Where are all the reasonably priced, pet-friendly, long-term rentals in Kailua-kona? (Honokaa: real estate market, apartment)
Big IslandThe Island of Hawaii
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I am really bewildered by the lack of reasonably priced, pet-friendly, long-term rentals in Kailua-kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. I'm a local girl from Oahu who moved to the Big Island in 2010. I found myself in Kona in 2011 and was able to find a roommate with no problem. That was before I inherited my little dog (12lb chihuahua mix) from my ex. She just recently went blind at the age of 6 but is a VERY well-behaved, VERY friendly and reasonably quiet pet.
When it came time for me to move on to a new place, I literally looked for 4 months or more for a place where we could call home. Everything was either way too expensive or "sorry, no pets". I've even called and talked to prospective landlords who seemed to be willing to bend the rules. They've even met my little dog and loved her and STILL said "sorry no pets". Now, I understand that other irresponsible pet owners have royally screwed things up for those of us who ARE responsible pet owners. I get that. I just feel that landlords shouldn't be so willing to assume the worst of me and my pet because of something someone may have done.
Suggestion landlords: Judge us based on US not what someone else did. Then decide based on US. Charge an additional fee even but not some outrageous amount tacked onto an already inflated rent & required deposit.
I had to move back to Oahu because I couldn't find a place for us in time. A friend kindly offered me a place to stay. I want to move back to Kona by July but am still finding it not so easy to find a pet-friendly long-term rental. I've even considered a rent-/lease-to-own situation assuming I can find an owner willing to work with me.
Any suggestions or anyone know of a rental/share in need of responsible, friendly pet owner & pooch?
When it came time for me to move on to a new place, I literally looked for 4 months or more for a place where we could call home. Everything was either way too expensive or "sorry, no pets". I've even called and talked to prospective landlords who seemed to be willing to bend the rules. They've even met my little dog and loved her and STILL said "sorry no pets". Now, I understand that other irresponsible pet owners have royally screwed things up for those of us who ARE responsible pet owners. I get that. I just feel that landlords shouldn't be so willing to assume the worst of me and my pet because of something someone may have done.
It isn't that pet owners screwed things up for you in the past - it is that demand for rentals typically exceeds supply and that demand can be fulfilled by people without pets. If there was a glut of rentals, you'd see more pet friendly rentals. Right now, rent is rising, is in high demand, and they don't need to rent to pet owners because inventory is low.
This is an issue across all of Hawaii, not just Kona.
First off, my hat off to you for caring about your dog family member and not just abandoning them because you can't find an apartment for them!
Some ideas:
Have you considered doing some networking with dog rescue groups, dog groups etc.? I'd check/post on those pages and see if anyone can make a recommedation or if someone already has a dog that is looking for a roommate. Many rescue groups have Facebook pages.
I'm curious, when looking for rentals do you start off the conversation by asking the question? In my opinion in this situation, you shouldn't. As a person who engages in a lot of negotiation, my advice would be IF the rental listing does not specifically exclude pets, go and meet the landlord and put your best foot forward, look neat and clean and presentable, take a copy of your credit report if it's good, take references if you have them, and only ask the question in person. In other words, make a good first impression and get them to like you before you pop the question. Before someone jumps on me for that recommendation of course I'd use common sense - if you're looking at an apartment building you're probably wasting your and their time, so I'm talking about a house or part of a house where it might happen.
I'd also not phrase it as "will you accept pets", you need to "sell it", "I have excellent references, here is my credit report, we do have a small dog I'd like you to meet that lives with us, can I introduce you to them". The worst they can say is "no".
I do think you need to be prepared to offer an additional fee if you can afford it, that might make the difference. I don't know what you consider as outrageous based on your post but a non-refundable cleaning fee ($250) plus an additional deposit ($500 - 1000?) in case of damage would not be out of line. I know Hawaii has strict rules on deposits landlords can accept, not sure how that applies to pet deposits.
