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Hawai'i Skies

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by A. Kam Napier while Hiking Kaua‘i’s Sleeping Giant formation. "It’s never too late to do a hike for the first time. Amazing views!"

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Kam 26 1 29

<title>Hawai‘i Skies: Sleeping Giant</title>

Today's Hawai‘i Skies was captured by A. Kam Napier while Hiking Kaua‘i’s Sleeping Giant formation.

Hawai‘i Skies: Sleeping Giant

Today&#039;s Hawai‘i Skies was captured by A. Kam Napier while Hiking Kaua‘i’s Sleeping Giant formation. &quot;It’s never too late to do a hike for the first time. Amazing views!&quot; To submit your Hawai&#039;i Skies photo, visit us online or email: general@alohastatedaily.com For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.

Katie Helland Headshot

Katie Helland

Arts & Entertainment

Aloha Spirit

 blowing bubble gum is just one of the whimsical items on display as part of a new exhibit: “Divine Disruption: The Art of Tsherin Sherpa,” at the Honolulu Museum of Art.

Sherpa’s work frequently puts displaced

 deities in unconventional poses or places

. In one statue, the deity is in golden underwear giving a peace sign. In the same exhibit, a painting features a 

“Divine Disruption: The Art of Tsherin Sherpa” opened Saturday, May 30. It runs through Jan. 31, 2027. While the topics of the exhibit — which include displacement and immigration — can be intense, the way in which the contemporary artist delivers them is not.

Aloha State Daily met with Lesa Griffith, the senior public relations and communications manager at HoMA, to learn more about the artist and exhibit.

“These are heavy duty issues that he's dealing with, but when you meet him, he's very quick to laugh,” Griffith told ASD. “He jokes a lot. He's delivering these heavy issues with a lighter tone: playful, drawing you into familiar images to make ideas of migration, immigration and political turmoil easier to digest.”

The solo exhibition includes more than 20 works, including colorful paintings, as well as irreverent sculptures. Videos also explain how specific pieces — such as “An Illusory Appearance of Loss and Gain” (2023), a cast bronze statue — were fabricated.

In the middle of the exhibit, a deity in polkadot underwear is surrounded by a circle. The halo of gold is filled with tiny images, including cartoon characters, such as Mickey Mouse, and fast food brands, like Taco Bell and McDonald’s.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Griffith pauses in front of the painting."}]

“In this one, you'll recognize all these different brands and personalities — everybody from the Dalai Lama to Banksy to McDonald's, to the evolution of Homer Simpson, and even aloha shirt style hibiscus up there at the top,” she said. “What he was trying to show here is the universality of all this commercial chatter.”

Finally, at the end of the exhibit, visitors can take cards and illustrate their reflections on the art or share themes explored in the work. Those cards are then hung like Himalayan prayer flags that float above attendees as they exit.

Sherpa grew up in Kathmandu, the capital and largest city of Nepal. As a kid, he 

studied traditional Tibetian thangka painting under his father

, the renowned Urgen Dorje. Now, he works and resides in the U.S. and Nepal.

The idea for this exhibit came about when Shawn Eichman, who is the HoMA curator of Asian art, was looking for a contemporary exhibit, Griffith said. When he saw 

Sherpa’s work on display at the Virgina Museum of Fine Arts

, he knew that was the artwork he wanted to bring to Hawaiʻi.

Eichman will join John Henry Rice, a curator for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, to discuss the exhibit on Friday, Aug. 21, at the Doris Duke Theatre at HoMA. The event is free. 

Admission to “Divine Disruption The Art of Tsherin Sherpa” is included with the purchase of a ticket to HoMA, which is 

for SNAP beneficiaries, college students at any Hawaiʻi state university or college, and youth up to 18 years old. 

Through a special partnership with the National Endowment of the Arts, Blue Star Families and the Department of Defense, HoMA is also currently offering 

 of all ranks and services, including guard and reserve,

Founded in 1927, HoMA has more than 55,000 works of art from across the globe that span 5,000 years in age. 

