Real Estate Industry News

On a busy Honolulu street sits this unassuming Craftsman-style house where a young Barack Obama lived with his mother and grandmother while his mother attended the University of Hawaii a short distance away. According to the listing agent Nancy Morton, this is the only single-family house Obama lived in while in Hawaii and she said his family rented the house during their time there. The property has often been used as a rental since it is in a coveted area of the Manoa neighborhood within walking distance of public schools and plenty of stores. The home is asking $2.2 million after selling in 2006 for $1.3 million, according to property records.

There are only about two dozen homes for sale in the neighborhood and this one is the fourth most expensive for what is on the market at the moment. A $3 million home with six bedrooms and five bathrooms is at the top of the market and at the other end is a two-bed, two-bath condo asking half a million. All the single-family homes start around $1 million.

The main house on the quarter-acre lot is just under 2,000 square feet with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. A second one-bedroom, one-bath dwelling about 300 square feet sits at the back of the lot with driving access to the quieter street behind the property. “If the new owners wanted to turn the [entry] direction of the main house to be on the cottage side they could,” said Morton, referring to the high-traffic nature of the main road in front of the lot.

The current owner is a church located on the street behind the property that has used the main house as a rental, most frequently for professors or other members of the university community, for around $3,700 per month (per its latest rent price). The small cottage has been used as housing for the church pastor, but now the church is selling the entire parcel to raise money for an expansion.

With hardwood floors and main rooms full of floor-to-ceiling windows, the home still has a rustic feel. It was built in the 1940s, as were many of the homes in this neighborhood, but had significant renovations in the 1960s, including upgrading the windows to keep out traffic noise, said Morton. Above is a close-up of the porch, which has a large setback from the steps to provide shade. Mature foliage of trees and plants surround the property, such as these crotons flanking the rise to the front door.

An open plan kitchen with double sink looks out onto the yard.

One of the bedrooms, with attached bath, has full-length windows with views of the yard.

Here is a close-up of the board-and-batten wall treatment on the main living level that adds to the Craftsman feel.

The separately metered guest cottage can be used as a rental or detached office space. This view of the cottage shows only part of the large backyard between it and the main house.

And here’s the back of the house, with exterior washer dryer and small raised patio.

The home has only been on the market a few weeks, but interest in the property has been strong—not necessarily by potential buyers, however. As Morton said, “All these people that are coming to the showings have wanted to take pictures and bring their camera with them. They just wanted to see the historic side of it.”

For more information, here is the complete listing with CBI Residential Services.