Favorite areas of Orchid Land & other subdivisions

[mella l]

Bringing this forward for Hooligal

mella l

[puna_bound]

I just found this thread! For you HPP residents, just how close do you have to be to feel like you are near the ocean? 3rd Ave? 4th? 5th?

Also, if you can't afford to be right on the ocean, are there locations where you can get a nice ocean view?

I am also wondering why the area closer to the ocean looks so dry, relative to the areas closer to the highway.

Thanks!

Jimmy

[Carolann R]

It's the sunbelt area...the moisture develops further inland...not as much rain near the water.

I just wanted to say that these subdivisions are so large sometimes that the character can change from street to street...I read about someone in Hawaiian Shores having the problems with his neighbors. He's further down toward the ocean. We live near the top of the subdivision on the Shores side and it's very nice here. I walk around Puni Mauka Loop and everyone is very friendly so far. Can't judge an entire subdivision by just one street or area...it changes throughout.

Carrie

[puna_bound]

Does this mean that catchment does not work as well by the ocean in HPP? I suppose it would not be very expensive to put in a well, given elevations of about 20-80 feet.

Jimmy

[malolo]

Nahh. Catchment works perfectly fine down there.

I lived on 1st for nearly 17 years and we only had to buy water twice during that time. I honestly don't recall ever having "conserved." Of course we had gutters all around, a big overhang on the roof, and only two people....but we had enough water to feed a 50 foot by 20 foot by 9 foot deep pond with the overflow from the catchment tank.

The pond was full of tilapia and/or prawns and/or koi and/or arawana depending on our mood at the time...and it provided a good back-up during the inevitable/occasional droughts. Not for home use of course....but to pump water onto the plants/trees/lawn/whatever when things got dry.

Best bet that close to sea level? Build/buy a place that's up on stilts. It can get mighty hot in the summertime, and you'll want to catch the breeze.

Cheers.

---malolo (...popping back in here quick to say that although wells are certainly possible down there, and that plenty people have put them in over the last few years...most of 'em...the smart ones anyhow...are using 'em more for the agriculture-angle than for home use. Alotta alotta cesspools feeding that freshwater lens down there. Not exactly my cuppa tea....so to speak.)

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Edited by - malolo on 05/30/2007 09:01:11

[puna_bound]

Malolo, thanks for the info. We are actually looking at a property on 1st, near the north end of the street (up by Kaloli Drive). It's fairly close to the water. Has pluses and minuses.

Any insights into the Kaloli/1st street area?

Jimmy

[jdirgo]

Generally a nice area. The people that I know that live near there like it.

John Dirgo, R, ABR, e-PRO
Island Trust Properties, LLC
808-987-9243 cell
http://www.hawaiirealproperty.com

[malolo]

"Any insights into the Kaloli/1st street area?"

Ha! Yep. Actually I do. Or did. We were extremely lucky. 'Twas pretty heavenly back in the day...down there on the dead-end...when Kaloli was dirt...and the only traffic on 1st was the occasional Pue'o.

I know there are (expensive!) lots for sale down there at the moment, both on 1st and on H-street. The farther from Kaloli, the better the views, the better the breeze, the less-annoying the traffic-noise.

As counterintuitive as it may seem, my suggestion, if you find yourself in love with a particular area down that way (or in any subdivision anywhere in the islands where views are factored into the asking price), would be to pick a lot (or house) where there already is a house on the lot between you and the ocean-view...or between you and your beautiful mountain(s) view. At least you know where it is, and you can work around it.

Otherwise you run the risk of somebody building an enormous New England style castle smack-dab in what you thought was going to be a perfect field of view, just days after you've closed the deal. Y'know?

Good luck...whatever your decision.

...malolo (...who'd offer maybe half the asking prices...then see what you can settle on!)

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Edited by - malolo on 05/30/2007 10:15:24

[puna_bound]

Thanks, guys!

I hear it is a buyers' market, but you've got to be fair in making offers, too! My understanding is that many of these listings have already been reduced in price and were considerably higher just a few months ago. No way to know for sure.

That area has an elevation of about 70 feet. Hope that keeps me above the tsunamis!

Jimmy

[HiloHaole]

Jimmy, the prices are lower than they were a few months ago but most of these people can go even lower. The prices rose so rapidly high the 3 years prior that there's a whole lot of room to go lower.

If you are investigative enough, you can find the TMK of a property and find the public record on the internet and see what the sales history is for a particular place. Many counties on the mainland have an internet system for the general public but Hawaii is slow in offering that. During my many cynical modes, I think the real estate industry in Hawaii doesn't want the public to have easy access. It's easy to use "privacy" as the operative word in opposing putting this information on the internet.

The sales price of property is public information; however, some want it to be difficult for the prospective house buyer (you don't buy a home, you make one) to be more knowledgeable. The seller's agent is working for the seller, not you. So that agent doesn't want you to know the sales history. The agent that's working for you has additional interests to that of finding you a house.