Don’t get too excited because there aren’t that many of them. And as the proud papa of a socially active 80-pound pit bull mix named Cane, and former owner of West Maui Pet Supply, trust me, I’ve dealt with the challenge and I’ve heard the complaints.
17 out 81 condominiums on West Maui make it difficult for Buyers with pets
If You Have a Pet, You Need a Pet-Friendly Condo
My best (and worst) case scenario was about 10 years ago when I owned at a not so pet-friendly condo in Honokowai. Well, I was dating a girl at the time who, on a few occasions, brought her big, sweet rescue dog named Ano over (pronounced AH-NO). Not to get into all of the details, but there was no denying my guilt as Ano was chauffered around in a bright red Jeep that always had the top down.
She was blonde, he rode in the front seat, and again, I was living in a non-pet friendly condo…heck, in a pet-friendly condo they stuck out like a sore thumb. So it wasn’t to my surprise when an AOAO warning showed up on my doorstep, actually taped to the door. This was followed by a few $50 fines that turned into $100 fines. Okay, maybe she brought Ano over to visit more than a few times
Honestly, at the time I was 27, had just bought my first property, and I did not understand the responsibility and severity of “house rules” and how they really applied. My thought was, “I own this place, this isn’t a big deal…they have to be flexible with me…what is a warning?” Lesson learned: Yes it is, no they don’t, and no they won’t. Hey, it was my own fault.
The story gets better. At the time, I was traveling to the other islands with my real estate weekly newspaper business nearly 4 days per week, and when I was on Maui I was either working more, going to a function, or running off to the beach for an entire day.
So needless to say, I wasn’t reading all of my exciting AOAO mail or condo newsletters that piled up on my desk. Heck, I wasn’t even opening it…bad decision! I had my monthly dues automatically paid each month, so I wasn’t really focused on my statements, AOAO Minutes, etc. I was more concentrated on the essentials: bills, family mail, work finances, and anything from the State or IRS.
Very few West Maui condos allow multiple pets
Let’s just say that, to my surprise, when I went to refinance my property, apparently a few of those pet fines hadn’t been paid and $600 in fines turned into a $6,500 lien. Yes, you read that correctly…$600 in fines turned out to be $6K in attorney’s fees, court filings, and administrative billings. Let’s just call that learning the hard way. Jeff was a dummy.
Now, fast forward years later, I’ve learned even more. As the former owner of the West Maui Pet Supply, I’ve heard and learned the frustration of West Mauians from the lack of pet-friendly condos. And remember, condos make up a major part of West Maui’s inventory pool.
Fabulous Pet-Friendly Condos in West Maui
If you really dig in, there are roughly 81 condominium complexes in West Maui and only approximately 17 allow animals…and not all of them allow dogs, or have weight restrictions. That’s 17 out of 81!…Reggie Jackson wouldn’t have made it to October with those numbers.
17 out of 81 – really?
In all cases, each property has its own house rules pertaining to the number of pets allowed, which types of pets you can have, leash rules, and more. Additionally, house rules can change, so prior to buying, you should confirm everything during your due diligence. However, I’ve done the current research and have compiled an easy-to-use reference.
Here are the fabulous 17 West Maui condos that permit pets:
- Lahaina: The Spinnaker, Opukea, Hoonanea, Lahaina Residential, Channel House, Puamana
- Kaanapali: The Masters, Kaanapali Villas
- Honokowai: West Maui Breakers, Leinani, Mahinahina Beach
- Kahana: Kahana Manor, Pohailani, Hoolani
- Napili: Alaeloa, Napilihau Villages, Napili Villas
And as I’ve grown older, wiser, and more mature, I assure you the AOAO mail doesn’t go left unread. Let’s just say, I’ve learned my lesson the hard way!
