Big, Big Smiles: finally moving back to Hawaii!
Jan 4th, 2005, 09:43 AM
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Big, Big Smiles: finally moving back to Hawaii!
Happy days are here again! We are moving back to Honolulu after six years on the mainland. Kids are staying behind at college in Florida.
We previously lived on Hickam AFB from 1995 to 1998, but our geography recollections and basic situational awareness is a little rusty. I will be working for the government at Fort Shafter/Tripler Hospital, but not be eligible for Post housing. I plan to check with the Post housing office, but would deeply value a “second opinion” from some Fodor experts.
Initial concept: rent an apartment for a year or so and then look at buying if the job works out. Try a slightly urban lifestyle and be fairly close to nice restaurants, small shops, the beach and parks to take walks, bike and play tennis. Spend about 1500 per month for a two bedroom apartment in a secured building with phone, water, electric, parking, and basic cable. Focus first on a place in Maikiki, Punahou, Nuuana or along Kapiolani. Try to be located within 30 minutes of Fort Shafter, if possible due to worsening traffic situation.
We hope to do a pre-move apartment hunting trip in the next 30 days so we need to get back up to speed in a hurry. Small point: we were told by friends to try to get a place that faced the mountains so as to catch the breezes and reduce high AC costs. How big a factor is this in selecting an apartment?
Recommendations on housing websites, geographic areas to focus our housing hunt effort, cost of living/move planning factors, and rants and raves about specific apartment complexes would be greatly appreciated.
We previously lived on Hickam AFB from 1995 to 1998, but our geography recollections and basic situational awareness is a little rusty. I will be working for the government at Fort Shafter/Tripler Hospital, but not be eligible for Post housing. I plan to check with the Post housing office, but would deeply value a “second opinion” from some Fodor experts.
Initial concept: rent an apartment for a year or so and then look at buying if the job works out. Try a slightly urban lifestyle and be fairly close to nice restaurants, small shops, the beach and parks to take walks, bike and play tennis. Spend about 1500 per month for a two bedroom apartment in a secured building with phone, water, electric, parking, and basic cable. Focus first on a place in Maikiki, Punahou, Nuuana or along Kapiolani. Try to be located within 30 minutes of Fort Shafter, if possible due to worsening traffic situation.
We hope to do a pre-move apartment hunting trip in the next 30 days so we need to get back up to speed in a hurry. Small point: we were told by friends to try to get a place that faced the mountains so as to catch the breezes and reduce high AC costs. How big a factor is this in selecting an apartment?
Recommendations on housing websites, geographic areas to focus our housing hunt effort, cost of living/move planning factors, and rants and raves about specific apartment complexes would be greatly appreciated.
Jan 4th, 2005, 10:41 AM
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Your plan sounds like a good one. Any of the areas you listed should be within a 30 minute drive from Ft. Shafter, even in traffic (which as you stated, is getting worse). With the activities you have listed - especially the beach, park and tennis bit - the Ala Moana/Kapiolani area is the closest. Ala Moana beach park you can do all those things and it is right there - Kapiolani Park is a few miles away.
Your budget for monthly rent is doable, but perhaps will not be enough for any of the newer buildings that have been put up in the last 5-7 years in those areas listed, or any of the "luxury" buildings (which may or may not fall into your idea of "luxury", in any case). However, you can find a perfectly nice 2 bedroom apartment for that amount - but it may not be in the newest or fanciest building.
I don't believe that typically electricity or cable is included in the rent, but water is.
I don't know about mountain facing units catching breezes better than units facing other directions. That's not something I've heard anyone really consider during an apartment search. My sister had a mountain facing apartment - it didn't really seem any cooler than her friend's, who had an ocean facing unit in the same building.
Your budget for monthly rent is doable, but perhaps will not be enough for any of the newer buildings that have been put up in the last 5-7 years in those areas listed, or any of the "luxury" buildings (which may or may not fall into your idea of "luxury", in any case). However, you can find a perfectly nice 2 bedroom apartment for that amount - but it may not be in the newest or fanciest building.
I don't believe that typically electricity or cable is included in the rent, but water is.
I don't know about mountain facing units catching breezes better than units facing other directions. That's not something I've heard anyone really consider during an apartment search. My sister had a mountain facing apartment - it didn't really seem any cooler than her friend's, who had an ocean facing unit in the same building.
