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I have an opportunity to transfer with my company to Honolulu to work at Kahala Mall in Honolulu. So far the housing seems astronomical and I have read about gang problems in Honolulu Schools. What areas would I maybe be able to find a place under 1200, 2 bedrooms is fine, and with better schools? Kailua and Kaneohe look awesome, but I don't find any affordable rentals. We really want to make this move before the 2008-2009 school year, but won't if it looks like we would have minimal chance of getting housing in a safe area. There are gangs and crime where we live now in an area of pop 20-30K, but it is overall safe. Help!!
I don't know honestly, but the good news is Hawai'i crime rates are down again for the 4th year in a row (and they're already pretty low anyway).... but location location location as they say
$1200 for a decent 2BR will be tough, but I would suggest looking in the Kaimuki and Kapahulu area. Both areas are near to Kahala Mall and most of it (if not all) is zoned for Kaimuki Middle School which is regarded as one of the best middle schools on the island.
I don't want to be Ms Negative, but if you are going to transfer to Hawaii, and have a job that only provide enough income for a 1200 monthly rental, I would reconsider that move.
The only places you could find for that amount would not be in a very nice place at all. I'm just being honest. You say you are worried about location, (as any good mother would be) but for 1200, you'd be lucky to rent a studio in Waianae.
You also have to realize that its not just the price of housing that is astronomical in Hawaii, its the entire cost of living. Utililies, Clothes, Gas are very expensive. You can go to the store to buy a gallon of milk and a carton of eggs and spend over ten bucks.
That being said, Hawaii is paradise, but its gonna cost you.
I'm a mom with kids who lives in a 2 bdrm in Moiliilii for $1200. We live in a 2 story walk up and have a small lanai, a washer no dryer. I must say the neighborhood is not kid friendly, small courtyard that is not maintained by the management. The new management is very unfriendly to children and will not renew our lease because we have "too many kids." The building changed owners since we moved in. We live around a lot of college kids who like to party. If you live in a "cheap" area you will get a cheaper quality of life.
Manoa has the best schools. Noelani, Manoa elementary, Hokulani (I think) all the schools around U of H are good. Though Manoa is VERY expensive. The elementary schools are good (if you live in a good area) the middle schools are a diff story. My daughter goes to Stevenson Elementary and they have no lockers. She has to pack all of her books around all day and watch her back pack. During the last week of school her backpack was stolen because she left it alone for a few minutes during recess. Most High schools don't have dress codes and the girls go to school with pants that say "Booty licious," and they generally dress like hookers. The boys dress like gang bangers and the most of the schools administrators don't do a thing about it. Roosevelt High School is FINALLY going to start implementing a dress code next year. It's about time!
Kahala is a nicer area but more expensive. If you can check it out before you come it would be a good idea. Personally I would not want to live here as a single mother. It is extremely expensive and if you don't have family support if there's an emergency you could be really screwed.
I've lived here 6 years and am ready to go. My son is transitioning to middle school and I am dreading it. I really wish I could send him to private school. I've been here too long so the shine of Hawaii has worn off. I hate it here, and am ready to go. If I were you I'd just buy a nice calendar with pretty pictures of Hawaii and drink some Pina Coladas. Raise your kiddos in a nice suburb in Cali and forget you ever even thought about coming here. Plus the dating scene is BLEH for single women unless you wanna grind it at da club. Ugh!
I'm drinking wine right now just to cope with the thought of having to be here for one more year! Come visit, enjoy the sand and then go home! The beach is pretty. I'm serious, it really sucks! Honolulu is really ugly! The beaches are pretty, but you're not going to be at the beach all day if you gotta work and do the school and kids thing.
Consider this, there were 6,000 homeless in the year 2000 and probably more by now. My son plays soccer in the park and is surrounded by the homeless and their carts who come watch. The local government caters to the tourists and the rich, not the people who actually have to live here. The schools are decades behind many mainland schools. If you are in north cal then the weather is nice anyways, no reason to come here. I'd rather live in North Cal any day than in this place.
How bouts we trade places Sista. I'll even give you my half drunk bottle of wine.
Good luck, I'm a bit jaded, just do your research and consider all your options.
lotsa Aloha, yeah right
da Alien
Last edited by 7th generation; 06-24-2008 at 08:46 AM..
Reason: language
Wow well I hope you finished that wine by now, you come see me in Cali and I buy you a new bottle! Sounds like you earned it, and it would do you good.....
I'm looking more at Maui now, Kihei/Lahaina, the schools on Oahu scared me and frankly too many areas sound like a tropical Tenderloin for those familiar with that fine SF neighborhood.
Ms. Alien, you look me up as soon as you get to the mainland and we will have a drink!
We're going to move to Hawaii in a few months. We're thinking of renting something for around $2,000 per month. We'd very much like to get some information about kid-friendly neighborhoods. We have two kids, one is three and the other is one year old. So we need a place with easy access to day-care and kindergarten. And ideally near a place where kids play outside under supervision of their parents.
My job will be in Honolulu so we probably need something in the city or fairly close by.
Any information of tips will be greatly appreciated.
Aloha -- You might want to start by searching the forum using the pull-down menu at the top right of the page. There's a lot of neighborhood/school/rent/cost-of-living information already posted that may save you some time waiting for specific replies.
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