It will come as no surprise to Maui residents: the island is one of the best places to vacation in the U.S.

Recently, U.S. News named Maui the No. 1 place to visit in the U.S. for categories including most relaxing, best romantic and most luxurious vacation destination. The island also ranked No. 4 in the best place to visit in the county - just behind New York City, Philadelphia and Honolulu. 

The news outlet examined multiple factors when creating the list including attractions, hotels and dining options, in addition to surveys from travelers themselves. Maui took the top spots because of its pristine, white-sand beaches and plethora of local restaurants.

The news organization recommended visitors explore the road to Hana, which extends

A condominium has sold for $4.9 million in one of Maui’s finest resort communities - the Montage Residences Kapalua Bay. 

Located in the heart of the Kapalua Resort, the Montage Residences are undoubtedly one of Kapalua’s most luxurious communities. The condominium that recently sold offers panoramic views of Maui’s west coast, where miles of clear, azure water stretch to the islands of Moloka’i and Lana’i.

The unit has three bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms, which partly comprise the 2,900 square feet of living area. There is ample lanai space, perfect for entertaining guests while gazing out to colorful west Maui sunsets, or watching humpback whales play during the winter months. 

“The property is remarkable,” said Jan Lap, an agent at Island

Prices for condominiums and single-family homes surged in May, up 13.5 percent and 12.4 percent from last year, according the Realtors Association of Maui.

The real estate group recently released a report outlining changes in the Maui home and condo market, which have risen over the last year largely due to a lack of inventory, according to the group.

In May, the median price for a single-family home was $700,000 - a big jump from $622,500 in May 2016. During that time, the number of homes available on the market dropped 12.1 percent - with a total of 528 available.

Meanwhile, the median price for a condominium from $422,000 in May 2016 to $479,000 in May 2017. At the same time, condominium inventory dropped 21.5 percent to a total of 679

A luxury condominium has sold for $5 million in one Kapalua’s most luxurious beachfront communities.

The oceanfront, three-bedroom unit in Coconut Grove overlooks one of the finest beaches in the country - Kapalua Bay. The condominium is undoubtedly one of the most exquisite units on Maui’s west side, with more than 2,600 square feet of living area and three and a half bathrooms. 

“I was so happy to assist my clients in the purchase of this incredible property,” said Island Sotheby’s International Realty agent Courtney Brown. “Located in the center of Coconut Grove, the views and interior are spectacular.”

Island Sotheby’s International Realty agent Ben Willis represented the seller of the expansive, second-floor unit. The condominium

Two of Island Sotheby’s International Realty agents have made Hawaii Business magazine's list of the top 100 real estate agents in the state.

The magazine has been creating the list for more than a decade, which has become the pinnacle of success for Hawaii's real estate agents. This year, Island Sotheby’s Realty agents Courtney Brown and Wendy Peterson were among those honored, as well as several other Sotheby’s International Realty sales associates throughout the Hawaiian Islands.

Hawaii Sotheby's International Realty honorees gather for a photo at the Hawaii Business Magazine's Top Realtors 2017 Gala held on June 1st 

Brown, who specializes in the resort areas of west and south Maui, closed $21,642,884 in real estate transactions in 2016.

A luxury condominium in Kaanapali has sold for $2.6 million in one of Maui’s finest resort communities.

The spacious condominium in the Honua Kai Resort and Spa is one of the finest in the complex, and offers three spacious bedrooms and three bathrooms. Island Sotheby’s International Realty agents Rob Shelton R(B) and Courtney Brown R(S) represented the seller, who kept the unit in exquisite condition prior to the sale. 

“Honua Kai has been very successful and there's a lot of amenities there that people enjoy, so if you’re an investor those units have done very, very well historically,” said Shelton. 

Shelton said the ground-floor unit is situated in one of the most convenient locations within the resort — next to the children’s pools,

Aloha,

Memorial weekend…the unofficial start of summer. BBQ’s, picnics and family gatherings. During this weekend, be sure to take a moment to remember a Veteran who served to protect us and the great country.

Rates are down a touch this week as the 10-year treasury yields eased. Since it is Memorial Day, I wanted to remind you the benefits of a VA Loan.

1. No money down
2. Lender or seller credit for costs so Veteran brings in zero dollars to close
3. Unlimited loan amounts. Did you know that? We just funded a $2 million VA loan.
4. Higher qualifying ratios allowed.
5. Detached condos don’t need to be approved by VA like regular condo projects
6. A Veteran with a disability of 10% or more will not have a funding fee.
7. A Veteran can you their

Nothing inspires Linda Briske more than making a difference in the lives of Maui’s youth. 

As recently featured in the Maui News, Briske, a broker and realtor for Island Sotheby’s International Realty, has been volunteering with Kids Hope USA for nearly a decade. The nonprofit works to pair youth with adult mentors to help them with everything from school work to simply being there to listen. 

Kids Hope USA is a nonprofit that nurtures relationships between church volunteers and schools to ensure children have a responsible adult to spend time with. For an hour a week, Briske meets with a student at Kula Elementary School to work one-on-one on things such as reading, math and writing. Briske has tutored students from kindergarten to fifth

Island Sotheby’s International Realty agents help people buy and sell hundreds of magnificent properties on Maui — but some are truly more exceptional than others.

During the first quarter of 2017, Island Sotheby’s agents helped close numerous property sales, ranging from selling rockstar’s estates to finding buyers for luxury ocean-view condominiums. Here are a few of our noteworthy sales of 2017’s first quarter:

5520 Makena Road, Makena, Hawaii 96753

This 5,400-square-foot beachfront Makena estate sold for $15.5 million, marking the first significant sale of 2017. The four-bedroom, seven-bath home in the resort area of South Maui, is surrounded by tropical gardens and panoramic views of Maui’s south coast.

The estate’s sliding glass

The Hawaii Affiliates of Sotheby’s International Realty Charitable Fund has chosen Hawaii Literacy to receive $20,000 as its 2017 grant recipient.

Hawaii Literacy is the state’s leading nonprofit provider of free literacy and education services to Hawaii's families. In March, Sotheby’s affiliate presented the organization with a $20,000 check from Sotheby’s fund at Hawaii Community Foundation to continue the nonprofit’s valued work in the community.

“They liken their Bookmobile to an ice cream truck; when it visits neighborhoods kids can hear the engine from afar and start running after it to be able to borrow books to read,” said Georgianna Tamayose, President of Island Sotheby’s International Realty.

Since 1971, Hawaii Literacy has trained