Relocating to Oahu (Ewa Beach, Kailua: leasing, vehicle registration, day care)
OahuIncludes Honolulu
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am 34 married with a son 2 years of age. My husband just got offered to relocate to Oahu for a 3-5 year contract. I have a few questions if anyone can help me out..
1st- regarding money from what I have read we should be a little bit higher than ok. What is the job market for someone with 10+years experience with data entry, customer service, and billing & collections background? What would the average pay be for a full time position?
2nd- what communities would be good family areas for a single family rental?
3rd - How are the day care facilities in the areas? would be looking for a child center more than an in home daycare.
4th - Is there personal property tax for vehicles?
We will be pretty much leaving everything mainland or selling it as we dont think it would cost effective to move it twice.
Any additional information would be great as well.
1st- regarding money from what I have read we should be a little bit higher than ok. What is the job market for someone with 10+years experience with data entry, customer service, and billing & collections background? What would the average pay be for a full time position? This is a guess and can depend on a college degree, I'd say a position like that is $45K. Job market for that position shouldn't be to bad, unemployment is 6.5% in Oahu right now, so below the national average but still not like the heydays.
2nd- what communities would be good family areas for a single family rental? Need more information on this and depends on what your budget is and what commute you can handle, you can try Hawaii Kai, Kahala, Kailua, Mililani, Kapolei....you can find areas all over the island - if you have a pet, that makes it harder.
3rd - How are the day care facilities in the areas? would be looking for a child center more than an in home daycare. Don't have kids, can't help you there.
4th - Is there personal property tax for vehicles? Just a vehicle registration fee based on the weight of the car - running about $200/yr now for a midsize if memory serves me right.
@whtviper1..
Thank you! as far as the communities I don't mind the commute I live about 45 mins currently from Washington DC and depending on traffic It could take me 2 hours to get to work.
Just because you are dealing with a nasty commute now doesn't mean you have to continue to deal with a nasty commute. "Oh, no worries, I'm used to having my toenails pulled out." is no excuse to keep getting your toenails pulled out. Ick! Don't settle for a continued nasty thing!
Two hours sitting in a car wasting expensive gasoline is two hours you aren't with your family at the beach.
If you must commute, what about The Bus? If you must be in traffic for two hours at least you'd be able to sit in air conditioning and read or knit instead of staring at the okole of the car in front. Plus, for most of the office nebbish type jobs, there usually isn't any free parking nearby so the cost of driving a car to work can mount up pretty quickly. Pay for gas, pay for parking, pay to get the car in the first place. All that can take a huge chunk of change and if you are out scrabbling for the wampum to pay for all that - you're not at the beach with your family again.
In the Christian based mythos folks only go around once so if you're of that persuasion, while you're in Hawaii do your best to enjoy it since this life is it. If you happen to be Buddhist or of a persuasion which has a reincarnation mythos, then you'll be around again (so take care of the planet and don't waste gas sitting in traffic) but who knows where you'll be next time so while you're in Hawaii do your best to enjoy it. Either way, go for the good stuff and don't settle for sitting in traffic for hours on end.
Before everyone thinks The Bus is some sort of paradise, The Bus isn't exactly a picnic during commute hours, it isn't often "sitting" on the bus in air conditioning - depending on where you are coming from in commute hours - it is "standing" on the bus - and waiting for the bus in summer evening commute in work clothes - getting packed in like a sardine - commuting 90 minutes or more each way - having everyone bumping into you - and sweating like a racehorse - gets old real quick.
I am 34 married with a son 2 years of age. My husband just got offered to relocate to Oahu for a 3-5 year contract. I have a few questions if anyone can help me out..
1st- regarding money from what I have read we should be a little bit higher than ok. What is the job market for someone with 10+years experience with data entry, customer service, and billing & collections background? What would the average pay be for a full time position?
2nd- what communities would be good family areas for a single family rental?