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. On Fridays, HoMA has extended hours until 9 p.m. 

Screenshot 2026 06 29 at 3 01 32 PM 16x9

<title>ʻDivine disruption’ at heart of HoMA exhibit</title>

This new exhibit by Tsherin Sherpa at the Honolulu Museum of Art features deities in unconventional poses and places. It tackles tough issues, such as displacement and immigration, and will be on display through January 2027.

ʻDivine disruption’ at heart of HoMA exhibit

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros Headshot

Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros

Viewpoints

 party over three years ago and declined to show, according to the Office of the Governor.

 from the 2022 legislative session, Gov. Josh Green was asked “to establish a Hawaiʻi Commission on the United State Semiquincentennial.”  

The commission formed by the governor did not receive any government funding

 “to coordinate a statewide effort commemorating and celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America,” per the executive order.

Leading the 19-member Hawai‘i America250 Commission is Peter Young, a member of the Hawaiʻi Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, along with lawmakers and other representatives.

The commission is responsible for soliciting donations to bring local events and activities to “communities across the Islands [that] will reflect on our shared past, celebrate our diverse heritage, and honor our veterans and ancestors through events grounded in local culture and the Spirit of Aloha,” its website notes.

To donate, volunteer and learn more, go to: 

Hawaiʻi opts out of Great American State Fair

Hawaiʻi has no official government representation at 

, a block party on the National Mall in Washington D.C., running now through July 10.

It features attractions like rodeos and a 110-foot Ferris wheel, with more than 150 exhibits for all 50 states plus U.S. territories, as well as "businesses, innovators and civic organizations," according to 

, the organizer of the fair and other semiquincentennial events.

The decision for the Hawai‘i America250 Commission, which includes Green as an honorary chair, to say, “No can” to participating in the fair appears to have grown more apparent as the travel commitment grew “from a few days to two weeks with 12-hour days,” 

Green told Aloha State Daily in a statement Friday, “The Hawai‘i America250 Commission is not operating a pavilion at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., which is 5,000 miles away. No funds were earmarked by the state, or by Congress.”

One Mililani resident wrote in to ASD after hearing Hawaiʻi would not be at the fair.

“Especially with what's been happening in Hawaiʻi, participation in this national event would have been a great opportunity to formally and informally educate and share the history and Aloha of our people; to garner support/supporters from outside our state for the causes of the Hawaiian people and the legacy of its past monarchs,” the reader wrote.

Another ASD reader from Honolulu wrote, "

Wouldn't this have been a great opportunity for the state's Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA)? According to their annual budget, they expend [millions] of our taxpayers’ money annually on branding and marketing!"

At least 10 mostly Democratic-led states decided against sending official government delegations to the fair, which including Hawaiʻi are: Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, according to 

“Most of the states that opted out are led by Democrats. But all cited financial considerations, saying they'd have to spend at least $100,000 (and in some cases up to half a million dollars) of their own money and preferred to prioritize celebrations at home,” 

, noting, organizers offered to help cover basic booth setup.

 that “the decision came down to resources”; Illinois sent representatives from the Peoria Riverfront Museum to run the state's booth instead; and Oregon Gov. Tina Koteck cited both cost and concerns that the event is "a more partisan affair than originally presented,” per the The New York Times; while Young of the Hawai‘i America250 Commission has shifted focus to local initiatives.

New Hampshire, which has a similar population size to the Aloha State at about 1.4 million, found a way to participate by having its Department of Natural and Cultural Resources staff an official booth showcasing “historic documents, a presentation and a video featuring state political figures reading the Declaration of Independence.” It is the only New England State with a presence from local government, per the 

 and photos over the weekend from the Great American State Fair, Alaska and Hawaiʻi both have empty booth displays boasting red, white and blue backdrops, though, Hawaiʻi’s included a couple of rocking chairs. 

Makes sense, since they chose to sit this one out.

