Kauai - Paradise Found for Retirement? (Hilo, Waimea: rental, crime, house)

[TERRIE]

i commend all the responses on living in hawaii....i wish i had listened when we moved here a year and a half ago....you did a great job explaining what it's like to live here....we are also going back because of mostly expense...my husband has adjusted better than myself.....i don't think you will fully know unless you live here for at least a month or more....i can't stress enough "it's a nice place to visit but wouldn't want to live there".....we've decided with the money we will save where we're going we can afford to visit twice a year!....and that's just fine with me!
ps...the book: "so you want to live in hawaii" is right on, take everything you read to heart....it's the truth.....oh, and i suggest having a plan b in case it doesn't work out...good luck to all!!

[KimoJimo]

That was a great posting on the Islands! What you said about Kauai in particular is very true, and was beautifully stated. In spite of some of the things you said there is still obviously a warm spot in your heart for all the Islands... I can tell!!!

There were things about Kauai that frustrated me totally and I even had to suffer through the aftermath of Hurricane Iniki and deal with FEMA (THAT was a laugh) and with the local beaurocracy to get my house re-roofed and repaired. I about went crazy, finally called my local Congressman, who was attending Clinton's inaugural ball (My! That WAS a heck of a long time!), who, bless her heart, CALLED Kauai's mayor and told her to stop messing with me. On a Saturday morning three inspectors showed up on my doorstep, one said "You obviously know people in high places!" and all three just signed all the clearances and went on their merry ways.

My hardest moment came when my (local) insurance company said "The check is in the mail"; we used savings, etc, to finish the house and the (local) insurance company went broke....

Living on Kauai was a great experience, and I would love to go there with several million dollars and do it right! This will never happen!

But yours was a great post. I love Terrie's posts, too! Tells it like it is!

[MarJ]

We found our paradise in the beach city of San Clemente, CA. It's a mobile home park called Shorecliffs Terrace. It's an affordable retirement community and a resident owned park so we never have to worry about rent increases or the land being sold out from under us. We paid $300,000 for a 1700 sq ft place 3 years ago. We have some really old people here but the baby boomers are moving in and we are more active now than we have ever been. My husband has been elected to the HOA, we spend a lot of time at the beach boogie boarding and reading, he's putting the finishing touches on our
1964 red Thunderbird convertible, we enjoy dining outdoors on the San Clemente Pier and sandwiches and a bottle of wine on the beach watching sunsets. We enjoy ballroom dancing and yesterday spent a nice day at Santa Anita Race Track with our neighbors at a cost of $37/person for the bus, entrance to the park and lunch. Our climate is temperate year round so no air conditioning, extremely low heating bills and no bugs. If you want to see our Paradise, type in Shorecliffs Terrace on the Yahoo search engine - Google won't pull it up.

[Sorcerer68]

The humidity may be a deal killer for you if you're that sensitive. Come in the summer and see if you can deal with it. I've never been a more humid place than Hawaii and summer highs are mid to high 80's. I always say getting off the plane is like having a warm, wet blanklet thrown on you. Most people get used to it, it takes a while.

[islandsunshine]

Thanks Kimo for the compliment. I missed Iniki but I heard the horror stories of the insurance companies.

You know all in all, Hawaii's weather is nice. Iniki was the first hurricane in how long? It's not like Florida where it is one after the other.

The other thing about Hawaii is the "ohana spirit". I wasn't there but I bet after Iniki there wasn't looting and people getting shot over a jug of water.
I know there the people would all pitch in and share what they had.

When I see disasters happen elsewhere it really shows what kind of people live there. I believe that Hawaii's people are what make the island what it it. Sure there are the freaky ones here and there, but over all, they are good people and they will help each other.

Oh and never say never.....I know a close friend who bought a lotto ticket with 4 quarters and hit the jackpot. But she always believed it would happen

If you hold Hawaii in your heart, you will find a way to get back home again

Aloha a hui hou

[KimoJimo]

Aloha, Sunshine... You are right, after Iniki the people pulled together and helped each other tremendously. Only one case of looting and it was a couple of Army men who were supposed to guard a jewelry store at one of the resorts... They were immediately caught, flown to Oahu, tried and jailed... in one day. They apparently were used as an example to others. You know Hawaiians... they don't fool around!!!

Oddly enough, I was present as a tourist at the hurricane that hit almost exactly 10 years before in 1982... We were staying at the Poipu Sheraton and watched our room go out to sea! Another storm that no one told us was coming!

[islandsunshine]

Aloha Kimo,

Wow, I don't ever remember hearing about that one. That was before my time there.

I know when I was going to buy a condo for an investment in Hawaii I looked on 3 islands but even though Princeville had the nicest one for sale in my price range I passed on it because I do know when the storms hit, Kauai is going to get it anyway you look at it.

I am moving back to Hawaii but I will either go to the Big Island or Maui. As beautiful as Kauai is, it is just too rainy and those storms always are something to think about.

But this last year there were all those earth quakes and mudslides all over so who knows.

Well take care

Aloha a hui hou

[Rosebud8]

Originally Posted by rockfisherman

Pick up a copy of "So You Want to Live in Hawaii" by Toni Polancy. You'll be glad you did. Lots of good info in there.

Thanks! I just happened to pick up a copy last week. Havent had a chance to read it yet but I found it in Barnes and Noble. It looks good!

[wailanigrl]

To all those who would love to move to Hawaii...If it is your dream then do it. I am from Hawaii, left and returned 20 years later...I gave up alot in the states and had to start over in my late 30's. I live on Oahu in Kailua which is a nice town, with one of the most beautiful beaches around. I have a good job, not great but good, and make ends meet. There is so much to do if you love the water and outside that you can save money that way..however my home was apprasied at 980,000.00 and It was build in the 50,s needs new wiring, has no carport, and i just put 30,000.00 into a kitchen and sitting room...but it is 2 blocks from the beach...lol..its worth truly in the states would get 150,000.00 if I prayed...do your homework...as our gas is high, food is high but you pay for paradise....aloha, wailani

[HankDfrmSD]

Originally Posted by mysticwizard

Also, it looks like the rain statistics are high.. does it rain primarily in the morings there?
.

The "450 inches of rain" talk is misleading. That figure is for the top of Mt Waialeale, in the middle of the island. The places where you might live are much less. Here is a web site that will give you actual rainfall each day for a month last May, in Lihue, the main town on Kauai. You can reset the dates for other months:


http://www.wunderground.com/history/....html#calendar