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I don't know how often it happens, but there is no doubt that it does. First there's that well-known case that wound up in court, which I posted the newspaper article about. And we've had maybe a half dozen different cases reported here on this forum over the last few years. A couple had happy endings, others did not.
In addition, I have several friends who know people who have done that, with mixed results, mostly not so great.
And then there are the people who lease property they haven't seen.
In any case, it occurs to a lot of people to do that... I think it's part of the "Paradise Filter" which distorts people's commonsense... which is why we keep chanting the mantra for their benefit... Never buy sight unseen!
It's not just the BI where this happens, either, as I was reminded by this old thread that just got revived today, a woman posting about moving to Oahu, 4 years ago ... https://www.city-data.com/forum/6610943-post12.html
Quote:
I'm doing the blind rental thing. Renting through the mail and hoping for the best.
I honestly can't think of another place I've lived where this is so common. I think it must have something to do with the great distance from everything, plus that "Paradise filter" so many people seem to wear, thinking that everything must be wonderful in Hawai'i because... you know... it's Paradise and all.
A small taste of the many recent references to actually buying or leasing sight unseen... it's a real thing.
Quote:
The case before the Intermediate Court of Appeals stemmed from the potential sale of a vacant 4.4-acre parcel at 245 Wainaku Street, in 2005, for $1.9 million. James Clay and Sandy Singleton submitted an offer for the property because they liked its description as being close to “the views and sounds of waterfalls and Pukihae Stream.” They also made a $25,000 deposit that would be forfeited if the deal fell through.
Yes sight unseen is not something that should be done light heartedly. We did get lucky and that is what it was. We still pinch ourselves and feel blessed.
Yes, rent first and only after you've seen the place and met the owner if possible. Now, with that said, we did just the opposite and it is working out perfectly. You just never know and you will take a heck of a chance if you rent an unseen, unknown house. We took the risk (gut feelings and investigative work online) and it panned out.
I know that it would be best for me to come to the island and check out property myself, unfortunately doing so would cut into my budget for land, and so I am hoping that some Puna residents will be gracious enough to give me some good advice.
[[[[[[[[..............Sadly, I think more of those type folks are lurking in cyberspace, waiting to make a big mistake. [And ditto for those who sign a rental lease, sight unseen, watch for the OUCH that might come later.]...........]]]]]]]]]
And it is a good thing too, for those with marginal pieces of property. If it weren't for those who buy site unseen, then those owners would not have a chance of ever selling their difficult land.
Leasing is not quite so serious. At least that mistake will run out in a year and be over with.
It's not just Hawaii. Every time I have a vacancy in Oregon, about 1/2 my inquiries are from people who live out of the area, are moving, and need a place to move into.
I don't like to rent to them because they are just looking for a landing pad while they seek out something they like better and they move out too soon. I like tenants who stay put.
This last time, though, I put the house in as short term for people moving to the area and charged $200 a month over the regular rent. Might as well take advantage of the situation. Surprise, the tenant who took the house likes it and has stayed.
So funny that coqui's are so representative of the PR culture and in Hawaii they considered a pest.
That's at least partly because the situations are very different. For one thing, in PR there are many natural predators to keep them in check, whereas in Hawai'i there are no natural predators, so their population is exploding, and they are severely impacting the local ecology, as well as becoming an invasive pest.
That's at least partly because the situations are very different. For one thing, in PR there are many natural predators to keep them in check, whereas in Hawai'i there are no natural predators, so their population is exploding, and they are severely impacting the local ecology, as well as becoming an invasive pest.
Just curious, are coquis on the other Hawaiian islands well?
They have been on Oahu every so often - and then there is a call to action to find and eliminate them - so far so good.
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