Open house pick of the week: Makakilo

December 16, 2011

Melissa Chang,

Most homes in master-planned communities tend to be cookie-cutter, but this home in D.R. Horton's Kahiwelo is unique. The interesting thing is, most of the custom designs are on the outside. (Click here for details.)

The 5,001-square-foot property has a beautiful, custom-decorated driveway and an elegant entry gate. The first thing that strikes you is the whimsical and colorful garden out front that seems to flow out to the street-a rare sight even in non-planned neighborhoods.

The gardens also have a koi-pond floor mural surrounded by designer concrete, a water fountain and a fire pit. It's also neat to have a panoramic view of Diamond Head in the distance, to remind you that you're still on Oahu.

"The landscaping is phenomenal," says Sherrie Au of Prudential Locations. "It's what I call 'maximum enjoyment with minimum maintenance.'"

The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home looks pretty standard on the inside, but does feature upgrades such as granite countertops, bar seating in the family room, new cabinets and a large pantry space. It's almost like new, since it's just a year old (the owners decided to move closer to their grandchildren).

To save energy and be green, the homes in Kahiwelo have low-flush toilets, Energy Star ceiling fans and CFLs (in selected light fixtures), dual-pane, vinyl windows, a solar Photovoltaic system and more.

This home will be open on Sunday, if you want to check it out. Happy house hunting!