Aloha friends!

One of the most common questions we have here in Princeville is “Why are the HOA dues so high?”. Great question. To better understand what the owners are up against here on this little island in the middle of the pacific ocean, let’s break it down. Here’s what most monthly HOA feels include on the Garden Island of Kauai:

The expenses us Realtors will usually trumpet about being covered

Water

Sewer

Garbage

Then some of the expenses that get swept under the rug

Building repair and maintenance

Plumbing | Grounds | Pool

Common area electric

Pest Control

Property Management

Amenities: Pool | Tennis Courts | Gym

Landscaping | Tree and Coconut removal (so they don’t fall and injure anyone or your car)

Insurance: Hurricane | Fire | Liability

Tax: Excise | Land | Structure

Legal and Accounting Fees

Some associations throw in Basic Cable / Phone

So… basically you are left with power and your internet. For vacation rentals power can be an issue if there is AC in the unit (personally I’ll remove the AC from any unit I own and provide a floor unit for the bedroom(s) during the hot season to keep costs down).

I thought for years that the condo board members and property managers were stealing all the money and charging the owners absorbent amounts of money for small repairs, updates, maintenance. Not the case at all. My father is the president of an HOA on the North Shore in Princeville and after attending the meetings for the last few years, I’ve learned that they spend every penny wisely. I mean, wow. Look at that list above. I guess there isn’t any real inexpensive way to do it. Materials are high and good labor is hard to find.

HOA dues on the North shore are listed below by price from least to most per month:

These are Q4 2015 prices and are usually based on the sqft of the unit. For instance you’ll see a large swing in several of the complexes like Kamahana. The smaller units are under 800 but the larger units that have an A and B side are 900+. The blue name indicates that we have a link active so you can click through to learn more about the condo complex. We are working on creating articles for all the condo developments here on island but... There are LOTS and we are doing our best ;).

Nihilani $493-653

2 bedroom units $493, larger units go up from there. Voted best pool and place to stay in Princeville in 2014 by Trip Advisor. All units have garages.

Sandpiper A&B* $543

Great layout and potential for long term or vacation rental. Sweet pool and location in Princeville.

Hale Moi A&B* $610

2 unit condo’s with no pool or amenities but breathtaking mountain views.

Plantation of Princeville $617-735

2 bedroom units are all on the lower floor $617, 3 bedroom units upstairs are $735

Villa’s of Kamali’i $635

Townhouse style living with large spaces and quality fit/finish. Amazing mountain views.

Alii Kai I $665

*LOW HOA ALERT! Every unit has a LOW $0.61 HOA per sqft per month.

Hugging the bluff these condo’s are private and make you feel like you are part of the Aina.

Pali Ke Kua $693

Home of Hideaways beach and the Pizza Pub. Front row Bali Hai views and great vacation rental potential

Hanalei Bay Villas $700

Stand alone villas with beautiful Mauka and Bay views. Adjacent to the St. Regis

Sealodge $701

* HOA ALERT! A 567 sq ft 1 br unit cost is a whopping $1.23 per sqft per month!

But you get amazing views on the bluff, fun cedar sided buildings.

Paniolo $702

Budget condo’s in Princeville. Most have two units including one studio and a one bedroom.

Mauna Kai $715-953

Some of the units on the left as you enter that are the round style units have much higher HOA because they have timeshare sprinkled in. The townhouse style units on the right and in the back are the lower HOA.

Alii Kai II $725

These are likely a little higher than the ones on the bluff at Alii Kai I because they have a front desk, timeshare and an on site manager. The Alii Kai II has a really nice new pool and hot tubs as well.

Villa’s on the Prince $729

Great townhouse style living on the Prince. 3 bedroom villas with 2 master suites. These are restricted to 30 days or more Vacation rental because they are on Queen Emma’s Bluff. There is no vacation rental under 30 days for these units and Ka’iulani of Princeville.

Pua Mana $749

Large square footage and great pricing.

Kamahana $780-938

Single 2br units are 780, A&B units are higher. Kamahana has large floorplans and is located on the Makai.

Paliuli Cottages $786

There are only 9 of these sweet cottages each with covered parking.

Emmalani Court $836

Most have golf course and ocean views. Large spaces.

Cliffs $915

Resort living with tennis, full front desk and great access to the bluff.

Puu Poa $954

Front row high end condo’s with pool and tennis. Adjacent to the St. Regis.

Ka’iulani of Princeville $1093

These are restricted to 30 days or more Vacation rental because they are on Queen Emma’s Bluff. There is no vacation rental under 30 days for these units and Villas on the Prince.

Hanalei Bay Resort (including everything. 24 hour front desk, power, bellhop, emergency repair services) $1541+

*A&B means that there are two units in one condo. Sandpiper can be configured to connect the two sides so that you get one large condo or a studio / 1br side. Hale Moi is essentially the same but in a side by side fashion.

One thing that we pride ourselves on here at Kauai.com is that we don’t mask these numbers. We advertise every listing on island, click on any listing, scroll down into the details and you’ll find the HOA fees listed. If you can’t find what you are looking for go ahead and give us a call! We are happy to answer your questions.

Other topics related:

Vacation Destination Areas vs. non vacation rental areas, TVR definition.

1031 Tax Exchange information and Frequently Asked Questions.

Explaining the TMK system instead of the tax parcel numbers of the mainland.

Leasehold Vs. Freehold

Kauai Property Tax Information 

OK, I know this is a ton of info so remember if you need to just pick up the phone and get it first hand feel free to give us a call or email your specific question.

Billy O’

808-755-5866

billyo@kauai.com