Summer is almost over; the kids are all back in school and the tourist season has reached its slowest point of the year. Whereas on the Mainland, we dreaded the coming of yet another drab, gray winter, we find here that we look forward to the change of seasons. Each has its own charms and there is always something to eagerly anticipate. At the moment, we are looking forward to our first coffee picking and a new batch of our own fresh Kona coffee. It is lovely to wake up to a freshly brewed pot each morning and sip it as we gaze out over the rows of coffee trees to the ocean below. Then it is off to work and another busy day, but that morning interlude provides perspective and reminds us of the joys of living in such a beautiful place.
Big Island Real Estate Market News
The real estate market here in West Hawaii has slowed over the last several months, just as it has in most other areas. We have a larger number of homes remaining on the market for longer periods, and the surefire double digit percentage increases in home values is a thing of the past. Research shows that while the volume of sales is down significantly in the North Kona district for 2006 as compared with 2005 (24.15% for residential, 21.88% for vacant land, and 41.21% for condos), the median sales prices have actually increased somewhat for residential properties and condos, and significantly for vacant land. (6.18% for homes, 13.33% for condos, and 35.04% for vacant land)
How does this translate for Buyers? It is an opportune time to look for values in the market as Sellers are willing to negotiate more favorable contracts in order to be competitive and the interest rates are still relatively low. Mortgage brokers are also working to put together attractive packages for buyers. If you are thinking about investing in the Hawaii market, give me a call to discuss your needs and I will be happy to answer your questions.
Jacks Diving Locker
The old dog is learning new tricks! The old dog being me, and the new trick being scuba diving. We have finally taken the plunge, both figuratively and literally to earn our PADI Open Water Scuba certification this summer through Jack’s Diving Locker, one of the preeminent dive shops in the world. It was a little (a lot) scary at first to jump in and feel the water close over my head. I do enjoy breathing and tend to get agitated when I feel I can’t get enough air, even on dry land, so I immediately surfaced with a wild look on my face. But my instructor was very patient and the next time down pulled out his slate and began to play Tic-Tac-Toe with me in order to help me relax. He even let me win, and by the end of the game I felt better. Still, it took a couple more pool sessions for me to feel okay with jumping in the water with so much weight on my back that my knees buckle.
Then it was off to the ocean for the real thing. Again, it took a few minutes of sitting on the bottom 18 feet down to calm down and remember to breathe slowly. It didn’t help that I had watched “Shark Week” just a few days before! That urge to surface was hard to deny, but I did it!! After everyone was comfortable, we set off on our first open water swim guided along by our instructor. It was fascinating. The underwater world is absolutely beautiful, and I found as we swam along that I was very comfortable and it didn’t matter whether we were at 10 feet or 45 feet. Once you are down there, things quiet down and you feel the excitement of seeing a new world. On our second dive we spotted a large sea turtle taking a Sunday siesta on the sandy bottom as well as numerous colorful fish and various types of coral. The third and fourth dives were boat dives, and for those we visited Manta Ray Bay, just outside Honokohau Harbor’s entrance, and Garden Eel Cove, just off the coast near the airport. We saw several varieties of eels, including Garden Eels, which live in the sand at about a 60 foot depth, and two large Yellow Margin Eels. We also saw the rare Harlequin Shrimp in the only spot they are known to exist around the island. No sharks put in an appearance, but I am told they occasionally do and that is a “highlight” of diving. Right now, I am very content to see nice little yellow fish…
For more information on recreational diving here in the Kona area, please visit the website for Jack’s diving Locker at:
