Proximity to beach, ocean view, minimum noise, safety, privacy, affordable first-class lifestyle.
When choosing our Kihei condo the most important criteria was that it had to be somewhere across from Kamaole Beach I, II, or III - there is little point in travelling all the way to Maui and not be able to walk a few steps and be on one of the Top 5 beaches in Maui. Second criterion was Ocean View even from inside the unit - if you are going to be so close to the sea, why not be able to see it!
Then for units that met those criteria, there were factors that eliminated some of them. For example, ground floor units, because of the reduced privacy and safety, plus bugs can sometimes be an issue, so we wanted a higher floor. We also eliminated units that were directly on Kihei Rd, because the traffic noise seems to get trapped in those units, we wanted a quiet place. Finally, another feature of Kihei Akahi is that it has solid concrete walls and construction, whose benefits include better noise insulation from neighbors, and better temperature characteristics. Its two swimming pools, nicely manicured grounds, tennis/pickleball court, and outside grills for BBQing were all bonus features!