Info needed HILOLANI in Hilo, HI

[wax]

The houses are small and cookie cutter as are the lots. The neighborhood is going to be small as well. If you want to live in Hilo or close by - you are likely to be able to do better than this. I would check with a local realtor for housing that will give you better location and bang for your buck. This development was built at the height of a price run up and just does not offer much at all.

[JerryCarr]

I seem to recall the developers of Hilolani offering incentives to sell the last five or six houses, like free cars or something. I am not sure if that was symptomatic of the development being sub-par or just the fact that the whole market was beginning to slow down by that point in time.

Cheers,
Jerry

[kspeed]

quote:

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The houses are small and cookie cutter as are the lots.

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Thanks everyone for your responses. I think I will continue to look. I believe we may rent for a while and then buy so we can see what we really like. I am gonna detest moving twice especially since are 1st move is paid for. But I think that's best. Being an East Coaster I have a lot to learn and getting alot of it here.
Thanks again.
Kspeed

[Loretta]

kspeed....you have to come over here first and take a look around before you commit to moving here. This is especially true as you are moving from the East Coast. The subdivision you mentioned in Hilo is nothing like it looks on the website. And, it is nothing like a subdivision on the East Coast. I am also an East Coaster....and after 4 1/2 years here...I am still having a hard time adjusting to life in Puna. The weather is great....but life is SLOOOOOOWWWW...so get ready!! It is a difficult adjustment. Probably best to rent before buying. It takes time to see if this kind of community and lifestyle is right for the long term.

[leilaniguy]

Aloha kspeed, good to know you found your way to Punaweb/Punatalk. I agree renting is probably your best bet as a newcomer, you can take a few months to decide where you really want to live. There are many choices here, and as others have suggested, probably better, definately cheaper than Hilolani.



Edited by - leilaniguy on 11/04/2006 21:18:48

[HiloHaole]

The fact that there are no pictures, just illustrations, on their website should be a warning to see it first before deciding on buying there. I would not recognize the place from the illustrations. There are enough houses build already to put some on the website if they wanted to.

[Noel M2]

Aloha kspeed.

Whether or note Hilolani appeals to you will depend on your individual preferences. It has progressed quite a bit over the past year. With the lawns and landscaping setting in, it is starting to look really nice. I’m not sure why the developer and realtor have relied primarily on the sketches to market the property when there are so many completed homes.

It does have a lot of advantages over other developments on the east side (nice wide streets, drainage, county water, paved side walks, proximity to the park, shops, town, etc…. I visited one of the completed homes and liked the quality and finish. I think some even have central air. The homes are similar to what you might find in the Kona-area developments and while there are similar models, I think they are well distributed and painted in a way that allows for differentiation. It would be difficult for Uncle Buck to end up at the wrong door screaming “BOBBY!!!” after a night on the town. ;-)

The lots are small compared to similarly priced properties on the east side but that isn’t always a disadvantage. If you cherish privacy and don’t what to know what your neighbors are having for dinner, then the lots may be too small.

Since there are active agriculture entities in the vicinity of the development, inquire about industrial/environmental risks, e.g., pesticide/fertilizer drift. Also inquire/investigate the efficacy of the drainage system – this area is downhill from the highway.

It should be in lava zone 3 so you should not have problems with getting insurance. As others have mentioned it’s far from the coast the tsunami risk is teeny.

Mosquitos are a function of proximity to a source of standing water. I’ve not hung around there at night but did not notice any during a few visits there.

If your concern is the commute to town, then this is a nice location. It’s in town so you don’t have to deal with the commute down or up the coast.

As for the bike – I would not rely on that for a commute vehicle here. While there are many days where it can be used, there are days when the rain would make it hazardous to use. Bring a hybrid.

I think the suggestion to rent first is a very prudent one. There are things that only you and your family can determine are acceptable or maddening. There are some homes in the subdivision that you can rent. I thought I saw one on Craigslist for 1800/mo.


Noel

Edited by - Noel M2 on 11/05/2006 07:27:25

[Hotzcatz]

Aloha Kspeed,

Renting for a year before buying a house would be a much smarter move. Right now the housing market is either in a decline or "correcting" itself, whatever you want to call it and it will take awhile for it to shake itself out. Buying a house a year or two from now is probably economically a much better idea than right now. While you are renting, you can watch the housing market because it takes awhile for the prices to go up once they start heading that way. You can use that time to find the place you really like.

Moving may not be all that bad, you don't need anywhere near as much "stuff" here as you do on the mainland. Throw away all but your summer clothes and a light jacket or two. Forget about "dressy" clothes since you probably won't use those either. You can toss those nasty nylon hose out the window, too. Bleah! Very few folks wear them here. Pick out the stuff you can't replace and can't live without and then sell or give away the rest. Forget "colonial" or "modern chrome", think bamboo, wicker, rattan, big "aloha" floral prints and pineapple motifs. If you have a nice barbeque and great lanai furniture, you will need those. If you have nice cookware, you may want to bring that since our cookware shops are limited. Actually, most of our shops are limited, but we don't need that much stuff anyway.

Even though someone else is paying to relocate you, having too much stuff is a liability. You spend too much time keeping it clean and organized (or living with it messy) and you have less time for the beach or having fun. Hilo is slow and simple and nobody cares if you are driving a new car or have the newest fashion (whatever that is!) - they all look alike in the rain, anyway.

Your hubby can ride the motorcycle if he doesn't mind getting wet. Put some really good rain tires on it, maybe some Metzlers or ask the tire guys what they would recommend. A good rainsuit and an employer who didn't mind dripping wet employees and you're all set. Won't you also have a car he can drive to work when it rains? Or maybe a co-worker can give him a lift.

In Hilo, I'd worry more about coqui frogs than mosquitoes. You can keep most of the mosquitoes at bay with Avon's Skin-so-soft and mosquito smoke coils, but nothing other than sheer eradication works on keeping those frogs quiet.

Crime in Hilo depends on which street you live on although I'm just guessing at that. If you see a subdivision that has a lot of security screen doors, then I'd be more careful about locking stuff up.

When you have kids at that young of an age, it seems a pretty brutal time to move away from your support systems. You will really miss having aunties, uncles and tutu's (grandparents) around to help take care of the little ones. Maybe you can rent a big enough house that you can have someone move along with you to help take care of the little ones? An auntie who gets to get away from the mainland winters and you get help in taking care of the kids?

Arrange it so you have lots of options, pare away the stuff you don't need and it will all work out.

A hui hou,
Cathy

[HiloHaole]

I suggest that you find someone on the mainland to keep your winter cloths, etc. You will need them when you go back to visit. Also, you will need them in case you decide after a few years that you want to move back. Many, many haoles move back after a few years to be closer to parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, good hospitals, good doctors, etc, etc.