Jan 4th, 2005, 11:20 AM
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Congrats! We moved back to the Mainland recently ourselves, but I do miss Oahu.
It sounds like we were living in your "perfect" condo, but I know it's since been rented out. It was called Diamond Head Hillside and was on Monsarrat Avenue, between the entrance to Diamond Head and Kapiolani Park. You also might want to check out Pualei Circle. They aren't fancy, but they're right next to Diamond Head and Kapiolani Park. Good luck!
It sounds like we were living in your "perfect" condo, but I know it's since been rented out. It was called Diamond Head Hillside and was on Monsarrat Avenue, between the entrance to Diamond Head and Kapiolani Park. You also might want to check out Pualei Circle. They aren't fancy, but they're right next to Diamond Head and Kapiolani Park. Good luck!
Jan 4th, 2005, 12:22 PM
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Try www.hawaii.com. They have a very interesting posting board for those re-locating or thinking or re-locating.
Jan 4th, 2005, 01:04 PM
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Aloha and congratulations! I think your preferences are reasonable--I used to live in Nuuanu on Judd and it was literally a 5 minute drive to Fort Shafter. You wanna know something crazy? It's about an hour and a half bus ride from there to Fort Shafter. So a car is a must!!
Do a search for rentals at www.hicentral.com. You'll have to click on the desired neighborhoods if you want to be specific, but there are many 2 BR rentals in your price range (search "maximum" 1500 so that you can see the lower priced rentals)--not with the utilities included, though. As for proximity, the Kapiolani/McCully area is VERY convenient to local restaurants, Waikiki, and Kapiolani Park.
I don't know that facing the mountain will enable less need for A/C, although that could make sense. More importantly, you'd want a condo that faces the morning sun versus the afternoon sun to cut down on the heat.
Do a search for rentals at www.hicentral.com. You'll have to click on the desired neighborhoods if you want to be specific, but there are many 2 BR rentals in your price range (search "maximum" 1500 so that you can see the lower priced rentals)--not with the utilities included, though. As for proximity, the Kapiolani/McCully area is VERY convenient to local restaurants, Waikiki, and Kapiolani Park.
I don't know that facing the mountain will enable less need for A/C, although that could make sense. More importantly, you'd want a condo that faces the morning sun versus the afternoon sun to cut down on the heat.
Jan 4th, 2005, 07:36 PM
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Marco polo is an older building, so units can range from 1970's hideous to remodeled nicely. The units are fairly large- typically 2 bdrms have 2 full baths, and a large lanai. Nice pool, roof top tennis, pretty grounds. Doorman. Big building. The units that face the park & ocean are considered best so more expensive...the mountainside ones are cooler, but are on kapiolani blvd, so noisier. You will be lucky to get one at $1500, but its possible. Electricity will be extra.
I would second the idea of Pualei Circle if you want a laid back lifestyle. You are just 1/2 block from kapiolani park with the acquarium and zoo nearby, as well as hotels you can walk to for sunday brunch or a cup of coffee in the morning. Tennis courts are nearby. Some of the buildings on the circle are older, and dgo in the $1200- $1800 range. The ones at 3030 were rehabbed in 2000 so are very nice, but run $2000+.
Otherwise, Ala Moana, Punahou, Makiki or even Waikiki can fit your needs. Two bedroom units in these areas start at $1000 and go up rapidly depending on building age, freeway or street noise, 1 or 2 pkg, and if washer is in unit or coin op.
Kukui Plaza (the diamond head tower) downtown might also be in your price range. It has gotten nice in the last couple of years. Very convenient to downtown, Chinatown, freeway access.
I would second the idea of Pualei Circle if you want a laid back lifestyle. You are just 1/2 block from kapiolani park with the acquarium and zoo nearby, as well as hotels you can walk to for sunday brunch or a cup of coffee in the morning. Tennis courts are nearby. Some of the buildings on the circle are older, and dgo in the $1200- $1800 range. The ones at 3030 were rehabbed in 2000 so are very nice, but run $2000+.
Otherwise, Ala Moana, Punahou, Makiki or even Waikiki can fit your needs. Two bedroom units in these areas start at $1000 and go up rapidly depending on building age, freeway or street noise, 1 or 2 pkg, and if washer is in unit or coin op.
Kukui Plaza (the diamond head tower) downtown might also be in your price range. It has gotten nice in the last couple of years. Very convenient to downtown, Chinatown, freeway access.
