Texas boy looking at BI (Hilo, Hawaiian Paradise Park: rent, insurance, condo)

[Bluecatmatt]

Happy Sunday all, my wife and I live in North Texas have our entire lives, we are mid 50’s. Quick questions for retired mainlanders and current retired Islanders, what part of the BI is best for retirement? Rent or own?

Mahalo
Matt

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Could you explain a little more about what you mean by "best for retirement"? Close to medical care, such as it is on the BI? Close to shopping, or more rural? Do you want to grow your own food?

Rent or own would depend on your preference. What is your budget?

Did you see this recent thread "What do retired people who live in HOVE or Puna do?"?

[Tisambas1]

Originally Posted by Bluecatmatt

Happy Sunday all, my wife and I live in North Texas have our entire lives, we are mid 50’s. Quick questions for retired mainlanders and current retired Islanders, what part of the BI is best for retirement? Rent or own?

Mahalo
Matt

It is cheaper to own than rent. The East side is tropical and has the beautiful water falls and jungle. The Kona side is more like Texas, hot and arid with cacti.

I live on Kaloli Point a small peninsula off the sub division Hawaiian Paradise Park in the Puna District. It is a very quiet neighborhood with well kept homes and beautiful ocean front homes. We are about 20 mins south of Hilo and we have a lot of retired folks out here who still enjoy an active life style living on the ocean,

[Bluecatmatt]

Apparently I didn’t think that question out very much

[Grassyknoll]

Best place to retire on the Big Island? Probably Hualali Gated community if you have 4-20 mil to plunk down on a house.
Otherwise, your question is way too vague to give any real answers to. What price range of houses (or are you thinking condo?) will you be looking at? What activities do you enjoy or anticipate participating in? Any health issues? Like rural or town-life? Etc....

[Bluecatmatt]

Hit the quick reply and erased the last part of my post

[Bluecatmatt]

Why can’t I see my whole post?

[grantw]

We retired to Big Island after selling our house, guns and almost everything we owned in DFW.

Buying a home and property in Ocean View was our plan all along. We rented for a few months in Kona as we looked for our
"new" home. We ended up with a very nice, modern house with 1840 sf on two acres. The acreage was landscaped with plants, flowers and a small macadamia tree grove.

The house has several lanais and large picture view windows with vast views of South Point.

We are at 3100' and have mild days and nights.

The terrain on this side of the island really reminds me of the Texas Hill Country.

Let me know if you have more questions...happy to help where possible.

[Bluecatmatt]

Thanks for the reply, Im new at this forum thing. We actually got married on Oahu in 1988, it's changed a lot since then.

We have been to all the Islands except Molokai and found the BI was a good fit, especially the Kona side, we were there in September and December of 2019.

We are still a few years from actually retiring but wanted to start getting ducks in a row, we already live in a 55 community up in the Denton area and commute to Dallas for work, moved out of Dallas due to the crime going up. How is the crime rate in the OV area? I hear there is a meth problem on the islands?

UGH! My guns never thought of it! Are you allowed to have a gun as long as it's registered with the local Sheriffs Dept. and keep it it in your house?

What about the home insurance? Lava Zone? I haven't experienced "VOG" yet, how bad does it get south of Kona?

Any help is great information, Thanks!

Matt

[hotzcatz]

Vog is about all gone now that the volcano is resting. Not that it can't come back, but it's not around at the moment. When it was here, it was pretty bad in large areas of Ka'u.


For retirement, somewhere close to medical facilities, somewhere close to supplies and whatever form your entertainment takes. Perhaps Waikoloa Village? They are pretty much built around a golf course. Less crime up in that area, although things are more expensive, too.