Published October 28, 2026 in Market Update

Upcountry is moving faster than the coast

The single most useful number for any buyer or seller right now is days on market. It tells you whether you hold the cards or the other side does. In the three months ending August 31, 2026, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted a 114-day spread between the fastest and slowest areas in this market. That is not a small difference. It changes your strategy entirely.

For context, the website Redfin reported the U.S. median days on market at 50 as of October 22, 2026. Every area in this market sits above that number. But some are much closer than others.

How each area stacks up on speed

Kula is the fastest area. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted a median of 68 days on market there in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is nearly three times faster than Lahaina, where the median was 182 days. Makawao and Kahului both came in at 79 days.

Lahaina's 182 days is also 51 days longer than the same period a year before, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Haiku added 35 days year over year, landing at 142. Those are real shifts that affect how a seller prices and how a buyer negotiates.

Upcountry: the numbers behind the speed

Makawao's improvement is the sharpest of any area. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows days on market fell 44 days shorter than a year ago. Nearly 42 in 100 homes there went under contract within two weeks of listing. That is a strong signal that well-priced homes are not sitting.

Kula tells a slightly different story. Speed held steady: the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows days on market unchanged from a year ago at 68. But nearly half of Kula homes, 46.2%, went under contract within two weeks. Prices dipped 5.3% year over year, yet more homes sold, up 33.3%. Buyers found the value and moved.

The coast and the valley: more inventory, more time

Kihei improved. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows days on market fell 15 days shorter than a year ago, landing at 119. Pending sales jumped 44.4% year over year. Still, 9.2 months of supply means buyers there have more choices and more room to negotiate.

Lahaina carries the most supply in the market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 13.2 months of supply and a sale-to-list ratio of 93.7%. Only 1.2% of homes sold above list price, down 3.8 points from a year ago. That is the softest reading in this market. Sellers there need to price carefully.

Kahului and Wailuku: the central market

Kahului stands out for a different reason. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows 26.7% of homes sold above list price there, up 11.3 points from a year ago. That is the highest share of any area in this market. The sale-to-list ratio was 97.7%, also the best in the market.

Wailuku has the tightest supply of any area in this market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted just 5.5 months of supply, with inventory down 15% from a year ago. Prices dipped slightly, down 0.3%, but 23.2% of homes went under contract within two weeks. Not every home sold fast, but a well-priced one had a real chance.

Haiku: high prices, slow pace

Haiku had the highest median sale price of any area. The Real Estate Data Aggregator put it at $1,600,000, up 30.6% from a year ago. But only 13 homes sold, down 18.8%. Days on market rose 35 days longer to 142. The price moved up because fewer, higher-priced homes closed. The pace did not follow.

The wider picture

Across the whole market, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 397 homes sold in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 22.5% from a year before. Pending sales rose 24.1% to 443. Those are encouraging signs that more buyers are moving, even with rates where they are.

Freddie Mac put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.32% as of October 22, 2026. Realtor.com reported the average mortgage rate at 7.40% on the same date. Rates are not helping buyers stretch, but the activity numbers show people are still making moves.

One street can read very differently from the ZIP code around it. A home on one side of a neighborhood can sit for months while another sells in two weeks. These numbers show the shape of each area, but your specific address tells a more precise story. Text me and I can show you where your home fits.