Introduction to Windward Oahu

Let me introduce you to our Windward Oahu. Windward Oahu has the ocean on one side with some of the most beautiful beaches on Oahu. The key ones from west to east are Kalama beach, Kailua Beach, Lanikai beach, Bellows beach, Waimanalo beach, and Makapuu beach. On the other side of the coast are the tall Koolau mountain range that separate us from Honolulu city. There are two freeways/highways - Pali and Likelike connecting windward Oahu to Honolulu. A third -H3- connects us to the international airport and western Oahu.  You climb quite a way up the Koolau and then a long tunnel bores through the mountain to the Honolulu side. You then descend gently down through lush greenery to the big city.  

There are two midsized towns in windward Oahu and three smaller towns. The midsized towns are Kailua (my town) and Kaneohe. The smaller towns are Lanikai, enchanted lakes and Waimanalo. Not sure if enchanted lakes or Lanikai is a separate town or a sub division of Kailua town. These are the towns we stump around in and rarely go to Honolulu. Median residential property prices are: Lanikai - 2.5 million, enchanted lakes - 1.58 million, Kailua - 1.4 million, Kaneohe - 900k and Waimanalo - 800k. The most expensive residential property in windward Oahu? A beachfront property in Kailua town for 50 million.

One zone of Kailua town is dedicated to condos only. All roads in this zone are private - we contribute to maintaining them. Our condo plex is in this zone. All condo plex decisions are made by a board whose members are all elected residents. 

Our apartment is modest - 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, 1200 sq ft not including our lanai/balcony. Our unit is a corner unit in a corner building in the condo plex. We don’t want anything bigger at our age!! We like living in a condo but increases in HOA dues could be concerning longer term. Our San Jose home was a little less than 2000 sq foot and two stories. We downsized when we retired. We also made our financial life extremely simple in retirement. Our only real estate is our home (and 2 timeshares we use for 2 weeks at a Hawaii resort).

Kaneohe Marine Corp base and Bellows Air Force base is situated in this region. Brings a lot of military families to our towns. My wife grew up in Kailua town and went to Kailua high school. Her father was a colonel in the marines stationed in the marine base and a distinguished aviator. Both her parents are buried in the veterans cemetery in Kaneohe. 

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