From all over the world, many flock to Wailea not just for its world-class beaches, perfectly landscaped setting, or five star resorts – but rather, for the championship-grade golf courses. Boasting golf-ready weather year round and some of the most scenic golf courses in the Pacific, it is easy to see why it has become a haven for golf aficionados. With that said, it’s time we explored a bit more what Wailea golf is all about, starting from North and moving South:
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Wailea Old Blue

Perhaps the most recognized of all courses in South Maui, the ‘Grand Lady of Wailea’ has been a Wailea institution since 1972, way before Maui earned its ‘Best Island in the World’ crown and the ensuing status as a favorite among travelers worldwide. Weaving through a number of condominiums (i.e. Hoolei, Wailea Fairway Villas) and residential neighborhoods (i.e. Wailea Fairway Estates, Wailea Golf Vistas), golfers may start to wonder how many holes they have played as it is a seemingly endless course. Take a look at the Wailea Old Blue Course Map to get a better perspective of its winding course. With 6,765 yards of golf ahead, golfers can rest assured that its elevation changes and hazards – ingeniously located at just the perfect spots to challenged even experienced players – will ensure a great day of golfing ahead.

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Wailea Emerald Course

With wider landing zones, shorter yardage, and less obstacles to clear, the Wailea Emerald is a favorite among beginners and those who’d much prefer a relaxing day on the golf course rather than a demanding one.The 6,825 yard layout, with its picture-perfect wide fairways and tropical setting, it has a well-deserved reputation as female-friendly, resulting in Golf for Women Magazine honoring the Wailea Golf Club the  Top Fairways Award for the country’s most women-friendly golf clubs. Take a look at the Wailea Emerald Course for good perspective of layout and orientation. Keep an eye out when playing the double green shared by holes 10 and 17.

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Wailea Gold Course

The Wailea Gold has set the Gold standard by which all other championship courses in Hawaii are measured. Taking advantage of the terrain’s naturally demanding landscape, the 7,078 yard course is among the most challenging in the Pacific. At its inception in 1994, the Robert Trent Jones II-designed course was recognized  as one of the country’s ten best new resort courses by both Golf Magazine and Golf Digest. Hailed by many as a course made for a ‘thinking player’, it is an unforgiving course meant to test skills and concentration, it has also received critical acclaim for its preservation of lavva rock walls during the design/construction. View the Wailea Gold Golf Course map before scheduling. The Champions Skins Game has been played at the Wailea Gold course for several years, testing some of the most elite golfers in the world. For any serious golf player, this is a must play.

With year-round sunshine (averaging 330 days a year) and a seemingly perfect golf setting, served by the omnipresent Haleakala volcano as a windbreak, Wailea is every golfer’s dream come true. Stay at any of the five Wailea hotels and enjoy special promotions and preferred tee times.  Ready to pack your bags? Make sure to stop by the Wailea Golf Club, named by Gold World Business as one of the top 100 golf shops in America. Wailea, where golf meets Aloha.

Being diligent and watchful of the Wailea real estate market, when particularly good values come on the market we inform clients so they can make a timely decision if they are interested in pursuing. Today, we will share with our readers some opportunities that have recently become available

*  Palms at Wailea – A short walk from Keawakapu beach, built with a Mediterranean-style, contemporary design and set with a low-density footprint, Palms at Wailea is proving to be among the better values for those seeking to invest in a Wailea vacation rental condo without having to spend Wailea-like price tags. These TWO short sales came on the market, MLS# 350945 and MLS# 351007 (no, it is not a coincidence regarding the timing, it happens that both units are owned by the same person). Both are 2 bedroom / 2 bathroom and are spacious at over 1,200 square feet of interior living space, allow short-term rentals for income generation, and are priced well below comparables – other 2 bedroom units currently for sale are priced from $699K to $1.05M (but of course, higher priced units tend to be in more desirable areas of the complex and have substantial upgrades) while comparable sold units in the past year have started in the high $500K’s.

* Kanani Wailea – Motivated seller + Immaculate Wailea condo = Opportunity! Maui MLS# 350954 is a 3 bedroom / 2.5 bathroom Wailea condo with over 2,000 square feet of interior living space and is offered at $719,900. This is not a short sale or REO (foreclosure), just priced like one. To give it some perspective, six sales in the past year had an average sales price of $793,500 and a median of $819,500. Built in 2006, Kanani Wailea offers top-of-the-line upgrades, the convenience of condominium living mixed with the comfort and privacy of single-family residences. A short walk from Keawakapu Beach and a 2 minute drive from The Shops at Wailea, five-star restaurants, championship-styled golf courses and world-class amenities, residents of Kanani Wailea have a world at their leisure.

