Posts: 209
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Beachboy,
Hmmmmm. Just asking a very neutral question. I was wondering more about the economics of rent vs. buy. What are rents on the BI-- Puna side now? I would like to compare them to the costs of mortgages. How hard is it to find good rentals? Questions of that ilk.
No, you and I agree, mostly, on most stuff.
I would say that renting might be a good way to get to know any place. Then you can see if you like it, can afford it, find the places you like best, etc. before you get tied down to a mortgage--especially if it would be hard to sell or if house prices fall more.
Some people get island fever, you know. [  ]
april
april
Posts: 2,149
Threads: 90
Joined: Feb 2006
The Bear and I had the luxury of very frequent 7-10 day visits to the Big Island before actually moving here. We were able to try out vacation rentals in a number of locations before deciding that HPP was what we wanted. Those without that luxury should rent until they get grounded in the area and can make an informed decision on something as important as a home purchase, or even whether this is really the place they want to be. Of course there are advantages to owning, such as equity position and income tax deduction if one has a mortgage, but jumping into it might not be wise. Csgray's approach has a lot of merit, especially in terms of getting a feel for what life is like in a particular area. What was the cost differential on multiple vacation rentals vs. a standard rental?
Cheers,
Jerry
Posts: 6,214
Threads: 354
Joined: Feb 2006
April, rents do vary a lot by type of dwelling & some by locations. There are shacks here that do rent out, some UHH students are renting old cane field shacks for $100-$200/ month or less, but it is a field shack.... Studios rent for $400-700 ranges, 1-2 bedroom $600-1000, 3-4 bedroom $800-1200+, but this is also based on where, if it is by the ocean, in a really nice subdivision & such add a few to a lot more hundreds to the above...
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Joined: Jun 2005
i think its basically a renters/buyers market right now since real estate is depressed and alot of investors have turned their unsellable properties into rental properties to weather out the storm...you should be able to find some pretty good and newer properties for reasonable rent $1000 to $1200 average for most puna subdivisions....you just need to shop around, but that should be pretty decent unless you are looking for rent under $1000 and that is more competitive and you will be dealing with alot of locals that are looking in the cheaper ranges for housing.
noel
Posts: 3,035
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Joined: Aug 2006
In answer to Jerry's question we actually paid about the same amount for the vacation rentals as we now pay for a water front unfurnished apartment in Keaukaha. Of course the vacation rentals were furnished according to the owners taste, and some of them had really weirdly equipped kitchens. We ended up buying a few essentials that we moved with us (good knives, big mugs, a decent pasta strainer, cotton sheets, beach towels) so we weren't so dependent on what the places came with. A lot of the kitchens seemed to be equipped with random rejects culled from the owner's kitchen or what was left over from a yard sale, you know the stuff that didn't sell.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
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Sorry I disappeared for a while I spent last weekend interviewing in new your for Hawaii public schools. Things seem optimistic. They didn't offer me a job on the spot, but they made me feel as if I will be able to find something no problem.
As far as how much money we will have, I will be honest it isn't much. I know that will make things harder, but I am sure we will work it out. I have lived on $50 a week here in boston and as far as I can see prices are just a little higher. I just know it is all about how you live and unlike most I am willing to live in a box if I have to.
As far as me misjudging the social issues there I have to say I feel that way about the statements you have made about Boston. I guess it is that grass is greener on the other side thing. I will just say in 2 short years of teaching 7th/8th grade in Boston I have had 7 students incarcerated, 15 robed or jumped coming and going from school, 4 stabbed, and 2 shot. I speak with more parole officers each week then I do parents. To top it all off last year my entire class witnessed a shooting from our classroom windows not more then 50 feet from the front door of the school just 10 minuets before dismissal.
I don't know much about the social intricacy's of all the parts of the island, but it has got to be safer then that. I can handle absent parents, students who rarely attend school, students and parents struggling with addiction and homelessness, but what I can't handle is having a 7th grader talk about someone being shot like it is an everyday thing.
Sorry about the rant, but I have been running into a lot of very discouraging people both online and in my life and I sometimes get the feeling like people don't really know what is going on in our public school system. My finance keeps telling me there are students in need everywhere that I don't need to be risking life and limb to teach them.
Posts: 87
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Joined: Mar 2007
Girlster, go for your dream,whatever, wherever! My hubby and I have been
going to the BI every year for the past 6. We are fortunate to have
friends in South Point and Puna to hang out with. Both parties are
long time residents (born there)on the islands. We've been to all
areas checking out where to settle once we leave the BOSTON area. Puna side felt like home. Weather, people (alot more friendly than Mass, much aloha)and the prices for food, electricity were the same as in
Boston. It is way cheaper in Puna for you don't have to deal with
500.00 a month in fuel to heat your home, 6 months out of a year. Getting down to a basic example...a gallon of milk is cheaper too!
Taxes Whooo... You won't be looking at 3K-6K a year in Home taxes. Ah well, take advise from all on this site, they are really honest and tremendously frank, put this together for information, and then make it a point to visit and do your homework, both emotionally and fiscally. We did and our move to Puna is in near future. As they say here in Mass. "wicked awesome", Pahoa bound! "So it be written, so it be done".
Lika
"To err is human, to forgive divine"
Lika
"To err is human, to forgive divine"
Posts: 229
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Joined: Dec 2004
I lived for a while in Boston and I have first hand knowledge of how much that town sucks. I lived in both the "South End" and "Dorchester" . I did a teaching practicum at two of supposedly the best public schools in town. The first school I was at was Boston Latin and the second was Latin Academy. Boston Latin is a really over-rated school. The kids are the full spectrum of society, from the worst ghettos to old blue blood money. I saw at least four fights per day at that school. The policy in regards to staff dealing with fights was to let them fight it out until they got tired, then step in. There were drugs, weapons and violence on a daily basis. Latin Academy actually used metal detectors, which i felt cut down on the number of weapon based assaults but they still had a large number of incidents daily. Hawaii schools have the same violence. At least in Boston the cops didn't put up with the craziness, the cops don't take school violence seriously in Hawaii. In Hawaii the racist head splitting violence is just swept under the rug as "kids will be kids". You can read all the time about kids in Hawaii schools engaging in racial violence, intimidation, making improvised explosive devices and detonating them on campus, and all the while failing to reach miserabley low academic standards. I recently read in the Tribune where a teacher is being sued by a parent for informing the school that their child has "issues" and may need intervention to prevent a violent outbreak. It's more like "every child left behind" instead of "no child left behind". I do think that Boston has more "gun play" than Hawaii but still if a kids head is opened up with a bullet or a boot stomp, it's still a serious injury and the kids skull gets split. Don't think for one second that you are going to be in some fairy tale school district like in Japan or something. Hawaii schools are just as bad as Boston schools but in Hawaii you have the added stress of trying to teach "English" in a "pidgin" world.
I can trully relate to the feeling of wanting to "get the fug outa dodge" but to go from the pot to the frying pan doesn't change the amount of heat your gonna feel.
"Nemo me impune lecessit"
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