Kaneohe is one of the largest cities located on the Windward side of Oahu. In the Hawaiian language, kāne ʻohe means, “Bamboo Man” which was named after the legend of the man who discovered the sounds of the ohe hano ihu, bamboo nose flute. In the late 1940’s King Kamehameha redistributed the land to commoners which became farming land used to cultivate rice and taro from the Kaneohe stream. Seafood was also plentiful due to the advanced aquaculture of the Ancient Hawaiian fish ponds such as Paepae o Heʻeia.
The spectacular views are what makes this city so unique. Kaneohe runs from the top of the majestic Ko’olau Mountains into the enchanting waters of Kaneohe Bay. On rainy days, one would be so lucky to see multiple waterfalls cascading down the Koolau Mountains, and on a bright and sunny day, one can enjoy the lush plants in the Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens.
Because of the beautiful scenery, Kaneohe residents really know how to take advantage of where they live. Hiking is one of the favorites things for locals to do, such as the famous Haiku Trail (Stairway to Heaven), the Friendship Garden Trail, and the Maunawili Falls Trail. During a low tide, the sand bar is also a favorite hangout spot. With any stand-up paddle board, kayak or boat, it takes about 10 minutes to get to this raised strip of sand in the middle of the bay. Being the largest body of water in the Hawaiian islands, Kaneohe Bay is a perfect place to fish, snorkel or simply go for a nice swim.
Away from the water and tucked in the base of the Ko’olau mountains, rests the Byodo-In Buddhist Temple. It is a Hawaii State Landmark that was established in 1968 to commemorate 100 years of Japanese immigrants coming to Hawaii. This is a great tourist “must-see”, and is often used for wedding ceremonies.
The commute from Kaneohe is definitely a plus! A part of the main concern in Hawaii is TRAFFIC. How long will it take you to get to your destination, and how much traffic will there be? Depending on where you want to go, the drive from Kaneohe takes about 30 minutes to get into Honolulu from the Pali or Likelike Hwy and about the same driving back during rush hour. Traveling from the Eastside to the Westside takes about 45 minutes to an hour depending if your destination is Kapolei or Waianae. That of course changes during traffic hour which may vary from 1 hour to 2 hours.
The Real Estate Market in Kaneohe has slowly been increasing. In the last 10 years, the average median price for a single family home has gone up from $762,125 in 2007 to $871,445 in 2016. Average days on market have also shortened to 40 days, due to high demand and low low inventory. The amount of single family homes are down about 7% from last year and Condos are up 25%.
With so much nature, scenic views and convenient travel, who wouldn’t want to live in Kaneohe!
About the Author
Crystal Montrone was born and raised in Waipio Gentry and currently holds a real estate license with Locations, LLC in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Prior to working for Locations, LLC, Crystal worked as a Assistant Account Executive at TLC PR and a Sales and Promotions Coordinator for Hawaii Pacific Entertainment. Her background includes Public Relations, Event Planning and Social Media Marketing. She also served as the Official Hostess of the State under the title of Miss Hawaii 2013. She has traveled nationally and internationally promoting Hawaii Tourism.
Crystal graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, with a double Bachelor’s degree in Communications and French Language. Crystal enjoys all outdoor activities, dancing, traveling and continues to be an Ambassador for the Blood Bank of Hawaii.
