Aloha brahs!

I used to live on Oahu for 6 years, but moved away 3 years ago to get a job in Cali. My wife and I are dying to move back, but are toying with the idea of Kona. I've only been there once for a weekend so I don't know too much about it.

Any insights? How's the job scene? Housing market cheaper than Oahu? Just looking for somewhere cool with a lot of local family feel, where we can join a halau again and have plenty of aunties and uncles to make us feel at home.

I'm ready to get out of the Bay Area rat race so that's why Maui is out of the question......to many of us there already.:biglaughb

Thanks!

Pat

er gas is pushing $2.40 to $2.50 in kona. :(

my gf is from capt cook. maybe it's just me, but i had a hard time trying to find things to keep me occupied there. :b_blue:

Well it is the biggest of the islands. My brother has lived there for more than 30 yrs and loves it.
Kona is very hot and dry, but the big island was featured in BMW magazine. Nice long drives and a lot of lava. I don't live there, but when I have gone there, there isn't much to do but fish or hunt. I guess you could snow ski in the winter and water ski all year round. A little too slow for me, but then O'ahu is becoming a little too fast.
Co$t of living i$ high!


:checkered

I believe the cost of housing in Koni is near equal to that on Oahu. I don't know for a fact, but expect to pay around $300K for a decent home in Kona. It is quite a bit higher cost of living than Hilo and Waimea areas. I'm from Oahu and only visit the Big Island from time to time, but Kona is delveloping pretty fast. If you haven't been there in the past 5+ yaers you'll be very supprised. I'd say it at least rivals Kahului in Maui already.

Thanks guys!

I was also looking at Kauai, but it's way too expensive and I think it would be even slower than the Big Island.

As for housing prices I'm coming from the Bay Area, so I'm at an advantage there. Everything is cheap compared to here.:) I found a house on 5 acres in south Kona for $415k that is tempting me right now. They called it a "gentleman's ranch".

I would love to move back to Oahu, but I'm trying to get out of the race and I think you can still be in it there. If we did move to Oahu it would either be in Millilani Mauka or Hawaii Kai (with all of the other haole's).

As soon as there is a Target and In 'n Out then I'm moving back :buttrock . J/K...my wife finishes her Masters in Ed in December so shortly after that we are moving, so keep an eye out for me! I'll be there during Thanksgiving week scoping things out, so if there's a meet I'll bring the rental beater.

Thanks for the help!

You don't want to fight the traffic from Mililani Mauka! Hawaii Kai traffice sucks, it takes me 45 minutes to get to downtown.

I going to be in Kona for a week in April. I would be ery surprised if there are any jobs out there besides the Hotels/Resorts. I hope that I can find something to occupy myself, as I don't even Golf!

Good luck with your move, but the neighbor islands are just too "slow" for me, even Maui gets pretty boring after a few weeks. :)

Originally posted by The Beastmaster
You don't want to fight the traffic from Mililani Mauka! Hawaii Kai traffice sucks, it takes me 45 minutes to get to downtown.

It takes me over 1 hour to go 22 miles here....at least there you get to drive in nice weather and see the ocean while you are stuck in traffic....we get cold weather and brown hills to stare at.

IslandS52....I heard that Maui is getting real busy now. Somebody told me it took them 3 hours to get from Kehei to Ka'anapali.

Uhh, the 45 minutres is for 9 miles and that's without accidents!

Aiea to town=not many ocean views :(

13 miles takes about forty minutes (cut through Kalihi its much faster). Not too surprised about Maui. There is a pretty big population there and no freeway, only 2-lane. When I was there last year I was thinking how utterly boring the commute there must be. It's hard to pass, all the roads are straight and narrow and they rape you at the gas pump.

What?? You have Pearl Harbor as a view:biglaughb

See the ocean while you are driving? :jump:
Maybe an ocean of cars, but not the sea. Like Brian said, 45 min. for 9 miles on a good day.
We have very large, federally funded parking lots here.
But when you are in a ///M roadster with the top down, who gives a crap, maybe a bird or two.....
Just come on over and enjoy.

