Sunset Terrace 3626 Lower Honoapiilani Rd. (Lahaina, Paia: appointed, real estate, apartments)

[hermandie]

Was thinking about renting a studio in this complex. Can anyone tell me about their opinions on this place. Is it a good neighborhood, safe, clean, well managed, close to shopping for groceries and such, and easily accessible. The reason why I am considering this place is because they are pet friendly. Thanks.

[whynot?]

These are fairly new (1990s?) apartments in the Honokowai neighborhood, across from a beach park and next door to a small shopping complex that has a coffee shop, a Latin grocery, and a local health food store that hosts a farm market three mornings a week. There's a fish market and popular okazuya a few blocks down the road, and a local full-service grocery store about a mile south. I don't know anything in particular about Sunset Terrace -- a waitress we know lived there a couple of years ago. Honokowai is fairly densely populated with a number of full-time resident and rental condos, time-shares, and a couple of resorts. It's not a "bad" neighborhood, but there is crime there. It's not a resort neighborhood, per se -- more local apartments, a few small houses, and kind of a "value vacation" condo area. We find "clean" on Maui to be something of a relative concept, so it's hard to determine that for someone else. I think a lot of people who move to the West Side start in Honokowai, then move elsewhere as they explore, find jobs, etc.

I really wouldn't recommend signing a long-term lease anywhere without visiting the property first. Especially right now when there are so many options for rentals and you can probably convince a VRBO (or similar vacation rental) owner to let you keep your (small?) pet there for a few weeks if you are responsible and make a reasonable offer. I just scrolled back through your other posts, and I should probably also mention that Honokowai is definitely not an affluent area of Lahaina. It's a narrow strip of neighborhoods between the old (2-lane, 20MPH) and new (4-lane, 45MPH) Honoapiilani highways and the water. (Depending upon where you are in Honokowai, there may or may not be a sandy beach, often just rocks or a seawall.) And I wouldn't change my moving plans for Halloween -- the trend has been to make it more of a cultural event, and last year everything but the keiki (children's) parade was cancelled.

Best of luck.

[hermandie]

Thanks whynot?. You have been very helpful in answering my questions here. I actually just found out that I have an old friend that moved to Maui last year with his wife and reside in Paia. I have been asking him about his experiences and he has shared similar information. What do you think about us taking a pre-move trip out there for about a week to look in person and lock down a place? This will cost us but I feel it may be better for us in the long run because if we just chose something we saw online and signed a lease, we may be disappointed when we arrive and stuck there until the lease is up. Oh yeah, why did they cancel everything?

[mdand3boys]

Originally Posted by hermandie

Thanks whynot?. You have been very helpful in answering my questions here. I actually just found out that I have an old friend that moved to Maui last year with his wife and reside in Paia. I have been asking him about his experiences and he has shared similar information. What do you think about us taking a pre-move trip out there for about a week to look in person and lock down a place? This will cost us but I feel it may be better for us in the long run because if we just chose something we saw online and signed a lease, we may be disappointed when we arrive and stuck there until the lease is up. Oh yeah, why did they cancel everything?

If you follow prior post's/threads instructions on how to effectively rent a furnished vacation rental (thru vrbo.com, etc.) you may actually save money during that first month since you will only make a small deposit and get everything paid for with one check. The economy is in the renter's favor. Personally contact the landlord
and negotiate downward from their probably exorbitant asking price.

[Wendyllen]

Hi everyone

I was also wondering about this property. Can anybody here tell me about how much $ the electric would run for a studio or 1 bedroom for this property or in this area or on Maui all together?

Thanks

[whynot?]

Aloha from Ka'anapali!

There's a bit in today's Star-Bulletin that says the average household bill for Maui in October is 167.29. (Link: Business briefs - Business Briefs - Starbulletin.com)

I know that may not sound like an answer to your studio/1 BR question, but it is very difficult to guess what your consumption might be. Honokowai is on the "hot side" of Maui, and most people near the beach use a lot of air conditioning year-round. A little farther north (Mahinahina, Kahana, Napili, Kapalua) you get more breeze and might use less. Same (generally) as the elevation goes up, so when MECO (the electric company) publishes an "average," it takes into consideration a very large number of Maui's residences that are in far cooler areas than Honokowai.

I would be surprised if your bill was less than $150 if you use any air conditioning at all, although A/C is not the be-all and end-all of power pricing here. We air condition our house and howl over our electric bills, but our next-door neighbor has solar hot water and no A/C, and his bill is 75% as much as ours. (And he doesn't live here full time.) Go figure.

You might also want to read this post: https://www.city-data.com/forum/11519675-post56.html Granted, they live on the Big Island, where electricity is even more expensive, but at least it gives you an idea of the average monthly costs for 1,100 sf of un-A/C, high-efficiency living.

