I've driven some subdivisions finally

[missydog1]

I hope you will be careful before leaping.

I doubt I would live in Ainaloa if someone gave me a free house.

My concern is that if you buy the wrong house, you are kind of stuck with it unless you take a big loss.

I was sitting next to a young man in Pahoa (from Maui originally), and he was telling me his story of his dream that he fulfilled to own this beautiful land. Then some sort of violent meth dealer family arrived next door, and now he can't stand to live there, and he can't sell it unless he finds someone who can take that on. It was so sad.

He was telling me about how these guys are X number of feet away from his house, and I said something like wow, that's an odd number, sounds like you measured it. He said, trust me, I know exactly how many feet they are from my house.

I hope that if you end up in escrow that you make the most of your due diligence period. It's really easy to get a great impression of a neighborhood that will not turn out to be that accurate when you are there full time. I have yet to find a neighborhood turn out to be much like I thought it would be when I looked at the house all full of rosy optimism. I love to see the good side to a home, but that tendency has resulted in some mistakes. I wish you the best and no mistakes.

I collected a list of stories connected to Ainaloa over the last decade: not that many, not that frequent, but it gives you a peek at the other culture there. There is a lot of domestic abuse with local families, and I'm sure a lot that never makes the news.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/break...=144070486
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/break...=133280473
http://www.bigislandchronicle.com/2011/1...ent-103676
http://westhawaiitoday.com/sections/news...anted.html
http://www.hawaii247.com/2011/06/24/poli...-in-april/
http://www.hawaiipolice.com/andrade-arrested-09-13-10
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/articl...50369.html
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/articl...80377.html
http://archives.starbulletin.com/2005/02...ndex2.html
http://www.justice4caylee.org/t4984-jane...ainaloa-hi
http://archives.starbulletin.com/2003/07...tory7.html
http://www.hawaiipolice.com/drug-bust-060399
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/articl...ln07a.html
http://www.bigislandchronicle.com/2010/1...more-19125

[Dot]

Leilani is still my #1 favorite...good luck!

Dot

[terracore]

Isn't Leilani lava zone 1 ?

We wanted to be "insulated" against the possibility of sketchy neighbors so were only looking at properties that weren't spag lots or ones with houses on either side that meth heads couldn't afford. Square lots are a lot more expensive but a house in the center of it will be further away from the property line.

No matter how great a property looks, make sure you visit it late in the evening so you have an idea of what it's going to be like when you're trying to sleep. Whether its frogs, dogs, or meth heads that might keep you up.

We looked at some properties in HPP in July and the heat was just sweltering. I couldn't imagine living there in the summer without running the A/C, though the lots getting a good breeze weren't as bad.

[MarkP]

My opinion should be considered as suspect. I am in Eden Roc but that is the only subdivision with which I have much direct experience. I bought in on an impulse and now I am in no position financially to change should I so desire. There may be an element of misery loving company. On the other hand, my neighbor situation is good at present. Initially my neighbors on the Ohia Street side were somewhat hostile. My best friend had the property on the Palainui St. side. Then my friend sold and I felt quite isolated and embattled. I had a bulldozer brought in and had a driveway ripped right along the property line with the less friendly neighbors, mostly because that was the lay of the land but also because I wanted a clear dividing line from them. Anyway the neighbor's wife ended up leaving and I rarely have to deal with him now. Seems like she was the problem. Meanwhile the neighbors on the other side built a nice house and the neighbors on the corner built another nice house. They are all really nice people. So my experience in Eden Roc is a mixed bag. One neighbor is a bit of an unhappy camper, the classic local who had issues with newcomers. Other neighbors are hardworking decent people who I am happy to have as neighbors. Plus I know others in Eden Roc who are not my immediate neighbors who I like and respect. Anecdotally I am told that there are people in Eden Roc who are just bad eggs. Certainly a drive through the subdivision reveals a fair number of really junky properties. There is the recent murder to be considered too, although the vibe I am getting from the locals is that it was personal, not random. Of course that is what us local residents would tell ourselves to make ourselves feel better.

