misspizzazz

Sorry I think I posted this in the wrong spot the first time.

Aloha,

Thanks ahead of time for all the help!

My family (husband, 3 kids: 10, 6, and 18 months) want to move to Hawaii. Similar to a post I just finished reading, my sister and her husband, who is Air Force, have been giving their orders to go to Hickham AFB in Hawaii. I lived on Oahu back in the late 80's and have visited their often over the years. I am completely comfortable returning. In fact, Hawaii feels truely more like home to me than anywhere else.

With that said, I am looking for a place to live that is friendly and safe. I checked out a few places and then found info on another site that gave me more insight. What's hard this far away is to know the real deal about a place or community. Everything looks perfect on the brochure

I know we have to get jobs first, but housing is right up there. I am a special education teacher and administrator (assistant principal) and my husband is a substance abuse counselor. I'm confident we'll both be able to find a job, but the housing is my issue. Can anyone give me any recommendations for where to look or what to look out for? We would ideally like a place of our own, a house, but I realize that a condo or townhouse is more likely. I don't mind that option, but want to rent not buy. We can't afford to buy. I would also consider working as a resident manager with the option to live in the building. Either my husband or I could do that instead of our original careers. We have two cats which I know is going to be a hassle in finding housing. I would hate to give them up, but I may have to if I find no other option. We have two girls and a boy, so a 3 bedroom would do it, but I would prefer 4 bedroom to make one a study/computer room.

I'm not that picky about where on Oaha.

Mahalo,
Tammy

NWMom

I'm no Oahu specialist, but having been there twice, staying with friends in Kailua, that's the place I'd want to live! I fw'd your post to my friend there who will be vacating her rented house in Kailua soon and maybe you guys can make a miraculous connection! But I do know it's very expensive! Hope all goes well for you!

MelissaHI

No worries, you posted in the right spot.
http://fodors.com/forums/threadselec...1&tid=34950141

"Traffic" on the board may be a little slower today, since it is a holiday and many fodorites are traveling for the long weekend. It's not unusual to not get an immediate response.

So to address your needs--what information site did you look at? What areas are you considering? Every area has its good and bad points; it could come down to which street you live on! Are you looking to live near Hickam? Where did you live before, was that a good area? It's kind of hard to give random advice; you may need to be a little more specific on an area you want.

You might try browsing the rentals at www.hicentral.com to get an idea of the rental rates around the island. Your cats will have to be in quarantine upon arrival for a while; I don't own pets so I am not sure if it's 30 days or 90 days or...?.....but it's quite a bit of time.

Try browsing this site, which gets updated every year.
http://ssl.honoluluadvertiser.com/li...006/index.html

the good news is, jobs are plentiful right now. Getting a job is pretty easy. Finding housing may not be so easy, which is why companies have an employee shortage!

misspizzazz

NWMom Thanks so much for forwarding my note. I'm looking for just that kind of miracle!

Tam

misspizzazz

MelissaHI,

I would prefer to live near Hickam, but obviously can't be picky. I've lived in Kaneohe, Hawaii Kai, and Millilani...all great choices. That was also back in the day...before kids and a husband! Yes, the cats will need quaranteeing unless we can get all their shots verified and uptodate. I looked at Iroquois Point Island Club...www.paradisehouses.com
and it was beautiful online...family-style living...fairly big houses..beach, playgrounds, safe walking, etc. When I reviewed their place on www.apartmentratings.com I saw that many, many people had big concerns and warnings about the place. My Dad is in Hawaii now for the next few weeks and is going to go take a look too.

I'll check out the places you gave. Thanks!!!

Mahalo,
Tammy

lcuy

I would focus first on where your kids will go to school. Many nicer areas have junk schools, and you can't count on gettting district exempptions like in the past. There are web sites with the schools "grades", but I'm not sure where. I'd start there.

You will not likely be able to rent a place before you get here; Hawaii landlords usually want to meet you in person before committing. The cats will present a fairly big obstacle as well. (PS: follow the Agric Dept instructions to the letter if you hope to bring in the cats without the 30 day quarantine. you have to start the process about 180 days in advance).

I used to help incoming faculty for a large private school with their rental search. My best advice is to get your job lined up first, then eliminate the areas that have poor schools, then start looking on Craigslist as research before you arrive. Arrive here on a Saturday with temporary housing lined up, then start making calls from Ads in the Sunday Honolulu Advertiser.

REal estate companies have to put their name in ads, so the ads without a name are more likely owner managed and they will answer the phone and do showings on Sunday. Leave messages for the others, and they'll call on Monday with showing times.

