.0%
96825HonoluluHonolulu County, HI159 mi883100.0%
96816HonoluluHonolulu County, HI163 mi883100.0%
96734KailuaHonolulu County, HI166 mi66516.7%
96756KoloaKauai County, HI273 mi43120.0%
96722PrincevilleKauai County, HI286 mi550100.0%
94018El GranadaSan Mateo County, CA2359 mi70733.3%

The top of Hawaii

State rankZIPPlaceHomesOlder homesShare
296756KoloaKauai County, HI10220.0%
396743WaimeaHawaii County, HI8225.0%
496722PrincevilleKauai County, HI22100.0%
596734KailuaHonolulu County, HI6116.7%
696790KulaMaui County, HI2150.0%
796816HonoluluHonolulu County, HI11100.0%
796825HonoluluHonolulu County, HI11100.0%

All 8 Hawaii ZIP codes in the index ›

About the data. Older homes are homes built in 1980 or earlier. Rank orders ZIP codes by the number of older homes in the sample, then by the number of homes. Full methodology and the complete index. Nothing on this page is legal, tax or financial advice.