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Thanks for the forum. It is very helpful. We are actually also considering buying land at HOVE since it's so cheap. We are not really thinking of living or building until close to retirement (10-15 yrs )but the land is just so cheap. So would you guys recommend buying at Puna(east/rainy side) over HOVE. Any other suggestions in the Big Island???
I appreciate the advice. Do you guys know of any honest and dependable realtors?
I'd like to recommend the subdivision below HOVE, HOVR (Hawaiian Ocean View Ranchos); all lots are 3 acres+-.
Same lava rock type terrain as HOVE but nicer homes/area and there is electric available to all lots.
I own at the very bottom of HOVR and the ocean view is beautiful.
I saw this ad on Craigslist today for a 3 acre lot at $19K which is the cheapest I've seen in a while: 3 acres in HOVR (Hawaiian Ocean View Ranchos) (http://honolulu.craigslist.org/big/reo/1691462661.html - broken link)
I would recommend renting a home on VRBO.com in the development for a vacation to get the lay of the land and find your perfect lot.
Ka'u District Hawaii Vacation Rentals by Owner, Ka'u District Hawaii VRBO, Vacation Home Rentals, Condo Rentals, FRBO Vacation Rentals, Ka'u District Hawaii Travel Information (http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/usa/hawaii/big-island/kau-district#a2982 - broken link)
If you're still interested in a real estate agent recommendation direct message me as we are not allowed on CD to post businesses. The agent I used lives in the area and is trustworthy.
Msking, the "sulfur hole" would be the sulfuric vog blowing over from the volcano. There have been highly elevated sulfur emissions from the volcano which have been blowing all around the islands for the past year or so. It makes breathing very difficult for some folks and is killing vegetation across Ka'u which includes over near HOVE. Whether it is livable or not depends on how susceptible you are to sulfur emissions, some folks are more sensitive to it than others. The vog is like smog, it is a hazy gray cloud which covers the island sometimes. No more crystal clear views, sometimes you can't even see the ocean. Stinky air to breathe and plants dying. It is sometimes really strong and sometimes hardly noticeable.
This is interesting.
I love Oahu...but the other area I liked after visiting all of the main Hawaiian cities/towns, was the Ka'u area. I also thought it would be much better than Puna, as much of the area in the Ku'a area seems further away and a less chance of lava flows than the Puna area seems to have.
However, I didn't realize 'sulfur holes' were part of the Ka'u equation! Just learned something new!
In the past the Vog (Sulfur Dioxide "SO2") was primarily coming from the Pu`u `Ō `ō crater located on the other side of Volcanoes National Park quite a distance away. In 2008 the Halema`uma`u crater located within the park also started releasing large volumes of SO2 gas/fumes and that's when the combination of the 2 became a problem. With the trade winds blowing east to west Ka'u is down range most of the time
I do not know of any sulfur pits/holes/craters releasing any sizable amounts of gases on island.
Even at the currently levels the VOG bothers some and not others. Also depending on your elevation it might be less or more of a problem.
Before I purchased in HOVR I visited a half dozen times at different times of the year to gauge my reaction to the VOG and I had none. I live on Kauai so it wasn't a big deal to travel. I rented a house off VRBO.com and stayed within the community.
HOVE and HOVR have their challenges but the ocean view and sunsets are incredible. To gain these same views and size lots in other areas of the island would probably cost $500K+ but here the cost is HOVE $3K+ and HOVR $19K+.
I would recommend visiting, some people love it here and others hate it.
Another factor is this is a good area to retire to but not if you still need to work. Work is scare in the area and the commute to work if needed is a killer.
I love Oahu...but the other area I liked after visiting all of the main Hawaiian cities/towns, was the Ka'u area. I also thought it would be much better than Puna, as much of the area in the Ku'a area seems further away and a less chance of lava flows than the Puna area seems to have.
However, I didn't realize 'sulfur holes' were part of the Ka'u equation! Just learned something new!
There is a reason why that area is real devoid of vegetation. It's because the lava flows are recent. While you do avoid the Puna volcano - Kilauea, you don't avoid what many consider to be the more dangerous one - Mauna Loa, of which you would be living on the slopes of. Mauna Loa has a long history of massive flows when it does erupt.
I just looked up at intersection on Google Maps street view. It looks like the houses around there are pretty nice. This is at the bottom of the subdivision, which is where there are more lots built on and generally nicer homes. I don't have any personal knowledge of who's living around there -- what specifically do you need to know?
Yes, I have been driving all over the Island with street view, it's great! I have been researching all areas for the last 3 years, visited twice, and am working with a realtor. The houses in that lower section of HOVE are very nice and very affordable.
But in reading thru the threads, one of my biggest concerns is water! Not too rainy there, so how much is it to buy the trucked-in water? I will assume there is not a lot of vegetation either?
Also - what about internet? We have high speed, fancy stuff here in NY, and my business relies on it. What is it like there?
Thanks, Dreaming of Hawaii! Where do you live? I am in SNOWY Buffalo.
Somewhere in HOVE there is a "village" of Marshall Islanders. Many are the former residents of Bikini and Enewetok atolls. Apparently there are as many as 250 people living on one lot, just one acre. Hard to imagine.
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