I hope this helps until someone else posts.

[Wendyllen]

Originally Posted by hermandie

Was thinking about renting a studio in this complex. Can anyone tell me about their opinions on this place. Is it a good neighborhood, safe, clean, well managed, close to shopping for groceries and such, and easily accessible. The reason why I am considering this place is because they are pet friendly. Thanks.

Also, this one even though it's from Oct. of 2008 http://local.yahoo.com/info-21866018...tments-lahaina

[Wendyllen]

Originally Posted by whynot?

Aloha from Ka'anapali!

There's a bit in today's Star-Bulletin that says the average household bill for Maui in October is 167.29. (Link: Business briefs - Business Briefs - Starbulletin.com)

I know that may not sound like an answer to your studio/1 BR question, but it is very difficult to guess what your consumption might be. Honokowai is on the "hot side" of Maui, and most people near the beach use a lot of air conditioning year-round. A little farther north (Mahinahina, Kahana, Napili, Kapalua) you get more breeze and might use less. Same (generally) as the elevation goes up, so when MECO (the electric company) publishes an "average," it takes into consideration a very large number of Maui's residences that are in far cooler areas than Honokowai.

I would be surprised if your bill was less than $150 if you use any air conditioning at all, although A/C is not the be-all and end-all of power pricing here. We air condition our house and howl over our electric bills, but our next-door neighbor has solar hot water and no A/C, and his bill is 75% as much as ours. (And he doesn't live here full time.) Go figure.

You might also want to read this post: https://www.city-data.com/forum/11519675-post56.html Granted, they live on the Big Island, where electricity is even more expensive, but at least it gives you an idea of the average monthly costs for 1,100 sf of un-A/C, high-efficiency living.

I hope this helps until someone else posts.

Aloha! Whynot? Thank you for all the helpful info, it's much appreciated

Also, I found this link as well Maui Electric Files 2010 Rate Request with Public Utilities Commission | Business Wire, says there will a 9.7% rate increase come sometime in 2010 for Maui

[whynot?]

Good sleuthing, Wendyllen! You have to understand a few things about Maui to make a judgment from the mainland: 1) a lot of people rent on price and/or amenties without visiting to know where they'd be comfortable and what they're getting into, 2) a lot has changed (real estate-wise -- not to mention job-prospect-wise in the past year or so), and 3) everybody's taste/expectations are different based upon where they're coming from and what they're used to.

Generally speaking, I'd say people think of Maui as a concept, not a reality. If you really look into it, we have a lot of exclusive resorts and a lot of middling properties and outright poverty. Overall, Maui is more "normal" by mainland standards, than most people expect. We have plenty of expensive things/places to stay/places to eat/things to do -- and plenty of things that are generally taken for granted on the mainland that are either hard-to-find or not-to-be-found here. There's nothing like a few months on an island in the middle of the Pacific to make you appreciate the mainland.

If you've never been here, I'd strongly suggest visiting before you move. If you've visited as a tourist, I'd strongly suggest visiting before you move. Right now, I'd strongly suggest that you not move without a firm job commitment. (Yes, the economy is that bad.)

No matter what previous tenants have found unsavory or inconvenient at Sunset Terrace, it's a fairly typical "first place" for West Maui. It takes a good, long while to find your level here, and decide where/if you really belong.

Best of luck.

[Wendyllen]

Originally Posted by whynot?

Good sleuthing, Wendyllen! You have to understand a few things about Maui to make a judgment from the mainland: 1) a lot of people rent on price and/or amenties without visiting to know where they'd be comfortable and what they're getting into, 2) a lot has changed (real estate-wise -- not to mention job-prospect-wise in the past year or so), and 3) everybody's taste/expectations are different based upon where they're coming from and what they're used to.

Generally speaking, I'd say people think of Maui as a concept, not a reality. If you really look into it, we have a lot of exclusive resorts and a lot of middling properties and outright poverty. Overall, Maui is more "normal" by mainland standards, than most people expect. We have plenty of expensive things/places to stay/places to eat/things to do -- and plenty of things that are generally taken for granted on the mainland that are either hard-to-find or not-to-be-found here. There's nothing like a few months on an island in the middle of the Pacific to make you appreciate the mainland.

If you've never been here, I'd strongly suggest visiting before you move. If you've visited as a tourist, I'd strongly suggest visiting before you move. Right now, I'd strongly suggest that you not move without a firm job commitment. (Yes, the economy is that bad.)

No matter what previous tenants have found unsavory or inconvenient at Sunset Terrace, it's a fairly typical "first place" for West Maui. It takes a good, long while to find your level here, and decide where/if you really belong.

Best of luck.

Thanks and yes, I agree with you whole heartedly on all aspects ...and then some.

Mahalo