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 Centered around Oahu's “Second City” of Kapolei, the West Oahu Real Estate market offers buyers many options in a region which is evolving into a new residential and business hub with many future changes in store. West Oahu begins on the western edge of Pearl Harbor, West Loch, and flows to the west across the Ewa Plain to Kapolei, then turns north and follows the coast through the popular surf breaks of Makaha and then out all the way to Yokohama Beach and the westernmost tip of Oahu at Kaena Point.
Oahu's planners intend to make Kapolei what they refer to as the Second City on Oahu after Honolulu. This has had an effect on the West Oahu real estate market. A number of government offices have been moved there, a new business district was created, new residential developments were built, and many business are following. Kapolei is also the home of the Ko Olina Marina and of the Ihilani Resort with its wonderful swimming coves.
Since properties in the West Oahu real estate market are located a greater distance from Honolulu than many other areas, this usually translates into lower prices in West Oahu when compared to elsewhere on the island. This is even more evident as one follows the coastal highway farther out on the western shore. You can often get more for your dollar in the West Oahu real estate market than in many other parts of Oahu, but the distances from work or school which may be involved for a buyer need to be checked to make sure they work for you. It's worthwhile to personally test drive your commuting routes for a particular West Oahu property you may be interested in at the same time of day you would normally commute to see how well it fits your goals.
The western shore is locally referred to as the Waianae Coast, which matches the name of the mountain range running along the western side of Oahu, or it's called the Leeward Coast, since it's on the opposite side of Oahu from where the trade winds usually blow. This coast is popular with surfers, scuba divers and sport fishermen.
The future looks bright for the West Oahu Real Estate market. Many potential projects have been announced which include new residential developments, new shopping areas and malls with additional entertainment, road expansion projects, and possibly even a light rail system connecting to Honolulu. Even Disney has announced a possible project for a new resort hotel in Kapolei.
One never knows exactly what the future will bring, but the West Oahu Real Estate market is definitely evolving, and if the geographic region fits into your Oahu plans, then West Oahu is definitely worth exploring.
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