Family considering moving to Hawaii (Honolulu, Kailua: 2009, rentals, crime)

[nickels]

No kidding, that's good to know....

[Jazz_nh]

We are in New Hampshire and moving to Oahu next week for a decent job.

Dont beleive everything you read on these posts..... as for the schools systems..... yes, SAT score wise, Hawaii is very low on the list.... however, I beleive the state of Maine is the dead last in SAT scores. However, US School system is a US school system..... you get what you put into it. I do not totally blame the Hawaii school system on the poor rankings......the parents/family have a stake too in ensuring your children are learning.
As for economy.... check out the local grocery store websites.... foodland.com or safeway.com.... amazing how thier prices are very similar overall to the mainland prices here at hannafords.com.
Gas Prices....... Honolulu...... 4.25 a gallon ?? Maine/NH..... 3.75 a gallon.... but much less milage to drive on island than in Maine or NH.
Economy is bad everywhere....... average oil heat cost this year in New England.... at least $6,000.... average heating cost in Honolulu.... 0.
Health Care medical coverage.... 3 times less for a family plan in Hawaii than it is here in NH.Real Estate taxes are significantly less on Oahu than here in New England. Between heating oil, real estate taxes and health care.... Im looking at over an $12,000k a year savings from here in NH.

Good Luck with your move from Maine.... I hope you make it. We are scared to death.... but think its the best we cannot afford to live with another New England heating season anymore.

[PacificFlights]

Another thing to consider, all your family and friends that promised to visit you, probably won't. If you have a strong family attachment or a need for close family contact, you will end up like many, leaving Hawaii not because of the economy, schools, jobs, weather, or any of the things everyone warns you about, but because of Island Fever.

[manoagirl]

Originally Posted by Jazz_nh

Economy is bad everywhere....... average oil heat cost this year in New England.... at least $6,000.... average heating cost in Honolulu.... 0.
New England. Between heating oil, real estate taxes and health care.... Im looking at over an $12,000k a year savings from here in NH.

scared to death.... but think its the best we cannot afford to live with another New England heating season anymore.

I don't understand how you can assume that you will save money by moving to Hawaii plus save $12,000 per. Year. Your average monthly Hawaiian electric bill will average $6000. Per. year that will replace the average oil heat cost in New England. Taxes are higher and so is gas and food.
I can assure you that you will not save money by moving to Hawaii based upon your calculations and some assumptions. Let alone other issues that you could face such as not being able to get a decent job. I think most people would agree that you would be better off staying where you are or living in another part of the mainland, if your reason is to save money.

[Jungjohann]

Actually, all your friends and family that promised to visit you probably WILL!!!! Especially if you have a spare bedroom. My advice would be to rent a really small place, without a couch or any futons, and don't tell anybody, AND I DO MEAN ANYBODY!!!!!!!!!! where you've moved to, you should be okay, and won't be followed by a horde of folks, some of whom you don't recall ever meeting, banging on your door, saying, "Hey, remember me from Junior High, we were in biology class together...... Don't have room for one more do ya, just for a day or so......? " Two months later they're still sleeping on the couch, eating all your food, hanging at the beach all day long!!!! Yep, just don't let anyone know you're moving to Hawaii.......................I have Island Fever right now, 98.6, must be the climate.....

Aloha, Hawaii, what a terrible place to live

[Jazz_nh]

Originally Posted by manoagirl

Your average monthly Hawaiian electric bill will average $6000. Per. year that will replace the average oil heat cost in New England. Taxes are higher and so is gas and food.

We have several family members that live on the island, as my wife is an islander herself. While I do realize that some of the other islands, like Maui, where you are, have expensie electricity bills. However, not a single person I know living on Oahu has an electric bill more than 150 a month. Thats only 1800 a year and from. Here in NH...... during the winter months when the furnace is running.... out electric bill goes up to about 100 a month..... that about 5 months out of the year. So I cannot say I can realize your facts.
Taxes...... Federal taxes are federal taxes... no matter what state your in. Local State taxes.... income tax for my tax bracket in Hawaii would equate to 8.25%.... higher than the 0% here in NH, but very few states have that luxury.
Do your research, the facts are out there.
Groceries: Foodland.com or safeway.com
There is also a Sams Club, Walmart and a Costco on Oahu... very very similar prices to mainland prices.
Real Estate Taxes : honolulupropertytax.com
Gas prices: honolulugasprices.com
A six unit building in Waikiki assessed at 2.6 mil, yearly real estate tax = $4,600........ my home in NH, assessed at $263,000, yearly real estate tax = $4,300. Another condo on Oahu, assessed at 330,000 yearly tax = 1000. WOW.
Savings on: Healthcare, Home heating oil, Real Estate Property tax, even gas since I wont be driving 90 miles R/T a day for a commute. I'd drive 90 miles a week on Oahu.
And my 6,000 for home heating oil is a very conservative figure, that was based on last years prices... this year would more realistically be around 8,000.

[Halopa]

Sounds like you've crunched all the numbers. But there is always much much more to consider before moving to Hawaii. And a lot depends on what part of Hawaii as well. Hawaii County or the Big Island cannot be compared with Oahu. Your particular situation at least appears to make financial sense. But that may not be the case for others contemplating a move, whether Oahu or any of the other Islands.

[Jazz_nh]

You are right Halopa.

It doesnt work for everyone. The Islands of Hawaii are all very different from one another. Where you live has a lot to do with how you live or how you can afford to live.
For me, it makes sense. Great Job, solid career. I have family (locals) that live there so I have great Ohana support, and know what to expect. Although, I often wonder that there must be something I must be missing while everyone says it's so difficult to live there. Thats why I did a lot of research. The internet is a wonderful thing. I know that groceries, gasoline, clothing and Real Estate taxes are the same as here on the mainland.
What is more expensive ? Real Estate itself is higher than what I am accustomed to in NH, but very comparable to my neighbor state of Massachusettes.
Im not running from New England because I think it is cheaper there, but think that it just is not as expensive to live on Oahu as many say it is. Unless of course foodland,safeway and Sams Club are all falsely reporting prices on their web sites..... lol.

[regina2008]

has anyone heard about relocation assistance for new hawaii residents (big island) to come back to the mainland due to lack of job opportunities/layoffs? a family member of mine heard something about this on the business channel yesterday and i cant seem to find anything about it online. i hear that families on the big island are resorting to living in vans and tents!!! due to lack of work. my sister has recently relocated to the big island (less then a year ago) with a large family and her husband was laid off, he has since been working odd/side jobs to get by. for anyone considering a move to the big island without a solid job opportunity, should think again!

[hotzcatz]

Have they contacted social services? I don't specifically know of any relocation assistance programs but there is generally always a rumor about our social services folks shipping folks back to the mainland to go along with the rumor of the mainland social services folks shipping their homeless over here to relocate them out of their jurisdiction. Otherwise, how about their church? Can you take donations to get airfare for them? Perhaps as money arrives have the kids go several at a time or something? Do they have any assets they can sell to pay for their airfare back?

By air is about the only way to get to and from the mainland, although last year I did see an advertisement for someone to take care of cattle on a container ship to the mainland. Didn't sound like a fun job, but it would at least relocate one or two people to the mainland as well as pay them along the way.