Settled on Honolulu (Aiea: real estate, apartments, rentals)

[mjvbsf]

After some debate I have decided that I will be moving to Honolulu I currently live on San Francisco, so just a "quick" 5 hour flight. I have a few questions that really help if I found the answers.

1. Is it realistic to to think that I can rely on "TheBus" to get around?

2. Where I can I find a short-term affordable housing option?

3. Banking, do main land banks exist in Hawaii?

4. How easy is it to get employed? (I currently do Mortgage/Admin work)

Any other info is greatly appreciated!

[hi2nc]

Originally Posted by mjvbsf

After some debate I have decided that I will be moving to Honolulu I currently live on San Francisco, so just a "quick" 5 hour flight. I have a few questions that really help if I found the answers.

1. Is it realistic to to think that I can rely on "TheBus" to get around?

2. Where I can I find a short-term affordable housing option?

3. Banking, do main land banks exist in Hawaii?

4. How easy is it to get employed? (I currently do Mortgage/Admin work)

Any other info is greatly appreciated!

A few answers to your questions above:

1. Maybe. Really does depend on where you will live and work. Otherwise, I know a lot of people that do utilize TheBus, although a great deal of the workers drive their own vehicle.

2. Define "affordable." What kind of housing are you looking for? Apartments/condos/SFH? I know that SF is right up there w/ Hawaii as one of the highest in the nation as far as cost of living and housing, so you may not experience too much sticker shock.

3. Yes. We do have mainland banks here. Depends on which one you use. We have these things called ATMs too!

4. Mortgage/Admin work...shouldn't be much of a problem. Real estate is a biggie down here (like in SF as well). Definitely lots of mortgage companies that could use your skills and experience.

Provide more info and specifics about what you're looking for, timeline, etc. and maybe we can be of more help.

[mjvbsf]

Originally Posted by hi2nc

A few answers to your questions above:

1. Maybe. Really does depend on where you will live and work. Otherwise, I know a lot of people that do utilize TheBus, although a great deal of the workers drive their own vehicle.

2. Define "affordable." What kind of housing are you looking for? Apartments/condos/SFH? I know that SF is right up there w/ Hawaii as one of the highest in the nation as far as cost of living and housing, so you may not experience too much sticker shock.

3. Yes. We do have mainland banks here. Depends on which one you use. We have these things called ATMs too!

4. Mortgage/Admin work...shouldn't be much of a problem. Real estate is a biggie down here (like in SF as well). Definitely lots of mortgage companies that could use your skills and experience.

Provide more info and specifics about what you're looking for, timeline, etc. and maybe we can be of more help.

1. As far as "TheBus", I would be looking to live in a populated area and most likely be employed in the downtown area. If I can steer away from the need for a car, I'm totally happy

2. I was wondering about a "cheap" hotel or something like that for a few weeks until I could find something perm. Or even a sublet, I looked on craigs list bet there really isnt to many listings.

3. Washington Mutual?

I'm looking at November, possibly sooner, I have already been stocking up on my "summer" wardrobe! I can't wait!

[hpdnarcovice]

Originally Posted by mjvbsf

After some debate I have decided that I will be moving to Honolulu I currently live on San Francisco, so just a "quick" 5 hour flight. I have a few questions that really help if I found the answers.

1. Is it realistic to to think that I can rely on "TheBus" to get around?

2. Where I can I find a short-term affordable housing option?

3. Banking, do main land banks exist in Hawaii?

4. How easy is it to get employed? (I currently do Mortgage/Admin work)

Any other info is greatly appreciated!

rely on BUS it is run by the city so pretty reliable except holidays, be careful of State and Federal

[hpdnarcovice]

call me I know everyone from hotels, rentals, computers, restraunts, police, state, fed,county, laws etc..... 808-639-8994.
aloha,
Alan Loo

[leilaniguy]

Is this the same Alan Loo, was TV reporter, just joined HPD?

[hi2nc]

Originally Posted by leilaniguy

Is this the same Alan Loo, was TV reporter, just joined HPD?

I was thinking the same...

[from az]

First of all, think TWICE, before you move. We left Dallas for Oahu in 2004, just because we had vacationed there so many times and fell in love with the island. We left our jobs, sold our 4 bdrm home, everything that wasn't necessary to continue a life with...including furniture, and went to Oahu with nothing but our suitcases. We shipped our belongings by regular mail, which took a few wks to arrive, and sent our car over on Matson for $1,000.00, which took almost 5 weeks, with no guarantee of an actual arrival date.

