Possible relocation to Hilo area (Honolulu, Keaau: for sale, apartments, rentals)

[hillr]

Hi, I am thinking about relocating to the Hilo area. I have family who lives in Keauu. I would be looking for an apartment to rent. Are there many complexes in the area? How much is the typical rent for a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment? I would also be looking for a job. I am a special education teacher who specializes in children who have been diagnosed with autism. I am also a board certified behavior analyst and would be applying for Hawaii LBA licensure. How hard it is to get a job working with the students I enjoy working with. How difficult is it to transfer my NYS teaching licenses to a Hawai’i license.
I know these are all questions I can ask my family, however they have only been there for a few years and are both retired so my circumstances are different.

Thank you!

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

There have been a couple of discussions here recently (pre-COVID) addressing your questions. I suggest you read through them, especially the ones about teaching jobs. You'll find some lively discussions!

Your family is on the ground close to Hilo, closer to almost everyone on this forum. They would probably be the most help with your questions about apartments.

Here's one recent thread: //www.city-data.com/forum/big-i...oods-work.html

Here's another one: //www.city-data.com/forum/big-i...-mainland.html

I know there were some posts by nyfinestbxtf about his wife finding a teaching job on the big island. This is one of his threads: //www.city-data.com/forum/big-i...-hawaiian.html

[hotzcatz]

Can you rent from your family in Keaau? Give them some income and give you more support as you start out so it might be a win-win. At least for the first month or two as you get settled in?

Hilo is a large town, it's not really a city. There's some rental complexes but they aren't the best. Also, it really depends on where you end up teaching as to where you'd want to rent. Craig's List and FB Marketplace have rentals listed, although it's best to see them in person before renting. Maybe your family could check out the place for you. Also, a lot of landlords don't want to rent to folks until they're on the island due to the amount of no-shows and folks bailing out once they see the places. Also, Realty companies will sometimes have listings. Rentals are tight right now, though.

Hawaii has a statewide DOE, (Department of Education) not individual ones for each island or each living area - since the only real city in the state is Honolulu, one can't really say 'per city'. So, you'd apply to the DOE and see what they'd require. Many upper level teaching degrees don't transfer over so if you're an experienced teacher you may end up with a lower salary. But to offset that, teachers are pretty respected in Hawaii and you'd be accepted into the community pretty much right away. Especially if you have family here, too.

Hawaii values humbleness and fitting in and being part of the team, so if you were to keep that in mind, it may help you in your job interviews. Family is also very important, so if you moved here to be close to family, that's a big plus, too.

[Nyfinestbxtf]

Originally Posted by hillr

Hi, I am thinking about relocating to the Hilo area. I have family who lives in Keauu. I would be looking for an apartment to rent. Are there many complexes in the area? How much is the typical rent for a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment? I would also be looking for a job. I am a special education teacher who specializes in children who have been diagnosed with autism. I am also a board certified behavior analyst and would be applying for Hawaii LBA licensure. How hard it is to get a job working with the students I enjoy working with. How difficult is it to transfer my NYS teaching licenses to a Hawai’i license.
I know these are all questions I can ask my family, however they have only been there for a few years and are both retired so my circumstances are different.

Thank you!

It costs $50 to get your Hawaii teaching license. As long as you’re a certified teacher anywhere in the US, you will be certified in Hawaii. Just pay the fee. It’s actually a nice looking certificate. I was in communication with a licensed special education teacher who was attempting to get a a teaching position last year. She did 11 interviews throughout the BI and wasn’t offered a position. My wife is a highly qualified Secondary English teacher and she had five interviews and wasn’t selected as well. Hawaii is a very hard state to get a job offer in teaching. If you’re not local, you will find it very difficult to be hirable. Good luck. Georgia is hiring like crazy and they pay better. Also, the cost of living is half that of Hawaii. Just closed on a house in Augusta Georgia for $300,000. 2600 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, over a half acre, and inground swimming pool. That will cost 600,000 in HPP.

[Nyfinestbxtf]

Other than that, Hawaii is an amazing place with the most amazing people. I will miss all of it.

