As soon as you hit the Windward side of ʻOahu and enter Kāneʻohe, you instantly notice how green and scenic it is. That’s the way it’s always been.

In fact, many aliʻi had homes here because it was so lush and beautiful.

Because of its generous rainfall, Kāneʻohe was very important in agriculture and had tremendous quantities of ulu, banana, taro, and sweet potato.

In the late 1800s, sugar was king. Kāneʻohe Sugar Company was formed, bringing workers to the area.

Heʻeia Kea Pier was built to transport the sugar to ocean vessels.

Then in the mid-1900s, Kāneʻohe Bay played a vital role in the Second World War. It was the first bomb site of the Japanese.

After the war, things began to change, and people started to look at the area as a place to call home.

Our first stop for Welcome Home: Kāneʻohe was Windward Mall.

With the improvements to the roads to the Windward side, more and more people started coming over the Pali Highway which was built in 1957 and the Likelike Highway built in 1960.

The need for residential homes grew astronomically.

The need for services, also grew. Many businesses and shopping centers popped up, most notably Windward Mall.

The Kāneʻohe real estate market has really taken off since 2012.

Just five years ago, the median single-family home price was $679,004. Today, it’s $950,488 – an increase of more than $271,000.

We talked to Locations Realtor Dennis Muth who broke down what individuals who are looking at Kāneʻohe real estate can expect.

Kāneʻohe has something for everyone – there are condos, townhomes, single-family homes, and luxury homes.

You’ll also find suburban neighborhoods and more rural, “old Hawaiʻi” style neighborhoods.

There are also condos and homes on the bay with boat slips.

Maria Kawānanakoa, and Realtor Associate for Locations shared why we are seeing the same high demand in Kāneʻohe that we’re seeing across most of Oahu.

Heʻeia State Park’s traditional name was Kealohi, and is the site of the heiau Kalaeulaula.

Rich with ancient history Kāneʻohe has symbolic stories that have traveled through modern times. Cultural interpreter Mahealani Cypher explained to us the ahupuaʻa system around Kāneʻohe Bay. And ways that we locals can help preserve the history of this beautiful place.

Our last stop was Hoʻomaluhia Botanical Gardens.

It was created in 1982 as a rainfall garden.

Attractions and amenities like this plus the sense of ohana, makes Kāneʻohe a special place to call home.