Once there, we spent a ton of money in a hotel, which are not too cheap on Oahu. We contacted a realty company, which was given to us by the concierge service at a hotel, and they took us out to Aiea, which is near Pearl Harbor. We lived in a 36 story hi-rise that overlooked I-1 on one side, and the Pearlridge Mall on the other, with Pearl Harbor in the distance. The view was beautiful, however we were in a 2bdrm/2bath 726sq ft place with only a window AC unit (no ceiling fans because the building is surrounded by concrete for possible tsunamis) all for $1400.00/mo plus utilities!

I worked at a title company (Title Guaranty, which is an excellent island employer)and my husband worked at Home Depot, both near the financial downtown area, and we were about 12 miles to/from work, but the traffic was terrible. It would take us a good 50-60 minutes each way for such a short distance. Coming from Dallas, traffic tie ups were an issue, but never like this! The Bus is good transportation but seems to have alot of breakdowns.

Bank of Hawaii is the major bank there. You might want to join a credit union so branch banking would be an option. You can open an account with HawaiiUSA CU for only $25.00. They have several locations.

So, besides that, it was nice. Weather always beautiful...well most of the time. We got used to paying $7 for a gallon of milk, $5 for a loaf of bread,
$20 for a Pizza Hut pizza, and found that there was always an abundance of rice at the WalMart. The pay didn't offset the cost of living, but just the opportunity to live there was enough for us. Sadly, we could no longer afford the possibility of living there when we found that our little apartment was being sold for $400,000.00 and having to look for 2nd or even 3rd jobs like most of our friends had to stay there, so we decided to move back to the mainland. We now live in sunny Phoenix. We miss the water and the peacefulness that we found there on Oahu. It was a good experience.

There's a book out called "So you Want to Live in Hawaii" and it is a good starting source we highly recommend.

Hope this helps!

[mjvbsf]

Originally Posted by from az

First of all, think TWICE, before you move. We left Dallas for Oahu in 2004, just because we had vacationed there so many times and fell in love with the island. We left our jobs, sold our 4 bdrm home, everything that wasn't necessary to continue a life with...including furniture, and went to Oahu with nothing but our suitcases. We shipped our belongings by regular mail, which took a few wks to arrive, and sent our car over on Matson for $1,000.00, which took almost 5 weeks, with no guarantee of an actual arrival date.

Once there, we spent a ton of money in a hotel, which are not too cheap on Oahu. We contacted a realty company, which was given to us by the concierge service at a hotel, and they took us out to Aiea, which is near Pearl Harbor. We lived in a 36 story hi-rise that overlooked I-1 on one side, and the Pearlridge Mall on the other, with Pearl Harbor in the distance. The view was beautiful, however we were in a 2bdrm/2bath 726sq ft place with only a window AC unit (no ceiling fans because the building is surrounded by concrete for possible tsunamis) all for $1400.00/mo plus utilities!

I worked at a title company (Title Guaranty, which is an excellent island employer)and my husband worked at Home Depot, both near the financial downtown area, and we were about 12 miles to/from work, but the traffic was terrible. It would take us a good 50-60 minutes each way for such a short distance. Coming from Dallas, traffic tie ups were an issue, but never like this! The Bus is good transportation but seems to have alot of breakdowns.

Bank of Hawaii is the major bank there. You might want to join a credit union so branch banking would be an option. You can open an account with HawaiiUSA CU for only $25.00. They have several locations.

So, besides that, it was nice. Weather always beautiful...well most of the time. We got used to paying $7 for a gallon of milk, $5 for a loaf of bread,
$20 for a Pizza Hut pizza, and found that there was always an abundance of rice at the WalMart. The pay didn't offset the cost of living, but just the opportunity to live there was enough for us. Sadly, we could no longer afford the possibility of living there when we found that our little apartment was being sold for $400,000.00 and having to look for 2nd or even 3rd jobs like most of our friends had to stay there, so we decided to move back to the mainland. We now live in sunny Phoenix. We miss the water and the peacefulness that we found there on Oahu. It was a good experience.

There's a book out called "So you Want to Live in Hawaii" and it is a good starting source we highly recommend.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the advice, I currently live in San Francisco so I'm used to paying out the nose for just living.

A little comparison below, it all sort of trades off. Trust me, I'd much rather have the Sunsets over the Fog anyday. I really won't notice much of a difference just spend more here, spend less there.

If you move from San Francisco CA to Honolulu HI...
Groceries will cost: 7.794% more
Housing will cost: 6.855% less
Utilities will cost: 29.04% more (Depends on how much gas is used in SF)
Transportation will cost: 0.173% less
Healthcare will cost: 12.986% less