I don't think Hawaii landlords can accept additional money as a pet deposit.
Rentals are getting tight, we're going to have a house to rent out in Honokaa sometime in the next couple of weeks after we finish moving out and after it gets cleaned. We haven't advertised and folks have already been giving us rental applications.
We have a renter at our other house and he not only has a dog, but a pair of goats, too. We never really discussed pets, but they do a pretty good job keeping the travelling bamboo out of the back of the yard. So, there should be rentals out there somewhere that will accept pets.
Wouldn't it be more difficult to find an affordable pet friendly rental on Oahu than in Kailua-Kona?
I don't have any solutions for you, but I certainly sympathize. We are moving there in July from halfway across the mainland, and we desperately wanted to rent a place since we have no clue about the real estate market. Our dog is also wonderful, sweet, well-behaved, etc. However, pet friendly rentals are nearly impossible to find for less than $2800 per month, especially with kids (needing several bedrooms). We are probably going to end up having to put an offer in on a house (which we did NOT want to have to do) in a market we know little about, just to have a place to live once we get there. Arggh. Sorry not helpful, but I definitely feel your pain.
Suggestion landlords: Judge us based on US not what someone else did. Then decide based on US. Charge an additional fee even but not some outrageous amount tacked onto an already inflated rent & required deposit.
As a pet owner (we own two 5lb. cuties) who is OCD about cleanliness, with extremely well-behaved animals, I get your pain. It really is unfair that there are people who live like animals, and on top of that, own animals they never care to train, adversely affecting all of the responsible pet owners out there.
NOW, as a property owner, I really like the ideas given about offering more rent, presenting the wonderful "you" first, then negotiating your pet, etc. It's mildly tempting to allow pets under such a presentation-- my husband is a softy who sometimes gives in. However, it is extremely difficult for a landlord to make an accurate judgement based on that first impression.
Never in 14 years have we had a tenant who actually kept a clean home with their pet. After the first nightmare-pet-destruction experience, we said no more pets. Once, we acquiesced because a woman had a doctor's statement for her child's small seizure-therapy dog, whom she swore up-and-down had never had an accident in the house, that the dog "didn't even know how to pee anywhere but on grass." That ended up in $2K damages, including carpet (plus a few pieces of sub-floor) replacement and cabinet trim replacement (all chewed on). This family gave the most positive "clean and put-together" first impression of all the tenants we've ever had. Doesn't matter.
Twice, we had tenants who housed animals without our knowledge (in a house we own in Utah, where we have to rely on a property manager to keep track of these things). Both times left us with damage beyond the deposit. (Once was $4,000 from large dog damage, plus sloppy tenants.) This isn't "slum" housing; it rents for $1200/mo. - in UTAH! Doesn't matter.
SO, the "outrageous amount" in additional fees is WARRANTED. It's insurance for you, and peace of mind for the owner. Personally, if I was renting, I would offer an extremely large deposit for my pets, plus an explanation of exactly how I sympathize with the landlord's pain. Yes, it sucks. It's unfair. But I can't even describe the extreme sick-to-your-stomach feeling experienced when entering a vacated property that has been trashed by tenants who gave such a wonderful outward impression. When you spend several thousand dollars a year just on repair and clean-up (not maintenance) for your rentals, it makes you extremely cautious about who you rent to in the first place. Unfortunately, pets are a quick deal breaker.
It's a little different when the tenant is referred by a mutual friend or acquaintance. This offers some social accountability. I would suggest putting out feelers to every soul you know-- just in case someone knows someone who might have something available. Good luck!
As a pet owner (we own two 5lb. cuties) who is OCD about cleanliness, with extremely well-behaved animals, I get your pain. It really is unfair that there are people who live like animals, and on top of that, own animals they never care to train, adversely affecting all of the responsible pet owners out there.
NOW, as a property owner, I really like the ideas given about offering more rent, presenting the wonderful "you" first, then negotiating your pet, etc. It's mildly tempting to allow pets under such a presentation-- my husband is a softy who sometimes gives in. However, it is extremely difficult for a landlord to make an accurate judgement based on that first impression.
