Moving to the Big Island (Hilo, Kailua: appointed, sale, real estate)

[Mahiahiono]

Originally Posted by Balad1

Volcano is a town near Volcano National Park that is around 4000' in elevation and lush.

The website of the winery I spoke of is here: www.volcanowinery.com/

Volcanic soil will grow anything if given water. If you think of it many old world wine regions are volcanic in origin (Italy, etc).

I am familiar with Volcano. the roots in lava was a joke about growing vines in molten lava. A little word-play.

[Balad1]

Originally Posted by Mahiahiono

I like the coffee idea.

I just registered the domains big-islandcoffee.com and big-islandjava.com. Why limit yourself to ka'u coffee, when you can sell Kona J too. I wanted lavajava.com, but somebody is squatting on that already.

Lavajava would have been a good one for sure.

[mdand3boys]

Originally Posted by Balad1

Lavajava would have been a good one for sure.

To me, it invokes thought of crunchiness... as in when I screw up making coffee and grounds get into the pot.

[cynmkolohe]

Maybe Island Lava Java, Bistro & Grill ?

One of the first places I had Kona coffee on my first Big Island visit years ago. Pea-berry, If I remember correctly!

[Financial Adv/R.E. Dev]

I had never failed at business, not in 15 years and a dozen business start ups on the mainland and on Oahu. In 3 and a half years I have lost over $600,000. , and I've seen HUNDREDS of businesses go down in that time. I even tried to make $ off failed businesses, but by the time they seek help, most are literally IN DEBT!! It is subsistence living here, and most people work a couple jobs. Foreclosed homes sit, empty, but they remain $500,000+. It makes no sense. It is not even a good place to invest because investors on the mainland know the prices remain SO inflated here.. Please trust me when I say this was the worst chance I've ever taken, and no amount of work can make things happen, it is SO cut throat, when I did okay in one area, someone tried to hire my employees away and advertised directly against me, lying about my practices. then I had about 2/3 the market, with two other businesses gnashing it out for the remaining 50K or so in business. That was tolerable, as I was clearly doing better in a tight market, then the unthinkable: The county started after us for additional licensing and business fees, and threatening us with retroactive fees and late fee's etc. They had no idea how to justify it, and they were so unprofessional I just knew it was a personal shakedown, which had the effect of killing all I'd built up. The county legislators brother, my competitor, took over the small niche I'd created, wo the fee's I was expected to pay or the licensing requirements (yes I checked and surprise, they were retracted) but HE STILL FAILED to make a profit, and they went down back in December.

I called around, NOBODY has seen that sort of government corruption, it was obvious extortion. Pathetic, and STRESSFUL.

Do not invest yet in The Big Island. I'm not afraid of competition, I'd probably benefit from an influx of people who actually have $, but unless you have a job, in writing, don't go to the Big Island, it's a nightmare with 10% unemployment and nobody is earning what they should, even though the cost of living is high. We pay 1,000 a month, JUST FOR ELECTRICITY FOR OUR MODEST HOUSE!!!

Visit if you like, evryone will tell youthe same, unfortunately. Maybe in 5-10 years, when the properties are affordable (dumps still go for 400,000) unless you want to live in Hilo, where the crime rate is WAY out of hand (Thanks ICE)... In Hilo you can get a dump for $250,000...

Sorry iF I sound bitter, I just wish somebody had told me before I came back in 2006...

[Financial Adv/R.E. Dev]

Regarding coffee, that market is tapped, and SHRINKING. Kona coffee is no longer in fashion, it is, by most accounts, sour stuff... People I know who do it as a retirement business do so in VOG shrouded South Kona, which is like LA Smog- sickening to all.. Also, most growers, who live in Captain Cook and South Kona, now only sell the 5K worth they have to to get tax benefits. It's just too expensive to grow and sell, even when you can get the $20 a pound (which nobody wants to pay anymore)...

[dwedeking]

Originally Posted by Balad1

Volcano is a town near Volcano National Park that is around 4000' in elevation and lush.

The website of the winery I spoke of is here: www.volcanowinery.com/

Volcanic soil will grow anything if given water. If you think of it many old world wine regions are volcanic in origin (Italy, etc).

I did a little research. the problem isn't the soil but the lack of seasons for the main varietals. They need that winter break to produce in spring/summer.

[hotzcatz]

Many of the Kona coffee planters have started planting a catura variety of coffee which produces more volume than the guatemalan aribica strain of coffee which is what the standard of excellent Kona coffee is based on. The catura isn't as good as the aribica but they get more coffee out of it. Folks are starting to notice that the coffee isn't as good as it used to be so the price will drop so even though they've got more volume, the price will be less overall. This is about folks trying to make money instead of excellent coffee. When they made the best coffee they made money, now they are trying to make money instead of coffee and it's not gonna work.

[Balad1]

There is also the problem of the state government allowing roasters to label their coffee "Kona Blend" with only 10% actual Kona coffee in them. This practice misleads consumers and devalues the brand.

PS: Ka'u coffee from the same named district is starting to make waves in the coffee world.

[EasyOn The Feet]

Wife and I been all over Oahu looking for land so on a friends request we spent a few days in Waiamea Kameula, nice town, but too much like our digs now in Northern Cal. So looked at North Kohala area, like some bloggers mentioned. Our guest in Waiamea said things like, trash is not picked up but our responsibility to bring to refuge sites, water is always an issue, it is a bit of a travel to big box stores, and VOG ( call it Smog) is a health nuisance. Any one know if the VOG in Kona is any worse than the Glendale area of LA? Since we work from home and my interests lean to what services, businesses are not being provided and needed on the Big Island. My intention is to bring new services etc. at cost so to drive growth for small business purveors while offering better wages for the local populace by raising incomes in new markets. __What's with the Macadamia Nut farms for sale?__ Rather than focusing so much on tourist trade, which I understand supports the island but why not have new venues beyond tourist trade. I'm only saying because the unemployment rate is so high and 28 percent of the folks live below the poverty level, that can change too. Hey I know I'm not touching on a lot of stuff, so your input would be enlightening cause if we do decided to be neighbors I want to be able to watch your back as much as I hope you have ours. Talk is most definitely cheap but hard work and focusing on ways in keeping the youth busy with constructive local projects benefits everyone. Mahalo