Where is the NEW sunniest least expensive housing (Hilo, Pahala: 2015, hotels)

[DeirdreDedra]

Over the past 15 years I've watched the weather patterns become erratic in most places. The last three times I've been in Hawai'i it was cloudy, windy and had quite a bit of rain. They were three different times of year, and I'm wondering if you all have noticed that there have been less sunny days in general. I'm mostly speaking of Keauhou, Kona & Kohala areas. But usually when it's like that, it affects the whole island.

The reason I ask is because I am really hoping to get to move to Hawai'i sometime in the next ten years. Hawai'i has the culture and the people and the beauty I want to be with. I'm just concerned that the weather is changing to be a rainier place. Obviously some rain, as there always was, is totally fine and necessary. But if there is a place that you all think is still mostly sunny most of the time, I would really appreciate knowing. I guess it's possible we just had bad luck since 2016. But I do keep an eye on Big Island Video news and see colder, wetter conditions than I used to. Also, the lesser expensive part of the question is because I don't believe we could live in expensive developments like Waikaloa and such. So mahalo for sharing any of your observations and opinions!

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Since you acknowledge that you’ve seen weather patterns changing over the last 15 years and you don’t plan to move for another ten, how does the weather today matter?

I’ve never seen quite a bit of rain in Kona. I live near South Point so am not in Kona everyday, but I can’t remember the last time I saw rain there. However, you asked for the sunniest least expensive area, so I’d have to say Ocean View.

[hotzcatz]

Yup, what Dreaming said! Oceanview is probably the least expensive and least rainy.



Be careful what you wish for, you may end up doing a rain dance if you're not careful.

[Grassyknoll]

After living here for 5 years, I am at the point where I appreciate rainy days as a respite from the sun.
This winter has been a bit abnormally wet, but I don't mind, there's still plenty of sunny beach-days.

[DeirdreDedra]

Thanks guys! True about what the weather will be like in 10 years. But I appreciate the answers!

[Jane M]

I lived in Kona for two years (2015-2017) and it rained like twice. It's not the cheapest place to live, however.

[Arktikos]

Hilo and Puna were drier than usual this winter. I don't believe it's been rainy, as in many hours of rain in a week, on Kona side for several years.
Ocean View to Pahala area would clearly be your best bet.

[davephan]

Ten years is a long time in the future! There’s good and bad things about Hawaii, or anywhere else you are considering living or moving. If you check the climate sites, you can quickly learn which places have gloomy skies or sunny skies most of the time. File example, the Pacific Northwest is overcast most of the time. Florida is sunny most of the time. But on the Big Island, there are many microclimates, so it depends on where you live on the island. But you were asking for where the cheapest place was on the Big Island. Which means you don’t want to spend a lot of money or don’t have a lot of money to spend. High cost of living is simply a fact in Hawaii, which means that you’ll have to drastically lower your standard of living if you don’t have a lot of money.

Ten years is a long time. If you develop chronic health problems in the future, Hawaii is not the place you’d be able to live, especially in the outer islands. How many times have you visited Hawaii? Or, have you only been dreaming about moving to Hawaii based on your perspective from things on the Internet or TV? If you can’t afford to visit Hawaii several times, it’s very unlikely that you could ever afford to live there. The first step is to start visiting Hawaii, and don’t stay in hotels or resorts.

The drier areas on the Big Island can be nicer because they are not gloomy all the time and you don’t have to put up with a huge amount of rain. Far less bugs in the dry areas, like mosquitoes. But you have to pay for water to keep everything green, and you’d want everyone else around you to be required to keep everything green around you, so you’re not living next door to an eye sore properly.

It’s hard to beat the climate in Hawaii. Some people say Southern California is a close second. But there are horrendous problems with California, which is why a mass exodus is occurring from California now. From your post, it seems like you haven’t visited Hawaii, since you didn’t mention any visits to Hawaii. If you haven’t visited Hawaii, that should be you first step. If there’s no way you can afford the visit to Hawaii, then you already have your answer that you won’t be able to afford it, and Hawaii isn’t for you. About 95% of the people who try moving to Hawaii, end up moving back to the mainland within one to two years. That’s largely saying that the reality of living in Hawaii didn’t match the expectations of living in Hawaii. I haven’t heard that dramatic statistic ever mentioned for any other place.

Still, it’s possible to live in Hawaii if you don’t have a lot of money. But you have to be willing to lower your standard of living. For some people, that trade off is worth it. Isolation is a fact of life in Hawaii. Your friends and family will most likely never visit you, or maybe visit you one time only. You will have to fly to their locations for visits. Airline tickets aren’t cheap if your flying to or from Hawaii, so if you don’t have a lot of money, you won’t be leaving Hawaii for years, because of the cost.

There’s a lot of thing to think about. But you have a lot of time to think about those things before you’re ready to move. Compare living in Hawaii to other places. There’s no perfect place to live. It’s a compromise what’s best for you, and your budget.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by davephan

But there are horrendous problems with California, which is why a mass exodus is occurring from California now.

How do you have a mass exodus in California when the population continues to grow?

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by davephan

About 95% of the people who try moving to Hawaii, end up moving back to the mainland within one to two years.

Where are your statistics to back up this claim?