Don’t Buy A Vacation Rental In Hawaii Until You Read This - Hawaii Real Estate Market & Trends | Hawaii Life (2024)

So you’re thinking about buying a vacation rental in Hawaii, and renting it out for a profit?

This could be a fantastic idea, a great source of income, and give you one more reason to visit the beautiful Hawaiian Islands regularly! More than likely at some point in this process you’re going to asking yourself…

What Do I Need to Know Before Buying a Hawaii Vacation Rental?

Here are 4 things to know and do before you buy a vacation rental in Hawaii.

Don’t Buy A Vacation Rental In Hawaii Until You Read This - Hawaii Real Estate Market & Trends | Hawaii Life (1)

1.Work With a Realtor Who Knows the Zoning Laws.

In Hawaii there are only certain areas that can be used for short term rentals. You can’t just buy any house or condo and be allowed to put it up for rent on Airbnb. Many locations in Hawaii only allow long term rentals, which are defined by the state as a rental of 180 days or more.

2. Account for GET Tax & TAT Tax When Estimating Potential Income.

In Hawaii, there is a (General Excise Tax) GET and (Transient Accommodation Tax) TAT that you must pay when you rent out your short-term rental property in Hawaii. Rates vary slightly by the island, but 15% is a good starting point for a combined total. GET and TAT are charged against the gross rent you receive.So, If you rent out your condo for one night and get $100, your tax may be about $15.

Don’t Buy A Vacation Rental In Hawaii Until You Read This - Hawaii Real Estate Market & Trends | Hawaii Life (2)

3. Is the Price Too Good to be True?

If you’re looking online at condos and search by the lowest price first, it may be confusing why one 2 bedroom unit is 3 times as much as another.

The reason for this could be due to things like extremely high maintenance fees, a leasehold property vs. a fee simple property, or a monthly special assessment fee. Remember, there is always a reason why a property is listed at a particular price.

4. Get to Know the Potential Property & Talk to the Property Manager.

There’s a lot that you can learn from talking to a property manager and residents about their condo building, and a good realtor will do this work for you. You’ll want to know if the condo rules allow for short term rentals, how people in the building feel about short term rentals, if there’s been any talk about the building not allowing short term rentals, if there’s any deferred maintenance on the building,sinking funds, how residents feel about the condo board, and more.

Want to Know More?

Whether you are new to investment properties or you’ve been doing this for a long time, Hawaii is different than most other states, and getting help from an industry expert is really the best way to go. I love discussing investment properties. If you have more questions about buying an investment property in Hawaii, you can email, call, or text meTomSelman@HawaiiLife.com(808-209-6389).

If you have ideas for a Hawaii real estate topic you’d like me to research and write about, let me know, I love getting suggestions! To see what other helpful articles I’ve written recently and to learn more about me, please follow this link to my Hawaii Life realtor page.

Aloha,
Tom

More Articles from Hawaii Life

Don’t Buy A Vacation Rental In Hawaii Until You Read This - Hawaii Real Estate Market & Trends | Hawaii Life (2024)

FAQs

Did Hawaii crack down on Airbnb? ›

While the fate of the 90 vs 30 day minimum is unknown, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi has promised to crack down on people illegally renting properties in residential neighborhoods for less than 30 days by issuing fines of $10,000 per day to the ownerships .

Is it worth buying an investment property in Hawaii? ›

With its limited availability, stable market, and growing vacation rental market, owning a piece of Hawaii is a solid, safe investment. Whether you're looking for a vacation home, rental property, or a long-term investment, Hawaii real estate offers something for everyone.

How do you know if a vacation property is a good investment? ›

For anyone who is investing in vacation rental property, it is important to have positive cash flows, especially at potential locations. Positive cash flows are when the income is higher than rental property expenses.

Do vacation rentals in Hawaii make money? ›

Purchase a vacation rental property in Hawaii. When you are not using it, operate it and potentially derive significant income doing so. In many instances, you can offset the entire carrying cost of the property (depending on a variety of factors).

