THREE HARD-TO-GET OAHU NEIGHBORHOODS that just got a little easier

What do the popular Oahu neighborhoods such as Alewa Heights, Manoa-Woodlawn and Niu Valley have in common? Besides being well-established, highly sought-after neighborhoods that are close to Honolulu’s urban core, these neighborhoods have had very few “for sale” signs in the past several years, posing a challenge to interested homebuyers.

Fortunately, for those who weren’t able to find a home in these — and many other neighborhoods and buildings across Oahu — a few years ago, noticeable increases in homes for sale this year could mean an opportunity to score a home in their neighborhood of choice.

“Locations has been collecting and analyzing real estate data from Oahu’s hundreds of neighborhoods for more than 40 years, because we’ve seen time and again that we give our clients a clear advantage when we present them with the market insights to make informed decisions,” explained Locations President and CEO Scott Higashi.

Higashi noted that, islandwide, there are 72 neighborhoods with few sales over the past five years that now have new opportunities.

“We attribute the rise in inventory in established neighborhoods like these today to a shift in lifestyle dynamics, such as children going away to college or retirees looking for the ‘lock-and-go’ ease of condo living,” said Higashi.

The result of this shift in lifestyle dynamics is that neighborhoods with little or no turnover in the past few years now offer opportunities for new generations of homeowners to put down roots.

“When you look at individual neighborhoods, as Locations does, that’s where you’ll see opportunities,” Higashi added.

For example, Alewa Heights, a neighborhood of just under 1,000 single-family homes, and just minutes away from downtown, had only eight sales in 2016. Over the past five years, the neighborhood has seen an average of 16 sales per year. With 12 single-family homes currently for sale in Alewa Heights, and six more in escrow, it’s safe to say that this year’s sales will likely outpace previous years, ushering in a wave of new or returning residents.

Another example is Manoa-Woodlawn.

Tucked into the back of Manoa Valley, tranquil Woodlawn has just 780 single-family homes and an average of 12 home sales each year, for the past five years. At the end of the first quarter of 2019, there are seven homes for sale in the area and three in escrow, putting Manoa-Woodlawn on track to exceed its average number of home sales this year.

Niu Valley is another example: With 729 single-family homes for sale on mostly large, level lots, this neighborhood is perennially popular with families looking for big backyards, close proximity to town and to the beach, and great schools. Since 2014, Niu Valley has had an average of less than 10 sales per year. In 2016, there were only five Niu Valley homes sold in the entire year. Currently, there are four homes for sale and two in escrow — not a large number, by any means, but enough to give would-be Niu Valley residents a chance to get their foot in the door.

And there are many other neighborhoods like these, too.

So, if you’ve been wanting to relocate to one of Oahu’s many “hard-to-get-into” neighborhoods, because you were raised there or you simply would like to be closer to town, your odds of getting your own piece of paradise might be better now than at any other time in recent years.

Your REALTOR® can help you to identify those neighborhoods that have new and increased inventory, and work with you to craft a winning offer. To see what’s for sale in your neighborhood of choice, visit LocationsHawaii.com.