Kihei Real Estate Market 2026: A Strong Start as Pending Sales Jump in January

It’s only February — which means it’s far too early to declare a full-year trend.

But January 2026 data is showing something worth paying attention to.

According to the latest REALTORS® Association of Maui market report , the year has started with a noticeable increase in buyer activity — and Kihei appears to be participating in that early momentum.

Let’s take a measured look at what the numbers are telling us.

📈 Pending Sales Show Early Acceleration

Island-wide, pending sales increased 24.8% year-over-year in January .

Even more notable:

Single-family pending sales rose 55.3% year-over-year .

Pending sales represent accepted contracts — meaning buyers are actively committing, not just browsing.

While this is only one month of data, this type of increase suggests:

• Renewed buyer confidence
  
  
• Strong early-year engagement
  
  
• Potential inventory tightening if momentum continues
  
  

It’s not a guarantee of a breakout year — but it’s an encouraging signal.

💰 Pricing Strength Adds Context

January pricing data reinforces the momentum.

Island-wide median sales price increased 5.6% year-over-year .

For single-family homes, median price reached:

👉 $1,445,000 — up 20.4% year-over-year .

Additionally:

• Average sales price island-wide increased 11.2% 
  
  
• Single-family average sales price increased 34.2% year-over-year 
  
  

When pending sales and prices rise together, it signals that buyers are absorbing inventory at current values — not demanding heavy discounts.

🏡 Kihei’s Early-Year Performance

Looking specifically at Kihei single-family homes:

• Closed sales increased 11.1% year-to-date
  
  
• Dollar volume increased 16.0% year-to-date 
  
  

That means:

More transactions are occurring.
More capital is entering the Kihei market.

Again — it’s January data. But it’s constructive January data.

📊 Inventory: Active and Absorbing

Inventory across Maui increased 12.1% year-over-year .

In isolation, rising inventory can appear neutral. But when paired with rising pending sales, it reflects an active and functioning marketplace.

If pending activity continues at this pace into February and March, inventory growth could stabilize as absorption strengthens.

That’s what I’ll be watching next.

Kihei Real Estate Market 2026 – January Snapshot

Source: REALTORS® Association of Maui 2026-01 RAM Market Statistics

What This Means Moving Forward

It would be premature to label 2026 a breakout year based on January alone.

However, this early data suggests:

• Buyers are re-engaging
  
  
• Pricing remains resilient
  
  
• South Maui activity is steady
  
  
• Capital continues flowing into Kihei
  
  

If February and March reflect similar patterns, the trend will become clearer.

For now, the key takeaway is this:

The Kihei real estate market has started 2026 with measurable momentum.

About the Author

Todd J. Hudson | RB-21913
Founder, The 808 Team
Keller Williams Maui Realty

Specializing in Kihei, Wailea, Makena, and island-wide Maui real estate.

📱 808-344-3584
📧 Todd@The808Team.com
🌐 www.The808Team.com