Nick Kawakami

With the holiday season gearing up, I’m happy to announce that my family and I will be hosting our 16th annual toy drive and kick-off concert again this year! The festivities start with a concert featuring my Dad & Brother (MānoaDNA) at the HB Social Club at Hawaiian Brians, and continues with a month-long toy drive to benefit the Laulima Giving Program.

We started this toy drive with the intent to help local families and, to date, we’ve donated thousands of new toys and tens of thousands of dollars. It’s been a huge privilege and humbling experience to see so many of our friends and family support this cause with us each year!

Kick-Off Concert Details

To start the toy drive and kick-off the Christmas season, MānoaDNA will be performing live and tickets are available now!

• Date: Saturday, November 28th
• Location: HB Social Club at Hawaiian Brians (1680 Kapiolani Blvd, 2nd Floor)
• Time: 5:30 PM-9:00 PM
• Tickets: Click here to buy tickets ($13.07/each)
• Virtual Viewing: Link to be provided before the concert

We will also be collecting toys at the concert, so please bring new, unused, and unwrapped donations with you!

More Ways to Donate Toys!

The concert is not the only way we are collecting toys! If you can’t make it to the concert, you can still help Hawai‘i families by donating new and unwrapped toy donations to my office at Marcus Realty through December 17th. Please drop off during business hours (8:30 AM-5:30 PM Monday-Friday), and do not leave any donations outside if the office is closed. The Laulima Giving Project will come to pick up all the donations and make sure they get into the right hands!

If you are going to be dropping off a toy to my office this way, please call/text me to let me know! I am not personally there during all business hours, but our staff is ready to help if I am not.

Thank You!

On behalf of my family, we’re super grateful that you’re taking the time to help this great cause! We’ve been really fortunate to have great Christmases growing up, so we really work hard to give that to other families as well! Your donations go directly to the Laulima Giving Project and make a HUGE difference during the holidays! Thank you for being a part of it, and happy holidays!

If you own a condominium, serve on an association board, or are considering buying a condo, an important financing change is on the horizon.

Beginning January 4, 2027, condominium purchases seeking eligibility for conventional mortgage financing will face stricter reserve funding requirements. While these changes may seem like accounting details at first glance, they could have real-world impacts on maintenance fees, special assessments, buyer financing, and overall property values.

Here’s a quick recap of what is changing and what it may mean for Hawaii condominium communities.

[Read more…] about New Condo Reserve Funding Rules Could Impact Hawaii Condominium Owners and Buyers in 2027

As we move into the final months of the year, Oʻahu’s housing market continues to tell an interesting story. September brought a mix of encouraging trends and ongoing challenges, especially when comparing the single-family home and condo markets. While buyers continue to navigate affordability concerns and interest rate uncertainty, many neighborhoods across Oʻahu are still seeing steady activity and healthy competition.

Here’s a quick recap of what happened in September and what it could mean for you.

[Read more…] about September 2026 O‘ahu Real Estate Update: Single-Family Homes Gain Momentum While Condos Face Headwinds This Fall

As summer winds down and Hawai‘i families settle into the back-to-school season, the O‘ahu real estate market continues to send mixed signals. Single-family homes remained competitive in August, while the condo market offered buyers more inventory and greater negotiating room. Here’s my breakdown of last month’s market!

[Read more…] about August 2026 O‘ahu Real Estate Update: Home Prices Rise While Condo Buyers Gain Options

Summer is often a busy season for real estate in Hawaii, and July’s numbers show that many buyers and sellers remained active across O‘ahu. From Mililani and Kapolei to Kailua and Hawai‘i Kai, we continued to see demand for well-priced properties, while higher-end home sales helped push median prices upward. The market remains balanced in some areas and competitive in others, making it more important than ever to understand the local trends behind the headlines.

[Read more…] about July 2026 O‘ahu Real Estate Update: Strong Summer Sales and Faster Moving Homes

Condominiums play an important role in the Hawai‘i housing market, especially on O‘ahu where condos make up a significant portion of available housing and are typically starting points for the homeownership ladder. Recent changes announced by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could affect how some condominium purchases are financed and may also influence how condominium associations plan for the future.

[Read more…] about Condo Financing Changes Could Impact Buyers and Associations in Hawai‘i

March always feels like a transition month here on Oahu. We start to move past winter weather, daylight stretches a little longer, and buyer activity typically begins to pick up heading into spring. This year, March brought some interesting shifts in the market that are worth paying attention to, especially if you are planning a move later in 2026.

Here is a clear snapshot of what happened last month.

March 2026 Market Highlights

• Single-family home sales jumped 26% year over year, with 260 homes sold compared to 206 last March. This shows renewed confidence from buyers, even with higher interest rates.
• Condo sales dipped slightly by about 5%, totaling 351 sales. Condos are still moving, just at a slower pace than single-family homes.
• Median single-family home price rose to $1,199,500, up 3.4% from last year. Prices are rising modestly rather than surging.
• Median condo price increased to $510,000, a 2% year-over-year gain, keeping condos relatively stable and accessible for many buyers.
• Homes are taking a bit longer to sell, with single-family homes averaging 21 days on market and condos averaging 43 days. Buyers have more breathing room than we saw during the frenzy years.
• Inventory remains tight for single-family homes, down more than 10% from last year, while condo inventory stayed nearly flat.
• Multiple offers are still happening, with 26% of single-family homes selling above asking price and sellers receiving about 98.6% of their list price on average.

What These Numbers Mean Right Now

For buyers, the market feels more balanced than it did a couple of years ago. Homes are still selling relatively quickly, but not overnight. Condos in particular are offering a bit more choice and negotiating room, which can be appealing in areas like Kaka‘ako, Salt Lake, and parts of Pearl City.

For sellers, well-priced and well-prepared homes are still moving. Single-family homes in neighborhoods such as Kapolei, Kailua, and Mililani continue to see strong demand. While bidding wars are not guaranteed like they once were, serious buyers are still out there, especially for properties under $1 million and well-located homes above that range.

From a broader market perspective, what stands out is stability. Prices are holding, activity is healthy, and supply is not flooding the market. This kind of environment often rewards thoughtful strategy rather than rushing decisions.

Looking Ahead

As we move further into spring and toward the summer buying season, I will be watching inventory closely. If new listings stay limited, that could support prices through the middle of the year. At the same time, higher mortgage rates and maintenance fees in condos continue to shape buyer behavior here on O‘ahu.

If you are thinking about buying, selling, or just want to understand how these trends impact your specific neighborhood, I am always happy to walk through the numbers with you.

Want to talk about what this means for your real estate plans? Feel free to reach out.
Happy House Hunting!