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I'm visiting Hawaii next month for 2 weeks (been there 2 times before) to visit my sister and brother-in-law near Waikiki, arriving in Maui first.
Still finalizing an itinerary. Interesting trip because my father passed away dancing on a cruise ship on the way there 2 Xmas's ago - not a bad way to go! - so his ashes are going to be ceremoniously put in the bay while I'm there. I'm going with my 2 young boys for 2 weeks. Now an 'orphan', she is my only sibling.
My present life has me working the last 20 years in a small town in Southern Oregon as an acupuncturist. I feel I could recreate that work, at some level, in Hawaii - I think it would click well - I don't want to just be around wealthy haole's, nor in a sketchy urban neighborhood. I'm also clear that it wouldn't be a good place for my boys to go to school (they are 12 and 14) - so a full time presence wouldn't be in the cards for at least 6 years.
A primary reason for being there is that I would like to really explore my music playing, perhaps integrating slack-key, and be around Asian culture and food. Short of moving to Southeast Asia Hawaii seems like a good bet. I'm not a hippie by the way.
The beach is nice, but somewhat secondary to being in a vibrant ecological area and not near a lot of industrial. But around friendly neighbors.
Can't have too much rain though because the boys mom also wants to be nearby and she couldn't stand it. From experience I know I can't stand the Vog, and Kuaia is too remote. So Oahu or Maui seem like the islands to explore.
I do have some money that could be put down - $150K or so -and my credit and standing with the banks seems good - my question is in timing - and whether its really feasible to buy a little land and actually build an appropriately climatized small home - and then rent it, go every few months, and wait..... From a distance I'd rather have a very small house than a condo - but maybe its unrealistic. Is the windward side of Oahu even possibly in play here? Any thoughts from the forum would be appreciated.
Last edited by kenoflife; 02-13-2012 at 11:46 AM..
I'm visiting Hawaii next month for 2 weeks (been there 2 times before) to visit my sister and brother-in-law near Waikiki, arriving in Maui first.
Still finalizing an itinerary. Interesting trip because my father passed away dancing on a cruise ship on the way there 2 Xmas's ago - not a bad way to go! - so his ashes are going to be ceremoniously put in the bay while I'm there. I'm going with my 2 young boys for 2 weeks. Now an 'orphan', she is my only sibling.
My present life has me working the last 20 years in a small town in Southern Oregon as an acupuncturist. I feel I could recreate that work, at some level, in Hawaii - I think it would click well - I don't want to just be around wealthy haole's, nor in a sketchy urban neighborhood. I'm also clear that it wouldn't be a good place for my boys to go to school (they are 12 and 14) - so a full time presence wouldn't be in the cards for at least 6 years.
A primary reason for being there is that I would like to really explore my music playing, perhaps integrating slack-key, and be around Asian culture and food. Short of moving to Southeast Asia Hawaii seems like a good bet. I'm not a hippie by the way.
The beach is nice, but somewhat secondary to being in a vibrant ecological area and not near a lot of industrial. But around friendly neighbors. Can't have too much rain though because the boys mom also wants to be nearby and she couldn't stand it. From experience I know I can't stand the Vog, and Kuaia is too remote. So Oahu or Maui seem like the islands to explore.
I do have some money that could be put down - $150K or so -and my credit and standing with the banks seems good - my question is in timing - and whether its really feasible to buy a little land and actually build an appropriately climatized small home - and then rent it, go every few months, and wait..... From a distance I'd rather have a very small house than a condo - but maybe its unrealistic. Is the windward side of Oahu even possibly in play here? Any thoughts from the forum would be appreciated.
Well - the windward side doesn't seem to be a good fit for you.....
Don't want to be around a bunch of wealthy haole's? Windward and east side is where they are.
Want to be around Asian Culture - windward side is probably the least "Asian" of the island.
Don't want to much rain - hmmm, windward side is the rainiest part of the island.
Your biggest challenge will be cash flow if you find a house - to buy a small house/condo you are going to need a property manager and carry a mortgage and other expenses. You are likely looking at negative cash flow per month.
I could be wrong in general, but from what I saw on Kaua'i, the majority of the clientele for an acupuncturist (especially a haole one) is mostly wealthy and haole. You speak of the boys' mom in a way that sounds like you're separated, so you're really looking at moving 2 (separate) households to Hawaii? Also, it's not clear how the mom is involved if you're only going there on vacation, unless she would vacation at the place with the kids independently.