:checkered

:checkered

to me the big island is only good for vacations unless you are super country or a triathlete. kona is also hot as hell. Maui is my favorite island next to oahu. maui's roads are terible though, and they hate tourists even if you are from hawaii if your in a rent a car you are a target, i think oahu is the best because of the diverse areas. you can escpae into the city or the north shore, or go for a high speed run on H-3

I guess I'm looking at the big island because I already lived on Oahu for 6 years, so I'm looking for something new and different. It's just a dream for now, because I will probably end up on Oahu anyways.

what about Kaui

If I can land a gov. contractor job at Barking Sands, then I would definitely go there. All of the jobs are on Oahu, unless I can find something out of the ordinary that pays good. My wife is a teacher, used to teach at Wheeler Intermediate, so she can get a job just about anywhere. It's just me that has to find the right job when the time comes. Like I said, I would love to get outer island, but will probably end up on Oahu. We'll see what happens in December!!

i don't like hawaii anymore.
i'm moving to cali after i graduate.
maybe i'll move to castro.
:D

The grass is always greener on the other side. When I was living in Hawaii, I also though that Cali would be much better, but since the first day here I've been ready to come back to Hawaii.

I guess the biggest thing I miss is the total Ohana feel that Hawaii has. Ask most people in Cali if they know their neghbors and probably they don't. I have family out here, but I miss the million aunties, uncles, and cousins that will bend over backwards to help you out whenever you need.

Originally posted by Hawaii
maui's roads are terible though, and they hate tourists even if you are from hawaii if your in a rent a car you are a target,

No interstates, true. Far as "maui hating tourists", why do you think that?

Heck, I'll yield to anyone, local or not, when they are on the wrong side of the road! :devillook

Scott,

Don't forget that Hawaii is still a student @ Mililani High and his views may be somewhat limited due to his youth. Not dissing him or anything, but we should put things in to context.

Nice website you got there! I didn't know you did wedding photography. Would you do my wedding (when I get around to it)?

Left a message for Chris about Spring Fling this am, but he hasn't gotten back to me. Need to confirm that he's on board. I did speak to him about the track situation on Maui a couple weeks ago and said I'd see him on the 26th. Haven't heard from him since.

Originally posted by The Beastmaster
... Hawaii is still a student @ Mililani High and his views may be somewhat limited due to his youth. Not dissing him or anything, but we should put things in to context.

And he getting a ration of kukae because of it. Poor guy!

.. I didn't know you did wedding photography. Would you do my wedding (when I get around to it)?

24 years and counting. I can't believe it either... never planned on doing it for long... what can I say?

When and where? I'll be there! Well, let's check calendars first!


Left a message for Chris about Spring Fling this am, but he hasn't gotten back to me. Need to confirm that he's on board. I did speak to him about the track situation on Maui a couple weeks ago and said I'd see him on the 26th. Haven't heard from him since.

Keep on him... he's just one busy guy, but very interested in getting something going! Keep me updated. I've not spoken with Chris in a few weeks, been busy myself. I kick myself for not being able to make it on 4/26!

Chris is coming in Friday morning. We may be at the track on Thur. or Fri. so looks like we'll be able to do our recon. Hopefully, Chris won't spin out this time!

Not to worry about not making it, if you have work committments, time is money. And this economy, it's best to make the money while you can. Don't forget 7/26 for Aloha 500!

Hey MauiM3Mania,

Do you know Shane Teagarden? He did my wedding when I got married at the Grand Wailea. He did an awesome job!

Hi Pat,

Yeah, I know Shane. He is an excellent photographer and has been a friend since I came to Maui.

I was the secretary of the local professional group when he was pres three or four years ago.

When did you get married?

Scott

That's cool, it's a small world. When we got married what we wanted the most was excellent pictures and that's what we got.

We got married March 1996. Yes, I'm old.