i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

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looking
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i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by looking »

hello folks

i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii . I'm 74 years single, retired, SS income $1600 per month with medicare,and other income around $2000 total $3600 per month. And may be i can buy 1 bed /1 bath very small with cash $ 150,000 fix upper so no mortgage payment if i can find and just sleeping and cooking ,swimming, fishing,tropical weather,pine apple, papaya. and hull-lare dancing and want to die there. Maybe i can rent one year to see how it works

if some one has some experiences or some suggestion as to how to settle there --

thanks

looking
livesoft
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Re: i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by livesoft »

Been there 4 times and as recently as 2 weeks ago. Have you been there?
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rr2
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Re: i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by rr2 »

looking wrote:hello folks

i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii . I'm 74 years single, retired, SS income $1600 per month with medicare,and other income around $2000 total $3600 per month. And may be i can buy 1 bed /1 bath very small with cash $ 150,000 fix upper so no mortgage payment if i can find and just sleeping and cooking ,swimming, fishing,tropical weather,pine apple, papaya. and hull-lare dancing and want to die there. Maybe i can rent one year to see how it works

if some one has some experiences or some suggestion as to how to settle there --

thanks

looking
Sounds beautiful -- doesn't it..

We are lucky to be working and living in Hawaii on the Big Island. We treat it as pre-retirement.

That said, here are some things to consider.

1. Food/Groceries: Pretty much everything is imported from the mainland except some locally grown fruits and vegetables. My grocery bills are between 30-50% larger than when I lived in the mainland.

2. Housing: Very expensive comparatively. At your price point, the only thing you will get is a fixer-upper on the Big-Island. This may be in a rural subdivision and often with unpaved roads. Shopping and large supermarkets maybe 30-45 minute drive.

3. Medical: The Big Island has some hospitals but very few specialists. You may have to fly to Oahu if you have complicated health conditions to see a good doctor.

4. Isolation: You are on a rock in the middle of the ocean. Do you have family in the mainland that you might want to visit? This can become quite expensive.

Not to discourage you. Come visit, rent for a few months. See if you like it.

Edit:

Here are some discussion forums for living on the Big Island:

http://punaweb.org/Forum/default.asp

http://www.konaweb.com/forums/moving.cgi

http://www.city-data.com/forum/hawaii/
sunnyday
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Re: i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by sunnyday »

I've gone on vacation and lived there. Being on vacation has a much different feel than living there. I think renting for a period of time would make sense. Then you could get a feel for the different islands and for the real estate out there. Hawaii would be an awesome place to retire but really expensive if you want to live in a good location.
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Tortoise Banker
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Re: i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by Tortoise Banker »

I live in Maui and absolutely love it. I think with your budget you can pull it off.
rr2
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Re: i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by rr2 »

Tortoise Banker wrote:I live in Maui and absolutely love it. I think with your budget you can pull it off.
Is there any property that the OP can buy on Maui for $150K (excluding raw unimproved land)?
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frugaltype
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Re: i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by frugaltype »

rr2 wrote: 1. Food/Groceries: Pretty much everything is imported from the mainland except some locally grown fruits and vegetables. My grocery bills are between 30-50% larger than when I lived in the mainland.
What about a vegetable garden and keeping chickens for eggs? Cooking from scratch. Vegetarianism is cheap also.
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Re: i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by LadyGeek »

This thread is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (living in Hawaii).
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rr2
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Re: i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by rr2 »

frugaltype wrote:
rr2 wrote: 1. Food/Groceries: Pretty much everything is imported from the mainland except some locally grown fruits and vegetables. My grocery bills are between 30-50% larger than when I lived in the mainland.
What about a vegetable garden and keeping chickens for eggs? Cooking from scratch. Vegetarianism is cheap also.
Yes, we are vegetarians but do drink lots of milk, eat cheese, eggs etc.

Milk -- cheapest is $5/gallon
Eggs -- $4/dozen free range.

We do have a small vegetable and herb garden and grow some fruits as well -- bananas, tangerines, pineapple, avocados etc.
Also, the farmers market is cheap for local produce -- lots of papayas, tomatoes, avocados etc. We spend about $20/week for two people.
WhyNotUs
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by WhyNotUs »

A couple of years ago there were some bargains, when real estate was hurting and loans were scarce, but HI has bounced back. Condo fees alone would make your plan a challenge. Would be hard to find something in your price range to buy, even on Molokai.

