Any tips to live by when choosing a condo in Hawaii? Nervous about sending deposits to individuals yet the beach houses look so great. What rules should you live by when choosing a house? Going to Kailua.

Aloha newyorkzzz,

I found the "Hawaii Revealed" (http://www.wizardpub.com/bigisland/bigisland.html) to be a good source to learn about condo's, and you pretty much get what you see if a condo has a virtual tour online. Other options include internet travel agencies or realtors that rent condo's in Hawaii and accept credit card payment.

We usually research www.vrbo.com and like condo's that accept a small deposit check rather than the whole fee, up front. We have checked into whether the property management of a condo in a complex can verify if the person we are renting from is legit.

You might get more help from the Hawaii experts that view this board if you provide more details about which condo(s) you are specifically interested in.

Forgot to add, it helps others find your post if you put it under the "Hawaii" category.

thanks so much! that must be why i am having such a hard time getting responses!
I'm looking at a house (not condo-sorry) in Laumilo. Same one travelmom13 from Melissa(HI) thread stayed at recently. Can't seem to track her down to find out about her trip. Laumilo is a street in Waimanalo best I can decipher. Other choice is a house in Hale Kai Surf/Tennis Ass. in Kailua. Sounds great but she doesn't have a contract and wants deposit in a traveler's check made out to daughter. Kind of nervous.

I'm kind of new at this. I'll try swithching this thread to "Hawaii Rentals- .com safe?" under Hawaii. Thanks for the tip!

I am going with my 3 kids to Oahu the day after Xmas. I am renting a beach house in Kailua that I found online.
Before I rented it, I called the Kailua Chamber of Commerce to ask about the people I rented from. I also called the people that I rented from. They had an 800 number listed but I called information to get the local number for them. I am very pleased with what I found and feel confident I will be getting what I rented. Hope this helps.