Home Exemption Deadline Is September 30, Plus New Paired Homes at Koa Ridge

Two things for Oʻahu homeowners and buyers this week. If you own and live in your home, the September 30 deadline to file for the Honolulu Home Exemption is almost here, and the exemption is about to get bigger. And if you are shopping for new construction, Koa Ridge has a new option worth a look: Puaola, a neighborhood of three-bedroom paired homes with their own garages and yards.

File Your Home Exemption by September 30

If you own your Oʻahu home and live in it as your primary residence, the City & County of Honolulu Home Exemption lowers your property’s taxable assessed value, which lowers your real property tax bill. It is one of the easiest ways to save on owning a home here, and it only takes one filing.

• Deadline: September 30, 2026
• Under 65: $140,000 exemption
• 65 and older: $180,000 exemption
• New amounts start July 1, 2027

The exemption amounts increase for the tax year that begins July 1, 2027, and a claim filed by September 30, 2026 applies to that year. If you bought a home this year or recently became eligible, this is the filing to make now.

Already have an exemption? You generally do not need to reapply as long as nothing has changed in the ownership or use of your property. If your date of birth is on file with the city, your exemption also moves up to the senior amount automatically once you qualify.

You can file online, by mail, or in person with the city’s Real Property Assessment Division. If you file online, make sure you receive an email confirmation afterward. Missed the deadline? File anyway: a claim made by next September 30 applies to the following tax year.

New at Koa Ridge: Puaola Paired Homes

• 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1,063–1,207 sq ft
• First release from $935,000, fee simple
• One-car garage, driveway, front and back yard
• First come, first served

Puaola is Castle & Cooke’s newest neighborhood at Koa Ridge in Central Oʻahu, and it fills the gap between a townhome and a fully detached house. Each home shares one wall with one neighbor, and in exchange you get your own front door, a private garage, a driveway, and front and back yard areas of your own — more space and more of the feel of a detached home, without the detached-home price.

Homes are offered first come, first served, so buyers who arrive with their paperwork ready have the edge. One important rule: if you want your own agent, you need to register with them before your first visit to the sales office. Reach out to us first and we will help you prepare and make sure you are registered for buyer representation.