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Wanted to thank all who posted here - great insight and info.
My husband and I are considering moving to Lanai. We have a friend who has lived there for about 6 years. We expect we'll have to get resort jobs since the island is so small.
Can anyone share any experiences related to living on one of the small islands/Lanai? (We are definitely expecting a huge change from current life in Atlanta... but that's what we desperately want!)
Thanks!
Last edited by Lanai on the Mind; 07-29-2011 at 11:44 AM..
What did you bring with you (kid(s), car, furniture, dog)
Did you have a job already when you moved
Where was the first place you lived in...how much did it cost
What was your anxiety level like when you moved here
Were there differences that you found interesting or noteworthy
When did you start making friends
Did you move from your first place
Did you stay in your first job...or are you still looking
How did you manage the first 3 months...being away from old friends etc.
In retrospect was it a good decision and would you do it again
1) Moved to Hawaii because I decided while still in High School that I wanted to move away from where I grew up and live in two places that were basically polar opposites. New York City and Hawaii. I moved to NYC first, was there for nearly a decade and then decided it was time to go to Hawaii.
2) I brought 2 duffel bags of clothes, and a large roller of essentials (art supplies I couldn't bear to part with, electronics, my helmet and skate gloves a few books) & enough cash to last me a while.
3) No job when I moved, I had applied to many places online (food service/fine dining/catering) and while I got some favorable responses none were final and almost everyone said to drop by and see them in person once I got to Hawaii. None of these jobs ended up working out.
4) First place was a small privately owned studio sized "condo" in a hotel in Waikiki. Fully furnished, two beds, small table with chairs, small kitchenette with a sink hot plate, rice cooker, microwave, a few pots & pans plates etc. Everything we needed to eat on the cheap by cooking ourselves. The owner rents the place on a month to month basis, $1500 total, but there are three of us so $500 a piece.
5) Anxiety level when I moved here on a scale of 1-10- 3, or my normal level of anxiety. Mostly I was extremely excited about fulfilling this promise to myself, I had decided on this year to be the year I moved away from NYC 6 years ago and now I was following through. I had enough money to last me a while without a job and a separate savings account with more than enough money to buy a return ticket should things go wrong.
6) Hawaii, so far, has really reminded me of where I grew up, but with beaches. (I grew up in the central valley of california, near Yosemite). This surprised me but also made it feel slightly familiar.
7) I would say I'm currently in the process of making friends, after buying a new longboard from the guys at Bike Factory and chatting with them I think I will be going back there and trying to hook up with them to go skating around town, also more than a few people I now work with seem cool and like people I would like to hang out with.
8) Yes, we are moving from our first place, it was meant to be a landing pad for us to stay in while looking for a permanent housing solution. We'll be moving to a 2 bedroom in Makiki next week.
9) It's been about a month here, so still working on that, everything seems to be going along fine so far. Most of my really good friends have spread around the country in the last few years, so being away from them isn't much different from before I moved, they are still far away.
10) Yes, good decision, I would have never been able to live it down if I didn't at least try to make this happen after wanting to do it for this long. If i all goes up in flames and I have to buy a return ticket it will still be worth it because I kept my promise to myself.
great story! I had a quick question: how did you find your apartment? Were you able to look and sign a lease the same day? Any tips on property companies or how to find a 2br from $1200-$1700/month?
great story! I had a quick question: how did you find your apartment? Were you able to look and sign a lease the same day? Any tips on property companies or how to find a 2br from $1200-$1700/month?
We used craigslist mostly, but also checked out other websites. We also used Padmapper which is a website that basically gathers all recent postings within a criteria you create and shows them on a map so you can look at the map and choose your listing without having to check the map each time you look at a post for an apartment. Keep in mind though that if a specific address isn't listed then it won't show up on padmapper, so use it as a supplement not your main tool for searching.
As for the 2br apts there are a number of them available at that price point, it is in fact a similar price range to what we were looking for. We were not able to both look and sign a lease the same day. Most places have multiple applicants and they look through and pick the one they like or that is the most qualified so you have to wait to find out. Having good credit and island references is a huge help.
As for property companies, I have always preferred to deal with owners, and we ended up renting directly from an owner this time as well so I can't recommend any real estate companies.
A good tip though is to ask the person showing if they have any other apartments in the same price range available, because sometimes they don't list everything, also calling up after a few days (like 4) if you don't hear anything is a good idea. That way you can follow up and potentially remind them that you are very interested if they have a lot of applicants, and also thank them for taking the time to show you the place.
We used craigslist mostly, but also checked out other websites. We also used Padmapper which is a website that basically gathers all recent postings within a criteria you create and shows them on a map so you can look at the map and choose your listing without having to check the map each time you look at a post for an apartment. Keep in mind though that if a specific address isn't listed then it won't show up on padmapper, so use it as a supplement not your main tool for searching.
As for the 2br apts there are a number of them available at that price point, it is in fact a similar price range to what we were looking for. We were not able to both look and sign a lease the same day. Most places have multiple applicants and they look through and pick the one they like or that is the most qualified so you have to wait to find out. Having good credit and island references is a huge help.
As for property companies, I have always preferred to deal with owners, and we ended up renting directly from an owner this time as well so I can't recommend any real estate companies.
