If you have been looking at vacant land on the east side of the Big Island, you may have noticed something that seems almost too good to be true.
In areas such as Fern Forest, Mountain View, and parts of Puna, you can sometimes find several acres of land for the price of a small car on the mainland.
So what is the catch?
Usually, there is not one single catch. The price reflects a combination of location, road quality, utility access, neighborhood, lot condition, and demand.
Two three-acre parcels can look almost identical on Realtor.com and still be very different properties once you actually go see them.
That is why, when I work with buyers looking for land in East Hawaii, I tell them not to focus only on acreage and price.
The Street Can Matter as Much as the Subdivision
This is probably the biggest thing mainland buyers underestimate.
You might find several properties within the same subdivision that all have similar acreage and zoning, yet the streets can feel completely different.
One road may have well-maintained homes, cleared lots, attractive landscaping, and neighbors who clearly take care of their properties.
A few streets away, you may find abandoned vehicles, unmaintained lots, illegal dumping, loose dogs, or properties being used in ways that would make you uncomfortable living next door.
Neither Realtor.com nor Zillow is going to tell you much about that.
This is why I strongly recommend that buyers spend time driving the neighborhoods themselves before becoming emotionally attached to a particular parcel.
Paved Road or Dirt Road?
Road condition can have a significant effect on both price and daily life.
Some East Hawaii subdivisions have paved roads. Others have gravel, cinder, or unimproved roads. Even within a subdivision, some streets may be much easier to drive than others.
A dirt road may not bother you at all, particularly if you are planning a more rural or self-sufficient lifestyle.
But you should understand what you are buying.
Consider:
- How rough is the road?
- How far is the property from pavement?
- Who maintains the road?
- What happens after prolonged rain?
- Would you be comfortable driving it every day?
- Would contractors, delivery trucks, or construction equipment have reasonable access?
- Would visitors or future buyers view the road as a negative?
A cheaper lot several miles down a rough road may ultimately be less attractive than a slightly smaller or more expensive property with easier access.
Is Electric Power Available?
Even if your plan is to use solar, grid availability is worth considering.
Solar and battery systems work very well for many East Hawaii properties, and rainwater catchment is common. But plans change.
You may eventually decide that you want utility power as a backup. You may sell the property to someone who wants it. Or your eventual home may have energy needs that make a grid connection attractive.
A property with electric service available nearby may therefore have advantages over one where connecting to the grid would be difficult or prohibitively expensive.
That does not mean an off-grid property is bad.
It simply means you should understand whether you are choosing to be off-grid or whether the property is effectively making that decision for you.
Solar, Catchment and Septic Usually Are Not the Biggest Questions
Buyers sometimes assume that the biggest challenge with rural land will be figuring out solar, rainwater catchment, and wastewater.
On a reasonably sized parcel, those systems are often workable.
Solar is common throughout rural East Hawaii. Rainwater catchment is widely used, and a properly designed wastewater system can generally be incorporated into many residential building plans, subject to site conditions and applicable requirements.
The bigger differences between properties are often more basic:
Where is it? What is around it? How do you get there? Does it have power available? And would you actually want to live on that street?
Those questions can have a bigger effect on your long-term satisfaction than whether the parcel is 2 acres or 3 acres.
Look at Google Earth Before Getting Too Excited
This is one of the simplest things you can do when shopping for vacant land remotely.
Before you become excited about a low-priced parcel, pull it up on Google Earth or another satellite mapping service.
Look at the surrounding properties.
Sometimes you discover that the inexpensive parcel backs up to something you did not expect.
Maybe the neighboring property has dozens of vehicles stored behind the house.
Maybe a nearby parcel has been heavily cleared or appears to be used commercially.
Maybe there is a large structure right along the property line.
Or maybe the satellite view confirms that the surrounding area looks exactly like what you hoped to find.
Satellite imagery is not a substitute for visiting the property, and images may not be current, but it is an excellent first screening tool.
Clearing and Site Preparation Can Change the Math
A $35,000 lot is not necessarily cheaper than a $50,000 lot.
One may require considerably more work before you can build.
Depending on the parcel, you may need to consider:
- Clearing vegetation
- Driveway construction
- Grading
- Excavation or rock work
- Building-pad preparation
- Septic or wastewater installation
- Catchment system installation
- Solar and battery equipment
- Utility connection costs
- Surveying and property-corner location
You do not need to solve every construction question before buying land.
But you should have a realistic idea of what will be required to turn the property into the place you ultimately want.
This becomes particularly important for buyers who plan to purchase the land first and build gradually over several years.
Fern Forest, Mountain View and Puna Are Not Interchangeable
Buyers often start by searching a large geographic area because the online listings appear similar.
In reality, Fern Forest, Mountain View, Volcano-area subdivisions, and the various communities throughout Puna can offer very different experiences.
Elevation changes.
Rainfall changes.
Temperatures change.
Roads change.
Neighborhoods change.
Access to Hilo and other services changes.
Even within those broader areas, the character can vary significantly from one road to another.
That is why I generally do not recommend choosing a subdivision simply because you found several inexpensive parcels there.
Start with the lifestyle you want, then narrow the geography.
Lava Zone Can Have a Big Impact on Price
Lava hazard is another major reason some East Hawaii parcels are priced so low.
In some cases, you may be looking at property that was directly impacted by relatively recent lava flows, or is surrounded by areas that were. Those parcels can sometimes be extremely inexpensive, but obviously come with a very different level of risk and future resale considerations.
You will also find lower-priced land in Lava Zones 1 and 2, which are considered higher-risk areas. That does not necessarily mean you should rule them out, but it becomes much more important if your plan is to eventually build a permitted home and finance it.
Insurance can be more difficult and more expensive to obtain in higher-risk lava zones, and that can make financing more complicated because lenders generally require acceptable property insurance before they will make the loan.
So if you are buying land now with the idea of building five or ten years from now, do not just ask whether you are comfortable owning land in that lava zone today. Ask whether the location could create problems later when you want to build, insure, finance, or eventually sell the property.
That is another reason two parcels with similar acreage can have dramatically different prices.
The Best Next Step Is Usually Not Buying a Lot
For mainland buyers, I generally recommend coming to the Big Island and using the properties currently for sale as a way to explore the area.
You can make a list of parcels that appear to meet your criteria. I can also identify properties that may be worth considering.
Then spend time driving them.
You may discover very quickly that certain neighborhoods or roads appeal to you while others do not.
Once you have narrowed down the areas and streets where you would actually be comfortable living, the land search becomes much easier.
At that point, instead of asking:
“Where can I find three acres for $40,000?”
you are asking:
“Can I find the right three-acre property on one of these streets for around $40,000?”
That is a much better way to buy land.
Cheap Land Is Not Necessarily Bad Land
There are legitimate opportunities to buy affordable acreage on the east side of the Big Island.
A lower price does not automatically mean something is wrong with the property.
It may simply reflect an unpaved road, lack of grid power, a more remote location, neighborhood conditions, or lower demand.
Those things may not matter to you at all.
The important part is knowing why the property is inexpensive and deciding whether those tradeoffs fit the life you are trying to create.
If you are considering land in Volcano, Mountain View, Fern Forest, Puna, or elsewhere on the east side and want help understanding the differences between the properties and neighborhoods, feel free to contact me.