If I was in your shoes I would try to figure out what island I wanted to be on and get creative. Oahu and Maui both have good health care facilities. There are some good VA facilities in the islands too. All islands are expensive as previously mentioned since electricity is burned oil, food is imported, and competition is limited. Not cheap to live on a volcano in middle of pacific. Your budget would get you farther south of the border than it will in Polynesia but you probably already knew that.

That said, I moved there in the 70's with about $320 in my pocket and most of that went on day one for a surfboard. You could cruise Craigslist for a sublet or roommate situation and once you build a little local knowledge start looking for a caretaker gig. When I had a farm on Big Island, our caretaker was 72 and living the life that I wanted. If nothing happens after a year then you may need to go to Plan B. At least you will have a good story to tell. Aloha
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beanstock
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by beanstock »

There are lot of govt subsidized senior housing on Oahu. You can rent a modest 1 bedroom for $600s a month. They tend to be in newer modest apartments.
Pacific
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by Pacific »

In my opinion, you have no chance of making it on that income. I believe that the Big Island is the best chance, but EVERYTHING in Hawaii is incredibly expensive. Without getting political, Hawaii is run completely by unions. Drug crimes seemingly have increased drastically, especially those involving crystal meth. I guess what I am trying to say is that you certainly can't judge this particular book by its cover.
MIGIHIDARI
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by MIGIHIDARI »

Lived in Hawaii for 30 years until 5 yrs ago. Will retire in 2 years to Hawaii.
It all depends on your lifestyle. Other than a place to live for $150K, $3600 per month is more than enough for a single person. Finding a place to live in 150K seems difficult on Oahu. You might find something on other islands. Costco will help a lot for lowering your grocery bills. Travelling to mainland is a pain but as you grow older, you may not be travelling so much. I must warn you though, in my thirty years there, I have seen many mainlanders move to Hawaii and leave within 2 years. They can not take the isolation and miss the cultural surroundings of where they came from. With all its problems, Hawaii still is a good place to spend retirement.
letsgobobby
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by letsgobobby »

I've been to Hawaii many times (20-30) because half of my extended family lives there. I love to visit and would love to spend a few months a year there in retirement, however, I would not want to *live* there full-time. As others have said it is very isolated, it can be a bit hard to 'break into' as an outsider (read: mainlander, haole, etc), and of course it is very expensive in a way that can take the fun out of some things. All those other places you might like to visit (in my case - Europe, Alaska, South Africa) just got a lot more expensive from Hawaii. Oahu is pretty diverse and cultural and Maui has come a long ways, but they are still only 1 big city and 1 aspiring county. It's not like living in California or being in the wide open spaces of Montana or going for a two week road trip in the Southwest. "island fever" is real.

I'd say go for it but only if you rent first. That way the investment isn't so big if you have to go back home.
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by Honobob »

http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/apa/3982225593.html

Here you go! Rent includes pretty much everything. Get a bus pass and you don't need a car. On the beach. These are leasehold til 2032 and can be bought for under $200,000. Walk into Waikiki. Multiple farmers markets nearby. What more do you need?
It's slowly dawned on me that we won the real estate lottery!
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by Valuethinker »

looking wrote:hello folks

i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii . I'm 74 years single, retired, SS income $1600 per month with medicare,and other income around $2000 total $3600 per month. And may be i can buy 1 bed /1 bath very small with cash $ 150,000 fix upper so no mortgage payment if i can find and just sleeping and cooking ,swimming, fishing,tropical weather,pine apple, papaya. and hull-lare dancing and want to die there. Maybe i can rent one year to see how it works

if some one has some experiences or some suggestion as to how to settle there --

thanks

looking
The advice to rent for a year at least is a good one, I think. 'Island fever'-- there are people who settle in British Columbia and succumb to same. You need to live out a full year in the place, if not a couple of years.