3rd - How are the day care facilities in the areas? would be looking for a child center more than an in home daycare.
4th - Is there personal property tax for vehicles?
We will be pretty much leaving everything mainland or selling it as we dont think it would cost effective to move it twice.
Any additional information would be great as well.
Thanks
Do you know where on Oahu your husband will be working? Traffic is no walk in the park, so if you can be closer that might take away some stress of being in a new environment.
We lived on Oahu for approximately 10 years and I truly miss it, especially the mountains. We lived in Ocean Pointe, which is a newer community in Ewa Beach and the homes are more "mainland" like. Ewa Beach is in the Southwestern part of the Island and can be warmer and have less rainfall than other parts of the island especially the Windward side.
But I digress, out in Ewa Beach is some "old" Military housing that has been renovated and is open to the general public for leasing. I've not lived there, but I'm told they are decent (3-5 bedroom) townhomes and I believe the rent in around $1200 - $2000 depending on the size of home. Also in the communities are child care facilities that are decent.
In addition to the Federal Government jobs, Hawaii has quite a few government contractors on island; all the usual suspects, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, SAIC, Booz Allen, CACI, Raytheon, etc. You might go on their websites to see what may be available.
I'd go onto LinkedIn or some other networking sites to see if you have any contacts in any of the companies then exploit those connections.
Next Summer, actually next Spring we will be at a decision point as to where we will be moving to. My intent is to move to San Diego, but we just heard that my husband may be getting a job offer back on Oahu. It won't break my heart.
Do you know where on Oahu your husband will be working? Traffic is no walk in the park, so if you can be closer that might take away some stress of being in a new environment.
We lived on Oahu for approximately 10 years and I truly miss it, especially the mountains. We lived in Ocean Pointe, which is a newer community in Ewa Beach and the homes are more "mainland" like. Ewa Beach is in the Southwestern part of the Island and can be warmer and have less rainfall than other parts of the island especially the Windward side.
But I digress, out in Ewa Beach is some "old" Military housing that has been renovated and is open to the general public for leasing. I've not lived there, but I'm told they are decent (3-5 bedroom) townhomes and I believe the rent in around $1200 - $2000 depending on the size of home. Also in the communities are child care facilities that are decent.
In addition to the Federal Government jobs, Hawaii has quite a few government contractors on island; all the usual suspects, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, SAIC, Booz Allen, CACI, Raytheon, etc. You might go on their websites to see what may be available.
I'd go onto LinkedIn or some other networking sites to see if you have any contacts in any of the companies then exploit those connections.
Next Summer, actually next Spring we will be at a decision point as to where we will be moving to. My intent is to move to San Diego, but we just heard that my husband may be getting a job offer back on Oahu. It won't break my heart.
Good luck to you!!
You can live cheaply in Ewa for a reason - it is a brutal commute into town, you'll burn that savings in gas real fast.
Before everyone thinks The Bus is some sort of paradise, The Bus isn't exactly a picnic during commute hours, it isn't often "sitting" on the bus in air conditioning - depending on where you are coming from in commute hours - it is "standing" on the bus - and waiting for the bus in summer evening commute in work clothes - getting packed in like a sardine - commuting 90 minutes or more each way - having everyone bumping into you - and sweating like a racehorse - gets old real quick.
You forgot the potty breaks the drivers like to stop for...as you sit there wondering if you'll make it to work on time!
Thank you All,
We got some more info about where he will be working, and well it is ALL over the island literally. It looks like his MAIN office will be some where around Pearl Harbor area.
I have heard alot about EWA Beach area and have been looking at rentals online.
As far as public transportation, once i get accustomed to the area i will definitely consider it, however with a 2year old rambunctiousness boy it may be more sane to be in the my car with him and his DVD's vs having a meltdown with people on the bus.. I know when I was a NON parent and a kid would through a tantrum in the weeee hours of the AM on the train it runied my day. So I try to respect others morning/night time commute.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
