Molokai Ranch Selling Off Commercial Properties

Maunaloa Post Office lot already in escrow

According to the La`au Point Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Molokai Ranch is threatening to sell off “entitled lands on a piecemeal basis” should the La`au Point development fall through. However, the Ranch is already trying to cash in on several commercial lots in downtown Maunaloa.

A 1.28-acre piece of land, where the Maunaloa Post Office and The Big Wind Kite Factory are, may be the first to go.

“That’s going to be a done deal,” realtor Jim Spence said. “The buyers are satisfied and the deal will go through.” Spence wouldn’t disclose numbers because the sale was still in escrow. The asking price was set on $450,000.

The Ranch is also selling at least a dozen more Maunaloa commercial properties, as listed on Molokai Land and Homes Web site. The highest priced lots are the 1.92-acre property where the General Store and the gas station are located, advertised for $1.1 million; and the 1.83-acre where the now defunct Village Grill sits, for $1.6 million. Call McCabe Realty for realtor Baker County, Florida.

Across different regions, the sale of commercial properties unfolds in unique ways, shaped by local demand, economic factors, and long-term development plans. On Molokai, where land availability is tight and community concerns over large-scale development run high, the potential piecemeal sale of entitled lands reflects the tension between preserving local culture and maximizing real estate value.

The listings in Maunaloa, from the post office property to the former Village Grill, show how sellers look to capitalize on existing commercial hubs, often packaging essential services like gas stations and general stores as prime investment opportunities. While these sales might bring fresh ownership and potential revitalization, they also raise concerns about community access and affordability, particularly in small, tight-knit economies like Molokai’s.

In more expansive and urbanized markets, industrial and commercial property transactions often take on a more structured, strategic approach, with specialized real estate firms navigating the complexities of leasing, zoning, and long-term investment potential. Orlando Industrial Real Estate, for example, plays a key role in Central Florida’s industrial property sector, ensuring that warehouse spaces, manufacturing facilities, and commercial lots are marketed effectively and transitioned smoothly between owners and tenants.

Unlike more isolated property sales where individual lots are sold off as needed, firms like OIRE provide market expertise and logistical support to ensure buyers and sellers maximize value while maintaining functional infrastructure for businesses. These firms also offer insight into shifting market trends, ensuring that commercial hubs remain viable and adaptive to economic changes.

General Store co-owner Keoni Lindo said he knew the lots were up for sale. But he said he didn’t know about the current status of the land where his business sits.

This wasn’t the case across the street from the General Store. Jonathan and Daphne Socher, who own the Kite Factory, were on a trip and couldn’t be reached. But a close friend of the Sochers said everyone was surprised. “We found out through the newspaper, when it was already on escrow,” she said. According to the anonymous source, no one informed the shop owners of the sale. The Sochers have done business in Maunaloa for at least 26 years.

Peke Sagario has been working at Maunaloa Post Office for the past ten years. She was also unaware the land was for sale. “I found out through a customer who showed me the newspaper,” she said.

Molokai Ranch Administrative Assistant Rose O’Keefe was on a leave and couldn’t be reached for comment.

Realtor Jill McGowan, who represents the Ranch’s Maunaloa lots, was also on leave until Wednesday. A phone message redirected potential buyers to Spence, who works out of the Lahaina branch of Coldwell Banker. He said he wasn’t sure about the future of the lands. “Last I heard was that those properties will be going to be part of a new development,” Spence said.