Never in 14 years have we had a tenant who actually kept a clean home with their pet. After the first nightmare-pet-destruction experience, we said no more pets. Once, we acquiesced because a woman had a doctor's statement for her child's small seizure-therapy dog, whom she swore up-and-down had never had an accident in the house, that the dog "didn't even know how to pee anywhere but on grass." That ended up in $2K damages, including carpet (plus a few pieces of sub-floor) replacement and cabinet trim replacement (all chewed on). This family gave the most positive "clean and put-together" first impression of all the tenants we've ever had. Doesn't matter.
Twice, we had tenants who housed animals without our knowledge (in a house we own in Utah, where we have to rely on a property manager to keep track of these things). Both times left us with damage beyond the deposit. (Once was $4,000 from large dog damage, plus sloppy tenants.) This isn't "slum" housing; it rents for $1200/mo. - in UTAH! Doesn't matter.
SO, the "outrageous amount" in additional fees is WARRANTED. It's insurance for you, and peace of mind for the owner. Personally, if I was renting, I would offer an extremely large deposit for my pets, plus an explanation of exactly how I sympathize with the landlord's pain. Yes, it sucks. It's unfair. But I can't even describe the extreme sick-to-your-stomach feeling experienced when entering a vacated property that has been trashed by tenants who gave such a wonderful outward impression. When you spend several thousand dollars a year just on repair and clean-up (not maintenance) for your rentals, it makes you extremely cautious about who you rent to in the first place. Unfortunately, pets are a quick deal breaker.
It's a little different when the tenant is referred by a mutual friend or acquaintance. This offers some social accountability. I would suggest putting out feelers to every soul you know-- just in case someone knows someone who might have something available. Good luck!
I SO feel your pain! My parents were landlords with several properties where they allowed pets, and one renter totally trashed one of them. 5 large dogs and several cats (it was the cat pee all over the woodwork that caused the most damage), the tenant never paid her rent and had to be evicted. In that couple of months, she never cleaned anything, never washed a dish or clothing, and never cleaned up after her animals. She actually left them with over $20K in damages. She left for Germany (she was a German citizen) just afterwards, so they were never able to recover anything in the way of damages. That situation pretty much made sure that I'd never want to be a landlord. Now, if we have a spare house (like our current situation--our spare house is just about to go on the market), we sell, rather than put the spare house up for rent. BTW, right up to the day they died, my parents still allowed pets on a case-by-case basis.
As pet owners, ourselves, though, I really must sympathize with the OP. IME, there's no negotiating with landlords who say they don't allow pets. Nothing will entice them to change their minds, although I must admit that I never thought of offering to pay extra monthly rent. That might be one area that could have a positive outcome, if the landlord isn't absolutely adamantly opposed to pets in their rentals, and if they're fairly certain that the rent will actually be paid by the potential tenant.
Which is exactly why, IF we ever decide we'd like to live in Hawaii at some point, we'll purchase a home rather than rent. Leaving our pets behind is not an option (except for my snake collection--I know they can't come to Hawaii, and, frankly, they don't care who they live with, as long as they get fed on time ). That leaves us with 2 options: Don't move to Hawaii, or don't rent--buy! Not sure if the OP is in the position to even consider that option. If not, I hope that they finally manage to find a rental where pets are allowed.
We were only able to get a pet once we bought. Luckily, we bought at the time the housing prices were at rock bottom, and then were able to get a pet. When we first moved to Kona, we ended up making other plans for our dog (my mil took him) because of the lack of housing available that would allow pets.
We recently moved to a new state, and had a difficult time finding a place to rent that allowed for dogs, and this is a much more pet friend rental market.
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). That leaves us with 2 options: Don't move to Hawaii, or don't rent--buy! Not sure if the OP is in the position to even consider that option. If not, I hope that they finally manage to find a rental where pets are allowed.
