One of the handful of amigos who developed one of the first, and largest, software tech companies in the world—one of those company names that end up becoming a verb—was looking for a special place. I have fallen in love with people before: my wife, children, certain special people, the kind that appear like angels to later vanish; however, I had never fallen in love, in the profound sense of the word, with a place.
I work along coastlines, as roads run parallel to the shorelines, to the sea. I spend my days driving to resorts, all types of properties surrounding golf courses, some better built than others, more majestic, more contemporary — some people are more graceful than others; some listen, others instruct. Up and down roads, or circling different islands; each one with its own personality, taste, color, fragrance; all unique.
And amidst some of the most exclusive resorts, there are open spaces with gorgeous beaches, state land, natural vegetation, mostly raw, in its original condition. Over the last five decades, a handful of names we’d all recognize managed to purchase some acreage, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by palm trees, with the sole company of the ocean breeze, sound of the waves fronting their land, sunlight resting on the ground below them. Nothingness but nature. It blows my mind that, 5 minutes away, perhaps ten, in some cases twenty minutes, these lucky people can arrive at a resort, eat at a fancy, trendy restaurant, play golf on a championship golf course, utterly pampered, yet drive back “home” and as they arrive and take their gravel road, their voyage to old-Hawaii starts. These properties take you, in a finger snap, 300 years back in time.
The Contrast of Modern Convenience and Timeless Nature
Such contrast cannot be anything but exquisite. You can drive to all the conveniences of the modern world yet live in the Hawaii of 300 years ago. Raw, pure, natural; a place where the elements reign. X is such a place. And back to my tech amigo—I picked him up in a helicopter, for him to experience the coastline and understand such a privileged location. We landed on the property: 20 acres with half a mile of ocean frontage surrounded by nothingness. The past owner, now defunct, a billionaire, used to visit and land his helicopter as well, unfold his chair, and simply sit on the shoreline, captivated; never daring to do anything to the land, never building anything. He loved the natural canvas.
I remember a conference call with the client and his attorneys; my wife about to give birth, sneaking out of the hospital room to attend the call, then sneaking back and barely making it to the “grand moment” to receive my daughter from whatever source pushes babies into this world.
A Place Worth Preserving
The client didn’t buy it, as his true intention was to develop, and he realized it would be sacrilege to develop such property for spec. He asked for my advice, and with much heartache, I told him such an entire location deserves to host the home of one, and only one, lucky owner.
Later, a developer purchased it, sadly, as it’s one of those “most beautiful corners of Hawaii I have ever seen.” But it turns out the developer went belly-up and never improved the land. And for that reason, it remains to date, untouched, raw, and utterly gorgeous; like a Sufi poem that is not eager to convey a meaning but rather reflects pure beauty.
What blows my mind away is that a bank repossessed it from the developer, and it is not only available but it is an incredible deal. If people knew it existed, and who has owned it. But, instead, it’s one of those “best kept secrets.”
To truly appreciate the untouched beauty of Hawaii’s landscapes, you might enjoy exploring the nature preserves and conservation efforts in Hawaii, which help maintain the island’s pristine environments and biodiversity.
If the story of this hidden gem resonates with you and you’re eager to uncover exclusive, off-the-market properties, connect with Harold X Clarke to explore the finest hidden opportunities in Hawaii’s real estate landscape.