How much does the average Airbnb make in Hawaii? ›

Average Annual Host Revenue By State (United States):2021/2020. Within the United States, the state with the highest average earnings for Airbnb hosts in 2021 was Hawaii. Airbnb hosts in Hawaii earned an average of $73,247 in host earnings during 2021, up significantly from $26,918 in 2020.

What is the biggest threat to Airbnb? ›

Threats: Lawsuits for Airbnb, fines for the hosts.

At the moment, the company is facing a number of lawsuits from all over the world. Hosts are also facing legal repercussions (fines) for hosting illegal hotels.

Are Hawaii real estate prices dropping? ›

Hawaii Real Estate Market Statistics

17.2% of home prices dropped in March 2023- compared to just over 10% in March 2022.

What is the cheapest island in Hawaii to buy a house? ›

What's the most affordable Hawaiian island to live on? The Big Island. With Hawaii's lowest average cost of living (according to MIT's Living Wage project), lowest fair market rents, and lowest typical yearly expenses, the Big Island can be the most economical island in Hawaii.

What is the cheapest island to buy in Hawaii? ›

Big Island is Hawaii's Most Affordable Island for Homes and Condos - Hawaii Real Estate Market & Trends | Hawaii Life.

What is a good return on vacation rental property? ›

Vacation rental owners should look to make no less than a 10% return on their investment. That means your income minus expenses (net operating costs including any mortgage payment) should be no less than 10% of your initial investment per year.

What is a good rate of return on a vacation rental property? ›

The final answer should be expressed as a percentage. Many investors shoot for above 10 percent when looking at vacation property rentals, but it can vary. In long-term rentals, for example, common cash on cash returns fall between 5 and 10 percent. But, short-term rentals typically signal a higher rental yield.

What is the Airbnb prediction for 2023? ›

Current Airbnb and Vrbo trends

Demand: Better-than-anticipated economic fundamentals and unrelenting enthusiasm for travel have significantly increased our demand growth forecast for 2023 to 10.4% year over year, up from 5.5%. Recovery from a mild downturn will continue demand growth in 2024 at a rate of 8.5%.

Can you make a living off vacation rentals? ›

While any investment comes with a certain amount of risk, owning a vacation rental property can be both rewarding and profitable. Before investing in a vacation rental business, it's important to consider the pros and cons of entering the industry, and whether you are willing to put in the required work.

Are vacation rentals a strong investment? ›

Not only does a vacation rental offer short-term passive income in rent payments, but it also appreciates over time. In short, if the property were to be sold, the appreciation would guarantee a high return on investment in addition to the monthly income the property provides.

How can I make the most money on a vacation rental? ›

We've listed 14 top ways to maximize vacation rental income, including how to:
  1. Increase the number of ideal guests who see and book your properties.
  2. Perfect your pricing.
  3. Offer a consistently excellent guest experience.
  4. Secure good reviews to build your reputation.
  5. Maximize revenue from every stay with upsells.

Why is there no Airbnb in Hawaii? ›

their official law is that short term rentals MUST have a permit to operate if they're outside of preapproved tourism areas (more on that later). Short term rentals are currently classified as anything less than 30 days, but it's soon to be increased to 90 days to close a loophole.

What is Bill 41 in Hawaii? ›

In summary, Bill 41 (CO22-7) brings these three most significant changes to Oahu: 1) Rental terms of less than 90 days (formerly 30 days) in residential neighborhoods are illegal. Enforcement with hefty fines starts on 10.23. 2022.

Why is Airbnb suspended? ›

Airbnb randomly checks if the listings on its platform have a certain quality. It checks a couple of factors, such as – review ratings, host response time, cancellation rate, booking acceptance rate, etc. Your property might be suspended if your listing does not meet Airbnb standards.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Prof. Nancy Dach

Last Updated:

Views: 6488

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (77 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Prof. Nancy Dach

Birthday: 1993-08-23

Address: 569 Waelchi Ports, South Blainebury, LA 11589

Phone: +9958996486049

Job: Sales Manager

Hobby: Web surfing, Scuba diving, Mountaineering, Writing, Sailing, Dance, Blacksmithing

Introduction: My name is Prof. Nancy Dach, I am a lively, joyous, courageous, lovely, tender, charming, open person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.