I guess you are seeking the warm weather? That probably means you should consider Costa Rica (I don't know about Panama or Belize or parts of Mexico).
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by DouglasDoug »

Do you share your loot with anyone, or are you single or free-spirited? If the latter, go for it. I'm jealous.
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by Pacific »

Honobob wrote:http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/apa/3982225593.html

Here you go! Rent includes pretty much everything. Get a bus pass and you don't need a car. On the beach. These are leasehold til 2032 and can be bought for under $200,000. Walk into Waikiki. Multiple farmers markets nearby. What more do you need?
"Units advertised by GoldCoastRealty as PH units, are not PH - they are simply the 13th floor, and there are two floors called "suites" above, with ensuing noise from furniture moving over tile floors...lanai doors rumbling open/closed. Cheap window air conditioner is 12" from your bed/head. Wind was strong and rattled the windows and doors all night, hence no sleep...."

"The DHBH is probably the biggest cockroach hotel, dive in all of Honolulu. The rooms are small and the entire feel of the place is very odd! It is a mix of regular people living there and tourists. Do not be tempted by the rates, move onto better places in Waikiki! "

"This is not the place to stay at all. The staff can't even tell you where the nearest resturant, grocery store or anything else is. We found out on our own that a bus stop was about 200 feet away, but the guy at the desk couldn't tell us that. The elevator was broke one of the days we were there and when we asked the same guy when it would be fixed, he said I called the repair man that is all I can do. The place is very old and the only way to get to the water is to trespass on the next door neighbors property. Forget about parking there, they only have 8 spaces! You will have to feed a meter across the street if you are lucky enough to get a space .Don't expect any help from the young man who sits at the desk with the stupid grin on his face !!!!! You can not get the water in the sink to run cold so you can get a drink of water. My advice go somewhere else. We were going on a cruise and decided to stay in Oahu 2 days before we got on the ship, and this so called hotel ruined our first time in Hawaii. Run, don't walk to another HOTEL, ANY HOTEL!"

All from Trip Adviser!
Valuethinker
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by Valuethinker »

beanstock wrote:There are lot of govt subsidized senior housing on Oahu. You can rent a modest 1 bedroom for $600s a month. They tend to be in newer modest apartments.
That seems a lot better bet than buying. OP is 72. At $600 pcm with inflation, figure 15 years out of his/ her $150k. Even then would be able to live on SS.

I would guess air conditioning bills are expensive?
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by The Wizard »

Valuethinker wrote:
beanstock wrote:There are lot of govt subsidized senior housing on Oahu. You can rent a modest 1 bedroom for $600s a month. They tend to be in newer modest apartments.
That seems a lot better bet than buying. OP is 72. At $600 pcm with inflation, figure 15 years out of his/ her $150k. Even then would be able to live on SS.

I would guess air conditioning bills are expensive?
A/C, not necessarily.
I stayed in a low-rise condo on Maui some years ago with windows on all side and no sign of any heating or cooling equipment installed.
The idea is to open/close windows as needed to let in warmer/cooler air depending on time of day, year-round!
Attempted new signature...
rr2
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by rr2 »

The Wizard wrote:
Valuethinker wrote:
beanstock wrote:There are lot of govt subsidized senior housing on Oahu. You can rent a modest 1 bedroom for $600s a month. They tend to be in newer modest apartments.
That seems a lot better bet than buying. OP is 72. At $600 pcm with inflation, figure 15 years out of his/ her $150k. Even then would be able to live on SS.

I would guess air conditioning bills are expensive?
A/C, not necessarily.
I stayed in a low-rise condo on Maui some years ago with windows on all side and no sign of any heating or cooling equipment installed.
The idea is to open/close windows as needed to let in warmer/cooler air depending on time of day, year-round!
Yup. No a/c for most houses in our town. No heat either. Maximum temperatures rarely exceed 85F. Minimums rarely drop below 65F.
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Clearly_Irrational
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by Clearly_Irrational »

We spent our honeymoon on Maui and Kauai, and I agree it's pretty nice if you like the tropical island feel. Maui seemed crazy expensive, I'm not sure I'd want to live there. Kauai was much more reasonable, but very isolated so it depends on your tastes. Given your income level I'd be worried about high housing and grocery costs eating up too much of my budget. I agree with the other posters that renting there for at least a year makes a lot of sense. In fact, you might try renting on different islands so you can get a feel for which one you like and what the trade offs are.
Honobob
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by Honobob »

Pacific wrote:
Honobob wrote:http://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/apa/3982225593.html

Here you go! Rent includes pretty much everything. Get a bus pass and you don't need a car. On the beach. These are leasehold til 2032 and can be bought for under $200,000. Walk into Waikiki. Multiple farmers markets nearby. What more do you need?
"Units advertised by GoldCoastRealty as PH units, are not PH - they are simply the 13th floor, and there are two floors called "suites" above, with ensuing noise from furniture moving over tile floors...lanai doors rumbling open/closed. Cheap window air conditioner is 12" from your bed/head. Wind was strong and rattled the windows and doors all night, hence no sleep...."

