Honolulu has hundreds of high rise condominiums and most claim to have at least one penthouse unit. Some label all units on the top floor (or even floors) as penthouses. There are currently 148 condo units listed at $2M or more with more than 20 calling themselves penthouses. So whether your budget is $2.4M or $36M, now may be a perfect time to buy your penthouse in paradise!
“Affordable” Penthouses
If oceanfront is your top priority, then a unit on the top floor of Colony Surf listed at just $2.395M may be perfect. It’s only 1,000 square feet with one bedroom and one bathroom, but for a vacation or retirement home, it offers spectacular views and access to the beach.
Colony Surf PH1, courtesy of Coldwell Banker Pacific
If you want to be on top of the world and share it with others, then consider the three-story, 4,475 square foot penthouse at One Waterfront Tower. Listed at $4.220M it offers 5 bedrooms, 3.5 bathroom and panoramic views from its unique top floor living area. Or the 3,853 square foot penthouse at Imperial Palace. It’s listed at $4.6M and has 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and a two-story tiered living area with panoramic views.
Imperial Plaza 3901, courtesy of Sachi HI Pacific
Additional penthouses under $5M are currently available in Hokua ($4.825M), Symphony ($3.35M) and Hawaiki Tower ($2.88M).
Mid-Range Penthouses
If you want to splurge a bit more for something with more of a “wow” factor, then consider the Grand Penthouse 2300 at One Ala Moana. I toured it today, and it’s 2,108 square feet of outdoor space is truly incredible. Listed at $8.999M, it has 3,669 interior square feet, 3 bedrooms, and 3.5 bathrooms.
The penthouse at The Pinnacle occupies the top two floors and has six separate lanais. I toured this penthouse last week, and it is very elegant. Listed at $5.8M, it has 3,964 interior square feet, 3 bedrooms, and 3.5 bathrooms.
The Pinnacle PH, courtesy of Elite Pacific
Additional penthouses in this price range are available at Trump Tower ($5.999M), Kainalu ($5.295M), and Waikiki Landmark ($5.250M).
Best of the Best Penthouses
Late in 2018, the Grand Penthouse at Park Lane sold for $23.5M setting a new record for the most expensive condominium sold in Hawaii history. There are three current listings trying to break that record, two at Waiea and one at Anaha. To be clear, there are currently 8 units listed for $10M+, and they are all at Park Lane, Anaha and Waiea. These three new developments have brought new levels of engineering, architecture, interior design and pricing to the Honolulu market.
The two top penthouses at Waiea are listed at $36M (for unit 3600) and $35M (for unit 3500). Unit 3600 has a whopping 10,103 square feet of interior space and an additional 1,570 square feet of outdoor space, including a private rooftop pool. With 5 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, a media room, a wine room and more, it truly lives up to its marketing pitch of being an “Estate in the Sky.”
Waiea GPH3600, courtesy of Howard Hughes
Unit 3500 is more for the “do it yourself” buyer. It’s being sold as an empty shell or “white box.” It has 8,551 square feet of interior space and 2,039 square feet of outdoor space including a rooftop pool. For my money, it’s pool is superior to that of unit 3600. And you save $1M!
The most expensive penthouse at Anaha is listed at $22.8M. It has 7,847 square feet of indoor/outdoor space, 5 bedrooms, and 6.5 bathrooms.
Your Penthouse in Paradise
Whether it’s a $36M penthouse or a $360k condo, the key is to find a home that works for you, your lifestyle and your budget. There are currently more than 1600 fee simple condos for sale on Oahu. That’s a larger inventory than in the past; a sign that now may be the right time to buy your “penthouse” in paradise. Contact me and I will do my best to make your dream come true.
charity tidyman
September 20, 2020
I think the houses are cool.