Planning our trip to be sure we want to move (moving to, housing)

[orangebird2020]

Well I think New Mexico and Maui are the 2 best places to live, so either way you will have a good life

I think visiting here is very smart before you do move. I also strongly encourage you to rent and not buy for the first year at least. Because if you change your mind, selling a property might not be as easy or cost effective.

Have you looked at what schools you want your child to attend? That could be a good place to start when thinking of where to live.

I think you should rent a condo when you visit, just so you get the feel of at least one area.

Good luck on job hunting, that will be your most difficult part of moving.

Keep us updated!

[Ellwood]

Originally Posted by vanboingy

Oh and we were told to hit Mama's Fish House for dinner one day while there, I stopped by their website, can anyone tell me the rough price for a meal there, as I was also told it was very expensive.

At least $100 with one drink.

[Ellwood]

Originally Posted by vanboingy

Really? I know I posted about it before, and said it was a $9 an hour pay cut for me, but on the county website it is listed as more than that per hour. But really, we plan to be able to buy a condo outright when we get there, just need regular living costs without the rent/mortgage to worry about.

Keep in mind when buying a condo the monthly maintenance fees. The place we stay every year the owners pay almost $1000 month.

[hothulamaui]

Originally Posted by Ellwood

At least $100 with one drink.

while mamas may be mega expensive and a place that tourist go to it is because the place has a WORLD wide reputation for its food and it's location. it is not any more expensive than other 4 to 5 star places. I have never had anything but stellar meals there and find it worth the price.

sounds like you won't get bored here, come for a visit and see if you can find jobs that will pay for you to live here. it is very hard to get a job here without a local address. good luck

[hothulamaui]

Originally Posted by Ellwood

Keep in mind when buying a condo the monthly maintenance fees. The place we stay every year the owners pay almost $1000 month.

yes many condo fees are so high it makes them hard to afford.

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by Ellwood

Keep in mind when buying a condo the monthly maintenance fees. The place we stay every year the owners pay almost $1000 month.

I don't know how people do it. You buy a 200k condo and do a $1000 monthly mortgage... Then another $300 for a monthly fee. That makes it not an investment at all, but instead a money pit.

You're better off buying a $300k house and paying that $300 every YEAR instead

[Calico Salsa]

Not sure if anyone answered this question in the other thread, but the Maui police dispatch is centralized, no satellite stations in other towns.

[in_my_travels]

Hi vanboingy,

You must be dreaming about living in Hawaii just as much as I am about returning home. All those things you want to do in Hawaii "biking, BBQ'ing, swimming, spending time with friends, gardening, taking pictures, being in the warmth and sunshine are great reasons to move to Hawaii! That's why I'm going back. I hate the cold! I've been on the mainland for too long and still can't get over it. If you hate the cold as much as I do, you'll love Hawaii and doing all those great and wonderful things.

As far as your daughter, it can be rough for students to come to Hawaii (from the mainland) in High School, but living on Maui might be different. I hope some Maui islanders can give you some ideas.

She's in 4th grade now? Growing up with elementary friends would make the transition a lot easier, although you would lose the French lessons in Canada. I took French in high school in Hawaii though, but I don't know if it'd be the same. Making friends early and going to school throughout elementary, intermediate school and high school would really help your daughter transition nicely. Friends for life.

Really. If I were you, just "go for it!" There is no time like the present.

Good luck to you! Let me know how it goes! I'm moving back without a job and just going to believe I will get a job (as a teacher). I don't have a job; I'm just "going for it!"

A hui hou!

IslandGirlGoingHome

[KoaKine]

Originally Posted by vanboingy

-Never been there.
-When we come to visit, we plan to do 2 maybe 3 islands (Maui, Oahu, and Kauai). We chose Maui as a possible home because we have friends there.
-We are planning roughly 1 week per island.
-Planning on renting a condo (in the towns we are seriously looking at), or on Maui staying with a friend.
-So far nothing, but we want to do some touristy things in case we don't come back, and some regular daily things to get a feel for how life *might* be.

We have been tossing around where to live for about 6 years now. I had planned on going to school before we moved, but that didn't happen and instead I fell into my current job. Plus we had a teenage family member wanting to live with us until she was finished with high school, and sick parents to deal with that have kept us from coming to Hawaii before now. We have done a great deal of research, and are looking for a specific lifestyle, and a specific climate for my condition.

We are also trying to decide if it would be better to move when our daughter is ready for HS or finished with HS because here in Canada she is taking school in French, and is currently learning very little English until 4th grade (although we only speak English at home - so she speaks it just fine, just the proper grammar and spelling are not where they would be in an English class). Or just go for it, and help her on our own to catch up to where she needs to be.

We have looked at other states and provinces. We have checked into New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and BC here in Canada, and New Mexico, Texas, Florida and of course Hawaii in the US. We did originally choose New Mexico, because I wanted to go to school but things have changed, and now we feel Hawaii would be the best fit.

We don't expect to be at the beach all day, we don't expect to learn how to surf in one lesson (probably won't learn at all because my husband isn't the greatest swimmer), we expect to be able to enjoy more time outside than we can now (again I can't handle the cold physically and so much of the year here is too cold for me) biking, BBQ'ing, swimming for me anyway, spending time with friends, and doing a lot of the same things we do now, all of the condos we have looked at have had a yard (checking for prices), I look forward to attempting to garden (never have before, but I want to try no matter where we live). My husband has photography as a hobby, and I imagine he will stick with it. I quilt and cook as a hobby and imagine I will keep that as well.

Basically I think we have realistic expectations, and aren't looking at this with stars in our eyes. But I do appreciate any input people can offer.

Mahalo for the input,

My suggestion would be to live everyday as you would normally try to go to the store you would in everyday life. I know this is one of the hardest things you will be able to do there is so much to do see shop ect. ect. it is also hard because you will not have all the amenity's you would at home but try . This will give you some assemblense of what it will be like. Like I know this Iʻm running to the store every ten minutes it feels like. in your free time Iʻm sure you will be looking at properties I would do this like its a job it gives me a feel of work time and rest time.
You will love gardening its easy here and can save real money. Check with the condo people about if you can garden or not some condos will not even let you put plants and stuff on your lani.

Good luck in your search

[Sub-Blue]

Originally Posted by KoaKine

Aloha.

I have a few questions before I give my advice.

How many times have you been to Hawaii?
How many of the Islands have you visited?
What was the longest amount of time you have spent here?
where do you stay when you visit?
what do you do when you visit?


I ask these questions because it took my wife and I 26 years to realize our dream of living in Hawaii and we actually changed Islands. Also how far into your research are you into this? This will help all of us here give you the best advice we can.

I wish you the best in your adventure

Form what island did you start and what island now?
Thanks