Is the grass greener in Maui? Contemplating relocating from Saint Paul. (Hilo: 2013, rental)

[maui-intoxicated]

On the topic of buying...here are my initial thoughts, not being an islander nor knowing anyone in island real estate...

I've done enough reading and have enough experience that I know the most attractive offer is a cash offer in Maui...and anywhere really. I wouldn't attempt to buy any piece of property without a 50% cash offer...making my transaction more likely... I also wouldn't do this unless I had a silent investor partner willing to front 50% down with me and some sort of maintenance agreement. I would take out a 15year loan, live in the place myself at LEAST 5years so I can get it up to snuff... Then when I left me and my partner would have options. We wouldn't be underwater, we would have equity and again, its easier to unload on the other end.

As for the market...there is always a market and the grass is green where you water it.

[TwoByFour]

Now is an excellent time to buy almost anywhere with interest rates so low and the RE market just now starting to recover. The recovery on Maui is not uniform, though. I think condos are way up in value but houses are so-so, depending on the area. Several agents have blogs but I take a look at this one:
Maui Real Estate Team Blog
Pete Jalbart does a good job of breaking down the Maui housing market into the supply/demand in different areas and price ranges, and how that has changed over the last year or two. You can get pretty familiar with the Maui RE market by reading his blog.

As to dogs - it is amazing to what extent our pooch drives all of our decisions. A huge factor for us choosing the house we bought was making sure the neighborhood and yard are dog friendly. Our dog is old so we looked for a car in Maui that would be really easy for her to get in/out of. I cannot imagine leaving her behind for a week let alone a month. But when it comes to traveling or renting a house, they make things difficult, that is for sure.

[maui-intoxicated]

Originally Posted by TwoByFour

Now is an excellent time to buy almost anywhere with interest rates so low and the RE market just now starting to recover. The recovery on Maui is not uniform, though. I think condos are way up in value but houses are so-so, depending on the area. Several agents have blogs but I take a look at this one:
Maui Real Estate Team Blog
Pete Jalbart does a good job of breaking down the Maui housing market into the supply/demand in different areas and price ranges, and how that has changed over the last year or two. You can get pretty familiar with the Maui RE market by reading his blog.

As to dogs - it is amazing to what extent our pooch drives all of our decisions. A huge factor for us choosing the house we bought was making sure the neighborhood and yard are dog friendly. Our dog is old so we looked for a car in Maui that would be really easy for her to get in/out of. I cannot imagine leaving her behind for a week let alone a month. But when it comes to traveling or renting a house, they make things difficult, that is for sure.

All of this is important to us as well yes! Buddy is getting old and we are hopefully for 1 story walkout living with a vehicle he can get in/out of easily. I have a truck and pretty soon I will need to get him a step stool. Gotta love Winters!

And thanks for the blog link, I learned a lot.

[KauaiPono]

Have you only been to Maui? Why Maui over the other islands?

Please remember going to hawaii on Vacation is very different than living there.

Please read some old posts about people moving to Hawaii and then having to work two jobs to survive. Please read all the posts from Winkosmosis; he is a reader who moved to Maui and had to move back to the mainland. Very insightful.

The market in Hawaii is heating up. My place in Hanalei/Princeville has appreciated 200K in just two years. (I swear it)

don't belive those Hawaii Life shows on HGTV. Those prices are too low.

Again read winkosmosis' old posts!!!!!!!

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by KauaiPono

Please read all the posts from Winkosmosis; he is a reader who moved to Maui and had to move back to the mainland.

Yes, his posts are informative and educational, but he says, no, he didn't have to move back. He chose to move back to help his mother.

Again read winkosmosis' old posts!!!!!!!

And be sure to read the most recent ones, which straighten out the record.

[maui-intoxicated]

Originally Posted by KauaiPono

Have you only been to Maui? Why Maui over the other islands?

Please remember going to hawaii on Vacation is very different than living there.

Please read some old posts about people moving to Hawaii and then having to work two jobs to survive. Please read all the posts from Winkosmosis; he is a reader who moved to Maui and had to move back to the mainland. Very insightful.

