Talk has become action! Moving in a few months! :D (Honolulu: sale, apartment) - Oahu - Hawaii (HI) -Includes Honolulu - City-Data Forum

jenocide22 · 08-22-2011, 09:21 PM

The move I've been hoping for will finally be happening!!

My boyfriend, my cat, and I will be moving Nov 17th-ish to OAHU! (I say "ish" because my boyfriend may arrive earlier)

All the quarantine procedures have been taken care of for my cat. Check!

Jobs will be squared away because both of us are transferring through our companies. They won't be great jobs, just to get us on our feet!

The only thing left to take care of is a vacation rental. I've contacted a few places - just waiting on hearing back. Anyone on this forum happen to have a rental they need filled, or maybe know someone who does? ;D

I've checked out vrbo, tripadvisor, homeaway, and now I'm tackling CL. I read on another post that someone also looked into Padmapper. I'm a little wary of that site but I'm going to give it a try

I'm also working on a little project to help myself with a budget plan: comparing grocery prices here in San Antonio, TX to prices in Honolulu grocery stores. I'm comparing HEB, Wal-Mart, and Cost Co prices to the weekly ads I can view online from Times Supermarket, Wal-Mart, Safeway, and Foodland. If there's a better way, or different stores I can look at, I would greatly appreciate the advice!

Kailasmom · 08-22-2011, 09:29 PM

Congrats!!! We too are ticking down the days/hours/minutes - the kitty can fly on Sept. 23 so any day after that that the house is in order for rental here, we are buh-bye!
But back to you...great idea about the price comparison with the weekly ads, and may I suggest you add Long's drugstore into the mix (weekly ads come out on Sunday and are linked into the Star Advertiser website). Their prices on coffee, soups, tp and liquor are always quite good. And it's a fun way for me to spend Sunday morning, doing my 'pretend' grocery shopping.
Wishing you all the best!

jenocide22 · 08-22-2011, 09:50 PM

Thanks a lot for the encouragement Kaila, and good luck to you!

I have to add another question! I'm looking into hostels too, and there was one I had seen a long time ago that I really liked, but I can't remember the name! It was a small-time hostel... the Plumeria sounds familiar, but unless their website got a huge makeover, it doesn't seem to be the one I'm looking for. Anyone happen to know what I'm talking about?

Joliefille · 08-22-2011, 10:45 PM

If you have a Safeway club card, do a change of address (even a phony one) and you'll be able to do a price match online. So if XX is on sale at Foodland, Safeway will match the price, but you have to sign in and click that option every week.

Its only good on Oahu, though.

alex7777 · 08-22-2011, 11:24 PM

Just out of curiousity, why are you looking at shorter-term vacation rentals? Won't they cost a lot more? Seems like you would be better served signing up for a year lease. Unless you're only planning on trying things out, and aren't sure if you want to stay.

hotzcatz · 08-23-2011, 12:41 AM

For many folks it is very difficult, Alex7777, to get a good rental without seeing it in person. Especially if you aren't familiar with the island. A six month or year long lease is a cheaper option, BUT if it is in an area that just won't work and you're locked in for a year - well, then spending a bit more for several weeks of vacation rental so you'll have a chance to look at places before signing up for a long lease all of a sudden becomes very inexpensive. Also, when shipping things over there is a time period between when your stuff is shipped and when your stuff arrives and a vacation rental has everything there and usable, especially things such as internet and utilities.

jenocide22 · 08-23-2011, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

A six month or year long lease is a cheaper option, BUT if it is in an area that just won't work and you're locked in for a year - well, then spending a bit more for several weeks of vacation rental so you'll have a chance to look at places before signing up for a long lease all of a sudden becomes very inexpensive.

That's exactly why! I've been lurking on this forum for over a year now and that's the biggest and most important piece of advice I've gotten.

hotzcatz · 08-23-2011, 12:10 PM

*blush* Thanks, Jen! It wasn't my idea originally but thanks for the kind words. It seems all your lurking is paying off, hope everything goes well for you. Enjoy Oahu, it's a fun place!

jenocide22 · 08-23-2011, 10:50 PM

I'm having a much harder time finding a vacation rental than I anticipated

I'm sure it's because I'll have my cat with me. I'm hoping I'll get lucky. How long do you think I should stay in a rental? I was thinking a month, but I don't think it'll take me that long to find an apartment once I'm there. Any suggestions or help someone can offer me? *begs*

hotzcatz · 08-23-2011, 11:23 PM

Don't suppose you can have the cat show up a month later? That would make getting a vacation rental a lot easier. There are a lot of folks who are allergic to cats so someone with a vacation rental would hesitate to rent to someone with a cat for fear of alienating later renters. At least, that's my thoughts, they may not be correct. Someone mentioned awhile back about something about renters and pet deposits and the legality of them in Hawaii. I forget the details, but it was such that a landlord wouldn't want to rent to folks with pets.