Cesspool vs. Septic on Kauaʻi

Ryan's 30 Second Answer Short answer: A cesspool is essentially a hole in the ground that releases raw sewage directly into it, untreated. A septic system treats wastewater before releasing it. Hawaii banned new cesspool construction in 2016 and requires every existing cesspool statewide to be conve

Understanding Property Setbacks

Ryan's 30 Second Answer Short answer: Kauaʻi's standard setback rules require most buildings to sit at least 10 feet back from the front property line, and at least 5 feet from the side and rear lines, or half the building's height, whichever is greater. A common assumption trips people up here: agr

Agricultural Zoning on Kauaʻi, Explained

Ryan's 30 Second Answer Short answer: Agricultural zoning on Kauaʻi does more than signal there's a farm nearby, it directly controls how many homes can legally exist on a specific parcel, using a density formula tied to acreage rather than general size or feel. Many agricultural parcels are also CP

What's My Home Actually Worth Right Now?

Ryan's 30 Second Answer Short answer: Online estimates like Zillow's Zestimate are a starting point, not your home's real value. Zillow's own published data shows a median error rate of 1.9% for homes currently listed, but that jumps to 6.9% for homes that aren't on the market, meaning half of all o