Orchid Isle Estates (aka Glenwood Gardens) is a landlocked subdivision that sits in the shadows of the snow-capped peaks of Mauna Kea while nestled firmly in the lush green forests of ohia trees, ferns and Waiwai that comprise this region. Once used for agriculture purposes such as farming and cattle-raising, the soil in this region is still known for its fertility and remains ideal for a wide range of growing activities from leisure gardening to small scale farming.

Located along Highway 11, this subdivision is your gateway to all major destinations in the Puna District. This area is just a five minute drive to the town of Mountain View, where you will have easy access to restaurants, bars, grocery stores, banks, pharmacies and post offices. Driving roughly ten minutes in the opposite direction will bring you to the village of Volcano, a diverse artists community with plenty of shops and restaurants, as well as grocery stores and attractions like the Volcano Winery and the world famous Volcanoes National Park. In addition, just south of Volcano village is the Oola Forest Reserve, a 9,000 acre rain forest thick with lush greenery that will provide plenty of opportunities for exploration and sight-seeing.

As this subdivision is just over eighteen miles from the nearest shoreline, homeowners also get to enjoy the numerous black sand beaches along the east coast from Kehena to Kalapana.

So whether youre looking for a secluded suburb to live, or an ideally located region to invest, you cant go wrong with this idyllic Hawaiian subdivision.


Property Specific Notes:

This .28 acre lot (roughly a quarter of an acre) is located along Awela Road just down the street from the main Lehuanani Street. Awela is a paved road which can be navigated by any vehicle type. In addition, it sits in a residential neighborhood and has power at the lot line which should make building on the lot both easy and affordable.

This property is located in Orchid Isle Estates, also known as Glenwood Gardens. This subdivision should not be confused with Orchid Island Estates, another subdivision in Hawaii County. (When doing research on the region, this important distinction can be confusing).

Most subdivisions in Hawaii County have Property Owner's Associations which tend to take responsbility for road constuction and road maintenance and which may ocassionaly have rules about building or construction within their region. The Orchid Isle Estates subdivision, however, has neither a Property Owner's Assocation or any recorded covenants or restrictions governing land in this region.

is a subdivision which unlike most in this county, does not have a Property Owners Association or any corresponding website dictating rules or annual fees. In a search of county records, it has neither covenants nor restrictions nor time limits on building. Because of this unparalleled lack of oversight, this region is ideal for anyone looking to build the conventional Single Family home, as well as the more unconventional Tiny Home, Shipping Container, Yurt or other structure not commonly allowed in other subdivisions.

Situated within close proximity to the towns of Mountain View and Kurtistown, you will have easy access to groceries and supplies as well as restaurants, schools, churches and medical facilities. In addition, the population center of Hilo is only fifteen minutes north on Highway 11 (the Belt Road) and the Black Sand Beaches along the eastern coastline are just a few short miles away.

Also close by is the village of Volcano, a diverse artists community with plenty of shops and restaurants, as well as grocery stores and attractions like the Volcano Winery and the world-famous Volcanoes National Park. Roughly a mile south of Volcano village is the Oola Forest Reserve, a 9,000 acre rain forest thick with lush greeneries that will provide more opportunities for exploration and site-seeing.

The subject property is located in Lava Zone 3 (of 9) and Flood Zone X. This will make getting home owner's insurance for the land and the eventual structure you build on it more affordable and easier to acquire.

As most of the lots in this region are densely forested combinations of ohia trees and hapu'u ferns, anyone looking to build out here will first need to clear and bulldoze ("doze") the lot. This is done by obtaining a permit from the Public Works Department. Only once you have your Permit Number can you begin clearing the lot. Follow this link to see a video (overlong, a little boring, but very informative) of what the dozing process typically looks like in a nearby subdivision, similarly dense with forest.

As most of the lots in this region are densely forested combinations of ohia trees and hapu'u ferns, anyone looking to build out here will first need to clear and bulldoze ("doze") the lot. This is done by obtaining a permit from the Public Works Department. Only once you have your Permit Number can you begin clearing the lot. Follow this link to see a video (overlong, a little boring, but very informative) of what the dozing process typically looks like in a nearby subdivision, similarly dense with forest.

Given the tropical climate here, many residents get their water by using rainwater catchment systems. As Hawaii County averages 17 inches of rain each year, this is actually quite common in this region. The Hawaii Department of Health regulates the rules and permitting for such devices and along with local rainwater capture installation businesses would be an excellent resource for researching how this typically works. In accordance, helpful links have been provided at the bottom of this page.



Notes About Purchasing:

Financing: Anyone looking for financing should be aware that Hawaii Federal Credit Union is one of the rare lenders that offer financing for vacant land purchases. While the managers of Hemingway Land have never dealt with them personally and can not vouch for their services or lending program, we at least want to make our buyers aware that this may be a viable option for purchasing your dream property. Learn more at the Hawaii Federal Credit Union website here.

Title/Escrow Closing: Closing through a title company can be benefical to anyone looking to get title insurance for the purposes of securing a loan to build on the land. It should be noted, however, that in this circumstance all closing costs will be the responsbility of the buyer.

Attorney Closing: Anyone electing to close outside of escrow should know that Hemingway Land will be hiring an attorney to draft the conveyance documents (new deed plus supplemental docs), the costs of which are factored into the sales price and will be paid by Hemingway Land. Due to the complexity of these documents, as well as the fact we'll be outsourcing them to an attorney, it should be noted that it will take a few days before we'll be able to present you with the new deed. Once you approve it, we'll sign/notarize and mail off to our attorney to record with the Hawaii Bureau of Conveyance.

Earnest Money Deposit: We are requesting an upfront Non-Refundable Earnest Money Deposit of $500.00. This is not an installment sale and there is no financing offered. This is a cash transaction. After we have your Deposit we will contact you about how to proceed with finalizing the purchase, whether it be by credit card, wire transfer or title & escrow. If you elect to close through escrow, buyer will be responsible for all closing costs. If you elect to close outside of escrow, we will expect you to begin funding the purchase within 24 hours of the initial deposit.


Lot Size: 0.28 Acres

Legal Description: ORCHID ISLE ESTATES 02, FILE PLAN 719, LOT 647

Tax Map Key: 3-1-8-031-024

Account Number: 3180310240000

Latitude-Longitude\tCenter:
19.498573,-155.157389
NW: 19.4987190474094,-155.157586307759
NE: 19.4985744582471,-155.157111958341
SW: 19.4985343511441,-155.157648866483
SE: 19.498390455513,-155.157174453531

Annual Taxes: $200.00

Annual Road Maintenance Fees:$195.00

HOA/POA: Yes, POA

HOA/POA Yearly Fees: $35.00 (Optional)

Time Limit to Build: None

Zoning: Residential/Agricultural

Lava Zone: Three

Access: Paved Road

Power: At The Lot Line; Solar or Alternative

Phone: In The Area; Mobile, Satellite or Alternative

Water: Catchment System or Holding Tank

Sewer: Septic/Alternative

Elevation: 2,847 ft

Conveyance Document: Special Warranty Deed

Type of Closing: Attorney Close

Doc Prep Fee: $150.00

Nearby Towns:
Hilo: 18 miles (33 min)
Waimea: 75 miles (1 h 37 min)
Kalaoa: 86 miles (1 h 45 min)
Captain Cook: 101 miles (2 h 14 min)

Points Of Interest:
Big Island Travel Guide (Link)
Punaluu Black Sand Beach (Link)
Papakolea Green Sand Beach (Link)
Hawaii Volcanos National Park (Link)
Kula Kai Caverns (Link)
Big Island Hike Map