Is Ocean View Estates Now a part of Captain Cook? (Hilo: zip code, stores)

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by Bnthere47

I'm just chatting sir. Thank you for the warm welcome.

Answering the questions posed by Dreaming of Hawaii might help.

This area is quite isolated. Family? Not a good choice for a place to raise kids, IMO.

Ideal for retirees, work at homes, or people who just can't afford to live anywhere else.

[hotzcatz]

Aloha Bnthere47,

Have you by any chance gone up to look at the property at 3,800 elevation? Are the roads paved up that high in the 'sub-division'? Driving on cinder roads is slower and there's more dust in your house if you're near a cinder/gravel road.

Is there water? HOVE has a very low rainfall so unless you're on County water or are extremely conservative with water use, you'll have to truck in water occasionally. Which is an ongoing cost of living which may not be factored into your budget.

Is there electricity? Has the SSPP fee been paid?

It's fifteen minutes to the post office from about three quarters of the way up in the sub and the post office isn't that much 'civilization'. To get to your main supply source - which for many folks is Costco in Kailua-Kona, it's a three hour round trip. Providing there's no traffic, of course. There's only one road that goes around the island in that section, so if you're going anywhere, that's the road you're on. So factor in increased gasoline use because you'll have to drive at least a half hour to go get ANYTHING. There is a small grocery (I think, check to be sure) & hardware in Naalehu which is 'only' forty minutes away. So a round trip to get the mail and milk at the grocery is gonna take an hour twenty minutes of drive time. It's about 25 miles each way.

Now factor in gasoline costs. The gallon of milk is already expensive, but it takes two gallons of gas to go get it and get home. (Assuming your car only gets 25 mpg, with a family and living that remotely, you'll probably need something bigger than a Prius?) Figure four dollars a gallon, plus or minus and that's an additional $8 each time you make a trip to the grocery store. The land may be cheap, but you may not be able to afford to live there.

FWIW, you'll also be replacing brakes on your car a lot more frequently due to the hills.

That's just all the stuff relevant to living remotely. As for what you can grow at 3,800 feet elevation, well, that's completely different than what you can grow at 800 foot elevation. Most of your tropicals and semi-tropicals won't thrive at those elevations so no backyard bananas and coconuts for you. Not sure about guava and pineapple. Maybe some of the stone fruits, if you get low chill varieties of some apples and peaches (you have to be extremely picky about the exact variety) you may be able to grow some of them. Providing you have the water, of course.

The mention of 'small family' implies kiddos, check to see if there's a bus for them to go to school, otherwise, it will be at least a half hour to get them to school and another half hour return trip in the afternoon. Every school day. Other than being a time consumption, it's also going to cost in gasoline use. Most likely they will go to Naalehu school? Which is forty five minutes away, but perhaps the bus will pick them up at the bottom of the subdivision.

When on a limited budget, all these little expenses can add up and keep you from becoming prosperous.

So far nobody has mentioned the word 'employment'. A lot of folks who live out that way are retired for a reason, the working folks are usually in the Kona crawl to get to and from work there.

It might be a mistake, but it might not, however due diligence is your friend.

If you're buying vacant land, materials cost just for the house, not any foundation (which is frequently a concrete slab) will run approx. $50 to $70 per square foot. You then have to assemble it yourself, it's called an 'owner builder' permit and then you can't sell it for a period of time after it's completed to keep 'owner builders' from acting like contractors.

2"x4"@16"o.c. walls, w/T1-11 @ ext. & 1/2" gyp @ int. is a standard wall. Insulation is optional, but at 3,800 feet, it will get cold in the winter. You may want some insulation and perhaps a small wood stove. Roof trusses @ 2' o.c. w/purlins @ 2' o.c., mtl strapping @ 6' dia., min 26 gauge pre-painted metal roofing is standard. 3' overhangs is normal. Plumbing & electric must be contracted out to a licensed professional. You'll have to put in a septic system, so that will probably be $15K or so. If the electric SSPP hasn't been paid, that can cost a few thousand as well. No connecting to the electric grid without a permit, even temporary power.

If you're looking at the listing on Marlin Blvd in HOVE, it's a cute house BUT it's way the heck in the middle of nowhere and it's only a 1/1. Marlin Blvd house in HOVE.

For an additional $500 over the asking price of the Marlin Blvd house there's a 3/2 house in Hawaiian Shores. It's nowhere near as cute, but it's bigger AND has power, pavement, cable, WATER (that's huge), much closer to schools and places nearby for supply and even entertainment (park near ocean's edge, probably just cliffs with no beach, though). Kahakai Blvd in Hawaiian Shores.

The Marlin house would be much cuter, but eat you out of house and home with all the little additional expenses of living far away from everything. Even though it's a larger lot, there's zero screening between you and any neighbors. Kahakai house is in need of patching and painting, but IMHO it would have a higher quality of life at a lower cost. But, YMMV, do what's best for you.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Just some small corrections to hotzcatz’s excellent (as usual) post.

There is a small commercial center in Ocean View with two small grocery stores. No grocery store in Na’alehu. Ocean View also has hardware store, two gas stations, vet clinic, and various other stores. I agree that those of us who live in the area buy most of our groceries at Costco.

