North Shore, Oahu? (Wahiawa, Kailua, Waialua: lease, new house, buying)

[AMHRN]

Hey, I have read a few posts on this forum, as I am seriously contemplating a 6 month stay in Oahu just as a way to see if I would like it permanently. I had spent several months on the North Shore in the past and just fell in love with it, however, I haven't seen the topic come up on this form, or I haven't looked hard enough.........What are your thoughts/experiences? Not sure where I would want to live, but I sure do like the laid-back way of life in that area!!

[HI2CA]

WOW..if you have a chance to live on the north shore for 6 months....why would that be a hard decision? That should be plenty of time to see if you can make it there and do that lifestyle longterm....I wish we would have had the option when we moved there to come back in 6 months! That sounds like the perfect scenario for you....what kind of work do you do? The only downside I can think of is that there's not much work that pays on the n.s. and honolulu would be a nightmare drive.

[cnkad]

Its the best. If I could move there I would go in a second.

[HankDfrmSD]

Originally Posted by AMHRN

Hey, I have read a few posts on this forum, as I am seriously contemplating a 6 month stay in Oahu just as a way to see if I would like it permanently. I had spent several months on the North Shore in the past and just fell in love with it, however, I haven't seen the topic come up on this form, or I haven't looked hard enough.........What are your thoughts/experiences? Not sure where I would want to live, but I sure do like the laid-back way of life in that area!!

Housing is cheaper there than in other parts of Oahu.

We rent our house in Kailua for six or seven months every year, and go back to California for the summer and fall. We usually find someone who is moving to Oahu but doesn't want to commit to buy or to a long term lease until they've been here a while and looked at all the possibilities. About three years ago we rented to a couple who were coming to Hawaii from Minnisota - pretty big change! They loved Kailua, but found they could not afford to buy here, so they finally settled in Waialua, on the north shore, buying a brand new house.

They are very happy there. He works at the Airport, and commutes each day, but at odd hours, so it's doable.

They're having us over for a barbecue soon, and we look forward to it.

Hank

[AMHRN]

Originally Posted by HI2CA

WOW..if you have a chance to live on the north shore for 6 months....why would that be a hard decision? That should be plenty of time to see if you can make it there and do that lifestyle longterm....I wish we would have had the option when we moved there to come back in 6 months! That sounds like the perfect scenario for you....what kind of work do you do? The only downside I can think of is that there's not much work that pays on the n.s. and honolulu would be a nightmare drive.

Thanks for the response. I am kind of looking between Kailua and North shore/Haleiwa. Don't have a job yet, but hope to do anesthesia at one of the hopsitals on the island. I plan to just rent a furnished place for those 6 months, so I guess I could live in both places in that time and see how it goes! Again, any other advice would be greatly appreciated!

AMHRN

[eureka1]

I lived in Waialua back in the 80's. It's a bit more built up and expensive now(it was really country then) but you're only about 20 minute from Wahiawa which has a hospital and there may even be medical jobs on the Army base, Schofield. I'm prejudiced in favor of Waialua, I find Kailua kind of a bland suburb. Come check them both out! You can't lose. And congratulations on being smart enough to have trained in a profession where you can make a living anywhere. When you get to Waialua , be sure to check out the Sugar Bar. At least I hope it's still there. Let us know where you end up! And best of luck.