Has anyone relocated to Hawaii?
 

My husband and I love Hawaii and go there every year either to Maui or Kauai. We miss it so much when we are not there to the point that we are considering moving there permanently.
My husband is in the medical field so finding a job would not be a problem but the cost of living concerns us. Also what are the schools like, we have two daughters.
Any info about living in Hawaii or relocating would be a great help.

You might read this older thread:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...amp;dirtyBit=1

The cost of living is high, but not shocking anymore to people from places like San Francisco, Seattle, Ny or Boston. Property taxes are low, heating costs very low ( ;-) ), and you don't need winter clothes. On the other hand, transportation back to the mainland for visits can be high, and the public schools can be pretty poor, especially on the neighbor islands.

I think we have the highest percentage in the nation of kids going to private schools. On Oahu, private schools run $8000-$13000 per year and many are very selective; Punahou takes less than 1 of 6 kindergarteners that apply. Kauai has few private options. Maui and BI have a couple- you'd want to live nearby if that would be your choice.

I just met a family last week that moved here two years ago from LA. They had not budgeted for private schools, and their 4 kids are in 3 different schools, so that's been a struggle. Other than that, they seemed to love it...felt that the clean environment, healthy sports, good food and friendly people were well worth the trade of in standard of living.

I had a babysitter a few years back that thought Hawaii was paradise. She dragged her husband and kids over here without much planning, then after two year realized even paradise has its flaws (She forgot you can't just lay by the pool all day when you live and WORK here, they bought a small condo in a lower income neighborhood where the high school was very rough), and dragged them back to California.

I'd do a trial period - rent out your home on the mainland and rent in Hawaii for a while until you're sure you like it here.

I love Hawaii and can't imagine living anywhere else, but it isn't for everyone.

Yes, my spouse's best friend moved to Oahu about 3 years ago (he's a physician) and is very happy. In that short amount of time his home had doubled in price (way to go) and has no complaints. One thing he did say is that schools were about 3 years behind his children's schooling from San Diego. They are now attending the most expensive school and says things are much better. His daughter has already been accepted to NYU and her other choice college so looks like they made the right choice regarding Oahu education. Cost of living is high but the lifestyle is so much less stress than Ca they don't mind. They are asian and look like natives so there was no problem fitting in though it may be different for other ethnicities as pointed out in the earlier post. Hope this helps.

Oops I think Lcuy's link is to the wrong thread but I remember that post from a way's back, it was a good one. I don't think I contributed to that one so I'm not sure how to look it up. Lcuy always has great Hawaii advice:)

My husband lived there for a year on Oahu for part of his medical training. Finding an apartment was a pain because the real estate market is so nuts there just aren't many rental properties anymore. I also worked in a real estate office while there and I couldn't believe how much property cost. Maui had the most expensive properties, followed by Oahu, and Kauai is starting to climb, too. I hardly ever saw homes for less than $400,000, and we're talking about dinky little things. People would camp out overnight to get in line to get a lottery number to buy into new construction. When an affordable property does pop up, it's snapped up fast and people usually have to outbid each other for it.

The cost of living is high, and I don't know how people with kids can do it. Milk is $6 a gallon! Shopping at Costco helps (although they don't have one on Kauai). As mentioned above it's also very expensive to get back to the Mainland to visit family and friends, although you'll probably feel like a B&B with all the visitors you'll get (I liked that part).

Something to keep in mind about the lifestyle in Hawaii is that the "laid back" attitude that is so nice on vacation can get very annoying when you're dealing with the bank, DMV or other lovely bureaucracies that aren't fun anywhere.

I got a pretty bad case of "island fever" by the time we left. There were weekends where we'd contemplate the entire island for things to do and come up blank. It seemed like a lot of the Mainland transplants were very outdoorsy and athletic. I'm like that a little bit, but you can't hike every weekend.

My husband and I don't have children, but everyone says the same thing about the schools. The public schools are some of the worst in the nation.

Please feel free to post questions in this thread if you have any for me. I liked living in Hawaii, but after a year I was pretty ready to leave.

My son, his wife and their three children moved to Oahu from California a year and a half ago. They love many things about Hawaii, but the cost of living is astounding. Keeping the kids in milk, fruit and vegetables is a challenge. And - they are currently home-schooling two of the children because the public school system that they live in is so bad. They hope to send them to a private school if/when they can afford it.