Hawaii at Great American State Fair

<title>Hawaiʻi says ‘No can’ to Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C.</title>

Hawaiʻi government officials will not be present at the Great American State Fair, put on by Freedom 250 now through July 10, along with at least 10 mostly Democratic-led states citing cost, staffing and for some, political reasons. Gov. Josh Green says no funds were earmarked for the fair by the state or Congress and instead, has thrown support behind local celebrations.

Hawaiʻi says ‘No can’ to Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C.

Christinapic2

Christina O'Connor

Crime & Courts

Columnists

For Atlanta-based airline pilot Matt Alexander, the two weeks stretching from late June through the Fourth of July are always difficult.

It marks the anniversary of when his aunt, 57-year-old Kapaʻa resident Amber Jackson, was murdered on Kaua‘i. Jackson had last been seen on June 23, 2010, and was reported missing when she didn’t show up to work the following day. Her body was found 10 days later in a remote area of Keālia.

“Anniversaries are tough emotionally for the fact that she is gone, and additionally it’s frustrating that her killer is at large,” Alexander said. “Every time we think we are able to move past this and have some peace, the anniversary rolls around and it dredges up [everything]. … It all gets rehashed again every year.”

This year — the 16th anniversary of Jackson’s murder — is no exception. But, on the heels of a recent development, this year also brings renewed hope that the case will be resolved after all this time.

In December 2025, the Kaua‘i Police Department issued an arrest warrant in connection with Jackson’s murder to 57-year-old Gregory Glaser, who had previously been identified as a person of interest in the case. He is wanted for second degree murder, with bail set at $1 million. Kaua‘i police said at the time that the warrant issuance was the result of “new information” in the case.

Despite the warrant, however, arresting Glaser isn’t so easy. Glaser himself is now a missing person. He was reported missing on Hawai‘i Island and was last seen on April 12, 2025, in the Hawaiian Acres subdivision, according to the Hawai‘i Police Department.  

Earlier this week, in conjunction with the anniversary of Jackson going missing, the Amber Jackson Justice Group — a group formed by her family and friends — and KPD issued a renewed call for the public to come forward with any information that could assist in the case, including Glaser’s whereabouts.

“If anyone has any knowledge as to where we can find him, so we can have some closure, that would be amazing,” Alexander said.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Feeling right at home"}]

Jackson was born and raised about an hour outside of Los Angeles, in Riverside, California, and in her 20s moved up north to Marin County, where she lived until relocating to Kauaʻi in 2000. In California, she worked for a stint at a bakery, and later worked for a few different nonprofits, including a substance abuse treatment center and an organization that helps people access legal services.

For Alexander, Jackson was the quintessential cool aunt.

He said there was a big age gap between Jackson and her older brother — Alexander’s father — and the siblings didn’t really grow up together. So Alexander didn’t meet his aunt until a family funeral when he was in his early 20s, but once they did meet, they formed a quick bond.

“I’m very fortunate that I’m an airline pilot, so I could fly back and forth easily to visit her. [I came to Kauaʻi] as much as I could,” he said.

Alexander has fond memories from those trips — he learned to surf with her at Hanalei Bay, and she introduced him to jazz music. She once hosted a group of Alexander’s friends and helped them coordinate a hike along the Kalalau Trail.

“She was very fun, very cool,” Alexander said. “Everybody that met her liked her. She was down to earth.”

While Jackson hadn’t been part of his childhood, Alexander said her warm personality made any distance between them melt away.

“[She] just immediately made you feel right at home and non-self-conscious and relaxed, which is like a superpower,” Alexander said.

Ann Spaulding, a close friend of Jackson’s from California, also describes an immediate connection with Jackson. The women met more than 40 years ago, in their 20s, and Spaulding can still recall the exact moment that Jackson came into her life.

“I was working in a little bakery in Fairfax, California, and she walked in one day and she ordered a cream puff and asked for a job.

She came to work at the bakery, and we just became best friends.

Spaulding describes Jackson as “honest, authentic, fun, nice, and funny.”

She said they bonded over their shared love of the outdoors and “had the kind of friendship where we could bare our souls to each other.”

The pair remained close even after Jackson moved to Kaua‘i in 2000.

