Investor Resources · West Hawaii
Kona investor resources: lenders and property managers
The short answer
Two of the most common questions I get from investor clients are "do you have a lender I can talk to?" and "do you have a property manager I can talk to?" Yes to both. The people below work West Hawaii deals regularly, understand condotels, STVR permits, and Hawaii's tax layers, and will give you real numbers before you write an offer instead of after.
Lenders who work Big Island investor deals
Financing a Hawaii vacation rental condo is not a standard mainland mortgage. Some complexes are classified as condotels, which knocks out many conventional programs; second-home vs. investment occupancy changes your rate and down payment; and some buildings have HOA litigation or insurance gaps that kill loans late in escrow. You want a lender who has closed in the specific complex before, or at least in its category.
- Viral Joshi, Straight Deal Mortgage. My go-to for investor scenarios that need creative structure or speed.
- Todd French, HME. Deep Hawaii experience, including the complexes mainland lenders stumble on.
What to ask any lender before you write
- Have you closed in this complex? Is it warrantable, non-warrantable, or condotel in your investor guidelines?
- What's the rate and down payment difference between second-home and investment occupancy for my scenario, and which can I honestly claim?
- Will projected rental income count toward qualifying, and what documentation do you need for it?
- What's your realistic closing timeline for a Hawaii condo, including condo doc and insurance review?
Short-term rental property managers
If you're buying for vacation rental income, talk to a manager during your due diligence period, not after closing. A good manager will give you a realistic revenue projection for the specific unit and view line, tell you what the complex's guest demand actually looks like, and flag operating costs your spreadsheet is missing. The two firms I refer on the west side:
- Kona Coast Vacations. Long-running Kona-side vacation rental management; strong presence in the Ali'i Drive corridor complexes.
- Coldwell Banker Island Vacations. Manages across the Kona and Kohala resort markets, including the resort-corridor complexes.
What to ask any property manager before you buy
- What did comparable units in this complex gross last year, and what occupancy did they run? Ask for the unit type that matches yours, not the complex average.
- What's your full fee structure: management percentage, cleaning, linens, maintenance markups, and onboarding costs?
- How many units do you manage in this specific complex, and can I see a sample owner statement?
- What does the seasonal curve look like here, and what happens to rates in the shoulder months?
From the field
When a client asks me what a unit will earn, I connect them directly with a manager who runs comparable units in that building. Secondhand revenue estimates, including the ones in listing remarks, are marketing. An owner statement from the same floor plan two doors down is data.
How this fits the buying process
The sequence that protects you: get pre-approved with a lender who knows the complex category, identify the unit, then validate the income assumption with a manager during your inspection and document review window. Hawaii's purchase contract gives you genuine due diligence rights; the buyers who get burned are the ones who validate income after the contingencies expire. I coordinate all three conversations so the timeline works.
Want introductions?
Tell me what you're trying to buy and I'll connect you with the right lender and manager for that specific complex, usually same day.
Contact Jeff