Newly renovated Waipio home

Hard to believe, but some parts of the master-planned community Waipio Gentry are about 30 years old. It seems like only yesterday that the area was the newest hotspot, with the promise of big-box retailers anchoring the nearby Waikele Shopping Center.

Michael Sorenson of RE-Create Hawaii Inc. has a listing in Waipio that was built in 1984, but has been fully renovated to make it new again. The project just finished in September, so it still has that new-house smell. (Click here for details.)

There's new paint, carpet and ceramic tile throughout this three-bedroom house, but you really notice the upgrades to the kitchen and 2.5 bathrooms. The kitchen has been extended and has new stainless steel appliances, new sinks, granite countertops, fixtures, cabinets, and more. The master bathroom has a dual vanity, so you have space for lots of toiletries.

The 1,302-square-foot residence sits on a 3,820-square foot lot, which has also been newly landscaped as part of the renovations.

Sorenson says he's reached out to the people in the immediate neighborhood first, with flyers that say "choose your neighbor!"—as people often have personal connections to others who would want to live there. (In a perfect world, we would always be able to choose our neighbors, and they wouldn't be the ones who blast their video games late at night.)

Even if you don't have a personal connection, though, you can check out this shiny, new(ish) home.

Money talk: $559,900 fee simple
Contact: Michael Sorenson, RE-Create Hawaii Inc., 366-0282, michael@re-createhawaii.com