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Aloha Punatics!
I have been following this forum for over a year now. I am a recently retired RN with 35 yrs labor and delivery career. Hubby retires with 38 years telecommunication company on Jan. 2, 2014. I lived for 3 yrs. in Ewa Beach as military kid. I have always wanted to return to live in Hawaii. We have made yearly trips to Islands over last 10 years and Hubby is also in love with Hawaii. Our plan is to buy somewhere in Puna. Checked out Kona side in May. Have ruled out due to how dry and expensive. Currently live in Boise, ID. 12" rain per year. Beastly, hot 100 degrees not unusual in summer. Winters can be gloomy with inversions. We don't mind warm rain. Looking at1 acre lot with 3/2. Thinking HPP, or Leilani Estates. We have a VRBO set up for 5 weeks in HPP in Jan. Have been following MLS for property available. Prefer to cash buy but depends on variables. Questions are: how long to close cash deals? How long if financing? What paperwork to bring? Lastly, need mailbox for mail pharmacy. Anywhere from Hilo to Pahoa ok. Suggestions?
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Welcome to Punaweb and Puna! I recommend HPP, but that's just me.
You should be able to get a mailbox in Keaau.
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Thanks PaulW,
This is a huge step for us! Lived in the same house for 30 years. Careers and family kept us in one place. We're just like a lot of you. Grew up in the 60's, not hippies but open-minded, tolerant, Democratic. Needless to say, has been painful to live politically in Idaho.
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Keaau has a longer waiting list for PO Boxes than Pahoa from my experience. I also like HPP, but I live there so take that with a grain of salt! I love it here.
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Joined: Sep 2012
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HPP and Leilani are my 2 choices also. We will also be moving to Puna soon from Iowa. I spent more than 50 weeks in Hawaii in the last 20 years and know we will love it there.
Cash is king in Hawaii just like anywhere else, you should be able to close in a short time on any house you find.
Good Luck!
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
Mahalo
Rick
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
Mahalo
Rick
Posts: 1,455
Threads: 148
Joined: Mar 2010
[|)] Welcome. We retired and moved here to HPP 2 years ago this next September. We lived in Puyallup, Washington most recently, but both of us were born in Seattle and lived in that area our whole lives. We actually bought our place almost a year before, and then rented it out short term to vacationers till we moved. That worked out well for us. It's good that you are staying in HPP for a while, so you can see how you like it. We are on 23rd just off Kaloli (on the Shower side), and find it to be a great location. It's a short drive to the highway, and a total of 12 miles to Aloha Fittness off Railroad near Home Depot. My daughter, granddaughter, and son in law live on 3rd and Makuu (on the dead end side) and it is about 6 miles to their place from ours. That means they are 18 miles fro Hilo. We are glad that we bought closer to Hilo. really love Hilo and get in there a lot. We don't have a Costco here, but there is a Cost You Less, which is way smaller, but carries some of the same goods as Costco. The Hilo library is very cool. If you do move to HPP you will be on catchment, so you may want to read up on these systems a bit. I do much of my running around on a scooter (we have a couple). Ours can handle 55-60 mph and get 80+ mpg. Despite the large annual rainfall, I can usually ride most days without getting wet. In HPP, most lots are an acre. Many roads are gravel. If a little dust bothers you, then buy on one of the paved roads. We are on gravel, and have no problems or regrets living on a gravel road. I also ride a bicycle to stay in shape, and you can ride on the highway shoulder except from 6:00am till 8:00am. Yesterday I jumped on my single speed bike and rode to Keaau and back just for fun and exercise. Inside HPP there are not many road shoulders to ride on, so caution is needed.
Jon in Keaau/HPP
Jon in Keaau/HPP
Posts: 210
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Joined: Apr 2009
Aloha and welcome!
I seriously love living in HPP. There's a lot of fun positive things to learn of course, but you should also be aware of some of the current issues here. There's a bunch of threads happening right now regarding HHPOA (the community board), the road issues (dust/paving, etc), and the frustratingly backwards backscratching political & law enforcement approaches in Puna. Additionally, get familiar with pigs, water caches, excessive barking dogs, roosters, fall in love with helicopters, and prepare to drive the highways by going to the bumper car park. (All the former somewhat dependent upon exactly where you live.)
All that said, Jon is right; it's a great location and Hilo is a fab little villa.
-- rainshadow
-- rainshadow
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Try the area of Hawaiian Shores or beaches, No beach just have water in home cabel and mail service
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Thanks for all replies. As far as traffic, takes me 30" to drive downtown 5 miles away. Catchment will be a new challenge but I'm sure not insurmountable . Any idea what closing time for financed property is? Trying to figure out possible VRBO rental time. Don't want to be stranded w/o place to stay.Bringing small dog( using pet relocation service). Limits our options. Trying to get realistic timeframe if dealing with finance or cash. Mahalo.
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We bought our house with cash last year. From the initial offer to the closing was almost two months.
My neighbor just sold his house (cash down and owner financing). He sold his place and moved out in less than a month.