From what Spaulding remembers, Jackson decided to move to Kaua‘i after falling in love with the island on vacation.

On Kaua‘i, she worked at the Hawai‘i State Teachers Association as a field operations secretary (HSTA officials declined an interview for this story), and bought a home in Kapaʻa, which Spaulding said she adorned with her “eclectic, whimsical and classy sense of décor,” and where she transformed the overgrown yard into a bountiful garden.

“She really did that place up, and she loved it — she loved her garden, she loved her two dogs, and she had a really nice lifestyle,” Spaulding said. “She was very caring for people — she was active in the community, and she was dedicated to the work she did and to her friends.”

Alexander said Jackson formed close friendships on Kaua‘i and had a tight-knit circle of friends that he remembers as all “very genuine, warm and welcoming” people.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Searching for answers"}]

Alexander vividly remembers the moment on that day in June 2010 that he found out Jackson was missing. It was his day off, and he was at the pool, sitting in a lounge chair when his phone rang. It was the Kaua‘i police.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"He was on a flight to Kaua‘i that night."}]

Though foul play was suspected, Alexander was holding out hope that maybe Jackson had just gone hiking — something she did often — and was injured or lost on a trail somewhere. While investigators searched, Alexander launched into his own search efforts — he rented a plane and flew around the island, hoping to catch sight of Jackson along one of her favorite hiking trails. He called newspapers. He put up flyers.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Nearly two weeks went by with no answers."}]

Then, on July 3, 2010, pig hunters discovered Jackson’s body in a ravine. An autopsy revealed that Jackson suffered blunt force trauma to her head, along with other injuries consistent with assault.

Police identified Glaser as a person of interest early on. He was Jackson’s tenant; he lived in a yurt on her property. KPD pursued leads, but the investigation didn’t turn up sufficient evidence tying Glaser — or anyone else — to the murder.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"The case went cold for 15 years."}]

“Over the years, successive generations of KPD detectives built on prior investigative efforts, re-interviewing witnesses, reviewing evidence, coordinating with other law enforcement agencies, and traveling both interisland and out of state to follow up on leads,” the department said in a December release in announcing Glaser’s arrest warrant. “These ongoing efforts eventually uncovered new information, culminating in an arrest warrant for Glaser for Murder in the Second Degree.”

KPD declined to be interviewed for this story, as the investigation remains ongoing, and said that it cannot share details about what new information led to the arrest warrant.

Public Information Officer Tiana Victorino shared this statement via email:

“The Kauaʻi Police Department continues to pursue all available leads and remains dedicated to seeking justice for Amber Jackson. The passage of time does not diminish our commitment to this case, and we remain focused on holding those responsible accountable and providing answers to her family and loved ones.”

In response to questions from Aloha State Daily about KPD’s general process of looking into cold cases, Victorino said cold cases fall under the department’s Criminal Investigations Division, which is staffed by 13 detectives.

“Cold cases are assigned to an investigator within the Criminal Investigations Division, who is responsible for reviewing and following up on them as part of their caseload,” Victorino said. “Cold cases may receive renewed attention whenever new information becomes available, such as credible tips, witness updates, or advancements in forensic technology that allow previously collected evidence to be reexamined.”

In addition to Jackson, there are 12 other cold cases currently listed on KPD’s website, dating back to 1979.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Seeking justice for Amber Jackson"}]

Spaulding calls Jackson her best friend, but she also notes that Jackson held that title for many people.

“Amber was a wonderful person, and I loved her so much,” Spaulding said. “And she had a lot of people who called her their best friend, not just me. She was dear to many.”

Some of those “best friends” comprise the Amber Jackson Justice Group. Spaulding, Alexander and a friend of Jackson’s on Kaua‘i who did not wish to be identified or interviewed comprise the core group, alongside several others who are involved.

Spaulding said they formed the group shortly after Jackson’s murder, as a way to handle media requests. Through the years, the core group has regularly met with the Kaua‘i police and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney to provide potential leads and discuss case updates. The group also conducts outreach efforts to the media and the public in an effort to raise awareness and to keep Jackson’s case top of mind.

