06-28-2022, 05:38 PM
Adverse possession in Hawaii is indeed 20 years for private property; government land cannot be adversely possessed.
Owner who "loses" at auction retains the right to repurchase their lot if they can also pay for any improvements made by the new owner in addition to the auction price and all taxes accrued in the interim. Hence "unsellable for 20 years".
Another common tactic: an owner of multiple lots will pay off a middle lot just before the auction -- the listing shows a choice (say) triple side-by-side, but by the time you get to the auction, it's no longer a triple.
Owner who "loses" at auction retains the right to repurchase their lot if they can also pay for any improvements made by the new owner in addition to the auction price and all taxes accrued in the interim. Hence "unsellable for 20 years".
Another common tactic: an owner of multiple lots will pay off a middle lot just before the auction -- the listing shows a choice (say) triple side-by-side, but by the time you get to the auction, it's no longer a triple.