Buying a piece of land to retire on

[Judy]

Aloha all! I will be coming to the BI in Febuary to look for a lot to buy for retirement. I live in Arizona and love the east side of the island. Does anyone have a recomendation as to where to look for my retirement spot?

Edited by - Judy on 09/12/2003 22:02:06

[Rob Tucker]

Hi Judy, I think it best to plan on taking enough time to look the whole area thoroughly. There is a wide variety of climates -temperature, humidity, rainfall, and a broad variety of locales. The land prices are quite reasonable and that sometimes temps people into buying more land than they have energy to deal with. That's okay if you want some acres of space around you of course. There is a Hawaiian Atlas which has very good charting of climate and other factors. Remember that climate can vary quickly within a couple miles. There is for example a rainforest just a few miles from a desert area. Best thing to start with is developing a clear vision of what you are looking for for your retirement lifestyle. Also proximity to town services can be a factor. This is a very rural area overall and some people are more comfortable with rural life in theory than in reality. So before you begin looking carefully for land begin by looking carefully within. I am confident that you can find the perfect spot.

Chairman, Punaweb Committee, MSPA

[Judy]

Thank you for taking the time to write your message. I am going to take 2 weeks and just look around to figure out what will work best for me. I would like at least an acre. I would like to be in a zone where its not raining all the time, but I do want to plant fruit bearing trees that won't need to be watered by me. I would like temperatures that aren't much lower than 65 degrees at night with highs to mid 80's. I really don't want to waste anyones time, but I am hoping to find a buyers realator that can help me find what I think I am looking for. Mahalo, Judy

[loffelkopffl]

if you don't want temperatures below 65, then you need to be in the lower elevations. the thing I was going to suggest is when you start zeroing in on an area, ask about two things, helicopter noise, and barking dogs. these are the two main problems I have encountered that ruin puna. no one told me that thousands of helicopter tours fly right over where I built my house(Ilive 20 miles from the airport!). good luck.

[Judy]

Thanks for the advice.........I may decide to go with a lower temperature to give me more options. I really like the tropical flora. Never thought about the planes and helicopters......I have heard about the dogs though. Guess the frogs get noisey too. Thanks for the insite. Mahalo Judy

[beautifulbooks]

Aloha,
I think you would do well to explore in Hawaiian Paradise Park. You can get 1 acre for between $15-60, 000 that would be very nice. You should consider, among other things, the condition of the road you would drive on... there can be huge variation. HPP is one of the nicest places to buy. Of course, we bought further up the mountain in Orchidland because we wanted 3 acres and more privacy HPP is very "civilized" and practical, as well as gorgeous... and close to the ocean... and, and, and...

Good luck!

Kristin

[Judy]

After checking what I can on the computer.......Orchidland is really looking good to me. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to watch out for and what to look for in a 3 acre lot in Orchiland? Mahalo, Judy

[billeger]

Judy, keep in mind that you will have to water your trees on occasion. We get droughts. At that time you must water your trees or they will die -- unless they are firmly established and several years old. Also, you don't have any running water in much of Puna.... neither Hawaiian Paradise Park nor Orchidland have county water except for some lots right on or near the highway.

Don't ask why, it has to do with the antiquated government here. You won't get used to it.

I live in Paradise Park near the highway but have no running water. Water comes from the house roof and goes into a tank. It gets into the house with a fairly simple electric pump. You must change filters frequently and other matters.

And when you have a drought and need to water your fruit trees you may find your water tank is low.

These are just some cautions that come to mind as I read the posts on your query.

Aloha from the middle of the Pacific Ocean

Those who would trade security for freedom soon have neither.

[hpa90212]

WOW! I'm stoked to find this page. I'm in the process of buying either a piece of land (one to three acres) and/or a vacation home that will end up being a retirement home. I heard Pahoa was a small, beautiful and relaxed/open minded community. Any thoughts/input?