For Spaulding, the work has been a way to deal with the loss of Jackson. Especially during the anniversary weeks of Jackson’s disappearance and her body being found, she said it feels like “there is this darkness that happens.”

“I can’t describe it, except to say it feels like a pit,” she said. “But the way that I've been able to deal with the grief, really, is to continue to get the meetings with [law enforcement],

write the press releases, get press releases out,

and keep her case in the eyes of the public.”

Now, after 16 years, the Amber Jackson Justice Group might be closer to justice than ever.

In their latest plea to the public issued earlier this week, the group asks people to “come forward with any information about Glaser’s whereabouts, network, or timeline, past or present.”

“No detail is too small or insignificant,” the group said in the release.

“There are people that have information about Greg Glaser. We know it,” Spaulding said.

Alexander said, at this point, the best-case scenario is that Glaser will be put on trial for Jackson’s murder and found guilty. Unless that happens, Alexander admits he will feel a little “shortchanged” that Glaser may never have to face what he is accused of. But even if that is not possible, Alexander still hopes Glaser will be located.

“We just want to know for sure [where Glaser is] so we can stop looking for him.

Because otherwise, we'll never know — he might still be out there, maybe doing something like this again to somebody else,” Alexander said.

If Jackson were still alive today, she’d be in her early 70s. 

Spaulding imagines that Jackson would be spending her golden years volunteering with nonprofits for causes she is passionate about, and spending time in nature.

Alexander likes to think that Jackson’s life today would be much the same as it was the last time he saw her.

“[She’d be] hanging out with her besties on Kaua‘i and doing her thing,” he said. “Life seemed not too bad at the time, so I’d imagine it’d be much the same as before — and I could go visit.”

KPD and the Amber Jackson Justice Group ask anyone with information on Glaser’s whereabouts or any other details relevant to the case to contact Sergeant Brian Silva at (808) 241-1908 or KPD Dispatch at (808) 241-1711. Anonymous tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers Kaua‘i at (808) 246-8300, on 

, or via the P3 Tips mobile app. Glaser is described as a white male, 57, approximately 5-foot 8-inches tall and 160 pounds, with long brownish gray hair.

Amber Jackson 16x9

<title>Family, friends continue to seek justice for Amber Jackson 16 years after Kaua‘i murder</title>

For 16 years, the murder of Amber Jackson on Kauaʻi has gone unsolved, but in December 2025, the Kaua‘i Police Department issued an arrest warrant for Gregory Glaser, wanted for second degree murder in connection with the case. ASD crime writer Christina O'Connor spoke with Amber Jackson's family and friends to learn about Jackson's life and their tireless pursuit of justice for her.

Family, friends continue to seek justice for Amber Jackson 16 years after Kaua‘i murder

Higa headshot white shirt square

Sterling Higa

For five weeks this summer, the largest naval exercise in the world is anchored off our islands. Thirty-one nations sent forty gray hulls, five submarines, and aircraft that cross our sky from June into July. The drill has a storyline, and the storyline involves an enemy fleet. The Navy is too polite to say whose, but everyone watching knows it is China.

It is a strange thing to watch a wargame from your own lānai, stranger still to do it while the shelves are full and the children have soccer practice. But RIMPAC poses a question that has nothing to do with the Navy. What do you trust to keep you safe?

A generation ago, a clever man thought he had the answer. The Soviet Union was folding and the Cold War was ending. Francis Fukuyama wrote that liberal democracy had become the final form of human government. The argument was over. The West had won, and the rest was paperwork.

The headlines have not cooperated since then. Iran is run by clerics who believe history bends their way. After American and Israeli bombs fell this spring, they closed the Strait of Hormuz.

In Venezuela, a long experiment in socialism had already emptied the shelves. Two earthquakes forty seconds apart killed close to a thousand people, and the digging is not done.

China keeps spending, patient and sure of itself, buying ports and roads from Africa to the South China Sea. And in Washington, the government that supposedly won the argument at the end of history can barely pass a budget.