"The DHBH is probably the biggest cockroach hotel, dive in all of Honolulu. The rooms are small and the entire feel of the place is very odd! It is a mix of regular people living there and tourists. Do not be tempted by the rates, move onto better places in Waikiki! "

"This is not the place to stay at all. The staff can't even tell you where the nearest resturant, grocery store or anything else is. We found out on our own that a bus stop was about 200 feet away, but the guy at the desk couldn't tell us that. The elevator was broke one of the days we were there and when we asked the same guy when it would be fixed, he said I called the repair man that is all I can do. The place is very old and the only way to get to the water is to trespass on the next door neighbors property. Forget about parking there, they only have 8 spaces! You will have to feed a meter across the street if you are lucky enough to get a space .Don't expect any help from the young man who sits at the desk with the stupid grin on his face !!!!! You can not get the water in the sink to run cold so you can get a drink of water. My advice go somewhere else. We were going on a cruise and decided to stay in Oahu 2 days before we got on the ship, and this so called hotel ruined our first time in Hawaii. Run, don't walk to another HOTEL, ANY HOTEL!"

All from Trip Adviser!
Jeez Pacific,
Lets be a little fair,

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review ... awaii.html

Over 90 above average/excellent reviews.

It's not the Halekulani but it's also 1/5th to 1/10th the prices there. I'm down the street and you CAN'T beat the neighborhood. I've talked to several long term renters there and have never heard a complaint.
It's slowly dawned on me that we won the real estate lottery!
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looking
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by looking »

The Wizard wrote:
Valuethinker wrote:
beanstock wrote:There are lot of govt subsidized senior housing on Oahu. You can rent a modest 1 bedroom for $600s a month. They tend to be in newer modest apartments.
That seems a lot better bet than buying. OP is 72. At $600 pcm with inflation, figure 15 years out of his/ her $150k. Even then would be able to live on SS.

I would guess air conditioning bills are expensive?
A/C, not necessarily.
I stayed in a low-rise condo on Maui some years ago with windows on all side and no sign of any heating or cooling equipment installed.
The idea is to open/close windows as needed to let in warmer/cooler air depending on time of day, year-round!
can you tell me exactly where and how to find out the government subsidized senior housing to rent or buying
looking
Honobob
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by Honobob »

looking wrote:
The Wizard wrote:
Valuethinker wrote:
beanstock wrote:There are lot of govt subsidized senior housing on Oahu. You can rent a modest 1 bedroom for $600s a month. They tend to be in newer modest apartments.
That seems a lot better bet than buying. OP is 72. At $600 pcm with inflation, figure 15 years out of his/ her $150k. Even then would be able to live on SS.

I would guess air conditioning bills are expensive?
A/C, not necessarily.
I stayed in a low-rise condo on Maui some years ago with windows on all side and no sign of any heating or cooling equipment installed.
The idea is to open/close windows as needed to let in warmer/cooler air depending on time of day, year-round!
can you tell me exactly where and how to find out the government subsidized senior housing to rent or buying
looking
Your welfare case worker would probably be the best place to start.
It's slowly dawned on me that we won the real estate lottery!
rr2
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by rr2 »

looking wrote: can you tell me exactly where and how to find out the government subsidized senior housing to rent or buying
looking
http://www.howtoliveinhawaii.com/4522/h ... affordable

From that page:
In Hawaii, there are public housing projects that are owned by both the federal and state governments, where low-income families and individuals can live at below-market rents. Currently, the waiting list for government housing in Hawaii is 2-5 years long. If you’re willing to wait, here are some links to guide you through the application process:
Good Luck!
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Steelersfan
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by Steelersfan »

With an income of $3,600 per month and assets of $150,000, would he even qualify for subsidized housing?
Honobob
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by Honobob »

Steelersfan wrote:With an income of $3,600 per month and assets of $150,000, would he even qualify for subsidized housing?
Why not? He should make sure they understand he is an educated haole from the states. Let the Aloha start! Plus, if he gets rock fever there are plans for the state to pay for his flight back! Does it get any better? :sharebeer Suck 'em up!
It's slowly dawned on me that we won the real estate lottery!
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by hicabob »

