Discovery Harbor, Kau (Hilo, Kailua, Waimea: co-op, appliances, buying)

[HiloDiver]

Like OpenD said, different strokes.

We are SO excited to have sold nearly everything we own as we are making our way toward BI in a couple of weeks. We've rented a really nice furnished home to start. We may stay there, we may find something else in a year but we have a year to shop estate sales and moving sales if we wish. We may not wish to do that, we may wish to continue renting furnished...it is really exciting to own nearly nothing!!! It's a total feeling of freedom to not be lugging "stuff" halfway around the world. We are moving via luggage on the airplane and a few USPS boxes. I know, not for everyone, but we are just so pleased to look around the house now and see very little left. (Luckily friends bought the bedroom and dining set, so we have a place to sleep for the next couple of weeks.)

Don't forget that appliances will probably be included in any home you purchase.

Best wishes no matter what you decide.

[whtviper1]

Maybe this is unique to the Big Island - but I keep reading all these posts about appliances - don't all the places already have the appliances in them? Fridge, washer/dryer, microwave, etc? I've never seen a place for sale in Oahu that doesn't come with the applicances.

[HiloDiver]

I asked that question months ago, and was told that homes/condos pretty much all come with appliances.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

The OP stated that they were thinking of bringing their refrigerator and washer/dryer. It could be that the particular house they are looking at doesn't have those appliances, or it could be that the appliances that are there are just old and needing replacement. Or it could be that the house went into foreclosure and the old owners sold off the appliances. It doesn't really matter why.

I still think that the OP would be better off bringing their furniture and appliances if they are planning on using a container. They are in their 70's, and it would just be too hard to be running around to garage sales trying to load these heavy things into a truck (if they have one), then getting them home and needing help to unload. And it's an hour and a half just to get to Kona or Hilo from Discovery Harbour, so it's not like you have a lot of time to go around looking for stuff.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

They are in their 70's, and it would just be too hard to be running around to garage sales trying to load these heavy things into a truck (if they have one), then getting them home and needing help to unload. And it's an hour and a half just to get to Kona or Hilo from Discovery Harbour, so it's not like you have a lot of time to go around looking for stuff.

Watch your assumptions. My local backhoe guy is 72 and he's in better shape than I was at 30. And I've never had any problem whatsoever getting a neighbor with a big truck to help me move something as long as I was buying the beer and paying for the gas.

And when you're retired... well, you often have a different perspective on the time/money equation.

[HiloDiver]

I would never suggest buying appliances from garage sales, I was writing about the furniture. I personally only would buy new, delivered and installed, warrantied appliances but that's just me. Getting broken appliances fixed is inconvenient and costly.

So far as having furniture delivered, it's real easy to find a small local mover to handle it. I've sold lots of furniture in lots of moves over the years and people always find a guy with a truck.

[hotzcatz]

Hmm, looking back on the several Big Island houses we've bought and sold over the years, I'd say appliances are a hit or miss sorta thing. The first two houses were vacant land to start, the first one was sold with an installed woodstove and a Paloma (gas fired on demand) water heater but no other appliances. The second one was also vacant land to start and the house sold with refrigerator & stove, water pump and water heater but no washer or dryer.

Of the two houses we've bought, the first one didn't even have indoor plumbing, let alone appliances. No electricity, either. It was a really old house, though, built in 1910 and has loads of character. We've fixed the lack of indoor plumbing, electricity and lack of appliances. Hmm, the huge double bathtub was $5 at a yard sale, came with a matching toilet for $5. Kohler if you follow plumbing brands. Got most of the PVC drain piping and PVC fittings at another yard sale, forget exactly how much we paid but it was less than $20 for the whole pile. Kitchen sink was another $5 at a yard sale and it came with the faucets and such. Bathroom slate tile was $20 at a yard sale. Big picture window, 8' x 4', for alongside the bath tub was $40. (The bath house overlooked a gulch so there weren't any neighbors on that side.) If I remember correctly, I added up the prices once and the whole 11' x 7' bath house was rebuilt from the concrete floor on up for less than $1000 and that included new tin roofing at retail prices. Although, since most of the plumbing at that house is out in the old bathhouse which is accessed by an enclosed breezeway, technically, the house still may not have official indoor plumbing.

The second house came with a 1970's built in oven - very vintage but it's still here. A same vintage cooktop only had one burner still operational and huge rust holes in the rest of it. That's been replaced with a new black glass cooktop from Craig's List for $100. The same vintage range hood which came with the house was still sort of operational, but it was replaced with a new one (still in the box) for $20 from Craig's List. The house did come with a solar water heater, that's been lovely. No washer and dryer although instead of moving the old ones from the other house, we got a new set in great shape for free from the transfer station. Someone got new ones and threw away the old ones. My DH was there when they were being dropped off and apparently the old owners wanted a different color of appliances. After they clean their new stainless steel ones for awhile, they'll probably want their old white ones back. This house also didn't come with a refrigerator so we bought a new one from Sears. Energy efficient, 22 cubic feet, ice maker in the upper freezer. My DH did extensive research and he says that's the most energy efficient he could find. It was $745 after we got a $50 rebate for an energy efficient appliance. The electric bill was $40 - $50 a month until my DH went and got a hot tub and now it runs $175 each month. Ack! Looking at getting solar water heating panels for that.

I don't know if Discovery Harbor would have a small local mover, but there should be some neighbors with pickup trucks. Gas money and some sort of food or drink is generally enough to motivate guys with trucks.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Hmm, looking back on the several Big Island houses we've bought and sold over the years...

You are always a wealth of information!

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

I don't know if Discovery Harbor would have a small local mover, but there should be some neighbors with pickup trucks. Gas money and some sort of food or drink is generally enough to motivate guys with trucks.

I've found that beer works great!

[HiloDiver]

Gotta love Craigslist...we are selling pretty much everything we own before moving to HI, and Craigslist here has been VERY good to us...but also VERY good to our buyers. Appliances are definitely hot items.

[Joliefille]

I would say another consideration vis a vis appliances is rust. The couple are moving from a zero rust zone to a high rust zone. Their appliances and cars "should" be rust free. Appliances made out of low quality stainless steel have a higher nickel content and the combination of salt air, volcanic ash and humidity can turn an appliance to junk within 6 months.

IMO, I'd not like to buy major appliances, car or large furniture pieces used, as you don't know if there is hidden damage and there is no warranty, plus no delivery. I understand others don't have the same qualms. I am, as my grandmother used to say "persnickety".