A good tip though is to ask the person showing if they have any other apartments in the same price range available, because sometimes they don't list everything, also calling up after a few days (like 4) if you don't hear anything is a good idea. That way you can follow up and potentially remind them that you are very interested if they have a lot of applicants, and also thank them for taking the time to show you the place.
My wife and I have recently moved to Kauai and have loved it thus far. Food is expensive, but not bad if your willing to adjust your menu and maybe pick some fruit from a wild banana or mango tree here and there. we have been here almost 2 weeks and its amazing. My wife Emilie was the big reason why we moved. Her hard work landed her a teaching job, thus giving us the financial security to make the plunge in.
Mahalo!
Cory and Emilie
Last edited by 7th generation; 08-02-2011 at 04:58 AM..
Reason: no blogs please
What made you decide to move to Hawaii
My husbands job....and we were married on Oahu 4 years ago. We stayed for a week and after we went back home to Oregon(wet, gloomy, and rainy), moved to Arizona(hot and dry), and dreamed of Hawaii everyday.
What did you bring with you (kid(s), car, furniture, dog)
husband, 2 kids, 1 car, husbands motorcycle, not much furniture, electronics, kitchen stuff, bicycles, misc..
Did you have a job already when you moved
My husband got offered the job he's been waiting for for 2years! The offer just happened to be in Hawaii
Where was the first place you lived in...how much did it cost
We stayed at the Navy Lodge for 3 weeks. It was $100/night. I searched for a place to live while my husband was at work everyday, but everything got snatched up so fast! Finally found a 2bdrm condo in KoOlina.
What was your anxiety level like when you moved here
It was kinda low. I was only responsible for finding a place for us to live. I was really excited to finally get here
Were there differences that you found interesting or noteworthy
We love air conditioning, especially my husband. Our first electric bill was $500, and that was with the air running non stop. It was 4x more than I'm used to paying.
My grocery bill was a lot more than usual
[b]When did you start making friends
I've been here since mid April, and I'm just starting to make friends
Did you move from your first place
No. Been here for about 4mo in KoOlina and absolutely love it!
Did you stay in your first job...or are you still looking
My husband loves his job and hoping we wont have to leave for a very long time.
How did you manage the first 3 months...being away from old friends etc.
It didn't really bother me much. I'm used to being away from friends and family. I do miss them all though
In retrospect was it a good decision and would you do it again
Definitely!
A friend of mine has a buddy that lives in Hawaii and says he loves it. I always wondered when you live somewhere that is a vacation "paradise" how long does it take (if ever) to get dis-enchanted when your home is there. Along with your work,stresses,etc.
When you live in Hawaii, and need a break from it all, where do you vacation? It always fascinated me what it would be like to live in a place like Hawaii, but I'm guessing it's like anything. During the work week you probably forget your in this vacation mecca and just at your 9-5, or am I wrong?
C&E
I am just starting the research process of moving our "stuff" from the main land to Kauai. What shipping company did you use and what advice do you have to make the move easier? Thanks for your help!
Scott and Stacy Dunton
This was a fun thread to read through! I remember coming to read on the forums before we moved. Glad to see many positive stories. We have been on Oahu for over four years now. Here is how it went for us:
1. What made you decide to move - my husband recieved a job offer. We had visited Hawaii many times, always wanted to live here.
2. What did you bring with you - we brought everything! My husband's company paid for the move. We had a large container of household items, two cars.
3. Did you have a job already when you moved - yes, my husband did. I don't work.
4. What was the first place you lived/how much did it cost - we stayed in a corporate condo in Kakaako (close to Ala Moana in downtown Honolulu). Try saying "Kakaako" when you have just moved from the mainland!! People had no idea what I was saying - totally mangled the pronunciation!
5. What was your level of anxiety - kind of medium. I started getting nervous when we looked at houses and I realized how little we were going to get for our money.
6. Were there differences you noticed - definitely! Nothing bad....slower pace, nicer drivers (people wave you in - shocking coming from Southern Cal!), more diverse (at first I would look around and notice I was the only haole in a place - restaurant, store, whatever, now it does not even register), mongeese, no hummingbirds, being called "auntie", spam msubi at 7/11, kammaiana rates, certain stores aren't here (Pottery Barn, how I miss you), seeing the ocean all the time, lots more rainbows....
7. When did you start making friends - volunteering at my child's school, getting to know other parents, neighbors. It can be very transitory here - people come and go much more than I experienced on the mainland. We've gotten to know many people who then move away (particularly hard on kids).
8. Did you move from your first place - we ended up buying a house in Hawaii Kai (east Honolulu suburb).
9. Did you stay in your first job - my husband still works at the same place - he really likes it and the people he works with.
10. How did you manage the first three months - so busy settling in. Lots of phone calls, e-mail, visiting back and forth.
11. In retrospect was it a good decision, would you do it again - overall it has been a great experience for us, and I would do it again. You don't want to "woulda/shoulda/coulda". I feel so lucky that we have gotten to be here. I tell my child all the time what an amazing place this is to grow up. The other morning we were watching misty rain over the extinct volcano we can see from our house (Koko Head) and a gorgeous rainbow appeared - I mean, are you kidding???? Amazing! Is it perfect? No...and I don't think any place is. Is it for everyone? No...and again, I don't think anyplace could be.
Best of luck for those considering the move and I hope my answers have helped!
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People had no idea what I was saying - totally mangled the pronunciation! 
