Couple Steve and Irene Au purchased a parcel of land on a steep site in Hawaii for $125,000 in the mid 70s. The couple then moved in to the treehouse-like four-story wood home designed by Steve, who is also an architect and a planner, in 1977. After living for almost four decades in this Hawaiian retreat, where the couple raised four foster kids and two adopted children, planted fruit trees, and woke up every morning to the sun, the couple is now selling this unique house.
According to a report by the Realtor, with Steve Au turning 82 this year, the couple is now ready to leave their treehouse. Au says, "We will miss it, but at the same time, this house marks a major chapter in our life. And we are willing to pass this on to whoever ... that can find value in living [in it] as we do." This beautiful tropical retreat in Hawaii comes with a garden producing guavas, star fruit, mangos, papayas, figs, avocados, and more. Along with having beautiful ocean views from every room, the house is also "a minimally designed house." Steve says that, "the footprint is very small, but the views are magnificent."
The sparkling beach along with the Mokulua islands below is a breathtaking sight. The beach itself is a 10-minute walk down the hill and now becoming popular with tourists. This three-bedroom home in a 1,223-square-foot area is quirky. There are no doors in the bedrooms (but the bathrooms have them). Listing agent Lynn Young Soldat says that it is much "like living in a treehouse."
Irene Au recalls details of the house's foundation to the Economic World saying, "There was maybe half an inch of soil, below that was clay, and next that was blue stone, a really tough rock. We did it slowly.'' She added that they "[felt] sanctified to be vital here and enjoying a fruit of a labor of many, many years.'' This time the couple wants all their work to pay off. When it went on the market, it was spruced up with paint, carpets, and even new appliances. However, its cost has forsaken from $3.8 million to $2.96 million.