Honobob wrote:
Steelersfan wrote:With an income of $3,600 per month and assets of $150,000, would he even qualify for subsidized housing?
Why not? He should make sure they understand he is an educated haole from the states. Let the Aloha start! Plus, if he gets rock fever there are plans for the state to pay for his flight back! Does it get any better? :sharebeer Suck 'em up!
At 74 OP could get an $1148/month spia (age helps some things!) w/ his $150k which puts him at $4750/month - should be able to live almost anywhere for that.
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by heyyou »

Go to the Big Island of Hawaii. Keep track of every expense, not by listing each one, just track beginning and ending bank balances.

In Hilo, for at least a year or two, rent an apartment or an ohana--the Hawaiian version of a mother-in-law apartment adjacent to a family residence. Due to Hawaiian architecture and sloped lots, there are a lot of walkout basement apartments under houses. As a college town, there are many rentals in Hilo. Look at Craigslist. Some landlords may welcome a retiree over a college age kid. Alohaliving.com is a site for MLS real estate searches, and there is a book named Affordable Hawaii written by a Hilo landlord that has info about Big Island communities. Amazon will have it. The book is updated periodically, so check for the most recent version.

Hilo has a sheltered bay, a Walmart, Safeway, Home Depot, and the Weds. and Saturday farmers market is near the main bus terminal, which is next to the bay. If you have all day, the bus system goes to distant communities on the island, but not to the attractions in those communities. For that, rent a car once a month. There are used car dealers who rent not so new cars for less.

My preference would be to live within walking distance of a grocery store that has a bank branch inside of it. I can't remember if the medium sized KTA grocery store in downtown Hilo has a bank. The main hospital is near downtown Hilo.

If you live away from downtown, you can choose your temperatures by your elevation (Hilo vs. the higher town of Volcano) and choose your precipitation by your position relative to the volcanic mountians (windward Hilo vs. leeward Kona). There are temp and precip maps for the Big Island.

I like the warm, small town of Pahala on the south end of the island, and Hawi and its neighboring towns on the north end, but both would require owning a car to get to the ocean, and Hawi is not inexpensive.
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by SnapShots »

heyyou wrote:Go to the Big Island of Hawaii. Keep track of every expense, not by listing each one, just track beginning and ending bank balances.

In Hilo, for at least a year or two, rent an apartment or an ohana--the Hawaiian version of a mother-in-law apartment adjacent to a family residence. Due to Hawaiian architecture and sloped lots, there are a lot of walkout basement apartments under houses. As a college town, there are many rentals in Hilo. Look at Craigslist. Some landlords may welcome a retiree over a college age kid. Alohaliving.com is a site for MLS real estate searches, and there is a book named Affordable Hawaii written by a Hilo landlord that has info about Big Island communities. Amazon will have it. The book is updated periodically, so check for the most recent version.

Hilo has a sheltered bay, a Walmart, Safeway, Home Depot, and the Weds. and Saturday farmers market is near the main bus terminal, which is next to the bay. If you have all day, the bus system goes to distant communities on the island, but not to the attractions in those communities. For that, rent a car once a month. There are used car dealers who rent not so new cars for less.

My preference would be to live within walking distance of a grocery store that has a bank branch inside of it. I can't remember if the medium sized KTA grocery store in downtown Hilo has a bank. The main hospital is near downtown Hilo.

If you live away from downtown, you can choose your temperatures by your elevation (Hilo vs. the higher town of Volcano) and choose your precipitation by your position relative to the volcanic mountians (windward Hilo vs. leeward Kona). There are temp and precip maps for the Big Island.

I like the warm, small town of Pahala on the south end of the island, and Hawi and its neighboring towns on the north end, but both would require owning a car to get to the ocean, and Hawi is not inexpensive.
Terrific Post. I say go for it but why buy anything until you're sure. Have fun while it last. Enjoy!!!! :sharebeer
the best decision many times is the hardest to do
rr2
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by rr2 »

heyyou wrote:Go to the Big Island of Hawaii. Keep track of every expense, not by listing each one, just track beginning and ending bank balances.