The biggest flaw I see in your plan is wanting to create a new rental. On Maui and especially Oahu, finding appropriate land for a new house is difficult and expensive--you're not the first with that idea. Big Island still has space for that. But the other factor is you want to visit and have a "free" vacation more than once a year. That means short-term vacation rental. Unless you purchase in the places visitor accomodations are already concentrated (and it's expensive there because the income from the rental is essentially a lucrative business that you purcahse with the property), vacation rentals in neighborhoods are either regulated or frowned upon by the community. If you're willing to rent long-term (at least month to month), you don't have those problems, but you can only visit when it's vacant.
Well - the windward side doesn't seem to be a good fit for you.....
Don't want to be around a bunch of wealthy haole's? Windward and east side is where they are.
Want to be around Asian Culture - windward side is probably the least "Asian" of the island.
Don't want to much rain - hmmm, windward side is the rainiest part of the island.
Your biggest challenge will be cash flow if you find a house - to buy a small house/condo you are going to need a property manager and carry a mortgage and other expenses. You are likely looking at negative cash flow per month.
probably will see more haole's I imagine - but prefer the middle-class ones. Being around Asian culture doesn't mean I have to live in the neighborhood- compared to Southern Oregon its all around- its more what I'd find on Oahu as far as further study (thru Honolulu) vs. Maui or the BI. Think I'd have to figure out if more connections exist on other islands thru going there. As far as rain - I'd rather be just at the edge of having it regularly than completely dry on a beach - I like some weather. Its the ex that would want that - but that's her life - if we were on the same island that'd be fine.
I understand the issues of a property manager etc, I've been considering and qualifying to do that here where I am. Its a question of doing it at a distance for a place I might want to live. Just can't see doing another 20 years of being here anymore...
I could be wrong in general, but from what I saw on Kaua'i, the majority of the clientele for an acupuncturist (especially a haole one) is mostly wealthy and haole. You speak of the boys' mom in a way that sounds like you're separated, so you're really looking at moving 2 (separate) households to Hawaii? Also, it's not clear how the mom is involved if you're only going there on vacation, unless she would vacation at the place with the kids independently.
The biggest flaw I see in your plan is wanting to create a new rental. On Maui and especially Oahu, finding appropriate land for a new house is difficult and expensive--you're not the first with that idea. Big Island still has space for that. But the other factor is you want to visit and have a "free" vacation more than once a year. That means short-term vacation rental. Unless you purchase in the places visitor accomodations are already concentrated (and it's expensive there because the income from the rental is essentially a lucrative business that you purcahse with the property), vacation rentals in neighborhoods are either regulated or frowned upon by the community. If you're willing to rent long-term (at least month to month), you don't have those problems, but you can only visit when it's vacant.
Thanks!
Mom is very independent - and very frugal and small-scale and yogic/retreative - not really a household we're talking about in her case.
If I moved, she'd come, find a modest job - probably as a medical assistant. It was her idea to go to Hawaii - she really doesn't like how cold it is here.
Work - I don't know - surely most people go to what they heard is good, but it would be mostly haole I imagine. I have such a varied clientele here and I just don't cater to the wealthy - a few of them help pay the bills of course. And anyway - I imagine still working here and by time I'm there more fully it'll be scaled down. I have some confidence after 25 years of doing this without a hitch - in very different circumstances. I'm a good educator- and know that being Chinese isn't actually an ethnic description.
I get from reading posts that it might be wiser not to be the one to build - maybe take over from someone who did and it didn't work out - maybe the BI. I'd be wanting to rent long-term - and maybe even stay somewhere else if I had to occasionally being there. This is with the long view- I'd want to LOVE my place and want to piddle around in a small garden, have tea, and play guitar with my buddies when I'm in my 80s (I'm 51 now).
probably will see more haole's I imagine - but prefer the middle-class ones. Being around Asian culture doesn't mean I have to live in the neighborhood- compared to Southern Oregon its all around- its more what I'd find on Oahu as far as further study (thru Honolulu) vs. Maui or the BI. Think I'd have to figure out if more connections exist on other islands thru going there. As far as rain - I'd rather be just at the edge of having it regularly than completely dry on a beach - I like some weather. Its the ex that would want that - but that's her life - if we were on the same island that'd be fine.
I understand the issues of a property manager etc, I've been considering and qualifying to do that here where I am. Its a question of doing it at a distance for a place I might want to live. Just can't see doing another 20 years of being here anymore...
You must have a property manager who resides on the same island as your property, that is Hawaii law - no remote property management.
Thanks- I get that of course there'd be someone local!
Hopefully someone I get to know on a personal level.
I'd be just, ya know, watching the process of how it's all going from Oregon for awhile.
Actually the law only requires you to have an on island agent, basically someone your tenant can serve legal papers to. They do not have to be property managers or be paid. You do have to have their contact information on the lease.
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