Looking forward to hearing more from Bnthere47.

[Bnthere47]

Thank You for your responses..My original intent was to live somewhere that when I worked outside I would be miserable and cold, that I was unable to grow anything because of hard rock, that was miles from anything so I would have huge vehicle expense, That the little special needs guy we are raising would have no friends or possibilities of finding such, that I would have to worry about grumpy or worse (better) hostile neighbors who hate white old folks, and pay the maximum of any place in the US for groceries along with the inability or raising anything on our own. My wife has an elderly sister that of whom we take some care so I wanted to make sure that due to the terrain that she would be unable to walk outside for feel of falling on sharp rocks. After viewing this property and speaking with the owner/neighbor he seemed rather pleasant which set me on edge immediately..I think it's perfect.

[Grassyknoll]

Originally Posted by Bnthere47

Thank You for your responses..My original intent was to live somewhere that when I worked outside I would be miserable and cold, that I was unable to grow anything because of hard rock, that was miles from anything so I would have huge vehicle expense, That the little special needs guy we are raising would have no friends or possibilities of finding such, that I would have to worry about grumpy or worse (better) hostile neighbors who hate white old folks, and pay the maximum of any place in the US for groceries along with the inability or raising anything on our own. My wife has an elderly sister that of whom we take some care so I wanted to make sure that due to the terrain that she would be unable to walk outside for feel of falling on sharp rocks. After viewing this property and speaking with the owner/neighbor he seemed rather pleasant which set me on edge immediately..I think it's perfect.

Love the (hopefully) tounge-in-cheek post.
OV is not for everyone, but asking a bunch of strangers on a forum whether it is for you is a bit akin to asking whether you'll like choclotae dipped bacon.
We love OV for a few of the things you mentioned-low humidity, mild climate etc...
Have you spent any time here? If not, there are a good number of cheap Air bnb's you could stay at on an extended vacation to get a feel for the place. Maybe even one up at the elevation you are looking to buy. I'm at about 2,500' and that's as high up as I personally would want to live, but to each their own.

[Arktikos]

Originally Posted by Bnthere47

Thank You for your responses..My original intent was to live somewhere that when I worked outside I would be miserable and cold, that I was unable to grow anything because of hard rock, that was miles from anything so I would have huge vehicle expense, That the little special needs guy we are raising would have no friends or possibilities of finding such, that I would have to worry about grumpy or worse (better) hostile neighbors who hate white old folks, and pay the maximum of any place in the US for groceries along with the inability or raising anything on our own...

Sounds like Coldfoot, Alaska. Good luck!

[MO_gal_]

Originally Posted by Bnthere47

My little family and I are buying a place near the high up 3800 foot level. It is probably not ideal climate wise (but it's gotta be better than humid continental) or growing wise as it is lava but it is something we can easily afford. My thought is to have a place to live while we look around and perhaps locate a better circumstance in the future then rent this one in Ocean view either long term or bub. We have a letter of intent but have not signed the papers yet. It looks promising though. If anyone thinks this is a mistake please advise..

Hi there! My partner has a house in Ocean View and I have visited there many times over the last few years. When you say you are moving with your family that sounds like you have kids maybe? If so I would research the schools near OV before doing anything else. As far as living in OV....its not for everyone. Our block was mostly ok till two years ago when squatters moved in two lots down and basically have ruined everything. Screaming domestic violence, stolen property and drug dealers going in and out at all hours, gunfire and generator sound at all hours. Animals running everywhere, junk cars lining the block and the property. Yes I understand this could happen in a lot of areas of Hawaii but it would be wise to visit the area several times before settling in. Even then it's a risk. The one good thing about OV is the cheap price tag and of course there are good folks living there but buyer beware. Best of luck to you and I hope you have a success wherever you end up!

[Bnthere47]

Thank You. While I suppose that sort of thing can happen anywhere I admit that I am not as familiar with the neighborhood as I should be before contemplating a purchase and potential move. I have cancelled my plans to buy in OV and will keep looking. Now I see why so many places in Hawaii include the neighborhood assessment as part of the sale information. I have lived in Ohau, Fiji and Vanuatu and never experienced the bad neighbor cautions that I have heard on the BI. It's a shame but an unfortunate reality.

[MO_gal_]

Originally Posted by Bnthere47

Thank You. While I suppose that sort of thing can happen anywhere I admit that I am not as familiar with the neighborhood as I should be before contemplating a purchase and potential move. I have cancelled my plans to buy in OV and will keep looking. Now I see why so many places in Hawaii include the neighborhood assessment as part of the sale information. I have lived in Ohau, Fiji and Vanuatu and never experienced the bad neighbor cautions that I have heard on the BI. It's a shame but an unfortunate reality.

Hi there-I hope you had luck with your search. I feel like I was a bit harsh in my comment about HOVE because there are good neighbors there. You can end up having bad neighbors anywhere on the planet, right? Also the internet and social media has enhanced our opinions about a lot of things in general that we would have never known about before. Sometimes that's good, sometimes not.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

I wouldn't worry, MO_gal_. Bnthere47 disappeared off City-Data about a year ago. Good thing he decided against moving to Ocean View.