On the other hand, they love the weather (although their air conditioning is on most of the time) and the people. My daughter-in-law is under 5 feet, with long dark hair and although she isn't Asian, she looks like she fits in with the island population. My son, on the other hand, is six feet four inches, with blue eyes and doesn't fit in at all. All things considered, though, the people have been very welcoming.

I worked in Hawaii quite a bit for a couple of years and knew that I couldn't live there - too remote - but I think my son and his family will stay there because of the friendships they have made in their church and community.

I hope that they continue to do okay financially, because the high costs are a considerable disadvantage.

Whoops, that should be "My husband AND I lived there for a year on Oahu."

I was seriously considering moving there from this desert "paradise" (hahaha) two years ago. One thing I did find out about was that although the cost of living is high- there is a huge trade off that mitigates it - like the other poster mentioned - no heating costs, no winter clothes - add to that the abundance of local fruits, vegetables, seafood, etc that can be purchased through local venues and the free activities that abound. The one thing that sets off the cost of living is that many in the islands have such a different mindset than we have here on the mainland when it comes to "stuff" - they just don't have the desire to acquire more & more stuff - they're happy with less and enjoy a much more laid back and less stressful lifestyle than you'd ever find over here. I still hope to move there someday.

travelinwifey- did your friend's daughter go to Punahou? and is her name Kim?

Well, since you aren't interested in car rentals, maybe this thread is about moving to Hawaii.. ;-)

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34538200

If not, type "retire hawaii" in the search box and you'll see it!

There is a very good "moving to hawaii" forum on www.konaweb.com. It pertains to moving to the Big Island, but the folks on the board are very helpful and have lots of useful info. It is also my dream to live in Hawaii, but unfortunately I do not have job skills that are much in demand (and then there's that pesky bar exam...)

It's true that you need to weigh your entire lifestyle before taking the plunge. for those of us who already live here, it's no problem.

I sit here in my office with a view of Honolulu Harbor every day, and fresh gardenias on my desk from my coworker's yard. When I went to the lei stand on Sunday, I commented on the lovely scent....as the gal rang up my purchase, she handed me some free tuberose to memorialize the scent!

I've learned to shop in Chinatown for good produce prices. And running around the beach at sunset isn't so bad, either!

Hi Lcuy, sorry I am not certain of the school's name and the daughter's name is not Kim:) Though I wouldn't be surprised if you did know the family through one way or another. They have both a daughter & son, and the daughter is a senior this year:)

Just to update the message from Merry Travel

A couple of months ago, Costco announced that they are going to build a Costco on Kauai. It will include a gas station That should keep some prices low because of the competition.

But, on the other hand, all super warehouse stores tend to drive some other stores out of business.

Plans are to be open August 2006.

Melissa - I'm so jealous of your office view - but I guess it works out for the best, because I'd spend all my time looking out the window and thinking I'd rather be at the beach instead.

Just a ditto on what everyone else has said so far. I was born and raised here, but lived about 8 years of my adult life on the mainland before moving back home. It took some getting used to once I got back - it is definitely a more laid back lifestyle, and things will only happen/move so fast.

Public schooling here can be pretty poor - I send my daughter to a private school and the tuition is very expensive, considering that I am a single parent not receiving any child support. For me, however, public school is not an option, so I do what I need in order to keep my daughter there.

We moved here in '93. We've never seen so many jobs (not all great pay) and so little real estate. We are looking to buy a 3 bedroom BASIC home anywhere on the island and if we find anything under $600,000 it is gone the next day. Our neighbor's house was $250,000 3 years ago and is now listed for $685,000 - no yard and just your standard cookie cutter home. 1300 sqft

My sister in law moved here last week and got a studio the size of my dining room in Waikiki hooker area for $850 a month and a job that pays $10 an hour.

Then schools are AWFUL, AWFUL, AWFUL - all my friends that can are moving away or some actually have the families on the mainland during the school year. The problem I find with the private schools is they are all religious and that's not the route we want.

The ages of your daughters and the cultural shock is a big point too.

Other than that it's a lovely place. It's just much harder here than most.

And we live on Oahu and are looking to go to Kauai again. I heard the real estate there is much worse. Kauai is a nice place to raise kids though.

islandmom - while many of the private schools here focus more on religion than others, there are several that are pretty relaxed about it.

Punahou says it is a non-denominational Christian school - but I would dare say it is so in the loosest of terms. I am an alumnus, and I recall religion being limited to going to chapel once every 6 days for a 40 or 50 minute period and a single semester of learning about other religions, such as Judaism, Buddhism, etc.

