Moving to Waikoloa .. please help me with some questions I have (Hilo: real estate, condo)

[AlohaHuey]

Blowing pretty good today in Waikoloa. It does seem to be warmer than Kona, and it's a 30 mile drive each way to Kona and 20 to Waimea for most things (Costco). Nice houses, neighbors are friendly, close to good beaches...it seems more a retirement area than Kona.

[hotzcatz]

We have County water and it runs about $40 to $60 a month, if that will help you with your calculations any. We are over by Laupahoehoe, although I think the water rates are similar all through the island, aren't they?

[KonaKat]

Your agent should be answering all these questions for you. Are you already in escrow?

[cynmkolohe]

I asked a similar question when the OP first asked her questions - it may be helpful to note that she originally posted in June 2010.

Waikoloa Village has a private water supply -- West Hawaii Water/Sewer is the name of the provider, according to the Waikoloa Village website. There's also this, but I'm not sure how current it is. (It has been a while since I've researched a Waikoloa property for a buyer. My SO's family purchased a lot there a couple of years ago, so I dug deep into the details then. It is quite possible some things have changed since, so my disclaimer: do your own due diligence if you are considering buying property there!)

[teddavey]

How reliable is wiakola village water supply it looks dry all around the village

[CyberCity]

The privately owned water supply (wells) is very reliable. It is dry around the village because Waikoloa Village is basically in the "desert", and rainfall has been limited. Homeowners need to water their yards/gardens to keep things growing, but there are many plants that adapt well to dryness.

[Hint: This thread is old, if there are questions about certain areas, it might be better to start a fresh thread that does not have outdated info.]

[daijoubu]

Originally Posted by 808girl

We are finally buying our first home and it is out in Waikoloa. I do have some questions about the area ..

2. I've been out Waikoloa about 6 times and everytime I'm there it was always windy and cold but everyone always tell me Waikoloa is crazy hot .. worst then Kona .. huh? is it true?

This is the problem, buying a home when you've only been there a few times for short visits. Its NOT always windy and cold in Waikoloa. Its just the wrong impression you got from a few short visits.

Maybe you got some other wrong impressions?

Now, I don't want to sound rude, but it takes some time to live somewhere to really get to know if you will like all the things about it. Buying a home is a big investment, you better be sure about it and the area.

Waikoloa is kind of far from the big towns. Hilo is impossible to commute and Kona is gonna take a while in the traffic. There's not a whole lot of jobs in Waikoloa or Waimea, unless you work for min wage in the hotels.

It can get voggy there too, maybe not as bad as S. Kona, but its on that "backflow" side of the island, so it depends on the winds. I feel sorry for those Ironman contestants, breathing that pollution so hard for their marathons and bike rides, yuk.

The dry moonscape lava landscape there really turns many people off too, not exactly the tropical paradise sort of place you imagine.

[CyberCity]

Originally Posted by CyberCity

[Hint: This thread is old, if there are questions about certain areas, it might be better to start a fresh thread that does not have outdated info.]

Again, reading old threads offers a wealth of background information, but then starting a fresh thread helps give current information when it is time sensitive things such as pricing, service providers, opportunities.

Meanwhile, a differing perspective on a few points, in case this thread is accessed in research:

Originally Posted by daijoubu

Waikoloa is kind of far from the big towns. Hilo is impossible to commute and Kona is gonna take a while in the traffic. There's not a whole lot of jobs in Waikoloa or Waimea, unless you work for min wage in the hotels.

I know of folks that do commute to Hilo a couple of days a week. It is doable, but of course it would have to have an economic advantage (ie not be a minimum wage job).

Many of the hotels at the Waikoloa Resort areas pay union scale, a livable wage. Waikoloa Village has a large amount of long-term hotel employees who have managed to buy a home on their above-minimum wages.

The drive to Kona is currently (2012 -13) not having traffic problems. The old traffic messes pretty well went away when the economy took a dive. So, working in Kona and commuting is a option that works well for many.... the miles have not changed, but it is quicker than it was a few years ago.

Originally Posted by daijoubu

It can get voggy there too, maybe not as bad as S. Kona, but its on that "backflow" side of the island, so it depends on the winds.

Yes, Waikoloa can get voggy, but it is not the normal. The winds that blow from the north help to keep the air clean and cooler. It is a good trade off: a few days of "too windy" are more than made up for by the many more days of gentle winds that keep the air clean.

[OldGrampa]

I don't see VOG here, but I do see windy days.
Having lived in other desert areas, I'd say this is a nice place to live.
The wind keeps the temp down.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by OldGrampa

The wind keeps the temp down.

Temperatures have nothing to do with wind. 88 degrees is 88 degrees regardless if no wind or 30 mph wind.