There is a reason the same Buyers who own homes in New York, San Francisco, and Miami are increasingly drawn to Hawai’i Island. It is not sentiment. It is strategy.
According to the Altrata Residential Real Estate 2025 report, co-sponsored by REALM, the global luxury real estate network to which Marco A. Silva belongs; the average ultra high net worth individual (defined as someone with a net worth of $30 million or more) owns an average of three known luxury residences. For this group, property is no longer just a place to live. It is an anchor point for lifestyle, legacy, and long-term wealth preservation.
Hawaii consistently ranks among the most desirable secondary home destinations in the United States, and the data from Altrata makes clear why. UHNW second-homers in Maui, for example, are overwhelmingly self-made (88% above the global average), are drawn by a combination of exotic appeal and domestic legal infrastructure, and represent a community where technology industry professionals make up twice the global UHNW average. A third have a keen interest in the outdoors and aviation.
The Big Island, and the Kona coast specifically, speaks directly to this profile.
What Global Buyers Are Actually Looking For
The Altrata report identifies a clear shift in what drives luxury property decisions among the ultra wealthy. Buyers at this level are no longer motivated primarily by price, brand prestige, or square footage. They are driven by quality of life, privacy, alignment with personal values, and the ability to use a property in multiple ways.
The Kona luxury real estate market delivers against each of these priorities. The North Kona coast offers genuine oceanfront access, resort-community privacy, warm year-round climate, and the combination of domestic legal structure with a sense of geographic distance that many wealthy Buyers seek in a secondary residence.
For Buyers exploring big island luxury homes, the properties currently active in this market reflect precisely the type of lifestyle investment the global ultra wealthy are prioritizing.
Supply Is Structurally Constrained, and That Matters
One of the most important findings in the Altrata report is that luxury property values in top secondary home markets are supported by structural scarcity. The Kona coast is no exception.
The combination of lava topography, conservation land, and existing resort community boundaries means that the supply of premium oceanfront and resort-adjacent properties on the Big Island is finite. Truly exceptional properties, architecturally distinctive estates, direct oceanfront homes on Ali’i Drive, resort-community land within Hualalai, Kohanaiki, or Kukio, do not come to market frequently.
When they do, they attract Buyers who understand what they are looking at.
The Role of a Trusted Kona Real Estate Advisor
The Altrata report underscores a theme that Marco A. Silva has observed throughout his career in the Big Island real estate market: what was once a transactional role has become a holistic advisory relationship.
Ultra high net worth Buyers are not simply looking for someone to open doors. They are looking for an advisor who understands their lifestyle goals, their legacy priorities, and the long-term strategic context of a property acquisition. That requires local expertise, market depth, and genuine relationships, not simply access to a listing database.
Marco is a member of REALM Global, an invitation-only network of elite luxury real estate professionals that collectively manages between 250,000 and 300,000 clients and carries over $20 billion in active listing inventory. That network gives Buyers and Sellers in the Kona real estate market a level of global reach and intelligence that goes well beyond what a standard brokerage relationship provides.
To learn more about the Kona luxury market or explore current listings, connect with Marco A. Silva directly.
Frequently Asked Questions: Hawaii Island and the Global Luxury Second-Home Market
Why is Hawaii a top second-home market for ultra high net worth Buyers?
Hawaii combines the appeal of a remote, private destination with the security of domestic US legal infrastructure, favorable climate, restricted property supply, and a growing community of self-made UHNW individuals, particularly from the technology sector. According to the Altrata Residential Real Estate 2025 report, Maui UHNW second-homers are overwhelmingly self-made and highly engaged in outdoor and lifestyle pursuits.
How does the Big Island compare to Maui as a luxury second-home destination?
The Big Island, and the Kona coast in particular, offers a combination of resort-community privacy, direct oceanfront access, and architectural diversity that is distinct from Maui. The presence of world-class resort communities along the Kohala Coast adds an additional layer of amenity and exclusivity.
What does the REALM network mean for Buyers working with Marco A. Silva?
REALM Global is an invitation-only network for the top 1% of luxury real estate professionals, with access to 6.8 million profiles of the world’s most affluent individuals and over $20 billion in active listing inventory. Working with a REALM member means Buyers and Sellers have access to global intelligence and a network that extends well beyond any single market.
Is supply of luxury properties on the Big Island limited?
Yes. The topography of the Big Island, combined with resort community boundaries and conservation land, creates structural scarcity in the luxury property market. This is particularly true for oceanfront properties on Ali’i Drive and estate parcels within the Kohala Coast resort communities.
How can I learn more about the Kona luxury real estate market?
Visit marcoinkona.com or contact Marco A. Silva directly to explore active listings and receive market context tailored to your specific goals.