3 Big Island Estates for an Eccentric Client that “Make Sense”…

Land with Potential, Horse Property or Something that “Makes Sense”

I spent the past week showing property that “makes sense” here on the Big Island to my delightfully entertaining, open minded and a bit eccentric client. My client’s request was to find something that she could live in part time, develop over time and it had to have land.

The best of our island wide tour, which encompassed South Kona to North Kohala and around the island to Hilo Bay, produced these three very unique and exclusive properties:

1) 24 Acre North Kohala Home with Frank Lloyd Wright Influence

A Frank Lloyd Wright looking home on 24 acres in North Kohala which overlooks the old sugar cane mill and boasts spectacular countryside & Kohala mountain and ocean views to Maui.

This very unique award winning designed home would not appeal to everyone. However, if you are looking for an organic wood and glass home with lush fenced pastures for your horses, this Jim Cutler (Seattle Architect) designed home is comfortable, spacious, protected and unpretentious in a very earthy way. It sits on the top of gently sloping pastures that overlook the old stone mill (on the property) below, all the way to the oceans edge. The home itself is all wood, three bedrooms with two living areas, has a very protected court yard enclosed pool and glass walls to the north and west to watch the weather change. It has a Teak kitchen open to both the ocean views, courtyard and sitting area and has every modern feature you would need, including an espresso bar.

This wonderful horse property (MLS# 240580) is priced at $4.6M. There is the option of purchasing an additional 48 oceanfront acres in combination to the home as well for a truly one of a kind Estate.

2) Vintage 1950’s Private 586 Acre Keahou Estate

Poho Kala Ranch is a vintage 1950’s private 586 acre estate off of Kuakini Hwy above Keahou that was once a working cattle ranch. It is an extremely unique and private estate just above Kona that would make an ideal retreat, cattle ranch, equestrian community or coffee farm.

Climbing a winding country lane, my first impression as we came to the massive iron gates was one of nostalgia. Upon entering, we passed a large open sided and very weathered  “barn” nestled in the trees that took us back in time, only slightly preparing us for the break through the thick forest into an open lush meadow staging this French castle looking home complete with a tower!

We again entered another smaller set of iron gates passing through to a quaint court yard with fruit trees to the massive great hall entrance with its mahogany floors, tall ceilings and ocean views out the flanking windows of the walk in fireplace.

This is a time stood still property; no Mango cabinets and granite countertops here. There are however, six large bedrooms and bathrooms in a U shape surrounding the court yard and a wood paneled den with a secret bookshelf that opens to the tower stairwell that leads upward to the lookout tower, for more ocean and sunset views, or down to a daylight basement billiard room that today’s cigar dens are only trying to copy.

Once a social gathering place for the prominent from around the neighboring Islands, this French farm house, still in its original state, needs help!  It is well worth the undertaking in my opinion.

The property is zoned Agricultural 20 acres per lot and each of the properties are on gentle slopes with ocean views and ancient trees for an old world charm.  This would make an awesome equestrian community with the french chateau as the community center or…I love this property; can you tell? (MLS# 247466)

3) 15+ Acre Hilo Home on Onomea Bay

The third property is a 15+ acre piece across the road from the Botanical Gardens on Onomea Bay just 4 miles north of Hilo.

Kawainui Estates is a botanical oasis of its own!  It is an extremely private gated estate with both ocean and Mauna Kea views. It sits high above a large stream (Kawainui) and waterfalls which can be seen from the Tiki Bar and the black bottom lap pool perched on the edge of the gulch.

The main house is spacious and open, yet separated from the 2 bedroom, 2 bath guest wing on the other side of the porte cochere. It is a high quality, casual home with an Iron Gate screened front door, slate floors and a three sided glass enclosed where you can see Keaukaha Point across the bay and Mauna Kea from your dining table. While the home was built in 1998, it has been improved recently with new Koa cabinets throughout, granite counter tops and tons of storage.

The second house on the property is a Japanese style one bedroom with kitchen and bath surrounded by ornamental gardens, a koi pond overlooking the Kawainui Stream andPacific Ocean. It is separated from the main house to added privacy and makes an excellent guest retreat.

There are acres of sprawling lawns and orchards of macadamia nut, avocadoes, bananas, papayas, citrus and rambutan adjacent to the barn and tissue culture lab, separating the estate from any outside “curious.”  This property is a uniquely true paradise. (MLS# 223711)