Where is the best place to live on Oahu? (Honolulu: rentals, insurance)

[serimay]

I am in the process of selling my house so I can move back to Oahu. I lived outside of Honolulu as a child with my family and can't wait to get back, but as a single white woman in her early 30s, I'm unsure where is the best place to relocate. I've been looking at Craig's list but can't be sure of the areas from the limited information.
I'm one for fairly simple living and want to start out renting a small place. I'm not generally a big city person, but do like the idea of social activities and dinner options. I'm a vegetarian and having some options for eating out is always nice. I also do a number of social clubs, sports, activities on the main land and would like to continue that to some degree.
I remember the bus system being fairly good in Honolulu, but wasn't sure if I wanted to live in the actual city. How is the bus system outside of the city? Is it realistic to not have a car for someone outside of Honolulu?

In the end, I'm hoping to find a farily inexpensive inital place, in a safe area with a sense of community. My background is in social service and nonprofit work, so I know I won't be making much money and with the cost of living higher, I know that "inexpensive" is relative. But I can't wait to get back to a more simplified life.

Thanks for the help!

[atp162]

You didn't mention where you are moving from, but Honolulu is fairly "big city" nowadays in terms of traffic, social activities and overall hustle and bustle. If you don't have a car but want to be active in the clubs and sports activities you mention, you'll probably have to live in or right on the outskirts of Honolulu. "TheBus", as it is called on Oahu, is quite reliable and has lots of routes all over the island but can take a while to get from point A to point B depending on the number of stops and how heavy the traffic is, especially during the AM and PM rush hours, or if an accident or special event clogs up the roads.

If you are brave, biking is an alternative. Sadly, Honolulu is not bike-friendly in terms of availability of bike paths and lots of people ride on the sidewalks---illegally, but they do it to avoid being made roadkill. Mopeds and scooters are also options to having a car or taking the bus, but especially with mopeds under 50ccs, since they don't need to be licensed or insured, there's quite a bit of theft. Scooters (i.e. over 80cc engines), are less popular to steal, because riders are required to have licenses and insurance. I have had a scooter for well over a decade and rode all over Honolulu w/ it and nobody ever seemed interested in stealing it. (Maybe I was just lucky.)

That said, some of the better communities on the fringes of Honolulu but with fairly easy access are Kahala, Kapahulu, Kaimuki, Palolo, Manoa, Nuuanu. Makiki and the Punahou areas are in Honolulu but have more apt. options. Waikiki is not really for someone looking for a "simple living", but there are lots of apts. there and the bus line is easy to access. If you're already looking at the Honolulu Craigslist, you should already have an idea of the monthly cost of rentals. "Inexpensive", unfortunately, is not a word you can apply regarding housing in HI. The rising number of homeless we are experiencing here is a sad reflection of that fact. The cost of living here and the struggling economy---joblessness in HI is currently at an all-time high---makes this a difficult time to relocate unless you have ample financial resources, lots of time to search for housing and a job, a positive and realistic attitude, and a strong family/friend support system. The potential for the "simplified life" you seek is there, but please make sure you have researched all your options, checked everything out thoroughly, and have a contingency plan in place in case things don't work out as you hope they will.

Good luck in your move.

[dc1225]

good post atp. if you live in wakiki, you have to pay for parking, correct? I have a question...people that live in the areas that you mentioned, how do they get to work if they work downtown? Drive? bus?

[atp162]

"if you live in wakiki, you have to pay for parking, correct? I have a question...people that live in the areas that you mentioned, how do they get to work if they work downtown? Drive? bus?"

There is some <very> limited free parking in Waikiki, and during the AM/PM rush hours, most of those areas are tow-away zones. Apt. bldgs in Waikiki nearly all have their own parking structures or lots attached. A fair number of people in both Waikiki and in the city's adjoining neighborhoods drive (unfortunately, the popularity of cars, lack of interest and incentive to carpool, and the lack of alternatives such as bike lanes lead to very heavy traffic in Honolulu in the mornings, evenings and during special events.) Many others bus to work, and some use mopeds or bicycle. Waikiki also is a primary site for parades and block parties, and portions of the main avenues are often blocked off to accomodate these events, which subsequently leads to gridlock for those trying to get in or out of the area.

[newUHprof]

Originally Posted by dc1225

good post atp. if you live in wakiki, you have to pay for parking, correct? I have a question...people that live in the areas that you mentioned, how do they get to work if they work downtown? Drive? bus?

I live in the Makiki / Punchbowl area. I work at UH and take the bus most days, drive when I need to run errands after work or need to haul stuff with me, bike when I'm not feeling too lazy.

Depending on the downtown location, I would probably bus, bike, or even walk if I worked there.

[GregLee]

The bus system (The Bus) is great, and it helps that our population is mostly concentrated around the edge of Oahu. But all the same, if you want to live a ways off, commuting can get to be a drag. I've lived in Waimanalo since 1994 and was car-less for a couple of years. Getting to work in Honolulu takes me 35 minutes by car, 1 hour by express bus (runs twice a day), 1.5 hours by regular bus, approximately.

[SharkyV12]

Mililani checking in! While MOST everyone in Mililani has a car because of the distance relative to the city, about 20 miles, I know several people who use the "Bus" on a regular basis to get to Honolulu. I was quite surprised to find out how reliable and fast it can be! I've had friends call me to say there are leaving for the Bus stop and then call me when they get to town. Very often they make it as quickly as I could in my car. Of course you have to know the schedule and when the Bus run's, and DON'T stay in town to late. Seem's to me the 'last run' from town to Mililani is around 10 pm. My buddy takes his bicycle on the Bus and get's around town just fine that way, he doesn't even want a car if you gave it to him.