Puna, Hawaii (Hilo, Waimea, Volcano: estate, house, rental)

[Maud Gonne]

Helpful and informative as usual, Mr Leilani Guy. BTW Leilani subdivision has some very lovely parts to it. How do you rate Leilani, and how do you feel about the lava zone and the geothermal issue? These two issues have steered me away from Leilani (plus CCNRs & prices) but I'd like to hear a description of life in Leilani from the horse's mouth. And thanks so much for the HPP info - I will definitely look there. Yes Oregon has many similarities, but rain is not rain. Rain here is cold & dismal; rain in Hawai'i is warm and sweet. That's why I'm moving.

[hawaiifarmer]

For those planning on moving here, be sure to note the that the windward side of the Big Island gets a LOT of rainfall. At the coast, in Hilo, you can expect an average of 100 inches of it per year. As you increase your elevation, the rainfall rates go up from there to, for example, the area between Kurtistown and Glenwood where you will find places where the annual rainfall will be 150 inches or more. When you get above Glenwood the moisture level falls off rather quickly by the time you get to Volcano Village and as you proceed west/southwest on Highway 11, it becomes desert in Ka'u. So..if you don't like daily rainfall, high humidity, mold and mildew, the windward side would not be very agreeable. If you want sun and white sand you have a 2 to 3 hour drive to reach that. If you're a farmer as I have been, you'll love the rain as it will make your crops do very well...depending on which crops you wish to raise.

Just some added notes

[cynthia007]

Aloha Friends,
I just found this website and joined so that I could look around at what other people say about where they live.

My husband and I moved to Hawaii (Big Island) twenty ago when we were in our late twenties and newly married. When I first had feelings of wanting to move back, we were too broke to do that so we stayed. Through the years, this place I call home has been a magical experience. People ask me if I am Hawaiian, I say.."in my heart." I will always consider the years I have spent here as a gift. We finally made it to the place where we did have enough move to move back, but chose to stay.

However, recently I do feel a pull toward the mainland too. Now that my kids are older and independent, I feel myself longing for "different" things to do than I have done for the past seventeen years. I have had the lifestyle in my 20s and 30s that most people dream of for their retirement...golf, tennis, beaching it, reading novels by the pool, hiking through rainforests, etc. It has been wonderful, especially with young children. BUT, it's also time to write another chapter of our life and experience more of what the rest of the world has to offer. I'm too young to live this retirement lifestyle! It might sound crazy to some of you, but it's true. The slow pace is starting to kill me.

Someone put it beautifully to me. Living on the Big Island is like being a princess, living in a beautiful castle with a HUGE moat around you. And the price for the ticket to the other side of the moat is very expensive. You have to be ready to stay in your beautiful castle and be content with the things right around you. You are far, far away from everything. For some people this could be heaven, and for others, not.

In any case, I have never heard anyone regretting their move to Hawaii, whether they choose to move back or not. It is an experience unlike any other. Malama Pono...A Hui Hou.

[leilaniguy]

Originally Posted by Maud Gonne

Helpful and informative as usual, Mr Leilani Guy. BTW Leilani subdivision has some very lovely parts to it. How do you rate Leilani, and how do you feel about the lava zone and the geothermal issue? These two issues have steered me away from Leilani (plus CCNRs & prices) but I'd like to hear a description of life in Leilani from the horse's mouth. And thanks so much for the HPP info - I will definitely look there. Yes Oregon has many similarities, but rain is not rain. Rain here is cold & dismal; rain in Hawai'i is warm and sweet. That's why I'm moving.

I chose Leilani because of it's lushness (phenomenal old growth Ohia and Hapu'u forest) and proximity to both the services in Pahoa and the coast. Being an average Punatic, lava and geo are non-issues for me, the place I had in Oregon was risky too, in a canyon in the forest. Every summer the threat of fire was very real, every winter my house moved closer to the cliffs. Also, if you look up where lava has historically done damage here, it's in zone 2 and 3. Not all Leilani has covenants, section 1 where I live is unrestricted. Like Hawaiifarmer says, the ample rain is a real blessing, though it makes the mold grow along with everything else. It is much nicer than Oregon rain.

[snowstar]

I have been thinking of relocating and the puna area is at the top of my list, the area I seem to like the best is hpp and am wondering if you can live in a travel trailer while you build a house, 2nd I own a pest control busness and am thinking of doing the same when I move any thoughts on that, also I almost went in partners with a person here on a public auto auction but since I decided to move did away with that idea, any thoughts on that

[leilaniguy]

You can do pretty much what you want in Hawaiian Paradise Park, it is unrestricted.(horses, cows, chickens, cabins, trailers.) You would probably do well in pest control, plenty pests of all kinds here I'm not too clear on the auto auction thing...

[Wernerfla]

Hey all. Many thanks to everyone for all of the good info.

I am looking to move from Miami to Puna. I have lived in the North Carolina mountains, in a very obscure, tobacco farming area, so I am perfectly content living off the grid.

I am looking for a remote lot; extras not really necessary. Price and size/quality of lot is more important. I will be planting a lot of my tropical favorites like citris, papaya, mango, banana as well as some exotics like mangosteen, lychee, longans, etc. Is there an elevation that is better than others?

I am considering Fern Forest (most bang for the buck). Current prices seem to be $27k-$30k for 3 acres. Is the subdivision really that bad? Are there some parts to be avoided at all cost? Also, do the lots differ much (lower vs upper, east vs west)?