[Luau Time]

Originally Posted by Nyfinestbxtf

It costs $50 to get your Hawaii teaching license. As long as you’re a certified teacher anywhere in the US, you will be certified in Hawaii. Just pay the fee. It’s actually a nice looking certificate. I was in communication with a licensed special education teacher who was attempting to get a a teaching position last year. She did 11 interviews throughout the BI and wasn’t offered a position. My wife is a highly qualified Secondary English teacher and she had five interviews and wasn’t selected as well. Hawaii is a very hard state to get a job offer in teaching. If you’re not local, you will find it very difficult to be hirable. Good luck. Georgia is hiring like crazy and they pay better. Also, the cost of living is half that of Hawaii. Just closed on a house in Augusta Georgia for $300,000. 2600 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, over a half acre, and inground swimming pool. That will cost 600,000 in HPP.

Congratulations on your home in Georgia! Did you already close on the sale of your home here in Hawaii? I know you were waiting for your daughter to finish the school year here before moving.

New homes are building here at a tremendous pace. We were very fortunate to have our home built as quickly and at a good price because he was a friend of my sister-in-law. All the lots have sold in our subdivision. A few were bought and developed by realtors. There are very few newly-constructed homes for sale in the Hilo and Keaau areas. HPP are mostly sold with water catchment. We are fortunate to be on County Water.

I’m sure you will be happy in Georgia. You definitely get more bang for the buck.

Best to you and your Ohana.

Judy

[Rain Monkey]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

Hawaii values humbleness and fitting in and being part of the team, so if you were to keep that in mind, it may help you in your job interviews. Family is also very important, so if you moved here to be close to family, that's a big plus, too.

Read it (once again). Learn it. Live it. One more piece of sage advice authored by Hotzcatz.

[Nyfinestbxtf]

Originally Posted by Luau Time

Congratulations on your home in Georgia! Did you already close on the sale of your home here in Hawaii? I know you were waiting for your daughter to finish the school year here before moving.

New homes are building here at a tremendous pace. We were very fortunate to have our home built as quickly and at a good price because he was a friend of my sister-in-law. All the lots have sold in our subdivision. A few were bought and developed by realtors. There are very few newly-constructed homes for sale in the Hilo and Keaau areas. HPP are mostly sold with water catchment. We are fortunate to be on County Water.

I’m sure you will be happy in Georgia. You definitely get more bang for the buck.

Best to you and your Ohana.

Judy

Mahalo Judy. When we saw the market going crazy here in December, we decided to put the house on the market. The house sold in a day full cash asking offer. If we were to stay, we didn’t like where our house was regardless and would have sold it anyway. The house to the left of us was for sale and empty and our fear was a loud neighbor with dogs would move in, and of course that is what happened. They started parking their cars on the front yard too. We drove by the house a few months later and that neighbor has a trampoline in the front yard, cars parked, and is a dump. Too bad, it’s a decent house too. They kept two dogs in a small crate in the driveway all day and they would just non-stop bark and they kept a dog chained in the back. Our living room was right next to the driveway. So it was like the dogs were barking in our ear. We didn’t mind the kids. Kids should be playing outside having fun. It’s just barking dogs that drives me insane. One of the dogs pooped in the crate and they were laying on top of each other for hours to avoid laying and stepping in the poop. Okay, that’s one thing I don’t like about Hawaii, the dog culture. I’m sure it isn’t everyone, but it’s enough to be a nuisance. Also, the wife was super loud and we were able to hear all her conversations on the phone. The neighbor to the right of us was super quiet. Outside of the House was beat up, but they were quiet. The neighbor behind us had serious domestic issues and they would fight non-stop and they too had dogs that wouldn’t stop barking. We were out of that house regardless.

We moved back to the house we originally rented and stayed till our daughter finished up the year. She is pretty upset about it. She made good friends.

I will miss Hawaii. It is an amazing place except for a couple crappy neighbors, but Georgia is where my wife got a job to teach.

[Nyfinestbxtf]

Originally Posted by Rain Monkey

Read it (once again). Learn it. Live it. One more piece of sage advice authored by Hotzcatz.

The most important thing is do not try to change Hawaii to be like the mainland. Live life with Aloha and all will be good.

[KohalaTransplant]

The lack of self awareness is sometimes mind boggling...