Puna, Hawaii (Hilo, Nanawale Estates: price, estates, yard)

[Save La'au]

Hey again all. Thanks for all the inspiring info. Anybody have positive or negative experiences in Hawaiian Orchid Island Estates? I'm curious too if anybody has successfully raised a yurt in Puna? We'll be back for the New Year, can't wait. Dreaming of Puna ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

[cynmkolohe]

Originally Posted by SYDNEESTAR

does anyone know of the cost of buying fencing materials over there - like would it be cheaper to buy it here and ship it there? either chain link or privacy fence... whatever, just to keep my dogs in...

Since Home Depot is right here in Hilo, I would venture to guess that you would be able to purchase for less than the cost of shipping....

[Kalona]

Aloha La'au,
I live in Hawaiian Orchid Island Estates and I love it. I've been coming over for about 5 years, and have owned my place for 4 years, and just moved here a little over three months ago. It is mostly quiet and secluded since most lots are about 3 acres. There are more neighbors than there were in past years, and since some have (gasp!) clear cut their lots, the sound carries louder and farther than it used to when buffered by lush rain forest. (what are they thinking!?) We are still coqui frog free so far and have a pretty vigilant home owners association who keep on top of it. The folks I've met have been welcoming and friendly. The rain forest is pretty spectacular over here... and it does rain, a lot. I love the rain so it is good for me. It doesn't work for everyone. Check it out carefully before buying, it is land that is so much better with a small human foot print rather than a big one.

Yurts seem like they'd be a wonderful way to live here, but traditional canvass/vinyl/soft sided yurt fabric is very prone to mold and mildew in this damp environment, and all your things are likely to be damp as well. There are some manufacturers who make wooden yurts and I think those would work very well. There are also wooden faceted homes that are much like yurts. I researched them all because that was my first building idea. Now, I am building a log cabin instead. Eight inch thick walls are very appealing to me up here for the natural insulation.

Other areas of the Puna district are much drier and may be better places for yurts to be successful.

I hope this is helpful. Good luck.
~Kalona

[SYDNEESTAR]

I am looking into getting a yurt... what are the rules, i'm guessing you don't need any kind of permit... but what subdivisions would you recommend, being that i would need as dry as possible
i am looking either in fern forest, fern acres, hawaiian acres, eden rock, or maybe tiki gardens...

[Save La'au]

Mahalo Kalona.

It's great to know that such large square lots exist sooo close to Volcano for such reasonable prices. Clear cutting??!!! those devils...I suppose it makes building easier, but what a sacrifice.

You confirmed what I suspected about yurts and mold in the damp areas of Puna. I'm curious, are there square footage or construction time requirements for building in the covenants of HOIE?

We're (wife & I) curious too if there is a noticeable difference in air quality when Mme. Pele starts rolling around, or if anyone has strange reactions to the Vog. It didn't seem to bother us when we were there last December, but that was only a few days.

Eight inch walls sound nice and cozy for the mountain winter. The moisture and the lushness is what we've been missing since we left. The rain made my wife all soft and glowy while we stayed there. Thanks again for the advice, we'll do our research and visit a couple more times before we commit to tiny-footed-stewardship of a parcel.

Aloha

[SYDNEESTAR]

does anyone have any input about where i should stay if buying a yurt? i am thinking either fern forest, fern acres, or tiki gardens...
i'm asking because of the SSP's and because of the rain...
also, i was thinking about buying a traditional mongolian yurt, but they are alot thicker for warmer weather... if i were to buy in a higher elevation, do you think that would work, or would it not matter because the air would flow through anyway? i have never been inside a yurt...
how cold does it get in the higher elevations?
does anyone have or know of someone who has one for sale?
sorry about all the questions, i am just trying to put everything together...
mohalo!

[leilaniguy]

There is a yurt for sale in Kalapana Seaview Estates, says fully permitted. www.hawaiiinformation.com MLS #172003 Note; Seaview is one of the driest parts of Puna. I live at about 1000' and there are a few chilly winter nights, (50's) anyplace higher up, you would probably want a heater of some sort.

[Maud Gonne]

I think my new Nanawale place is about 500' elevation. Leilaniguy, you said you live at about 1000' (in Leilani Estates? I thought it was lower..) I remember the person who sold us our property said, get a wood stove for the winter. That was a very discouraging statement, one I guess I tried to forget, since one of the biggest reasons we were choosing Hawai'i and lower elevation was to NEVER ever again need a heater. How often do Puna folks need heat in winter? Boo hoo... (I've been in Oregon and those winters never end...)

[leilaniguy]

Aloha Maud, Don't let me discourage you. I believe I'm from very near where you are, J'ville- Gold Hill Oregon? Not near as cold as there! The coldest winter nights here (top of Leilani Estates, about 950' up) are in the mid 50's. It is a few degrees cooler up here than Nanawale, which lays at about 500- 600 ft. The winters here are about like June in S. Oregon, but since the climate is so benign, we're acclimated, and the slightest varience is either a cold snap, a heat wave, or a soupy swelter. I know several people in Nanawale, none have heat. There are 19 houses on my block, only 3 I know of have heating stoves, (wood) and use them maybe 2-3 of the coldest weeks of the year. At my house, as most of my neighbors, we just break out the extra quilts & blankets, shut the windows, and forego sleeping "raw" in the "dead" of winter, usually Jan.- Feb.

[76curlyq]

Hi All
My husband and I wanted to get a land lot in the Puna area or Kau (or that is what we are thinking)...We have looked online ONLY at lots around 12,000.00...
Info on us..We would not be using this lot for many years...We live on the North Oregon Cost and like it...we wanted to get a place in Hawaii to use half the year and the other half we would be in Oregon...We have two young sons and we want them to finish school here in Oregon...I have read a lot about schools not being to good in Hawaii...we have a good system here and the boys like it...We moved from So Ca to Oregon Coast to start a family and have a slower live style...My Husband works full time and I am lucky to be a stay home Mom...This is way we are looking at cheap lots but we don't want to get a lot that we can not build on...

What we would like to know (if any of you out there could helps us) is if a Eco-Dome can be bulit in Puna or if someone has already built one around there....

Now we do not know if everyone has heard of Eco-Domes but they are design by
www.calearth.org/...They (broken link) are made from Superadobe construction..

If a Eco-Dome can be built in Hawaii what subdivisons would be good?...
Eco-Done can be 400 sq ft or 800 sq ft...

Thank You to All that have taken the time to read this post
76curlyq