Every time Hawai‘i Life releases a new luxury market report, I look beyond the headline numbers. Prices matter, of course. So do sales volume and inventory. But what interests me most is what those numbers tell us about the people who are actually buying and selling real estate here. The 2026 Midyear Luxury Market Report tells a particularly interesting story.

Vacation rental rules on Hawaii Island are changing again, and if you own a short-term rental in West Hawaii, this is something to pay attention to. Bill 147 is the latest proposed legislation affecting transient vacation rentals, including both hosted and unhosted short-term vacation rentals. It is not final law yet, but it could bring meaningful changes to how vacation rentals are defined, permitted, operated, and enforced throughout Hawaii County.