For historical perspective, Kilauea’s founding dates back to the 1800s and the growth of sugar plantations. The industry survived in the town for close to a century when, in 1971, the last plantation was shuttered.   

Since then, the area has evolved and expanded in new ways. Up until the last decade, in fact, there was a scarcity of entertainment and shopping resources.

That began to change in 2004 when Bill Porter, founder of E-Trade, moved to Kauai and purchased 500 acres on the Malka side of the island. A vision for creating a community for arts and education was the impetus for Bill’s decision, and he and his wife created ‘Anaina Hou,’ or a new gathering place. Along with this enormous undertaking, we’ve seen exponential development in other areas as well.

Here are just a few of the many amenities and features Kilauea boasts (from 1:45 to 4:25 in the video, you can hear about them all in full detail):

  • Kauai Miniature Golf and Botanical Garden
  • The Porter Pavilion 
  • A brand-new community playground
  • Kilauea Lighthouse Village shopping center
  • A 75-acre community farm 
  • Kilauea Elementary School

Let’s now turn our attention toward Kilauea real estate; it’s somewhat of a tale of two markets. The town itself is made up of residential lots and for-sale homes are few and far between. At the time of this recording, there are only three active listings on the market; demand is high and inventory is considerably low.

The other half of the real estate market here is referred to as “Kilauea AG.” On this side of the market, real estate is comprised of agriculturally zoned land with scores of larger gentlemen estates. Though the land is considered agricultural, very few of the properties are used for farming purposes.

As of this recording, there are 33 properties for sale, the least expensive of which is priced just under $1.2 million, while the most expensive is $22 million. The coupling of the beach views and the prestige of the addresses themselves puts these homes squarely in the high-end market. As such, they are priced commensurately.  

No matter what you’re looking for, Kilauea might be the place for you. If you have any questions about this town situated on Kauai’s north shore, I’m here to answer them for you. I look forward to hearing from you! Aloha!