Buying a Working Farm in Hawaiʻi
Maile Woodhall (pronounced Miley) is a Kona Realtor for buyers and sellers. She is also the agent investors call when they want to buy a working farm in Hawaiʻi: a Kona coffee farm, a macadamia nut orchard, a ranch, or farm land on any island. She was born and raised in Kona and grew up around farms. This page covers what to check before you buy.
Coffee Farms and Macadamia Nut Orchards
Kona coffee grows on the slopes above the coast, from Holualoa south through Kealakekua, Captain Cook, and Hōnaunau. Macadamia nuts grow in Kona, Kaʻū, Hāmākua, and Kohala.
A working farm is two purchases in one: the land and the farm business. Ask the seller in writing for the tree count and age, the varieties, past harvest and sales records, the equipment that comes with the sale, and any mill, drying deck, or roastery. Past results do not promise future income.
If a farm is certified organic, the certificate belongs to the seller's operation. A new owner applies for their own. The land's records still matter, so ask the seller for them.
Fee Simple or Leasehold
Many farms in the Kona coffee belt sit on leased land, much of it owned by Kamehameha Schools. With a leasehold you buy the lease and the improvements, not the land. Read the lease term, the rent, when the rent resets, the renewal terms, and what uses the lease allows.
Lenders look at leasehold and farm land differently than a house lot. A lender may lend on a farm, but the terms depend on the property and the borrower. Maile and eXp Realty are not lenders.
Zoning, Water, and Taxes
Most farms sit in the State Agricultural District and carry County agricultural zoning. Those rules limit how many homes you can build and what else the land can be used for. Check the zoning, the allowed homes, and any farm dwelling agreement before you write an offer.
Water decides what a farm can grow. Some farms use County water, some use catchment, and a few have private wells or irrigation. Confirm the source, the meter size, and the cost.
Hawaiʻi County offers lower property tax for land dedicated to farming. Under the County's rules, if the dedication is broken, back taxes can be charged. Ask the seller if the land is dedicated and what a new owner must do to keep it.
Selling a Farm in Hawaiʻi
Selling a working farm takes more than a home listing. Farm buyers ask for production history, the water source and its cost, the zoning and any agricultural dedication, the condition of processing equipment, and whether organic or other certifications can carry over to a new owner.
Maile Woodhall helps farm owners on every island gather those records before listing, set a price that reflects the land, the improvements, and the operation, and reach farm investors on the mainland and overseas through the eXp Realty network.
Every Island, and From Far Away
Maile is based in Kona and works with farm buyers and sellers on every Hawaiian island. Through the eXp Realty network she also works with investors on the mainland and overseas. Many farm buyers start from far away, so she can walk a farm on video and gather the maps, permits, and records before you fly in.
Buying a home or condo to rent out instead? See Kona Investment Property.
Talk to Maile about a farm. Call or text (808) 482-5800, or email konaorganicRE@gmail.com. Tell her the island, the crop, and your budget.
Maile Woodhall, REALTOR, RS-88019. The Agency Team Hawaii, brokered by eXp Realty, RB-21841. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Equal Housing Opportunity.