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We are relocating from Mainland to Kauai in 2nd quarter 2014. We will need a month-to-month rental while we decide on a property to purchase as our new residence. Does anyone have recommendations on what to look for, what to avoid, good/bad landlords/neighborhoods? Mahalo for the reply.
I too am planning a move to Kauai in the later part of 2014. Craigs list has rentals...some for transitioning people. This link is to a place called "orchid cottage transitional housing" they say they rent month to month. Good luck! 12/23/13 orchid cottage transitional housing LS
I'm surprised LaVerne51 found something.* Other than hotels, it can be difficult to find open-ended rentals on Kaua'i. There's a limited demand for that kind of accommodations in such a small, remote place, and as a rule the "vacation rentals" a la VRBO and AIRBNB aren't interested in anything other than confirmed rentals.
For perspective, Kapaa is the largest town, with a population about 10,000. Lihue is second biggest, and it is the government and commercial center, but the population is only about 6,000. The entire island only has 66,000 residents, so many of the amenities of even small cities on the mainland are simply not available on Kaua'i.
One thing in your favor is being there during the "shoulder" in tourist travel, between the winter and summer peak seasons, so you might be able to wangle a deal with a B&B for a longer than normal stay, with a rolling departure date. Or you might be able to piece together a series of vacation rentals, always keeping your eye open for "what's next," depending on how your property search unfolds.
And another angle on that is that renting a series of different vacation rentals for a couple of weeks at a time at different places on the island could be very helpful in sorting out where to buy!
Good luck
*Edit: OK, I see they are looking for a 3 - 4 month minimum commitment. That's not quite the same as month-to-month. It looks very pretty, but notice that in all those pictures there is none of the kitchen. Probably not an accident, because it probably doesn't have a full kitchen, just a microwave and refrigerator. I will take a wild guess and say it's likely an ohana (extended family unit), and not a legal rental unit. Another clue is that it doesn't mention the state Transient Accomodations Tax of 9.25%, and doesn't list a Registration Number, as required of all transient rentals under 6 months long.
Be wary, there are many scams around Craigslist rentals, as well as fibs, omissions, prevarications, and outright lies. My advice... book a vacation rental for two weeks, then use that time to figure out your transitional step. You really should personally inspect any place you plan to live in more than a couple of weeks,
Be careful of craigslist listings. (not all are bad, but not all are good).
A lot of the rentals are done by mainland owners who are not on Kauai. Hawaiian law requires they have a "island contact" on Kauai in case of any emergencies. Reputable landlords use agencies. You would be better off going through a long term agency like Oceanfrontrealty.com (specialize in North Shore properties). They charge the owners 10% per month of the total rent, so it is not more expensive to you (the renter). They have full time dedicated staff and servicemen to show/rent the properties and fix them as soon as anything pops up. Plus they pay the GET (taxes) and are legit. It is a piece of mind issue for you.
The last thing you want is for something to go wrong and your owners are a 6 to 8 hour flight away and wants you to handle the issues.
I know all of this because I use Oceanfront to rent my units.
Thanks KauaiPono, It makes sense to go through a reputable rental agency. It's the only way I will go once I get there. I like looking at cragislist just to see what's out there.
Be careful of craigslist listings. (not all are bad, but not all are good).
A lot of the rentals are done by mainland owners who are not on Kauai. Hawaiian law requires they have a "island contact" on Kauai in case of any emergencies. Reputable landlords use agencies. You would be better off going through a long term agency like Oceanfrontrealty.com (specialize in North Shore properties). They charge the owners 10% per month of the total rent, so it is not more expensive to you (the renter). They have full time dedicated staff and servicemen to show/rent the properties and fix them as soon as anything pops up. Plus they pay the GET (taxes) and are legit. It is a piece of mind issue for you.
The last thing you want is for something to go wrong and your owners are a 6 to 8 hour flight away and wants you to handle the issues.
I know all of this because I use Oceanfront to rent my units.
Excellent advice, especially the idea of renting a vacation rental for 2 weeks while settling on a month-to-month place. Mahalo nui loa.
Be careful of craigslist listings. (not all are bad, but not all are good).
A lot of the rentals are done by mainland owners who are not on Kauai. Hawaiian law requires they have a "island contact" on Kauai in case of any emergencies. Reputable landlords use agencies. You would be better off going through a long term agency like Oceanfrontrealty.com (specialize in North Shore properties). They charge the owners 10% per month of the total rent, so it is not more expensive to you (the renter). They have full time dedicated staff and servicemen to show/rent the properties and fix them as soon as anything pops up. Plus they pay the GET (taxes) and are legit. It is a piece of mind issue for you.
The last thing you want is for something to go wrong and your owners are a 6 to 8 hour flight away and wants you to handle the issues.
I know all of this because I use Oceanfront to rent my units.
Again, excellent advice, KauaiPono. I will definitely look into using an agency. Mahalo
The rental agencies (property managers) are great for giving you peace of mind and a generally competent person to deal with. But the real rental market (choice of price and location) is really on craigslist. One way to do it is to get a vacation rental for 1-2 weeks and use that time to search craigslist, look at maps, visit properties, and evaluate the landlords. Sometimes, you can get a deal on a vacation rental for a whole month (off season and far enough ahead of time), if you ask the owner directly.
For a short-term lease, you just need to sign a month-to-month lease and give 30 days notice. So you could give notice with your second rent and only stay 2 months. Of course, if in talking to the landlords you find that's not their idea of short-term and it will inconvenience them, avoid doing it if you want a reference.
As for neighborhoods, it really depends on what you are looking for. North shore is beautiful, but wetter and more expensive. East side is convenient, but more crowded (some neighborhoods). South side is sunny but full of tourists. West side is very rural, very local, and hot. But you should know this if you've visited Kauai. Are you planning another fact-finding trip, or are you jumping right in with the move next time?
OpenD, it doesn't really help to give population numbers without knowing the layout and amenities of the various towns. Kapaa is spread over 4-5 large inland neighborhoods but with no services. The "center" of town is small and has few services as well, mostly tourist shops. It has the best grocery shopping, with 4 supermarkets (outside the center, but all in one area, so you can imagine the traffic), 2 natural food stores, and the biggest farmer's market. Lihue may be smaller population-wise, but in addition to all the government services, it has all our big box stores (Kmart, Costco, Home Depot), and the mall (Macy's, with Ross opening in the place of Sears soon).
Of course, if you have school-aged children, finding a school you like would be another huge consideration.
OpenD, it doesn't really help to give population numbers without knowing the layout and amenities of the various towns.
No diss was meant, nor was I trying to provide a comprehensive residential guide... I was just trying to clarify something that a lot of about-to-become first-timers on Kaua'i don't seem to correctly apprehend... it's a small island, in a small state, and that state only has one real city... so many options that are common in mainland cities, like an ExtendedStay America or HomewoodSuites, simply are not found on The Garden Island.
The same is true of all the "neighbor islands," of course. I'll never forget the time I was sitting outside Dragon Mama on the Hilo bayfront, evaluating a teak bench I was considering for purchase, when an obvious tourist, with a Lonely Planet guide in hand and a mixture of concern and perplexity on his face, stopped and asked if I knew where the closest Apple Store was? Please?
I smiled my usual big friendly smile, pointed not at, but through Mauna Kea, and replied... "Ala Moana Mall in Honolulu, I do believe."
I don't know if he was carrying a Visa card, but the look on his face was priceless.
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Mahalo to OpenD
Mahalo to KauaiPono