Should you be interested in any of the above or are in search of a particular type of property not currently available (i.e. REO’s of luxury condos), just shoot us an email at alex@mauirealestatesearch.com or call 808.385.5034.

Earlier today, I had the pleasure of taking my son on his school’s whale watching tour. About 50 kids ranging in age from 2 to 5 boarded a Pacific Whale Foundation vessel and took to the sea. It turned out to be quite enjoyable and we saw more whales than we could count, including a pod less than 50 yards away from the boat. Regardless of how many times I see them, it is always humbling to see such magnificent mammals in their natural element.

The point of this post is not sell real estate or to feature a luxury listing, but rather to talk about the lifestyle that Maui has to offer. Today was a bit of whale watching, tomorrow will be an Aloha Friday full of work, this weekend perhaps some golfing or a lazy day at the beach, all while trying to raise two kids with the values that I hold dear. Truly, with a multitude of micro-climates, Maui has much to offer: its cowboy-rich history yet laid back way in Makawao, to resort living in Wailea and Kapalua, to Hawaiiana luxury estates in Makena, to Lahaina with its historic roots, to quiet gentleman estates in Kula. But it’s not for everyone. There isn’t a significant nightlife to speak of, shopping is not plentiful (I do quite a bit of my shopping online), and choices can sometimes be very limited (when I get hungry late at night for Chinese food, I don’t have much of a selection on South Maui). But for those to whom Maui is a good fit, it can become THE place to call home.

As a perennial favorite among West Maui visitors, Kapalua Bay Villas enjoys a reputation as a one of the better values in Hawaii oceanfront properties. Nestled among 16 acres of prime Maui real estate, owners and visitors enjoy exclusive use of three pools, tennis courts, a recreation area, and one of the most enviable locations in the world, with unobstructed views of the Pacific. With one hundred and forty units range in size from 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom (1,006 square feet) all the way to incredibly spacious 2 bedroom / 3 bathroom (1,547 square feet), potential buyers are sure to find the perfect size.

So how has Kapalua Bay Villas performed through the cycles of the market? Look at the chart below which shows its ascent of average/median sales prices during the peak of the market to its current position through 2011. To give it some perspective, in 2011 there were 8 sales at a price per square foot of $745.91. Yet in 2002, 16 sales reflected a price per square foot of $805.54. Few other vacation-rentalable, waterfront properties in Hawaii offer this type of opportunity.

Kapalua Bay Villas Sales Chart

Now let’s compare it to one of Wailea’s most sought-after properties, Polo Beach Club. Being directly beachfront on one of the most beautiful beaches in Hawaii, it has a very loyal following of return visitors and happy owners.  Consisting of seventy one 2 bedroom / 2 bathroom units on a 8 story concrete building, Polo Beach Club has very few comparables on South Maui and represents one of the strongest beachfront values in Wailea/Makena. Take a look at the chart below to ascertain its values during and after the peak of the market. Clearly this demonstrates a different trend in values than that of Kapalua Bay Villas.

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Polo Beach Club Sales Chart

*Note: No Sales took place in 2009*
So what to make of the above? Does it mean that Kapalua Bay Villas is not as desirable as Polo Beach? No, far from it. The point is that the Maui real estate market is extremely segmented and offers a plethora of micro-markets, each experiencing different levels of valuation and potential appreciation. For buyers waiting for the ‘bottom to fall off’, various metrics point to a recovering market and it is in their best interest to contact a local real estate professional who can better gauge current trends.

Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler Buys Home on Maui

As a long time visitor to Maui, Steven Tyler had been looking at beachfront homes for quite some time. And as released by the Wall Street Journal, the American Idol judge purchase a home on the prestigious Makena district in South Maui. Makena is also rumored to be home (or in this case, second-home) to a myriad of celebrities, including Oprah, Jennifer Aniston, and Clint Eastwood.

Steven’s new home is an oceanfront 2 bedroom / 3.5 bathroom Makena property on 1/4 acre. With 3,000 square feet of interior space, covered outdoor living space of over 1,400 square feet, a very distinct Hawaiiana feel to it mixed with world-class luxury finishes and a phenomenal pool overlooking the ocean, it is a perfect setting for entertaining. With a very unique location on a promontory, it is surrounded on 3 sides by the Pacific. It had been offered at $6,495,000 but sold for $4.8M after being on the market for over 500 days (luxury properties typically spend much longer on the market as the pool of buyers is much more limited). With time, there is a high probability that this will prove to be a great investment for Steven. Not only did he buy a house, he made the time much more memorable by getting engaged to long-time girlfriend, Erin Brady.

Interested in the ultimate island lifestyle enjoyed by some of the world’s elite? Then Makena and Wailea real estate may be the best fit, contact us for more information.