Big Island Real Estate Market News

Home prices in and around Kona are continuing to climb. As of this week, there are only a handful of homes listed for under 400K. Condo prices have risen dramatically as well, so be prepared for sticker shock if you haven’t checked the prices in a few months. Curiously, this has not seemed to slow the market down as buyers are still making full price offers and sellers are receiving multiple offers on their homes. For this reason, it is a great time to list your home and cash in on the increased equity if you own in the West Hawaii area. Call me for a no-obligation comparative market analysis of your home. You may be pleasantly surprised to discover what your home could be worth in today’s market.

Vacation Rentals

For those of you planning an escape to Hawaii in the future, please keep in mind that Coldwell Banker Aloha Properties has a nice selection of rental condos and homes to make your stay in paradise relaxing and memorable. We have just added four new properties to our list and are continuing to expand. For more information, check out the Vacation Rental page on this site or give me a call. We are offering many special deals for the summer and early fall.

Memorial Day

Since we have lived in Kona, our family’s Memorial Day tradition has been to take a lei to the memorial at the site of Camp Tarawa, located just outside Waimea. Camp Tarawa was established in December of 1943 on 441 acres of the Parker Ranch when Second Division Marines who survived the bloody Battle of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands arrived. Parker Ranch had leased 40,000 acres of property to the U.S. Government for $1.00 per year for the establishment of a Marine Corps training facility. In honor of the returning Marines and those who fought but did not return, the camp was named Camp Tarawa.

Second Division marines trained relentlessly, practicing amphibious landings on the beaches and using the terrain of the islands to hone invasion techniques. The Second Division Marines shipped out in the spring of 1944 for Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa.

The Fifth Marine Division, including my dad, arrived in the fall of 1944 and trained until late December of that year. They left Camp Tarawa for Iwo Jima. In spite of the intense training, the Battle of Iwo Jima, which was expected to last 3 days, dragged on for 36 days. No one had anticipated the kind of fortifications in place on Iwo Jima that had to be overcome. More Marines died on Iwo Jima than in any other battle in the Pacific Theater.

Survivors of Iwo Jima returned to Camp Tarawa and were welcomed with open arms by the people of Waimea. The war was not over and training continued. The target this time was Japan itself. Instead, the war ended and the Fifth Marine Division was sent to occupy rather than invade Japan.

With the war over, Marines returned home and the camp was dismantled in 1946. All that remains to mark the spot where heroes walked is a small memorial and a wall that contains a poignant narrative of the story of Camp Tarawa and the men who trained there. Today’s first picture is a shot of the main entrance to the camp as it appears today. Only the surrounding hills and trees remain, but there is also the whisper of the past in the breeze if you listen carefully, and it never fails to move me to tears.

I had the unique opportunity to travel to Iwo Jima in March of 2001 on an anniversary tour hosted by the Marine Corps with Navy support. It was fascinating to see the beaches and fortifications. I had heard about Iwo Jima since I was little, so it meant a great deal to me to actually stand on the beach and look up at Mount Suribachi. It is peaceful there now, which is as it should be.

Happy Memorial Day and thank you to all of our Veterans. Daddy, I’m proud of you.