Tell me about Puna...

[Guest]

1

[Rob Tucker]

There are a few things about Puna that stand out for me.

Puna and Kau districts are probably the last broad grasp of old time laid back Hawaii.

It's kind of like a time machine here which takes you back 30 years. There are good things and bad things about that.

While Puna has some of the appearance of suburbia with huge subdivisions of large lots it is in reality a rather poor agricultural district where many of the locals struggle to get by along side mainland retirees.

There is a pioneering spirit here long lost on the mainland. You can buy an acre or two can clear land for a home in much the same manner that was once done in Oregon.

Best to bring your own job. It is a common assumption that you need three ways to make a living and may need to employ all of them at once.

On any given day in Puna there are more problems than there are solutions. This district has been neglected for a long time. Many people like it that way.

Assume the best and ask questions.

Punaweb moderator

[Guest]

R

[Bullwinkle]

Rob's points dead on - to which I will add my bias trying to be humorous at the same time

"If you like the film "deliverance" you will love Puna" = I do on both counts

[LADesign]

WOW. ok... I only drove thru there from Valcano thru Hilo and back to Kona where I was staying. The area was amazingly beautiful (and moist!). I have been doing research for about 2 years on all areas of the Big Island, I like it much better than Maui (too fancy).

All the things you have told me, I have read one place or another. Plus I really appreciate reading replies right from people who live there! I have learned a lot, and I do realize why the houses are inexpensive.

I live in Buffalo, NY. I am really sick of sub-zero blowing snow and NO SUN. And I'm sure I sound like every other disgruntled, Northeast mainlander, but my sole purpose of living on that Island is to work protecting the environment and it's sea creatures! There are no whales or sea turtles in Lake Erie

I run my own business and am looking to SEMI-retire, so I don't plan on coming there and "getting a job". I honestly don't know what I am going to do!

[rbakker]

Welcome, sounds like you'll fit right in! One of my neighbors is from Buffalo.

Don't worry, there's plenty to do here. Like stopping your yard from reverting into a jungle.

Make sure you have a look at HPP (Hawaiian Paradise Park), I think it's one of the better parts of Puna.
Lots of houses for sale there. The weather in Puna is fantastic, if you like green.

[Guest]

A

[LADesign]

Really - a neightbor from Buffalo? That is so cool I love my city (which is actually a big town), but I'm pretty burned out.

So - it's an agricultural area... are there actually farms? Can you buy vegetables, fruit, eggs, etc.. to help support the people there? We always shop local here: road side stands, co-ops, coffee shops, stuff like that.

I did find some great buys in HPP too, thanks for that. I don't need much - time to minimize.

[Funkstopper]

The thought of being in the "rainiest city in the US" scares most people. Don't tell anyone but we get more sunshine than most places in the US do. I grew up in Rochester and don't not miss the months of dark gray days.
Jim

[missydog1]

Your neighbors can make or break you. A spaghetti lot gives you little buffer. If you see an empty lot, imagine the worst in the future, because it happens to people. From meth labs next door to fighting roosters, a pack of ever-barking dogs, neighbors who fire guns into the air for fun ... it's all here.

Lots of great great stuff, but if you can't handle your close neighbors, that can be overwhelming.

Learn about some of the pests -- coqui frogs, stinging nettle caterpillar, scholopendra (big centipedes) rat lungworm disease, fire ants. These things will likely be part of your life.

Sit down and read the topics here in building and gardening forums, to get an idea of what people's concerns are.

It's very expensive to live here, even if you think you are ready to minimize. So figure out your source of income in advance. As a newcomer, you'll find it's hard to get hired (understatement). []