What to Know Before You Fall in Love with an Older Makawao Home

The charm is real. A plantation-era home in Makawao town — patina'd redwood walls, single-piece stainless sink, Formica counters, solid plywood cabinets, Canite ceilings, floors that let a marble roll wherever they want — there's nothing quite like it. I have clients who specifically hunt for these properties. They want to take one down to the studs and bring it back right. That instinct is not wrong.

But here's what I tell every one of them before they get too far down that road: many of these properties need to be evaluated as land value, or land value plus something for the house depending on condition. If you buy one treating it as a standard resale home with a cosmetic budget, you can find yourself underwater fast. The issues are real, they stack up, and some of them are expensive enough to reshape your entire financial picture on the deal.

Here is what you need to understand going in.

The Hazard List

Termites The Formosan subterranean termite is the single most destructive pest in Hawaii housing. In homes this age, assume they have been present at some point. The question is extent of damage and whether conditions exist for ongoing activity. Moisture feeds the problem. Get a dedicated termite inspection, not just a line item on a general report.

Canite Ceilings Canite (we often call this "Canic") — a compressed cane fiber board common in plantation-era ceilings — is both a termite target and a potential asbestos concern depending on the era and product. If the home has had any roof leaks over the years, the Canite above you has likely been wet. Have it evaluated before you assume it's cosmetic.

Lead-Based Paint Homes built before 1978 are presumed to contain lead-based paint. This matters most when renovation is planned. EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule requires that contractors working on pre-1978 homes be lead-safe certified. Sanding, scraping, or cutting painted surfaces without proper protocols can create a hazard. Budget for it.

Knob and Tube Wiring Common in homes of this era. The wiring itself may still function, but the bigger issue is insurability. Many carriers will not bind a homeowner's policy on a home with active knob and tube wiring, or they will require full rewiring before coverage takes effect. Discover this before closing, not after.

Galvanized Supply Plumbing Galvanized steel supply lines corrode from the inside out. Water pressure drops, rust discolors fixtures, and eventually lines fail. Replacement is not optional on older systems — it is a when, not an if.

Cast Iron Waste Lines Cast iron drain and waste lines can last a long time, but in homes this age they deserve a camera inspection. Cracking, root intrusion, and partial collapse are all possibilities. This is not a surprise you want after closing.

Roofing Two issues here. First, wood shake roofs: insurance companies typically require replacement or upgrade before they will write a policy. This can affect your closing timeline if it surfaces late in the process. Second, aluminum roofing from this era is generally durable when original and intact — but many of these homes have had some kind of overlay applied at some point. An overlay does not reset the roof's life. It adds weight, traps moisture between layers, and hides what's underneath. Inspect carefully and don't budget based on surface appearance alone.

Hurricane Strapping Homes this age rarely have modern hurricane strap connections at the roof-to-wall junction. In Hawaii's current insurance environment — already stressed since 2023 — underwriters are scrutinizing this more than they used to. It may not be a deal-killer, but it can affect coverage terms and cost.

Cesspool Conversion If the home sits on a cesspool, Hawaii state law requires conversion to septic by 2050. That sounds far out until you run the numbers. Conversion costs typically range from $10,000 to $40,000 or more depending on lot conditions, setbacks, and soil. It should be factored into your purchase price and renovation budget now, not treated as a future problem.

How to Think About These Properties

None of this means avoid older Makawao homes. It means buy them with your eyes open.

The right approach is to treat the purchase as a land and structure evaluation, not a home comparison. Understand what the lot is worth. Understand what the structure genuinely contributes or costs. Then build your renovation budget from the hazard list up — safety, systems, and compliance first, design and finish work after.

Buyers who get in trouble are usually the ones who fell in love with the bones and built their budget around paint colors.

If you are looking at an older property in Makawao and want a straight read on what you are actually buying, I am happy to walk through it with you. This is the market I grew up in. Our Island Sothebys office sits in one. 

Mino McLean Island Sotheby's International Realty mauimino.com