Yes but I paid 200K more for the same house I could have gotten in HPP. And I pay more property taxes because my assessment is greater, probably twice as much. So I fail to see the equity in that. 200K would pay a lot of road fees.
When I looked at HPP, I was very clear that I was saving money by taking on the roads and all that.
When all the homes in East Hawai'i cost the same, I'll be right there with you saying we should all have equally good roads. Until then, where's the equity indeed?
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Btw, my road is driven on by just about every tourist who comes to the island. There is no road in HPP that remotely gets the all day every day tourist traffic mine does as a designated scenic route in every guidebook. Not to mention cruise ship passengers by the van load.
There are other private road situations too, not just Puna. Hamakua has the most roads in limbo with failing bridges on the island.
I had two places in Kohala with private dirt roads. One the entire cost was split between two properties. The other had lots of houses on it and was used by the public a lot, went to one of the only fishing and surf spots up there. Super dusty road.
Shoots, there was one road in Mendocino County where we lived five miles in on all dirt and ruts that were two feet deep that would eat a wheel. Owners pitched in andr graded and graveled once a year.
Never heard anyone complain that the County didn't maintain it. They de know the deal when they bought the property, and they knew there would never be power up there too.
Did they pay property Taxes too for the County roads leading to the private roads, which were also dirt for five miles? Of course they did.
How much money is going into 130? Should I complain because I rarely drive it, but my road is getting no love?
Another place I almost bought was in Wa'a Wa'a. I had no expectations of a better road. The property was a lovely price and it came with road fees.
I just feel like the total cost is where equity should come in. Property cost + fees + taxes for similar level of property.
Actually I don't think equity apples with real estate all that much. That's why we shop around and compare ALL the aspects of location, infrastructure, weather, services, scenery, neighborhood, property taxes, utility costs, wear and tear on vehicles, time spent on the road to get where we want to go, and so forth, right along with the value inside the property lines.
If it makes sense, we consider it. If it's not enough value for the money we keep looking. We buy the whole package. And if we forget to factor in something important, we lose. I always miss something, and it's no one else's fault but my own, unless someone outright lies to me-- and that happens too.
I don't understand all the "it's not fair" griping from people who were very happy to get super affordable property.
Kathy
