Kauai Home Sales

Western Region Out Performs National Home Sales Figures Nationwide

The new-home sales had a gain of 0.7 percent last month; this figure missed the expectations on Wall Street. This was the fifth-consecutive month of increased sales. The good news is the western region, which includes Hawaii, enjoyed a 12.1 percent increase in new-home sales last month compared to July — and a 30.4 percent gain from August 2008. The West was the only region to report an increase nationwide.

Where To Retire?

MSN reported the most tax friendly state for retirees if your looking for a state where there is No tax on pension income:  There’s ten states — Alabama, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New York and Pennsylvania — exclude all federal, military and in-state government pensions from taxation. But Kansas taxes public pensions from all other states.  In addition, depending on your income, you may be required to include up to 85% of your Social Security benefits in your taxable income when filing your federal return. But in recent years, many states have been moving away from taxing Social Security benefits. 

Another bonus for some states is there’s No Social Security tax: in the state of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin.

And on the Real Esatate homefront for the island of Kauai here is an excel spreadsheet for last weeks newly listed properties and sales  CLICK HERE

American Airlines is reinstating flights between Chicago and Honolulu in 2010, no start date was specified for the flights but only that it would be in the summer of 2010.  Additioanlly  Hawaiian Airlines is expanding its service to California with the addition of three daily flights next summer as they are getting two new A330 aircraft which will seat 294 passengers and they want to capitalize on one of the busiest travel seasons that Hawaii has.

Two of their new daily nonstop flights will be between Maui and Oakland and Maui and San Diego, as well as an additional Los Angeles-Honolulu flight, beginning June 17, 2010. 

The new daily flight between Oakland and Maui will depart California at 12:20 p.m. and arrive in Maui at 2:20 p.m. The return flight will leave Maui at 9:35 p.m. and arrive in Oakland the following day at 5:30 a.m. The flight runs through Sept. 6, 2010.

The daily flight from San Diego will depart at 10:35 a.m. and arrive in Maui at 1:05 p.m. The return flight leaves Maui at 10:30 p.m. and arrives in San Diego at 6:35 a.m. the next day. That service runs through Aug. 24, 2010.

Hawaiian’s daily Los Angeles-Honolulu service will leave Los Angeles at 10:45 a.m. and arrive in Honolulu at 1:15 pm. The return flight departs Honolulu at 10:30 p.m. and arrives in Los Angeles the next day at 6:55 a.m.

Over 100 Acres Burn At Maha’ulepu

Over 100 acres caught fire on Sunday at Maha‘ulepu Beach at 10:36 a.m.  Fire trucks from six of the seven fire stations on island responded along with heavy equipment operators from private companies and a helicopter crew form Pacific Missle Range Facility at PMRF dropped 12 buckets on the fire.

Most of the responding agencies had left the scene by 7 p.m., but at press time a small crew of firefighters remained there to handle mop-up operations and put out hot spots.

The National Association of Realtors wants to extend the $8,000 first-time homebuyer credit which will expire November 30.  “Now is the time for Congress to keep this recovery going by extending the tax credit through 2010 and making it available to more homebuyers, says NAR president Charles McMillan. The first-time buyer credit, which was implemented earlier this year, has brought 1.2 million new buyers into the market, the NAR estimates. It says 350,000 of those buyers would not have purchased a home without the credit.

So what sold and what got listed last week here on the Garden Island of Kauai?  For an excel spreadsheet  CLICK HERE

Continental Airlines will increase its holiday service between Honolulu and Houston with the addition of a daily non-stop flight.   The new flight will be available Dec. 17 through Jan. 10, 2010., excluding Christmas day.  The flight will depart Hononlulu Interntional at 10:50 p.m. and arrives at Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport at 7:40 a.m. the next day. The return flight departs Houston at 2:25 p.m. and arrives in Honolulu at 6:50 p.m.

Kukuiula Village is getting a natural foods store set to open in December!  Living Foods Market & Cafe, which will sell organic and locally grown food, as well as European-style fare from a cafe-style restaurant will be a 5,000 square foot store in Poipus newest shopping center.  The Living Foods Market & Cafe will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week and employ 20 people.

So what came on the market last week and what sold?  For a excel spreadsheet CLICK HERE    If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me!

Lynda Gill (RA)  808-346-0056