Category: Hawaii Real Estate by Jason Wong

Are you an investor or homeowner on the Big Island of Hawaii? Recent legislative shifts have significantly changed the carrying costs for luxury properties, and understanding these new tiers is crucial for your real estate portfolio. In this breakdown, I analyze the precise financial impact of Hawaii County’s Bill 128 and Resolution 574-26. We look…

Rates shown are FY2026–27 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027). Every county resets rates each July 1 — verify before you act. Four islands. One identical $4 million assessed value. Four completely different annual property tax bills — and the most expensive one is not where almost anyone would guess. I ran the same…

Are you buying or selling a condo in Hawaii? Don’t let hidden insurance deductibles jeopardize your real estate investment. Understanding your condo association’s master policy is more critical than ever. In this comprehensive update, we break down the complex layers of Hawaii condo insurance, exploring how the latest 2026 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines…

“Triple net.” Two words that make a Hawaii commercial property sound effortless — the tenant pays everything, the owner collects a cheque. Sometimes that is exactly true. Sometimes it is not remotely true. And the difference is not decided by the acronym printed on the offering memorandum. It is decided by the lease. I am…

Are Honolulu office buildings the next big real estate investment, or a financial misstep? For years, office real estate has been treated as the unwanted sector of commercial property, but recent market data and groundbreaking zoning laws are rapidly changing the landscape in Hawaii. In this video, Jason Wong, Principal Broker at Island Dragonfly, analyzes…

Everyone in Hawaii heard the headline: the state now requires counties to allow two accessory dwelling units on residential lots. Almost nobody heard the three sentences that follow it in the statute. In this segment I go through what Act 39 actually reaches — and what it quietly leaves out. What this covers: UPDATE, September…

The deadline is September 30. It does not move, it is not prorated, and it is not retroactive. If you own and live in your home on Oʻahu or Kauaʻi and you have never filed a home exemption, this is the video to watch before the end of the month. I’m Jason Wong, President and…

Is Hawaii’s mandatory sea-level rise disclosure a structural death sentence for oceanfront real estate? Absolutely not. Selling or buying coastal real estate in Hawaii requires navigating strict state mandates, specifically Hawaii Act 179, which mandates sellers to disclose if a property falls within a designated sea-level rise exposure area based on a projected 3.2-foot increase.…

Let’s have a frank, unsentimental conversation about Hawaii oceanfront real estate, coastal erosion, and the legal reality of seawalls. If you own an oceanfront property in Hawaii with a legally permitted, grandfathered seawall, congratulations—you practically own a unicorn. Through Act 16 of 2020, the State of Hawaii made its position aggressively clear by prohibiting the…

Welcome to Hawaii—the land of aloha, stunning sunsets, and humidity that can eat your house. If you are buying a luxury property, an investment condo, or relocating to the islands, understanding Hawaii’s unique climate is crucial to protecting your investment. In this video, I break down why standard air conditioning units go on an absolute…