My sisters attended Mid-Pacific, and I think it was the same way there.

However, if you want a school that has no religious aspects at all (like chapel) - then you may be right, off the top of my head I don't know if there are any.

Punahou, and Iolani, have religious roots, but none of them is what I'd call a "relegious school". both of them have a very diverse student body- both ethnically and in their relegious beliefs...

At Punahou, the kids still do chapel once a cycle, but the focus is typically based on values-both Hawaiian and Western.

Iolani is related to the Episcopal Church, but definitely not a hotbed of religion either. Not sure if Mid-Pac has any relegious ties at all, and Kamehameha schools requires Hawaiian ancestry.

Of course, there are lots of Catholic and other schools as well.

Most people find the problem with the private schools in Hawaii is the price and getting accepted, not the quality of education. I know Punahou is ranked as one of the top 20 schools in the nation.

and I do know how to spell religious...fingers typing faster than the brain.. :-]

I checked on those and they all require chapel or such with the school. I'm hoping we can go with La Pietra when she is older.

By the way....if your kids can't get in to private schools in Hawaii, it's not the end of the world. I'm a product of the public school system and while things could have been better, I came out fine! Less sheltered, anyway. :)

This is an interesting thread. I would also like to hear more about relocating to Hawaii. So we know the real estate is sky high. What are the property taxes like on a 600,000 home? I know it depends on the home but in general what would you expect to pay? What about condo rentals? Are they expensive / available? The sales tax on Oahu is 4.10 % right? We pay 8.25% here in Syracuse NY. The property and school taxes here are very high. Our taxes combined are $3,000.00 a year on a property assessed at 103,000. So you can see where we would be on a $600,000 property. As high as our school taxes are there are a lot of private schools here too that many families pay 3,000 + a year for and our public schools are excellent. I also know our energy supplier has the highest rates in the nation. I spend $3,500 a year to maintain a comfortable? 68 degrees. We walk around with sweaters on indoors and cuddle with blankets to watch TV. My family is really great about turning off all the lights just to keep our energy bill down. Is energy expensive there? What is the public transporation like? Do you need a car? I also know NY has some of the highest insurance rates in the nation. I would consider not having a car on Hawaii. (I'd gladly walk in the WARM rain). Maintaning a car is very expensive and we're a 2 car family.

Islandmom <i>&quot;My sister in law moved here last week and got a studio the size of my dining room in Waikiki hooker area for $850 a month &quot;</i>

Where's that area ? I've been vaguely looking at Waikiki and possibly Honolulu (6 mo or 1yr) rentals (the thinking being a car would not be needed) and one problem is knowing which areas to avoid. Thanks.

Lets see...property tax on a $600,000 house would be about $1800 per year. The excise tax is 4 %, (often rounded up to 4.16) and is on everything- including food and drugs.

My electric bill runs about $100/mo
for a family of four, but we never use AC.

There are lots of one bedrooms in the $925-$1000 range. A two bedroom in Makiki or Waikiki can be found at $1000, many are in the $1500-$2000 range.

You can easily live without a car if you choose your home in Makiki, Waikiki, UNiversiy or downtown areas.
The bus system is quite good.

Our car insurance is about $550 a year for our beater beach car and about$800 on my new Honda.

The public schools are not all bad, as Melissa says. My girlfiend teaches at Roosevelt and routinely gets her students into UC and Ivy schools. Of course, her own kids go to private school. &gt;:)

Houses and condos are very expensive. We are in the midst of Hawaii's biggest real estate boom since the 80's. The same places we couldn't give away 4 years ago are now selling overnight.

I think the biggest adjustment though, is the mental one. People can love it here, tolerate it, or hate it. So much depends on your circumstances and attitude.

I see the same things (is it worth it? Is it a nice place to live?) written about Houston, Seattle, and other cities. The main difference with Hawaii is that it takes such effort to move here, that you feel a lot more &quot;stuck&quot; if it doesn't meet your dreams.

We were renting a small two-bedroom condo outside of Waikiki (between Kapiolani Park and the entrance to Diamond Head, no view) for $1650 per month. While there are still rentals to be had, we had a hard time finding anyone who would rent to us since we had a cat. As far as getting around without a car, it's possible, but it's very nice to have one for trips to the beach, hiking trails, etc. However we did get by with just one since my husband rode his bike to work until it got stolen...from outside the hospital...on his birthday.

Yup, ditto on the housing boom lcuy referenced.

