Wailuku District (Kihei: section 8, for sale, apartment complexes)

[cherylk]

I've noticed there are a lot of homes for sale in Wailuku District. Is there any reason, in particular, that someone looking for a home in Maui should be wary of this area?

Cheryl

[hothulamaui]

wailuku has some very nice areas. it also has some spots that are a bit run down. lots of local working families live in both wailuku and kahului. it is 20 mins or so away from the beaches in kihei and lahaina which for some make it less desirable but it is a nice place to live if you like central maui

[winkosmosis]

I lived in Wailuku for 6 months then moved to Kihei. Wailuku is basically a dead town. The only thing keeping it barely holding on are the state and county offices. A LOT of it is run down like hothulamaui says. There are no good beaches.

It's also overcast and dreary in Wailuku almost every afternoon, starting around 2pm. You might as well live in Seattle.

[cherylk]

Originally Posted by hothulamaui

wailuku has some very nice areas. it also has some spots that are a bit run down. lots of local working families live in both wailuku and kahului. it is 20 mins or so away from the beaches in kihei and lahaina which for some make it less desirable but it is a nice place to live if you like central maui

Thank you for the info! We enjoy the beach, but aren't necessarily what you'd call "beach people", so that's not a big deal for us. How big of a town is it? Is it close to the burn area?

[hothulamaui]

wailuku town is really just two main blocks. really not a lot there, a few places to eat a florist and lawyer offices. there are some very nice older homes from the 30's and 40's near the "downtown" and then on the outskirts of that you have some newer subdivisions.

you could google maps wailuku and you will see it is a pretty small area.

[Jungjohann]

You could always get a place back in Iao Valley. I think thats where 'chicken skin' was first discovered...

Aloha

[hothulamaui]

Originally Posted by Jungjohann

You could always get a place back in Iao Valley. I think thats where 'chicken skin' was first discovered...

Aloha

love, love, love Iao Valley I doubt I could ever afford a spot there

[DBM]

Cheryl,

It all depends on your life situation and what you are looking for. If you are single, or a young couple w/o kids, and new to the islands, Kihei would be a good fit. There are beaches, a nightlife scene, and a mix of housing choices. If you have kids, don't need the beach right next door, and like to be near where the kids programs and activities are centered, then Wailuku might be for you. Wailuku is a quiet town -- there is a very successful First Friday every month where a street is shut down and several bands play, but on a week-to-week basis, the town is very quiet after working hours.

About the weather comments -- the clouds do build up against the West Maui Mountains and by about 2 or 3 the sun goes behind those clouds (maybe 75% of the time). For me, and many others, that's a good thing. The temperatures are still warm, but the sun isn't beating down. If you need constant sun, then you should look to Kihei or West Maui.

A final note about the housing is the Wailuku area -- if you are new you should definitely get a Realtor or work with someone who has been in the area a longer time (more than 5 years). There are some areas that a newcomer might want to avoid -- more for ease of integration than safety issues. Some of the older neighborhoods are less welcoming to newcomers than the newer areas. The newer areas are a real mix, so I wouldn't worry about any "fitting in" issues there.

[cherylk]

Thank you so much, DB! That is VERY helpful. We are older (mid 50's, non-working due to health issues) so this may be the area for us.

[orangecat]

Wailuku has many different areas that use the same name/zip but have VERY different feels to them. Wailuku heights area, for instance, is a nice area and has pleasant weather with breathtaking views that rival upcountry, without the upcountry drive. South of the highway from there gets worse to the point of section 8 housing near the prison. Uptown Wailuku area are all old plantation era homes and correspondingly dumps. Lower Wailuku is mostly all apartment complexes for the middle to lower income, mixed directly with light to medium industrial facilities. Happy Valley, mostly all old housing, has a notorious history but it's not really any worse than lower Wailuku. Then you have Waiehu beach area which has large lots but still somewhat seedy. Waiehu is a large housing area with mostly Hawaiian homelands. Overall, do not just lump "Wailuku" all into one pot.