In Hilo, for at least a year or two, rent an apartment or an ohana--the Hawaiian version of a mother-in-law apartment adjacent to a family residence. Due to Hawaiian architecture and sloped lots, there are a lot of walkout basement apartments under houses. As a college town, there are many rentals in Hilo. Look at Craigslist. Some landlords may welcome a retiree over a college age kid. Alohaliving.com is a site for MLS real estate searches, and there is a book named Affordable Hawaii written by a Hilo landlord that has info about Big Island communities. Amazon will have it. The book is updated periodically, so check for the most recent version.

Hilo has a sheltered bay, a Walmart, Safeway, Home Depot, and the Weds. and Saturday farmers market is near the main bus terminal, which is next to the bay. If you have all day, the bus system goes to distant communities on the island, but not to the attractions in those communities. For that, rent a car once a month. There are used car dealers who rent not so new cars for less.

My preference would be to live within walking distance of a grocery store that has a bank branch inside of it. I can't remember if the medium sized KTA grocery store in downtown Hilo has a bank. The main hospital is near downtown Hilo.

If you live away from downtown, you can choose your temperatures by your elevation (Hilo vs. the higher town of Volcano) and choose your precipitation by your position relative to the volcanic mountians (windward Hilo vs. leeward Kona). There are temp and precip maps for the Big Island.

I like the warm, small town of Pahala on the south end of the island, and Hawi and its neighboring towns on the north end, but both would require owning a car to get to the ocean, and Hawi is not inexpensive.
+1. Very nice write-up.
The downtown KTA does not have a bank branch inside, only the one on Puainako does.
Regarding Pahala, I have hear that the air quality can get to be bad on days when the volcano activity increases since the prevailing winds usually blow in that direction. This is mainly due to increase in SO2 content in the air. It has been particularly bad over the last 5-6 years.

The biggest downside, in my opinion, is the isolation. If you are ok with this, then the big island esp. the east side can be a good place to live.
surfhb
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by surfhb »

My parents have land in HOVE (Hawaiian Ocean View Estates). It's located in a lava flow from 100 years ago so it looks like the moon if its not developed.

They have a store and good services in the community.

The rumor is it has the largest concentration of persons in the Witness Protection Program in the country. Always thought it be a good sitcom idea with the local coffee shop as the backdrop :)

Anyway....might be an option....the stars at night are beyond anything else!
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HawaiiBrewer
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Location: Hawaii

Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by HawaiiBrewer »

The Big Island(and other islands) is nice but remote, remote, remote as others have stated. I've lived here 15 yrs and eventually plan to move back to the mainland within the next 3-5 yrs. It's ironic that retirees move to a remote island as they get older..and the fact is that the health care here is terrible. I have to get on a plane to go to Honolulu for simple 1 hr procedures(biopsy, colonoscopy, etc). Have a heart attack or bad auto accident and you might as well cash it in. In all fairness, that might be the same issue if you lived in remote Montana or Wyoming. There is a dark side to "paradise" which my wife hates for me to talk about. As a retiree I suppose you can ignore some of the social ills, but when the drug addicts break into your house to support their meth habit, you are impacted, like it or not. Some say the best way to make a million bucks in Hawaii is to bring 2 million with you. Sure there is affordable housing down in HOVE(moon scape living) and Puna/Pahoa side, but there is no municipal water so plan on catchment or having it brought in if there is a drought. Electricity is highest in the nation....about $0.45/kWh. Ebay and mail order is tough because many retailers will only ship to the "lower 48". I pay as much for my brewing supplies as the shipping cost. Since 2008 the volcanic pollution rivals the SMOG of LA in the 60's....so if you have any breathing issues, you may not be able to enjoy it on this island. Best advice is to come visit and stay for a couple months and talk with the other haoles(white, mainlanders) that live here.
If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there
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looking
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Re: i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by looking »

LadyGeek wrote:This thread is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (living in Hawaii).
where to go finding good rental deals should look at the craigslist or go to see real estate brokers
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looking
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Re: i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by looking »

Tortoise Banker wrote:I live in Maui and absolutely love it. I think with your budget you can pull it off.

i love to live in maui
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looking
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Re: i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by looking »

rr2 wrote:
looking wrote:hello folks

i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii . I'm 74 years single, retired, SS income $1600 per month with medicare,and other income around $2000 total $3600 per month. And may be i can buy 1 bed /1 bath very small with cash $ 150,000 fix upper so no mortgage payment if i can find and just sleeping and cooking ,swimming, fishing,tropical weather,pine apple, papaya. and hull-lare dancing and want to die there. Maybe i can rent one year to see how it works

if some one has some experiences or some suggestion as to how to settle there --

thanks

looking
Sounds beautiful -- doesn't it..

