Kauai Real Estate and Local News Update October 27
As reported in the Pacific Business News the home sales volume here in Hawaii has dropped but the prices remain steady. In a comparative study for the time periods January to September 2007 and 2008 it shows that Kauai number of sales has dropped 33% but the median price for homes is down by -4% and 0% for condos. Oahu is almost a mirror image with number of sales off by 26% and the median home price down by -3.5% and 0% in condo prices. The Big Island is +5% and Maui +7% in median condo pricing but their home prices are down with the Big Island -15% and Maui down -7%. For an excel spreadsheet of last weeks sales that came on the market and closed escrows CLICK HERE
*****Kukui’ula to Lay off 20 to 24 Employees*****
20% of Kukui’ula staff is are to be let go with some cuts to be done immediately and others by the end of the year. All employees will keep a re-hire status with the company and no single department is being targeted. This decision was in light of the slower paced economy that has affected the 1,010 acre project here on the South Shore. The timeline for the project has not been changed and the shops are visibly making huge headway, last report was they are going to be turned over for tenant improvements in March.
*****Suffering Killer Whale Beaches Itself On Brennecke’s*****
Killer whales are very rare here in Hawaii and the first ever reporting of one here on Kauai that beached itself on Brennecke’s Beach in Poipu was big news on Wednesday. The adolescent female Orca had been sick for quite sometime as evidenced by the visible protrusions of its ribs. The NOAA determined that the whale would be a health risk if released back into the ocean and was euthanized after being sedated. The following morning a pod of Orcas were sighted off Nawiliwili Harbor and its thought that this sick one had broke away from that group. Called the “biggest marine mammal emergency ever seen on Kauai” the event drew hundreds to Brennecke’s and the crowd was described as respectful and understanding. The Orca was taken away to an undisclosed location to study what caused its death.
Whale standings happen about half a dozen times a year here in Hawaii but the last killer whale that beached itself was on Lana’i in 2004.
*****One of the Best Kept Secrets In Hanalei*****
Every Friday and Sunday a slack key guitar concert is given by Doug and Sandy McMaster at the Hanalei Community Center. I was first introduced to them by some clients of mine and it has turned into a special place for me to take people. Such was the case on Sunday when I went with my best friend who is visiting from Orange County and her husband. It’s a long drive from Poipu but we made a wonderful day out of it by lunching in Hanalei before the performance.
Slack key guitar started when 3 Mexican horesmen were contracted to came over in the late 1700’s to the Big Island of Hawaii to rustle cattle. They brought their guitars with them and the Hawaiians were fascinated with the instruments which the horsemen left behind for them. Unable to tune the guitar the slack key style was born. However, did you know that most of the slack key you hear is not the original style? Slack key is played by the thumb playing a rhythm on the lower strings and the fingers play the melody which makes one guitar sound like two. This is the style that Doug and Sandy play and you can hear a difference. They also delightfully talk story during their performance and are more than entertaining. Doug and Sandys history needs more space than this so you are very welcome to go to their webpage and learn more about them.
They also give out fun prizes during the show and I got to hand them out!
The next time you are in Kauai do yourself a favor and check out their concerts, you will not be sorry. Here is the link http://www.hawaiianslackkeyguitar.com/