Mililani, Hawaii Kai, Manoa, Nuuanu, Kaimuki, Waialae, Waipio Gentry, Kailua, Moanalua, would be some of my first choices, based on the schools. Some of these areas have more selection (houses and townhouses) and more reasonable prices, but all are generally nice neighborhoods.

1JAR

Don't know a thing about schools but my DH and I lived in Wailuna (bordering Pearl City and Aiea) uphill from Pearl City Mall.

First housing area in Wailuna were townhouses (we bought the A unit) in a 4 plx all one level 3 bedroom.

Next level up in Wailuna was small houses and then the final level were big houses.

NIce landscaping, pools, clubs and tennis courts. Mostly quiet, safe 1990s

Seems like there was a Straub medcial clinic closer to KAM hwy.

Also there was a Psychiatric Hosp toward Waimanolo ..and there was a hospital by Pearl City MAll..I think it got bought by Queens..KAiser was not too bad of a commute..toward Honolulu..

misspizzazz

Icuy,

Thanks so much for all of your helpful info. This is the kind of information that is priceless. Yes, I see that my two cats are going to be a big obstacle. It breaks my heart to think we may have to leave them, but to be able to live in Hawaii is my dream. I will take your advice about looking at Craigslist and about what ads in the paper might indicate. Thanks so very much.

Tammy

misspizzazz

1Jar

Wow! I love the specific information about the area up by Pearl City. I'm going to check that out too!!! Yippee! You all are helping this girl's dream come true!

Mahalo,
Tammy

dwooddon

When I was stationed at Hickam, I lived in Wiahawa in the center of the island. At that time, it was less expensive than the more coastal areas, fairly family oriented, and we liked living there a lot. Things may have changed over the years but if I were going back, I'd take a look at that area also. We were able to rent fairly large homes with large yards for less than a small apartment would have cost us closer to the coast.

misspizzazz

dwooddon,

That's a terrific idea too. Anything near the water is probably going to cost more. Having a yard would be ideal! Thanks for the tip!

Mahalo,
Tammy

MerryTravel

Depending on how far out you're looking to move, I'd just start the quarantine process NOW. If you can do it 120 days in advance the quarantine rules actually aren't too bad since they changed them a few years ago.

vivi

The quarantine process is like jumping thru hoops. We started 120 days in advance with our 2 cats, this was in 1998 when they still had to be quarantined for 30 days despite all the advance work on the mainland. Now with the restrictions relaxed, if you start 120 days in advance I do believe the cats would only have a short stay in quarantine.

Manoa is my favorite residential area on Oahu.

misspizzazz

Vivi and MerryTravel,

Your right about the cats. I'll need to start that process now. Does anyone know of any cat friendly housing? I've heard it is near impossible to find any.

Vivi, thanks for the tip on Manoa. I'm going to check it out.

Tammy

GoTravel

Why will your cats be a big obstacle?

It isn't impossible to take them with you; just part of being a responsible pet owner.

misspizzazz

Hi,

The cats aren't an obstacle, as much as they are a reality of living in Hawaii. Lots of housing is not pet-friendly...saying "no pets allowed" as a common rule. Getting the cats from the plane and with us will take some paperwork because Hawaii is rabies free. Our cats are uptodate, but the paperwork needs to match up and can't be over 120 olds from their last shot. So...just more things to add to my to do list...not an obstacle......a bump.

Tammy

lcuy

The problem with pets is that many landlords in Hawaii refuse to take pets, partly because our Landlord/Tenant law does not allow collecting pet deposits or additional cleaning or fumigation fees up front. Bad pet owners have soured the pot for the good ones....

It is not impossible to rent with pets, but someone moving here has to weigh the possibility of having to give them away to strangers once here (after all the rabies tests, the long flight and the other moving and travel issues) against perhaps finding them a home with friends before leaving.

Sometimes being a responsible pet owner means being a realist and doing what is best for the animal.

Just things to consider. There is no one right answer for everyone.

MerryTravel

We managed to find an apartment that allowed our cat. It was a condo building, and our landlord had decided to move to the Big Island and rent his condo out, so many of the owners had pets. We did agree to get the carpets cleaned when we left and pay for any damage our cat caused. It was tough, but we found the apartment within a week of moving there.

suze

But there still is a quarantine, right? How long is it these days?

It was 4 months when I looked into it a couple years ago. They take the cats straight off the plane to the quarantine place.

GoTravel