All in all I keep hearing about how Eden Roc has a bad rep but if this nerdy haole boy has retained the degree of innocence that I have then it can't be all that bad.

[Ryan.]

Re: lava zone 1

Sometimes the lava is the least of your potential problems.

[jackson]

And sometimes lava zones can change as Kapoho found out some years ago. The lava zones are based on history and topgraphical likelihood. As far as bad neighbors, that can also change. Not so friendly locals often just need a little time and patience. Meth heads not so much. I live in Volcano which is a special place. We do have some malcontents but the prevailing attitude is live and let live with a good dose of small town gossip. The cold and rain aren't for everyone but I'll happily take them for the strong sense of community.

[nana valley]

Put Nanawale on your list too. Unless you are looking for larger lots. Leilani has 1 ac.lots but they are lava zone 1 for insurance.

[John A]

We live in HPP and are very happy, but be very careful as to your neighbors. Quite a mixture of very classy places and cock farms. A friend lives in Ainaloa, hates it. Very high crime and a lot of county housing. I love Leilani, but check out what homeowners insurance will cost in that lava zone... could be over $300 per month.

[missydog1]

quote:

---

Originally posted by John A

We live in HPP and are very happy, but be very careful as to your neighbors. Quite a mixture of very classy places and cock farms. A friend lives in Ainaloa, hates it. Very high crime and a lot of county housing. I love Leilani, but check out what homeowners insurance will cost in that lava zone... could be over $300 per month.

---

yeah, the County housing part is something I didn't want to say first, but as it's been said ...

There are only certain areas where landlords have for a long time taken Section 8, and in these areas you have clumps of households that have a certain mentality. I don't think Section 8 is a bad concept, but in practice it has worked out that way. Landlords who care about their property won't take it, mostly only slumlords. And once you get it established, you don't move away from it or you could lose it.

I have always heard that Ainaloa and Hawaiian Beaches were two subdivisions where you get this. I thought it was Nanawale too, but no one here seems to think so. The subdivisions with houses on small lots that have built on longer are more likely to have this issue. Anyway, Ainaloa has it for sure.

Another thing with buying cheap property -- ou may find a place with good neighbors, but as long as it is cheap property in Puna, your area is always going to be number one choice for drug labs and dealers and growers and people on the fringe. It will also be the choice of people who want to live simple non-materialistic lifestyles ... usually these are excellent neighbors. So you will have both.

Neighbors move. They change jobs, they die, they have parents die and have to move to take care of things, they get fed up ... and you are completely not able to control who is going to move in next.

Not to say that there can't be truly sucky neighbors in more expensive neighborhoods, but they will usually suck in different ways.

You cannot possibly get a handle on all the pitfalls by doing drive throughs and tours. You really do need to live here and spend some time getting to know the place, or you are depending on having very good luck in your choice.

You can't avoid stuff like rooster farms by screening the neighbors either. Someone can always put one in after you arrive, as long as zoning and CC&R's allow. Same with dogs and packs of dogs.

My neighbors who moved this year did not have a pig sty when we bought the place. They just decided to raise pigs at some point, which were constantly making high-pitched squeals, and it was pretty annoying to live with. They could have gotten roosters too; we were just lucky they didn't want to. Now the penned pigs are gone with those neighbors, but who knows what is to come? It's ag land, people farm; people hunt; the culture is into cock-fighting too.

btw, I certainly never said a word to my neighbors about the pigs being annoying ...
Then I would have had both pig noise and neighbors that were upset at me, and I preferred having good relations. Actually I got used to the squealing; it's when a noise is new that you hear it ... the coquis don't bother me any more either.

Bottom line, if you buy ag land, best to embrace the sounds and smells of farming. If you don't want that, find some residential zoning or some enforced CC&R's.

Good luck![]

[PaulW]

Land is so cheap these days, you could seriously consider buying the vacant lots either side to avoid bad neighbors.
Good investment for the future too. There have been a few multi-lot purchases recently, I wonder if that's what they were thinking.