From Minnesota to Hawaii...need guidance (Honolulu: to rent, condominium, crime)

[tarahlong]

Hi All,
I am currently living in Minneapolis,Minnesota and we are just now coming out of the cave that is winter...it snowed last weekend. I am planning a move to Hawaii in September but I don't know anyone there. I am looking at Oahu at the moment but I don't know where to begin. I am an Acupuncturist and would like to practice there. I am on my own and have no children if that helps. I LOVE outdoor stuff and the quiet but still feel I need a city nearby.

Thanks for any help in advance!

[jenalove]

Check out craigslist as well as the Honolulu Advertiser.

[kaimuki]

Originally Posted by tarahlong

Hi All,
I am currently living in Minneapolis,Minnesota and we are just now coming out of the cave that is winter...it snowed last weekend. I am planning a move to Hawaii in September but I don't know anyone there. I am looking at Oahu at the moment but I don't know where to begin. I am an Acupuncturist and would like to practice there. I am on my own and have no children if that helps. I LOVE outdoor stuff and the quiet but still feel I need a city nearby.

Thanks for any help in advance!

Hi! What is your monthly housing budget? And do you intend to rent or buy a place?

[tarahlong]

I will be renting...just for me. My budget is as inexpensive as possible (around 600-700/mo) in a decent neighborhood (safe, clean, friendly). Thank you for the replies!

[HankDfrmSD]

Originally Posted by tarahlong

I will be renting...just for me. My budget is as inexpensive as possible (around 600-700/mo) in a decent neighborhood (safe, clean, friendly). Thank you for the replies!

This is what you get for $700 and under on Oahu. No much.

classifieds - craigslist

[tarahlong]

Thank you Hank for the link. That was helpful.

So what would a decent neighborhood be for a place under maybe $1000? Is that reasonable??? I keep reading that East Oahu is more desirable.

[HankDfrmSD]

Originally Posted by tarahlong

Thank you Hank for the link. That was helpful.

So what would a decent neighborhood be for a place under maybe $1000? Is that reasonable??? I keep reading that East Oahu is more desirable.

This question comes up here all the time, and it's tough to answer. Each person's idea of a "decent" neighborhood is different. I know........ it probably means relatively crime free and "there is no junk on the next door neighbor's lawn". Problem: I've seen some pretty crummy front lawns in my neighborhood, and I live in a pretty nice part of town. Hawaii is just "different". That's why I advise people coming here why plan to buy, to rent a furnished house in the neighborhood they "think" they like for at least 6 months before they commit.

Here's what I would do to answer the question you asked:

1. Pull up Mapquest on my computer.
2. Put HI in the state box and go.
3. Zoom in on Oahu until you get to the area you want to investigate (say east Oahu, to start).
4. Zoom in and out and write down all the community names you see. This is important. Neighborhoods are known by many different names here.
5. Do all of the above again on the Google map of Oahu.
6. Go to Craigslist for Hawaii, click on the Oahu box, pull up apts/housing, and search with your dollar limit, putting each of the neighborhoods you have written down in the search box.

It will keep you busy for hours, but you will learn a lot. Some things will not work, but keep trying. For example, if you put Niu in the search box and 1000 in the max rent box, you get several listings in Waikiki, which is certainly not Niu Valley (the genereally accepted descripttion of one neighborhood in East Oahu). It probably happens because a word with the letters niu is in the ad. (Condominium, for example). If you put Niu Valley in the search box, you get no results with 1000 max price, but three with 5000 max price.

Have fun.

Hank

Hank

[Waianaegirl]

The nicest, safest, cleanest neighborhoods are the most expensive. If I were you, I would go over and spend some time there. Walk the neighborhoods, check out the areas that look good to you. There is alot to consider moving to Hawaii. I don't blame you for wanting to leave the winter wonderland, but there is more to Hawaii than warm weather!

[tarahlong]

Thanks for the suggestion Hank...I'll do that!

[going4it]

In your shoes @ the moment in michigan weather.... my advice, from everything i have read is to SAVE...... enough $ to be able to live for a couple of months with no worries! i just returned from oahu... my husband & i spent two weeks, LOVE it, def going but we figured not until Jan, when we have a fat chunk of cash in our pocket. But you r young.... find a roomate to go and take the plunge w/ u.... buy a one way ticket & leave the snow behind!!! that is what i would do!