Hawaii Homes for Sale

Beachfront property, ocean views and natural scenic beauty are a few of the things people look for when purchasing a Hawaii home. With its ideal climate and laid back island ambiance Hawaii is one of the most desirable places to live. Hawaii homes vary from island to island but they do have a few common features.

Most Hawaii homes are smaller than those found on the mainland. This is generally due to three factors. First is the high cost of construction. Most building supplies must be brought to Hawaii from the mainland. This makes the cost of building Hawaii homes more expensive. The second factor is the Hawaiian lifestyle. People tend to spend more time enjoying the outdoors in Hawaii. The third factor is that land zoned for residential use is limited.

Most single family Hawaii homes are one-story. They are built from wood with a concrete foundation, or slab. The exterior siding is usually wood or a composition material. Jalousie windows in Hawaii homes are very common. They are usually much larger then the windows found on mainland homes. The average home is built with three bedrooms. Two and four bedroom Hawaii homes do exist but they are not as plentiful. Air conditioning is not usually found in single family Hawaii homes. Ceiling fans are all that is generally needed. Because of the ideal climate, most homes in Hawaii do not have central heating.

Storage space can also be very limited in most Hawaii homes. This is because basements are not common and most single family Hawaii homes have carports instead of garages. Most homes also have small attic crawl spaces.

Single family Hawaii homes generally are beautifully, and often naturally, landscaped. Lush greenery, exotic tropical flowers and fruit trees frequently decorate the Hawaii home's lot. The size of an average single family lot is between 5,000 - 7,500 square feet. Waterfront or beachfront Hawaii homes are usually those with the highest prices. Homes that have beautiful scenic views are also prices in the higher range. Of course there are many Hawaii homes that are far above the average in every way.

In 1896 the Republic of Hawaii enacted the Home Exemption Law. This law provided tax relief to owners of Hawaii homes. In order to be entitled to the home exemption, Hawaii homeowners have to own and occupy the property. It has to be their principal residence and they must live there 270 days of the year. Homes belonging to seniors or disabled people also qualify for additional exemptions.

The price of the average Hawaii home depends upon which island it is located. Also the location within the island, the type of home, and the square footage of the home are important factors.