A Sacramento law school graduate and his wife have quietly listed their Kauaʻi getaway in the gated Kukuiʻula community, with an asking price hovering around $14.6 million. The four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home, completed in December 2023, blends handcrafted Hawaiian materials with modern systems and a terraced yard that includes a custom pool and a private pickleball court.
As reported by Sacramento Bee, James and Marla Zupancic have put the property, named Maluhia Kai, on the market after deciding they want to live closer to their children following family circumstances that included the death of a daughter-in-law. The outlet notes the couple wrapped construction on the home in 2023 and are offering it as a high-end listing in Kukuiʻula’s Kula Makai enclave.
What’s inside Maluhia Kai
According to Xome, the residence leans into Hawaiian modern design, featuring museum-grade Koa furnishings, American Walnut floors and solid Ipe lānai that frame ocean views. The gourmet kitchen is equipped with a 60-inch Wolf range and Sub-Zero refrigeration, while the primary suite includes a hand-hammered copper soaking tub and an indoor-outdoor garden shower. The home also incorporates Lutron lighting, Sonos audio and Fleetwood hurricane-rated doors to support comfortable year-round island living.
Sustainability and outdoor living
Set on roughly three-quarters of an acre in Kukuiʻula’s Kula Makai neighborhood, the property’s terraced grounds feature a custom-engineered pool and spa, an outdoor kitchen, a firepit and one of the community’s few private pickleball courts. The developer’s property profile describes the residence as totaling about 5,608 square feet under roof, with expansive covered lānai and engineered systems tailored to island conditions. That profile also highlights an engineered solar farm with Tesla battery backup aimed at reducing dependence on the electrical grid.
Listed by a local luxury agent
The property is being marketed by Compass broker Hannah Sirois, a longtime Kauaʻi agent who includes Maluhia Kai among her high-end offerings. Sirois’ agent page and the listing materials show an asking price in the mid-$14 millions and outline the home’s finish package along with Kukuiʻula clubhouse privileges.
From Sacramento to Kauaʻi
James Zupancic earned his law degree at the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law and worked as an attorney advising the California State Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee on budget issues, according to reporting. The Sacramento Bee also notes that the couple used the house as a gathering place for family events, including a 50th-wedding-anniversary celebration in 2023 that brought 23 relatives to the property, and that they ultimately chose to sell so they could be closer to family.