I know that I need to ask general RE topography questions like flooding, craters, lava tubes, cliffs. Missing anything? I am quite used to tropics, but on flat near ocean level land. Volcanic islands in the ocean are a bit foreign to me

Also, are there many problems with squatters? People growing "interesting cash crops" on other people's properties? Or do most people do what they want on their land, but respect property boundaries? It will take a bit of saving to build a place, so it will probably be raw land for a few years. Just curious if I may have problems as an absentee owner of raw land, until I can move.

One last question. Anyone know of a good site that teaches Hawaiian? I'd like to blend in as much as possible.

Many thanks, and aloha to all.

Eric

[Genxor]

Eric

Miami to Puna.... Wow. Are you sure ??

We are from outside Washington, DC, via Corinth, Misssissippi for a house flip,via Greenville, South Carolina. We vacationed in Hawaii every year for years. We knew what Puna was...... and please understand that it is still unlike any small town in the South and living off grid is not for everyone.
Give that alot of thought.

What I do know about Fern Forest : though it rains alot in Puna generally, it is in the rainier/ cooler belt, which runs from Kurtistown on up to Volcano.
Roads are rough, it is generally underdeveloped ( though you may see this as good for privacy, the thieves see this as a great target ).We too , at first, thought this was great ! 3 acres in Hawaii , but once you realize the negatives, it doesnt look so great. But dont let that discourage you !! That style of living just wasnt for us ...

Many subdivisions / lots here have fees you pay just to hook to electricity.This fee varies, but approx $2000 + -. Some lots you may see on the internet do not have electricity available.

Marijuana here is ...... well ..... surprisingly accepted. There are drug busts/arrests/ confiscations, but the police are understaffed. Helicoptors search for it. There is a hippie/ gypsy / counterculture here. Not alot, but just enough to be noticeable, centered around Pahoa.

Puna is third world meets Starbucks, changing, growing rapidly. Roads that should have been expanded years ago, still are not. It is the "red headed stepchild" of Hawaii, and has been treated as such for years. Now it is beginning to come of its own.

Volcano concerns are there, but miniscule i.m.h.o.

Its great to learn some Hawaiian, or local pidgin, but just be yourself. Language and pronunciations will come in time.

Do visit. Vacation. Because even after you think you have made up your mind on where you want to purchase your lot , you will change your mind !!

[leilaniguy]

F.F.V.E. is not for everyone, this is higher, wetter, and more "alternative" than much of the rest of Puna. The roads are bad, the residents defy catagorization and laws. Pakalolo is a well established way of life here, as in much of Puna, and won't change anytime soon. If you don't mind this lifestyle, no problem, it's the norm, if you take pious offense, you will be considered "the hardass square" in the neighborhood that doesn't fit in. As an example, though in a different area; On my street, there are 32 residents, 25 are 4:20 friendly, from age about 30 to over 70. The other 7 are not, but those 7 don't care. And everybody on the street drinks. I think this is about the average for Puna. If you learn anything about language here, learn some pidgin, it will get you farther than Hawaiian, though the locals will see you for what you are,(haole.) It is best to accumulate it as you live here, it will come to you naturally, when you need it. As Genexor says, visit first, often if possible. Puna is not for everybody.

[Wernerfla]

I sincerely appreciate the advice. I will ponder it a bit.

Pakalolo doesn't bother me at all. I'm more into wine and rum myself, but every flea to his own hat. Hakuna matata. I'm really easy going, and appreciative of friendships, so as long as they are nice people .... It took me awhile to break down the barriers in Spillcorn, NC, as I was initially seen as one of those damn floridian foreigners city folk. After allowing locals to scavenge for ginsing on my lot, helping clean up the area (they have a terrible habit of chucking Mountain Dew bottles wherever they see fit), and taking lots of walks (waving and saying hey), i'm "not that bad" now. Its been a vacation spot for me and my sons (15 years now), and we live out of a Pop Up trailer (no utilities) while there. Lots of BBQ, hiking, kayaking, stargazing. Despite the ticks, chiggers, copperheads, poison ivy and cold shoulders, we love it. It is sooo nice to get away from the big city. Yeah, I love the countryside. A lot.

Alas, the boys are almost ready for college and a corporation just bought up a huge chunk of land next to mine to build a 170 lot, dense subdivision. Time to move on, as our privacy will be gone.

Is there any parts of FFVE that are better than others? Many lots unbuildable/unsuitable? Are the lower vs upper lots much different? Do you think the locals are much different from many of the Key West locals? Smuggling of immigrants/cocaine, thumb your nose at society, semi-hippie, party hardy type of crowd? Sounds similar.

I would probably build a little place initially with my sons (love projects); enough to be somewhat comfortable on vacations. Plant the fruit trees, prepare the property a bit. Later in life, build something nice if budget allows. Kinda like we've done in NC mountains. Fruit/nuts/berries - something to eat all growing season long. The locals there now look after my property when I'm gone, but know its ok to help themselves to some apples or cherries if I'm not coming for a bit. No prob. Everyone happy.

For Puna, I am mostly afraid of squatters or someone trashing my place for fun, until I move there for good. So, if not FFVE, where do you suggest? Any other suggestions for a nice place, decent size, decent prices? Mostly looking for cool tropical trade winds, lots of tropical fruit, privacy (not necessarily unibomber style; but not able to hear neighbors argue either), rain OK, mosquitos definitely optional Doesn't need to be near a beach, or have great views, but preferably not a desolate lava field either. Exists for common folk?

Hurricanes, insane insurance premiums & taxes, overdevelopment driving a lot of people from South Florida. The Keys are nice but only mostly for those with deep pockets.

Heartfelt thanks from "the other tropics".

Eric