The rental market is extremely tight right now, as many people are taking advantage of the boom and selling their units. You can find units to rent, but the restrictions might be tough and/or the rent may be high, due to demand.

If you look to purchase something, you can pretty much expect to get into a bidding war with someone and pay above the listed price. Friends of mine who recently purchased a house were outbid previously on several homes they had put offers on - and this was even after they were offering significantly above the asking price (which wasn't at all underpriced to begin with).

My sister and her husband purchased a townhouse about a year ago. Their neighbor just sold his unit (exact floor plan) for over $100,000 more than what they paid for it.

If you live in the areas lcuy mentioned, the Bus isn't bad. But I wouldn't want to rely on the Bus if I lived further away than that.

We rode the bus the first year too.

Kuhio in Waikiki is an interesting area.

Our electric runs between $350 - $550 a month. We do have a couple of window a/c's though.

My thoughts as a mother are I wouldn't move kids over here who are older and established with their peer groups. It's a huge cultural shock. And depending on which school they get into, they could be very mistreated for being an outsider.

You should come for a summer and give it a try first.

Very interesting and helpful. Sounds like relocating is possible.( A $600,000 house here would have taxes well above 10,000). I do have another question. What about building your own home? My husband and I could easily build a home. Are building lots available / expensive? Is building material available? Does the state discourage this with too many codes or regulations? I know anything near the ocean would be untouchable but what about in the mountains or inland. One of my favorite things about Hawaii is being surronded by ocean. It's not far away no matter where you live. I'm not sure I would feel trapped on the island of Oahu. The city of Honolulu and Waikiki offer so much. There is even rush hour traffic here. Then there is beautiful Kailua and Kanehoe. Well the whole island is gorgeous! The Caribbean makes me feel trapped but not Oahu.

anni, I can't comment on Hawaii but feel I can comment on living in a beach environment. As far as building a home, you must remember when you live close to the beach, which I can assure you is also the case in Hawaii, the property is not as valued as the land under the property.

To give you an example, the lot across the street from me (across the street from the beach) with nothing on it just sold for $600,000. The lot and house next to it just sold for for $650,000. It is a four bedroom two bath house and the lots are identical.

Does that make sense? In other words, I don't think you'll find an inexpensive lot to build on.

In answering the original query:

Yes, I did relocate to Hawaii on more than a few occasions - up until somebody walks in through my office door to startle me off my daydreams.

Wow, thank you all for your informative responses! I now have a much clearer view of how expensive it is to live in Hawaii, which is great.

I am sad to hear that the schools are not that great, I had heard this but was not sure it was true. Private schools would probably be the route to go for us if we move. The cost of housing is astounding, it makes me wish we had moved 10 years ago before the boom.

I am not sure if we will move to Hawaii but we do want to move somewhere to be close to the ocean and away from the cold. I think we will keep Hawaii in mind but look at other options. If anyone has any suggestions I would be more than happy to get your advice.

Once again, thank you all. You have really been helpful.

I moved to Maui from Los Angeles. In comparing the cost of living, I've not noticed much difference overall between the two. Some things cost more, some things cost less. I had to learn how to shop differently, and my priorities are greatly different. My parents live in a coastal area of Florida. They also don't see much of an overall difference in cost of living between there and Maui either. They pay much higher property taxes and insurance than I do, their electric bill is 3 times mine due to the need for constant A/C. I pay for more for gas, but they put 4 times the mileage on their car each year that I do. When it is all said and done, we pretty much come out the same.

Housing costs are higher in warmer beach communities. Anyplace where you have a tourist population you will feel the affects in local prices. My mother drives 40 minutes to grocery shop away from her local grocery store that charges higher prices during tourist season.

As for the schools, I don't know that HI schools are any worse than some CA schools. I do know that the kids here don't have to deal with some of the serious issues found in some CA schools, number one being gangs. It may be different on O`ahu, but I don't see armed school police and daily tagging at our schools on Maui.

But I firmly believe that an educational experience for any child is greatly impacted by their parent's involvement. I know of many children in my community who have gone of, or are going off to exceptional schools on the mainland, including NYU, Stanford and Northwestern. Many more are heading to UC schools. They are all products of Maui public schools, so if the schools are so terrible, someone must have done something right along the way for these kids to have been accepted.

if you are really interested in researching this, pick up a new copy of Toni Polancy's &quot;So You Want to Live in Hawai`i.&quot; Be sure to get the second edition, as it has been greatly update from the first.