Each of these countries has made a wager. Tehran trusts its missiles, Caracas trusted its strongman, Beijing trusts its ships, and we trust ours. Every government asks for a single arrangement of power to last forever.

From the middle of the Pacific, all the news can feel like someone else’s weather. Prices have climbed here too — gas, eggs, the usual. But the stations still pump and the warehouse stores still stack the pallets high. Ours is a rich country, with land and oil to spare. We are heirs to ordered liberty and markets freer than most, though never quite as free as their champions liked to claim.

A man may enjoy fine weather, but he gets into trouble when he begins to believe he arranged it.

This December marks 85 years since the bombing of Pearl Harbor. One morning, a great many certainties vanished, and Hawaiʻi was plunged into a World War. We are not the quiet edge of the map. We are the middle of it — the center of somebody else’s plan.

The families on base do not need a columnist to tell them this. They read it in the deployment calendar. They know something the rest of us can easily forget at Costco: Our safety has always leaned on somebody’s fleet.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lᴏʀᴅ our God. The fleet in our harbor is a great strength, but a poor god. We shouldn’t ask it to be one because it cannot do the job.

This is bad news for two kinds of people. It is bad news for the man who reads the headlines, buys a bunker, and decides that because nothing lasts, nothing is worth building. And it is bad news for his cheerful cousin. He mistakes American power for the kingdom of God and salutes the flag as though it were an altar. The God who rules the Strait of Hormuz and controls the fault lines under Caracas also governs the loading dock at Costco.

So build the things that survive war. Not the bunker, but the congregation, the friendship with a neighbor across the fence, the school for your children’s children. Build the small, local groups that can catch a falling family before the federal government has heard them fall. That is not retreat. It is a readiness that does not depend on chariots.

The ships will be at sea tomorrow, training in the same water that smoked in 1941. The clever man was wrong, though not in the way the frightened expect. History is not finished, and it is not finished because it is going somewhere — toward an end already chosen, by Someone who is not nervous. So we watch the gray hulls with thanks and without fear.

Destroyers in Pearl Harbor i Stock 2022

<title>RIMPAC 2026: Hawaiʻi, China, and the Question Underneath</title>

The children have soccer practice while, a few miles offshore, 31 nations rehearse a war. ASD opinion columnist Sterling Higa on what Hawaiʻi trusts to keep it safe.

RIMPAC 2026: Hawaiʻi, China, and the Question Underneath

Stephanie Salmons Headshot

Stephanie Salmons

Real Estate

There's often talk about the affordability and availability of housing in Hawai‘i. 

While affordability challenges are real, local real estate experts say homeownership is possible.

 and Aloha State Daily recently caught up with Aaron Tangonan, president of the Honolulu Board of Realtors, to see what prospective homebuyers should know about the process. Here's what he had to say.

We hear a lot about housing affordability and availability. Realistically, how feasible is it to become a homeowner in Hawai‘i in 2026?

Affordability challenges are real, and we never want to minimize them. At the same time, one of the biggest challenges we see is that many local residents no longer believe homeownership is possible. Our concern is that many people become discouraged before they even begin exploring their options.

The reality is that local residents continue to buy homes every day. Nationally, first-time buyers made up 32% of all home buyers last year, up from 26% the year before, according to the National Association of Realtors.

While Hawaiʻi faces unique affordability challenges, we continue to see local residents finding pathways to homeownership.

For most, that journey begins with getting on the housing ladder by purchasing a starter home and building equity. Over time, the equity gained from that home can be used to help purchase your dream or forever home.

The keys to homeownership are education, financial preparedness, patience and working with professionals. For buyers today, affordability is about more than just the purchase price. Interest rates play an important role in determining monthly payments and purchasing power, which is why it's important to focus on personal needs, budget and long-term goals rather than any single market factor.

