Living on Maui..our experience (Kahului, Kihei: for rent, insurance, condos)
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Sorry it took me so long to get back on here, I didn't think anyone would respond.
We've only been here 2 months but we aren't getting island fever yet. There is SO much to do here and we have done a lot so far...been to several beaches, snorkeled in various places, been on a few hikes and seen a few different cities. We haven't even hit the upcountry yet! I can honestly say I don't think we will get sick of living here.
I'm not sure about insurance yet because we haven't gotten our Hawaii tag...be prepared to get a "safety check" when you get your car here. Matson was really good with shipped our car. They gave us a estimate of when they thought our car would arrive (april 1st) but it got here a little early (march 27th). We dropped our car off at Matson on the 9th.
I hope this is all helpful. The jobs here are awesome! I just got an offer to apply as a restaurant manager in Wailea and I don't have experince but they just want good workers!
You will need proof of HI insurance to get your HI plates, so get that ASAP. Also, if your car is under two years old, be prepared to show paperwork that you already paid state tax on it and are exempt from HI sales tax.
The safety check is a standard $15. Don't pay a cent more.
I think all the cautions listed here and elsewhere about moving here are justified...it's a huge move, like moving to a different country. Some, like you and I, thrive with the move. Others miss the mainland too much. I've been here a month longer than you and I love the BI...I don't miss a thing about WA. And I lived there some seventeen years.
I'm glad you guys are finding our advice helpful. I think pay here is MUCH higher. I got a $2.00/hr raise just transferring here! I just wanted to give you guys a link to our youtube page if you want to see some of the many adventures you can have here!
P.S...our scooter exhaust pipe broke today...I HATE this thing! Buy a nice one!!!
If any of you guys live here now, feel free to stop in and ask for Ashley at the Starbucks on South Kihei Road...I will probably give you a free drink!
Having recently moved to Maui (Kihei), I just want to thank SeattletoMaui for her informative posts and add another perspective.
My partner and I moved here 1/1/11 from Florida. We have visited Maui at least twenty times during the past ten years and always thought we would retire here. Approximately a year ago, we decided to move heer while we were still young enough to enjoy all Maui has to offer (we're 42 and 52) and made plans to sell our house and almost all of our belongings in Florida. We had three yard sales and sold most of our furniture on Craigslist, drove our vehicle across country, and shipped it with Matson from Long Beach. It took only 11 days from Long Beach to Kahului--we were very pleased with Matson.
As for moving personal items (no furniture), we rented a small storage unit here during a trip in 9/10 and used our free airline baggage allowances during that trip, another in 11/10, and during our final flight here to move most of our stuff. We sent the remaining six boxes via USPS (definitely the cheapest option and all of our boxes were here within 2 weeks). Our total moving costs came to approximately $2,000 for the 2 of us, including car shipping, storage unit, airfares, and shipping costs. Upon arriving in Maui, we quickly furnished our home via yard sales and Craigslist with nice furniture at a cost of less than $1,000.
We did leave our two cats behind in Florida. It was a very tough decision, but the right one in our opinion. We had wonderful neighbors in Florida who adopted them and they are very happy. Since moving here, we have heard several stories of cats never really adjusting to the move. Dogs seem to do quite well following a move here and lots of people walk their dogs on the beaches.
Housing--During our 11/10 trip to Maui, we signed a 1-year lease for a 4-bedroom, 3-bath, brand new home with an ocean view in Maui Meadows for $2500 per month. We have a third roommate with whom we share housing expenses. We've found that our housing expenses are approximately the same as they were in Florida. Electricity is very expensive here (3 to 4 times the price/kwh more than in Florida), but we haven't yet used the air conditioner. Our electric bill averages $250 per month.
Jobs--Unfortunately, I do not yet have a job here. I am a financial services professional and there just aren't that many jobs available here. I've recently interviewed for a couple of accounting positions and the pay is approximately 30% less than similar jobs on the mainland. My partner is able to work from home, which means his commuting costs are zero. Most jobs here are in tourism and health care. There does seem to be reluctance to hiring residents who have recently moved here, but this reluctance is justified, as most transplants to Maui leave the island within a year or two.
Transportation--Upon moving to Maui, we downsized from two vehicles to one. Although gas is currently around $5 per gallon here, our transportation costs have dramatically decreased. Insurance costs half of what it did in Florida, there are no tolls, and the only paid parking I know of is in Lahaina.
Food--Groceries are more expensive here, but if you shop the sales advertisements and at Costco, the increase should only be about 10-15% more than on the mainland.
Overall, our cost of living is about the same as it was in Florida.
We absolutely love it here. The weather and scenery is the best in the world and the aloha spirit is real here. If you're thinking of moving here, say "Screw it" and just do it.
This is great info! My wife and I are moving on September 4th from Seattle also and planning on doing the same thing as you guys (minus already having jobs lined up). It would be great to talk more with you about your move and how things are going.
I love seeing all the positive posts about moving to Maui. More times than not I've seen nothing but negative's about moving to Maui or to any of the other islands. Good for you all for your positive stories. Keep them coming .
How did you find your ohana? Yours seems reasonable. I've been searching Craigs List in the Wailuku area for rental apts. because of the law firms and health centers and the shopping area. I didn't want to buy a new car. When I search the internet, it's mostly homes or vacation rentals. I've read that VBRO has long-term rentals. I'd like to see rental condos (not ground level) if anyone has contacts. I'll be vacationing in Maui the latter part of June or in July.
How did you find your ohana? Yours seems reasonable. I've been searching Craigs List in the Wailuku area for rental apts. because of the law firms and health centers and the shopping area. I didn't want to buy a new car. When I search the internet, it's mostly homes or vacation rentals. I've read that VBRO has long-term rentals. I'd like to see rental condos (not ground level) if anyone has contacts. I'll be vacationing in Maui the latter part of June or in July.
Thanks.
Wendy/Chicago
Last edited by WC100Chicago; 05-29-2011 at 07:58 AM..
Suggestion: Thanks for your email and info which I found valuable.
Start a networking group for all the transplants you meet so you can share professional services since many people are moving to Hawaii.
I'll be researching jobs in medical or legal and rental apts. or ohanas as the Seattle lady. I don't know much about Kihei but now will research the area. I had been focusing on Wailkuku.
Good luck on job search.
Wendy/Chicago
Try using Google Maps and 'drive' around the island. It's a terrific tool to give you a feel of the neighborhoods, beaches etc. You can sport around 'upcountry' a bit and drive down Front Street in Lahaina. After we landed on Maui it was just like 'coming home'. We used it to scout out rentals we were interested in. That saved alot of time once we got here. We knew exactly where we were going. We recognized familiar landmarks and felt like we had already lived here for years. It's a great tool.
Aloha to all of you!
Koale
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Folks...