The market in Hawaii is heating up. My place in Hanalei/Princeville has appreciated 200K in just two years. (I swear it)

don't belive those Hawaii Life shows on HGTV. Those prices are too low.

Again read winkosmosis' old posts!!!!!!!

I have read a ton of the posts winkosmosis made and it was informative but I do feel an experience not closely related to something I will encounter. I do appreciate his tale!

I have relocated a few other times in my life. I have a secured career/job and a supportive wife and a friendly companion of a dog. We will not be staying beyond our first child's first birthday...which I cannot predict the future but that is at least 9months away heh. The plan would be to have kids in 3years, so in 4years if we are homesick or feel it's better for us to raise our kids back in St Paul then we will act accordingly.

For now my wife and I are really looking to unwind for a bit. If Maui is ultimately too rural or secluded of a community or we find we are not fulfilling our spirits than we will plan the next journey together.

Lots of people have got hung up on the logistics and such to the point I think they just scare themselves. This is America, land of the free, home of the brave...people need to be more free...and more brave. Understand this is just what we are trying to do!

We hope the community accepts us and allows us to contribute. If this becomes the case than it Maui our kind of place!

I have done some good research, planning and networking so I feel I am well prepared but I do realize life cannot be planned.

We are still in the early stages of our decision making process...we wouldn't make a rash decision without thinking about it for a while.

I appreciate your feedback and keep it coming!

Mahalo!

[maui-intoxicated]

Originally Posted by OpenD

Yes, his posts are informative and educational, but he says, no, he didn't have to move back. He chose to move back to help his mother.



And be sure to read the most recent ones, which straighten out the record.

I've read enough to know that he needs to have a more positive outlook on a daily basis. It's hard to understand demeanor while utilizing interpersonal communication, but looking back at many of his posts, maui and non-maui related he knows how to find the negatives in situations and also prefers to share moreso with a negative demeanor in his posts than in a positive tone which is the path I tend to choose.

He might not admit it...but he is a little pessamistic IMHO...please don't torch me but a lot of people reference to him and I have heard many positive and uplifting stories from friends of mine, people on the island and in forums that I know his experience could be one way to go about it but is atypical and hard to relate to my life in general.

[Jungjohann]

Keep in mind that about 1,312,000 something people live in Hawaii. (not counting cannibals). About 20 people post on city-data in the hawaii forum on a regular basis. Of those 20 maybe 10 of them actually live in Hawaii. That leaves about 1,312,000 something people who live here who don't post on this forum. NOW, I can't personally account for WHY they don't post here, but they do seem to be doing OK is spite of it. Just saying, some folks actually live here without the advice of citydata. How they manage, I'll never know, but they're not all about to jump into the volcano..

hope i haven't pissed off the cannibals

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Jungjohann

Keep in mind that about 1,312,000 something people live in Hawaii. (not counting cannibals). About 20 people post on city-data in the hawaii forum on a regular basis. Of those 20 maybe 10 of them actually live in Hawaii. That leaves about 1,312,000 something people who live here who don't post on this forum.

And of the 10, at least 8 live on the Big Island and are very elderly.

[HiloDiver]

Originally Posted by Jungjohann

Keep in mind that about 1,312,000 something people live in Hawaii. (not counting cannibals). About 20 people post on city-data in the hawaii forum on a regular basis. Of those 20 maybe 10 of them actually live in Hawaii. That leaves about 1,312,000 something people who live here who don't post on this forum. NOW, I can't personally account for WHY they don't post here, but they do seem to be doing OK is spite of it. Just saying, some folks actually live here without the advice of citydata. How they manage, I'll never know, but they're not all about to jump into the volcano..

hope i haven't pissed off the cannibals

BEST. CITY-DATA. POST. EVER.

Originally Posted by whtviper1

And of the 10, at least 8 live on the Big Island and are very elderly.

There's another young person besides me?

"Very Elderly" supposes in excess of 75 years old. I think most of the B.I. posters are right in your very own age demographic. I think we have a few mainlanders posting who are "very elderly" but they aren't living here yet.