We are lucky to be working and living in Hawaii on the Big Island. We treat it as pre-retirement.

That said, here are some things to consider.

1. Food/Groceries: Pretty much everything is imported from the mainland except some locally grown fruits and vegetables. My grocery bills are between 30-50% larger than when I lived in the mainland.

2. Housing: Very expensive comparatively. At your price point, the only thing you will get is a fixer-upper on the Big-Island. This may be in a rural subdivision and often with unpaved roads. Shopping and large supermarkets maybe 30-45 minute drive.

3. Medical: The Big Island has some hospitals but very few specialists. You may have to fly to Oahu if you have complicated health conditions to see a good doctor.

4. Isolation: You are on a rock in the middle of the ocean. Do you have family in the mainland that you might want to visit? This can become quite expensive.

Not to discourage you. Come visit, rent for a few months. See if you like it.

Edit:

Here are some discussion forums for living on the Big Island:

http://punaweb.org/Forum/default.asp

http://www.konaweb.com/forums/moving.cgi

http://www.city-data.com/forum/hawaii/
thank for good suggestion
novicemoney
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by novicemoney »

looking wrote:hello folks

i'm thinking retiring in Hawaii . I'm 74 years single, retired, SS income $1600 per month with medicare,and other income around $2000 total $3600 per month. And may be i can buy 1 bed /1 bath very small with cash $ 150,000 fix upper so no mortgage payment if i can find and just sleeping and cooking ,swimming, fishing,tropical weather,pine apple, papaya. and hull-lare dancing and want to die there. Maybe i can rent one year to see how it works

if some one has some experiences or some suggestion as to how to settle there --

thanks

looking
It's not impossible to do well with your income level, but the chances of finding a property at $150K will be pretty tough on Oahu. For instance the median price for a single family home was $700,000 in 2014. It was $360,000 for a condo. Don't know what the prices on the neighbor islands was but they are less than Oahu. If you like a slower pace and the rural life the neighbor island may be the place for you. As you can imagine rentals have been keeping pace with the home prices. This will not affect you but as a result affordable housing is very rare and our homeless population has grown alarmingly. As other posters have noted, the cost of living is high. If you are looking for a LCOL area, Hawaii is not it. Only you can tell if the benefits of living in Hawaii is worth the cost of living premium. A trial period might be a good idea.
HIinvestor
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Re: i'm thinking [of] retiring in Hawaii ( retired already)

Post by HIinvestor »

Oahu housing prices are VERY VERY high and have LONG waiting lists for subsidized senior housing. Waiting lists for senior housing is as long as 7 years for some places. http://www.elderlyaffairs.com/site/449/ ... %20Housing

Specialist medical treatment on islands other than Oahu is very sparse. Even getting a physician can be challenging, especially on neighbor islands. It can be a long drive in heavy traffic over poor road to get medical care. As was posted above, difficult or complicated emergency cases may need to be medivacced to Oahu for more care. If you need specialist care, you may need to fly to Oahu periodically to see your specialist.

The volcano does blow its fumes, depending on the prevailing winds it can be noticed throughout the state and affects many people, even those who do NOT have respiratory conditions and those who are NOT on the Big Island (where the volcano has been continuously erupting for decades).

I have lived in HI nearly all my life, but it really is not for everyone. As others have suggested, it's best to try it out to be SURE you will be happy making the big long term move before you decide to do so. A long term (like 1 year or longer) rental might be a good way to check out the "fit," to be sure it works for you.

I do know people who are able to stretch their funds and live on very little in HI (often by living with others). Our state has one of the highest housing, real estate and living costs in the nation, as well as fierce traffic (especially Oahu).

As was also said, it is expensive for you to travel from HI elsewhere to visit family and friends and for them to visit you. Most flights between HI & the West Coast are $500 and up round trip. Flights between the islands are often $100 each way. There are no ferries, so the only way to get off the island is by catching an airplane (unless you own your own boat. Island fever IS very real and is a different mindset and lifestyle.
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