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quote:
Originally posted by Carey
Stillhope, ythe top post on this thread (which was from the Fern FOrest/Eden Roc thread) mentions paradise not once, but twice....since this is a copy of the original, those that have read this post in both threads have actually read this author desire to find paradise four times.... which is why I chose to address it....
I have to admit, a part of me really is feeling like this is a flame post.... some of it just seems too out there.... but if it is not, hopefully the author will take the advice given and think about it.
Unfortunately, it probably isn't. If you peruse most of the Hawaii forums, this is all too real. It is the "I want to live like a hippie, and be free" lifestyle. It is pervasive on all on of the forums. You are doing people a real service by helping to debunk their unrealistic ideals.
Like Stillhope says: "never looking for paradise" is how to go about it. Too many people move here with some sort of paradise ideal that just doesn't exist.
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quote:
Originally posted by DanielP
John Rabi, Do you know how many vacant parcels there are in Puna? How many are on the market? Dan
I don't know how many are there altogether, but 836 vacant parcels are listed for sale in Puna, with a "hot" 1.19 acre lot listed for $4,250 in Royal Gardens being the lowest priced.[  ][ ][ ]
Aloha,
John S. Rabi, GM,PB,ABR,CRB,CM,FHS
808.327.3185
johnrabi@johnrabi.com
http://www.JohnRabi.com
Typically Tropical Properties
"The Next Level of Service!"
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Carey,I was just sharing my experience.
No "flame" intended.All the advice given in this thread and many others was good -come and rent first.I completely agree that it's the best option.
If the OP was looking for paradise - I missed that.
In this case accept my apology though about "it's not paradise" I was referring for the former big threads like"Moving To Puna?..."in general.
About sight unseen - if it's a land only with very good real estate specialist,good research and pictures - it's possible to buy and not be disappointed.
I met my future neighbors online and trough PW,I bought expensive land in the safe neighborhood and if any surprises -only positive:
I found out that Kehena beach where swimsuit is "optional" most of the crowd opt to have it on[  ]
___________________________
Whatever you assume,please
just ask a question first.
___________________________
Whatever you assume,please
just ask a question first.
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LOL. Okay I really appreciate everything you all have had to say. Yes I prolly was a little naive in the first place, boy have I wised up. And I don't plan to buy site unseen... I just don't want to waste time there discovering what I've learned on the net in the past couple of days.
I think paradise is what we make of it, meaning it's up to us to make it. My husband and I love each other, we have an incredible daughter and we want to make the world a better place. Why more people aren't like that, we don't know.
Here's what I want to know now, if I may... How many of you actually live in Puna and LIKE it? Because from the responses I'm not really under the impression that you guys are too happy about life, in which case why not just move back to the mainland. We always have a choice... right now I'm exploring my choices, but I would never move to any place withouth a job first and some place to live... And if after a year or two I was still miserable I'd find a way to make it right for me.
So? Is there a bright side to life down there?
Adrienne
Adrienne
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Adrienne,
My husband and I moved here 4 1/2 years ago, bought a place 1 year ago, and I doubt we will ever live anywhere else. It really works for us. But, we finally bought our house in a subdivision that was on the bottom of our list when we were on the mainland, and most of the places that attracted us via the internet are places where I now know we would never be happy.
But the Puna we actually live in is not the one we perceived from researching on the internet, and I am so glad we didn't make the commitment of selling our house on the mainland until we had lived here over a year, and really knew what life here was like. As much as I hated renting for years, I am also very glad we really knew Puna before we bought.
Good luck, and don't worry that prices are going to move back out of your price range overnight. Waiting could turn out to be the best thing you could do.
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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We live in Keaau, have for 5 years. We bought here because it had many things we love, and many that we like, and the proximity to so much that the east side has to offer.
We rented for a time 1/2block from the shore, thought before moving here that the shore was where we were meant to be....
After living there we realized that maintaining a house close to the shore = work (one neighbor who has a very great looking 2 story house told us that the house doesn't require a lot of maintenance. They only wash all of the windows once a week, power wash the house monthly & always wax or oil every tool after every use.... after living near the shore & watching items corrode, we realized it was not quite the leisurely life we had hoped.
While renting we also realized the distances here, and that we did not want to spend a lot of time & energy commuting (what fun is living here if you have to be in the car?)
I have always lived on or very close to ag. acreage. We figured that is where we would land here, with a more un-conventional house... yet we bought in the middle of a small, well established town, on a town lot, with a very standard house.... it is amazing how 24/7/365 growing season also = work!
Coming here my main goal was to go back to college (after hubby early retired) & this time go for an environmental/marine sci degree. I completed my bachelors .... hubby returned to work (stock market down & cost of living up) & I have started on my masters (with a research plan that is my dream!)
Is our life here anywhere near what we dreamed when we first thought about living here? NO, but also keep in mind, the major motivator for us was my going to school....so we were not tied to staying if it was not what we wanted....
Is it a path we have enjoyed? YES
Would we still choose Hawaii? YES
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Carol and Carey - Thanks for that. Everything we've read has led to lots of discussions between my husband and I... and this is really helping us decide if we want to come down and look -I think we do- [ ]
Adrienne
Adrienne
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I've been here 5 years & love it. If I had the luxury of a "do-over" in purchasing a home, there would be 2 main changes. They would be to have city water & live in Kapoho. Catchment didn't seem like such a big deal until I had to start lugging water to wash fruits & vegetables. Puna has rat lungworm which is carried by slugs & thorough washing is imperative. Yes there are great filtering & UV systems, but my older home doesn't have it & I can't afford it. Kapoho is a distance from Hilo, but the air quality there is (in my opinion, everyone) the best on the island. Vog is a consideration, which is the main reason I would move away from "paradise". Good luck
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Adrienne,
Almost every place is someone's paradise. But the only way you're going to find out if Puna is *your* paradise is to come live here a while. We used to vacation here for several weeks every year for almost a decade, and even then we found that really living here full-time held many surprises (some good, some not so good -- next time you see me, ask me about the giant flying cockroaches that welcomed us to our new home!).
With all of its challenges, we love it here, and are glad we made the big move. But our family circumstances are much different than yours. So in addition to the advice that everyone has been giving you (come visit, check out all the subdivisions, rent for an extended period before you buy), I'd add one more piece of advice: make sure you have an exit strategy so that you have the ability and resources to start again somewhere else if you decide Puna isn't your cup of kava.
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Reason I bought land in Puna was I needed a large place with few people for my gun range and explosives testing area - Puna is perfect for that. [} ]
Adrienne, I was given all this advice and more, but I still bought land and will be moving over in three years. I will be retired so I won't need a job and couldn't care less about a "commute". Of course when I say I'm "retired" it doesn't mean I won't have to work. I will probably work harder in Hawaii than I have ever worked in my life.
We researched land for about a year before we bought. I remember picking out ten lots online and on the next trip out to look at them, crossed them all off the list.
When you come out to buy your land, interview a couple agents. My suggestion is to get a buyers' agent to represnt you.
Puna: Our roosters crow first
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