On Kauai, 1 in 8 homes is a vacation rental. And on Maui it's 1 in 7. Most Illegal (Kailua: sales, rentals)

[boxus]

As someone who lives in Miami and recently implemented a restriction in the condo building about short term rentals; it is best to restrict rentals to no more than 30 days out of the year (in line with people watching kids and baby sitting dogs). If someone wants to operate a hotel, then they should build/buy one, not turn residential space into commercial space, which is exactly what things like airbnb does.

[galaxyhi]

As someone said it's about money, and there is NEVER easy answer when it comes to money.
Not even here on the mainland.

I spend $2k easy for a week on restaurants, tips, admissions, souvenirs, Hawaiian shirts ( like I need more), etc. When I visit Hawai'i. That's NOT including airfare, car rental or accommodations.

I have always stayed at hotels or resorts, never Airbnb or other rentals.

We are looking for a condo we can vacation in, and rebt out when not there so its occupied. I'd gladly pay a 10% tax on my earnings if they passed laws.

My point above is that i look for listings that say it can be vacation rented. Maybe they aren't all true. So start there, STOP such advertising and you'll stop buyers like me. I'm certainly NOT going to buy a $300 condo just to rent it year-round to a local for $150/month who i may have trouble getting out if they dont pay the rent!!!

Hawai'i has not much for exports, maybe some fish, pearls and shells, oh and Kona coffee. All other money brought into its economy is from selling temperature, waves, beaches and aloha spirit. Those can't be exported. To sell those you need a place for visitors like me, bringing piles and piles of money To the islands in exchange for those things , and ill NEED a place to stay. So will visitors I might rent my condo to.

No easy answer, do away with more rentals and possibly depress the economy if people can't find a place to stay and spend their mainland dollars.

I'd pay the fees to rent my condo out IF, BIG IF I could be sure it would go directly to the locals like my restaurant servers tip does, and not in some govt officials pockets.

[Pyramidsurf]

My opinion, make Hawaii real estate available only to Hawaii residents. We're unique and shouldn't let the state be sold to non residents. So if you don't live here and pay state taxes, then you can't own real estate.

Since that won't happen anytime soon, the state should implement a gigantic tax penalty for out of state buyers and owners.

Here's an example of the real estate problem that I see everyday. The house at the end of my street is empty. The owner lives in California and visits two weeks per year.

[blueherons]

Air B&B is becoming a huge scam issue in South Florida. Many advertise for high rise condos who cannot be rented out on craigslist and when the unsuspecting guests show up, they are not allowed access to the unit.

You would think huge red flags would be flying for an oceanfront two bedroom condo in peak season for $150 a night when everywhere else is $300+ but that isn't the case.

[ginmqi]

Singapore fines two homeowners $45,800 each for illegal, shor-term AirBnB rentals.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-s...-idUSKCN1HA0KF

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A Singapore court fined two Airbnb hosts a total of S$60,000 ($45,800) each on Tuesday for unauthorized short-term letting, in the first such case under the city-state’s rules on short-term property rentals introduced last year.

The two men had pleaded guilty to four charges each for letting four flats in a condominium for less than six months without permission from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

Maybe the state of Hawaii can look to this as examples to improve enforcement.

[Enyo]

Originally Posted by galaxyhi

I'm certainly NOT going to buy a $300 condo just to rent it year-round to a local for $150/month who i may have trouble getting out if they dont pay the rent!!!

$150/mo for rent? Are you missing a zero?

[galaxyhi]

Problem is, if there's no place for people to stay, they won't bring piles and piles of money from the mainland and other countries.

I did stay at a condo at Turtle Bay Resort my first trip, come to think of it. There was,a rental company in control of it, don't know if legal or not.

[ginmqi]

Originally Posted by galaxyhi

Problem is, if there's no place for people to stay, they won't bring piles and piles of money from the mainland and other countries.

I did stay at a condo at Turtle Bay Resort my first trip, come to think of it. There was,a rental company in control of it, don't know if legal or not.

From what I understand, if the property is designated/zoned in to a hotel/resort area it's not subject to short term rental restrictions (obviously tons of hotels on the island operate short term room 'rentals' all the time)

But you're right though, the issue is also a natural market place that sprung up to meet the demand of increasing visitors to the island.

Very tough since on islands space is limited....and you have to also help out residents who are faced with higher housing costs...and have to basically compete with visitors for living spaces....

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by Harpaint

One solution for locals would be to build more apartment buildings and then not allow them to be converted into condos.

I've wondered why apartment buildings aren't more common in Hawaii. I really don't notice them, at least not on the Big Island and Maui.

Also wonder if big resorts are required to provide apartment type living quarters for workers, and if not why not?

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Blind Cleric

I've wondered why apartment buildings aren't more common in Hawaii. I really don't notice them, at least not on the Big Island and Maui.

Also wonder if big resorts are required to provide apartment type living quarters for workers, and if not why not?

Apartments are expensive - and don't bring in as much rent as condos.

Living quarters are not required - it isn't the law - and most of the resorts were built before the big tourism boom.