Hawaii real estate & deeds
For most Hawaii families the home is the estate. How it is titled determines whether it passes smoothly or ends up in court.
Hawaii property is different. We have two parallel recording systems (the Regular System at the Bureau of Conveyances and the Land Court registration system), and property can be in one, the other, or both. We have leasehold interests, agricultural and conservation districts, condominium regimes, and kuleana lands with their own history and their own rules.
We also have families who have held the same parcel for generations without ever formally settling title, so the deed still lists a grandparent or great-grandparent. Those situations are common here and they are solvable, but they take longer the further they go unaddressed.
Getting title right is the difference between a plan that works and a plan that looks like it works.
What this covers
Deed preparation and recording
Warranty, limited warranty, and quitclaim deeds prepared and recorded in the correct system.
Transfers into and out of trust
Including refinance-related transfers back and forth, handled so nothing is left outside the plan.
Ownership structure review
Joint tenancy, tenancy in common, and tenancy by the entirety each behave differently at death. We review how your property is held today.
Conveyance tax and exemption filings
Preparation of the required State of Hawaii certificate and any applicable exemption.
Multi-parcel and multi-island coordination
Families holding property across islands or on the mainland, brought into a single coherent plan.
Legacy family land guidance
Practical direction where title has not been settled for a generation or more.
Decisions we’ll work through together
Adding a child to the deed is rarely the right answer
It is the most common do-it-yourself move and it can expose the property to a child’s creditors and divorce, and forfeit a significant capital gains step-up. There is almost always a better structure.
Joint tenancy is not a plan
It works exactly once, for the first death. After that the survivor is back to square one.
Keeping the home in the family
If the intention is that a property never leaves the family, that has to be built into the plan deliberately, with a funding mechanism for taxes, insurance, and upkeep.
Frequently asked
Can you tell whether my property is in Land Court?+
Yes. We check as part of any real property review, and it changes both the procedure and the timeline.
What if the deed still names my grandparents?+
It happens often here. Depending on the circumstances the path may be a probate proceeding, a determination of heirs, or a quiet title action. We start by pulling the record and telling you plainly where things stand.
We own a condo. Is anything different?+
The transfer itself is similar, but AOAO documents and any right of first refusal need review. We handle that as part of the transfer.
Book a consultation
The first meeting is complimentary. Tell us about your family and your property, and we’ll explain which documents fit and what the flat fee would be.
Complimentary initial consultation · Flat-fee quotes · In person on Maui or by video