If you’re considering purchasing Oahu real estate but haven’t yet settled on a neighborhood, consider Aina Haina. Located in eastern Honolulu – mid-way between Kahala and Hawaii Kai – it’s a community full of aloha.

Aina Haina is an older neighborhood – developed in the 1950s – with around 25,000 residents. It has a strong community association that takes an active interest in keeping the area thriving. 

Like many established neighborhoods on Oahu, Aina Haina is self-contained. It offers residents a post office, bank, public library, doctors, a pharmacy and other services. Groceries are available at the Aina Haina Shopping Center.

Not many of the older communities in Hawaii have sidewalks, but Aina Haina has lots of them. Active residents love the neighborhood for its walk ability.

A big concern for many folks when relocating to a new area is the quality of the community’s schools. Aina Haina’s schools consistently rank at the top of many lists.

Aina Haina Elementary School is the recipient of Great School’s prestigious rating of 10 out of 10, although parents give the school mixed ratings. 

Also named a Distinguished School by Great Schools is Niu Valley Middle School. Parents particularly like the challenging music program and after school activities.

Great Schools is also fond of Kalani High School, honoring it with 10 out of 10 stars as well. Located west of Aina Haina, along Kalanianaole Hwy, Kalani students’ Hawaii State Assessment (HSA) test scores in reading, math and science typically exceed those from other Hawaiian high schools

Aina Haina real estate, although not cheap by mainland standards, is reasonable for Oahu. While the area offers a variety of housing styles, both new and old, the community is changing.

Take a drive through the area and you’ll quickly learn why purchasing a home in Aina Haina is a good idea. Older homes are being demolished or renovated to make way for more modern structures, changing what was becoming a run-down complexion into an up-and coming, renovated neighborhood. Values may have no choice but to rise because of this.

The median sale price of a home in Aina Haina in 2011 is $1,075,000. Because homes here typically sit on substantially larger lots than those in many of Oahu’s other communities, this price reflects a substantial value for the buyer looking to purchase Oahu real estate.