WE BUY HOUSES ON KAUAI

Selling a House on Kaua’i: A Small Market With Big Prices

Kaua’i is the smallest of the four main counties by population, and only a handful of homes sell there each month. According to Title Guaranty of Hawaii’s June 2026 statewide housing statistics, Kaua’i’s median single-family price was about $1,600,000 that month. With so few sales, the median jumps around a lot from month to month, and one unusual feature, like a flood zone or a cesspool, can make a home hard to price and harder to finance.

North Shore floods and lasting damage

In April 2018, record rain hit Hanalei, Wainiha, and Hā’ena. The National Weather Service measured nearly 50 inches in 24 hours at a gauge near Hanalei, a U.S. record at the time. Landslides closed Kūhiō Highway past Hanalei for more than a year. Many North Shore homes have since been repaired, but buyers still ask about past water damage, mold, and flood insurance. If your home took on water, see selling a house with mold or water damage in Hawaii.

Vacation rental rules on Kaua’i

Since 2008, County of Kaua’i Ordinance 864 has allowed new transient vacation rentals only inside Visitor Destination Areas, such as parts of Po’ipū, Princeville, Wailua-Kapa’a, and Līhu’e. Homes outside those areas can rent short-term only if the owner holds a nonconforming use certificate and renews it on time every year. A missed renewal can end the rental income for good. If your rental plan has changed, read selling a rental property in Hawaii.

Plantation homes and Westside living

Towns like Waimea, Kekaha, Hanapēpē, and ‘Ele’ele grew up around sugar. Many homes there are single-wall plantation houses with termite damage, old wiring, and rooms added over the years without permits. They have a lot of history, but they are tough sells to buyers who need a mortgage. We buy them as they are.

Homes rebuilt after Hurricane ‘Iniki

Hurricane ‘Iniki struck Kaua’i on September 11, 1992, and damaged or destroyed thousands of homes across the island. Many houses you see today were patched or rebuilt in the years that followed, often in a hurry. Thirty-plus years later, those roofs, windows, and quick repairs are reaching the end of their life. Before we make an offer, we look at the water source (county line or private system), septic or cesspool, roof age, and whether the lot falls inside the Special Management Area along the coast. We put all of that into one plain number, so you know exactly why we offer what we offer.

Kaua’i areas where we buy

• Līhu’e and Puhi: the county seat, with older homes, newer subdivisions, and condos near the airport.
• Kapa’a and Wailua (the Coconut Coast): the island’s busiest residential area, from Wailua Homesteads to Kapa’a town.
• Princeville, Hanalei, and Kīlauea: North Shore homes and condos, including flood-zone properties.
• Kōloa, Po’ipū, and Kalāheo: South Shore homes and resort-area condos.
• Waimea, Kekaha, Hanapēpē, and ‘Ele’ele: Westside plantation towns with long family histories.

Retiring, downsizing, or inheriting

We often talk with longtime Kaua’i owners who want to downsize or move closer to family, and with heirs who live off-island. See selling a house when retiring in Hawaii and selling an inherited house in Hawaii.

We also buy on Maui and all across O’ahu.