The Puna District Subdivisons

[indigoblues]

DMPM,

Missed your question about Lava tubes. Lava tubes are just about everywhere, I've a small one below my Kula Kai lot but I've already excavated it for the house pad area, ripped and rolled over 30k s.f. consisting of a 20'X250' driveway crossing a deep ravine and had no problem with the tubes. I'd say the more you have in the way of tubes, ravines etc, the more diverse your property for landscaping and the more interesting overall, use them for water features, etc, get creative with them. I'd not concern yourself with the tube issue too much or ravines etc as long as you can cross them (ravines) at some point within reason $$$ wise. I believe I payed around $5k for my excavation in Kula Kai using a D-9 dozer and operator back in 2003. If you find a tube on a perspective lot, check it out inside with a flashlight and determine where it leads and if it will pose a problem for house position. A good tube offers storage to some folks, others as those in Kula Kai are used for spelunking and visitors are charged a fee to be taken through them... Kula Kai Caverns.

As per staying away from the VOG... lower puna is the best bet as the predominate winds push the vog away from lower puna. Leilani estates does have a geothermal powerplant nearby to the north east and there was some talk about health problems from the offgassing of the plant drifting into Leilani Estates... I'm not sure if I buy the few complaints I've read about though... sounds like a little whinning to me.

Anyhow... if you're from the city and want some peace now with the off-grid green lifestyle, want the cleanest air etc and a neighborhood that isn't tainted with visible junker cars and falling apart houses etc. I'd say to make Waa Waa your first stop and then check out Leilani estates. The lower portion of Leilani Estates is protected by CC&Rs while upper Leilani Estates phase 1 has no CC&R's in place but still very nice. As per the rest of the developments, either not as much privacy and not as well maintained. Leilani offers very reasonable and well enforced CC&Rs, Waa Waa offers excellent privacy and that "Old Hawaii" personality in feel and appearance.

One more issue... Lava Zones are only important for insurance reasons, lava zone 1 and 2 are harder to get your house insured on. As per reality... the old Kona Airport was in a lava zone 4 and got the wrath of Pele over the runway etc, so Lava zones in all reality are really worthless until they get honestly updated via the applied newer technology methods. A true Rule of thumb is that the northern and western/eastern slopes of Mona Kea are fairly safe the rest is a true crap shoot.

[indigoblues]

Originally Posted by indigoblues

Parcels were on average selling for $120k in 96-97 and a couple just recently sold for $81k and $86K since Dec 98.

LOL... Appears I'm stuck in the 90's...
The above years were meant to be 06-07 and Dec. 08. Just replace the 9's with a 0.

[Hawaiian wannabe]

We are interested in semi retiring on Hawaii, and have friends in the Puna area, who are encouraging us to move there. My husband is a plumber here in California (we live on the central coast in the redwood rain forest) and hopes to get his plumbing license in Hawaii (we are counting on living on my pension, not any income from plumbing). And his hobby is working with glass (there is a great glass program at the Univ. of Hawaii), so we need electricity that is stable for a kiln. Does that mean Hilo? Or do any of the developments mentioned have electricty?

[leilaniguy]

Nearly all sudivisions have grid electricity available, but there maybe hookup surcharges if the power co. has to set poles, install transformers. Leilani Estates already has 100%. Nanawale Estates will install poles free when you pull a building permit.

[cynmkolohe]

Click here for more information: HELCO > SSPP

Check to see what the SSPP balance is for any lot you consider purchasing. This is sometimes included in listing information, sometimes not. On some properties, it has already been paid by the Seller or a previous owner.

You will incur additional costs if you need power poles beyond a certain distance from the street, or if you choose to run underground lines.