We’ve seen this firsthand through local families who recently became homeowners through [Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corp.]’s Hale Kamaʻāina Mortgage Program. One buyer, a teacher, purchased a one-bedroom condominium in Makiki and shared that access to a lower interest rate helped make her monthly payment more manageable. Another local family purchased a three-bedroom townhome in Mililani Mauka and said the program helped make homeownership feel attainable. Their stories are reminders that while the path may look different for everyone, opportunities still exist for those who take the time to prepare and explore their options.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of working with a real estate agent and trying to go through the process without one?

As trusted advisers, Realtors leverage their industry knowledge and stay current on market conditions to help guide buyers through what is often one of the largest financial decisions of their lives. They can help buyers better understand the market, identify opportunities, connect with resources, navigate contracts and develop a strategy that aligns with their goals. 

 are also held to a strict Code of Ethics and have a duty to protect and promote their clients’ interests. 

According to the National Association of Realtors

, 88% of buyers purchased their homes through an agent, and 91% said they would use their agent again or recommend them to others.

While it is possible to purchase a home without representation, buyers who choose to do so may be responsible for navigating contracts, negotiations, deadlines and other aspects of the transaction on their own, including roadblocks along the way which are inevitable. Every buyer’s situation is different, but many first-time homebuyers find value in having an experienced professional by their side. We have also seen 

 go above and beyond to help clients achieve homeownership, whether that’s helping them navigate challenges, connecting them with resources or finding creative solutions to help them reach the finish line.

What are three things first-time homebuyers should know about the home-buying process?

What resources are available for first-time homebuyers, specifically? Are there programs that make the process easier or the goal more attainable?

There are a variety of resources available to help first-time homebuyers better understand the process and prepare for homeownership. Through the Honolulu Board of Realtors’ partnership with the Hawaiʻi HomeOwnership Center, the HOPE (Housing Opportunities are Possible for Everyone) 

 helps prospective buyers better understand budgeting, financing, mortgage terms and what it takes to prepare for homeownership. Since 2021, more than 850 individuals have participated in the program, and 70% have gone on to purchase a home or enter escrow within 6 to 18 months.

In terms of the current housing market, what kind of opportunities are available for first-time homebuyers in Hawai’i today?

Over the past year, nearly 2,200 properties sold for $500,000 or less, showing that buyers are still finding opportunities at more attainable price points. There are also nearly 1,200 active listings in this price range, particularly in the Metro region, Pearl City, and Central and Leeward O‘ahu.

The condominium market continues to serve as an important entry point into homeownership for many local buyers. According to our Local Market Update for May, year-to-date median sales prices remained below $500,000 in Downtown-Nuʻuanu, Kalihi-Palama, Makaha-Nānākuli, Makiki-Mōʻiliʻili, Moanalua-Salt Lake, Pearl City-ʻAiea, Wahiawā, Waikīkī, Waipahu and the Windward Coast.

Ultimately, the opportunities available will depend on a buyer’s goals, budget and flexibility. The important thing for buyers to know is that opportunities do exist, and taking the time to understand their options, explore different neighborhoods and work with trusted professionals can help them identify a path that aligns with their needs and financial circumstances. The key is getting on the housing ladder and building equity in that first home.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Is there anything else readers should know?"}]

I’d encourage anyone interested in homeownership to start the conversation now, even if they aren’t ready to buy tomorrow. The earlier you begin learning about the process, understanding your options and preparing financially, the more opportunities you’ll be able to pursue when the time is right.

Too often, people assume homeownership is out of reach without fully exploring what’s available to them. Every situation is different, but with the right preparation, guidance and patience, homeownership remains an achievable goal for many local residents.

For those who are working toward homeownership, it is important to understand the long-term value it can provide. Renting may make sense depending on a person’s goals and circumstances, whether that means living closer to work, remaining in a desired school district or renting a larger home than they may be able to purchase right away. However, paying rent is paying someone else’s mortgage, and building wealth for someone else. 

Aloha State Daily talks with Aaron Tangonan, president of the Honolulu Board of Realtors, to learn more about the home-buying process, how feasible it is to become a homeowner, what opportunities are available and more.

Hawai‘i Skies: Sleeping Giant

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