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We will have free ranging chickens and maybe ducks and I hope to find a place that is semi cleared and slightly up in elevation. From what I hear, I DON'T want to live anywhere on the Pahoa side of Keaau and have to fight the traffic snarl that I hear many complaints about. Narrowing my sights to up towards Glenwood and Kurtistown and possibly other places mauka of Hilo or if I find a deal.....then maybe Hamakua coast.
Thanks for the tip Carol on the charter schools and would appreciate more info on them.
Yes, we did have a nice little shaker up north of us, but no big thing after living on the Big Isle and experiencing the many larger and more frequent quakes. Very few up here, so all the locals over reacted to what we would call Pele's little hiccup.
Again..............I'm not looking for perfection, just the best that I can find in my budget. I am getting the impression that Puna hasn't improved much since I left and will widen my search.
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Oh, I don't think that I mentioned in my little plug for chiangmaiproperty.net that an exchange or sale will be turn key with quality furniture many appliances, bread maker, 2 stoves, my truck 7 yr old Chev 4WD with low kilometers, and many extras. Also our trusty maid at $250/mo [negotiable] can go with house sale. If anyone is interested in escaping the Koki frogs and want to listen to our frogs here............send me an email with your phone number and we can talk story about my tropical paradise.
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Actually, I'm getting a little discouraged the more I hear and read about the 'new Puna'. You may be right about mauka Hilo, as I've been looking at nice little fixer-uppers for decent prices, but downside is that they are mostly on small lots. Would save a lot of $ on gas and time getting the kids to better quality schools.
Mimosa, I would like to send you a private email, and tried thru your profile on this forum and didn't make it thru................old email address?? My profile has my current email address and I would like to make contact with you and ask a few questions on the side.
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Just keep looking. I found a fixxer on a third of an acre- bordering county land up in Piihonua. One thing I will say though, is that there is sometimes intense competition for such properties. I bought mine without even seeing the interior, and put in a fullprice offer after it'd only been on the market a couple hours. Some people are uncomfortable taking a risk like this, but I wanted a big house in DeSilva district for my young kids-and with room to expand.
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My ol' time neighbors definately see an improvement in some things. Although there are more people, the health care & stuff has improved from what it was 25years ago.
We have only been here 9 years, and in that time Puna Medical Center has opened in Pahoa. And there has been a reduction in rain at all elevations... but you requested no rain belt (that is still going to be mauka Puna & Hilo) and wanting GOOD health care...the east side has not had GREAT health...in probably forever...but it does have more, and newer, facilities than it did 25yrs ago... so that has improved over the last 25 years...
Of course there are fewer lower Puna town-lets since you were here with the Kalapan flow in the 1990's, but Pele was an uncertain constant when you were here... and Pahoa has expanded with newer police & fire stations...and a new small town type shopping center
Schools - When we arrived Puna, schools might have reached close to rock bottom, but since I have lived in Keaau, the schools have done a lot to acquire new administration & the staff seems to be geared toward improvement. Though we have no children in the school system, our college educated neighbors brought their Filipino grandkids here 2yrs ago to go to Keaau (elem through High school) and they are very pleased with the schools. The schools in Keaau have improved over what you would remember, with new High & elementary buildings (some of the best facilities in the state). From what I have seen both with our neighbors & friends, proactive parents that work with their children help make the education system work...and nicely proactive parents with a wonder child can get absolutely spectacular results in the Keaau High system...
I think that Dr Green retired a few years ago, as I have not seen him at some of the Hilo function I used to see him at, but I guess you should kinda expect that after 25yrs...long time to have a practice!
So - people you remember from 25 yrs ago will be 25yrs older, towns will have progressed somewhat in 25yrs (though you will probably not notice a lot of changes in Volcano, Pahoa, Mt. View, there will be almost complete change in Keaau & Hilo...) as it seems like you have also changed much from 25yrs, father of 2 teens & husband... and so I would not fear coming here... but it will not be the exact same place...
