My Journey to Maui

Dear Best Hawaii Vacation blog fans,
We hope you all enjoyed Bill's recent guest post 'Spring in Hawaii Waimea' on the Big Island. As you know, personal guest posts by Hawaii visitors and residents are most welcome here at Best Hawaii Vacation blog when they come from the heart and support our efforts of spreading the love and aloha for Hawaii, the land and its people.

Today we are to share with all of you the persona journey of Alex to Hawaii. His journey to Maui is one of those 'coming home journeys'of a family moving to Hawaii. Alex Cortez works a realtor with Island Sotheby's in Wailea. When not selling Wailea real estate, he can be found spending time with his two children and playing golf.

"Through real estate, I have the pleasure of working with many people who are either relocating or looking to purchase a piece of paradise. A question that is asked almost every single time is what made me move to Maui, as I’m not originally from the Valley Isle. My journey began almost 5 years ago. At that time, I was happy living in New York City but the news of an upcoming addition to the family changed everything. I was adamantly opposed to raising children in a concrete jungle and as my wife’s family lives on Maui, we decided to make the move over 5,000 miles from the East Coast to the sunny Pacific. Although my wife had grown up visiting Maui throughout her childhood, it was completely sight unseen for me as I had never been to Hawaii before.

We moved to Kihei a few months prior to the arrival of our son, Julian Kai. Getting used to life in Maui was easy, as the locals are friendly and visitors are usually glad to be on vacation. Living on a Hawaiian island comes with certain adjustments if expecting the same shopping opportunities of a big city and a plethora of dining choices but we happily accept those in exchange for our peaceful island life.

And Maui has much more to offer. Having the opportunity to raise our children in a tropical paradise with some of the world’s most amazing natural beauty makes up for the lack of big box stores. On a hot summer day we walk to our favorite beach in Hawaii, Keawakapu. Want to awe a visiting family member? Take them to see the sunrise at Haleakala (aptly named, as in Hawaiian it means 'House of the Sun'). My father is 70 years old and he said he had never seen anything as remarkable as the views from Haleakala. Maui truly makes everything else seem trivial.

Although for many, Maui evokes thoughts of sandy beaches, it offers a multitude of micro-climates. From Makawao with its rich cowboy/cattle history, to Kula perched at Haleakala’s foot with a cool climate most wouldn’t think is on Maui (you better get that fireplace going!), to Paia with its laid-back attitude reflecting its reputation as a surfer and artist haven, to the world-class resort communities of Wailea and Kapalua, Maui can set the perfect stage for a life on one of the world’s most beautiful places.

A year ago, my wife opened a new swimwear boutique in Kihei, with a special emphasis on locally-based products. It is thriving as it continues to be a strong member of the community, serving both visitors and locals alike. And six months ago, we were joined by the latest addition to our family, a beautiful baby girl named Cecilia Makena. With two children and a new business, we have planted our roots on Maui and intend to make this our permanent home. Share your Journey to Maui story!"

Much mahalo again Alex for sharing your 'Journey to Hawaii' with all of us. When Keoki and I made ourselves familiar with your work as a realtor on Maui, we were impressed by your involvement and dedication in all Maui public affairs relating to Maui real estate and Hawaii vacation.

What is your life journey to Hawaii? Mahalo, Pua Hawaii Kohala Coast Vacation

Tags: Journey Maui, Maui Journey

How to Move to Hawaii with your Pets

Best wishes for the New 2011 Year to all of our Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors! May all your dreams, like moving to Hawaii for good, come true!

The 2011 Hawaii real estate market is still a great buyer's market with great prices, far below the 2005 high, so thoughts of moving to Hawaii can become a reality instead of being a dream. A big part of 'Moving to Hawaii' plans has been and still is for many families the question 'How to move the pets to Hawaii?' Generally, moving pets to Hawaii has become so much easier in recent years with the 5-day or less program. Erick from Royal Hawaiian Movers joins us today with his guest author article about:

How to move to Hawaii with your pets

"Moving to Hawaii can be a rewarding experience, but transporting all of your belongings from the mainland to the Aloha State can leave you with a bit of a headache, especially when you have to consider all the restrictions and special sanctions that apply to certain things you might want to ship… like your pets. If you have dogs, cats or other animals that you wish to take with you when you make the move, it’s a good idea to read up on the current restrictions by the State of Hawaii that apply to shipping pets to Hawaii. Here’s some of the basic info you need to know.

Hawaii’s Animal Quarantine

Hawaii has a special animal quarantine program that was put in place in 1912 to prevent the entry of rabies into the state of Hawaii. Historically, Hawaii has always been a rabies-free state, having had no indigenous cases of the disease. In an effort to maintain this status, the state’s Department of Agriculture instituted an animal quarantine that applies to dogs, cats and all other carnivores that could potentially carry the disease.

The quarantine requires that all animals to which it applies be properly inspected and qualified before entering Hawaii. Pets can be released directly from the airport if the owner follows the required procedures before the pet’s arrival. If not, the procedures must be done before the pet may be released. It usually takes about four months to test and qualify an adult pet, as various vaccinations and inspections are needed. Qualifying a newborn kitten or puppy for Hawaii’s quarantine program can take 10 months or more.

Exceptions

If you’re moving from the continental United States to Hawaii, the quarantine applies to your pets. The only exceptions that are made are for animals that come from other rabies-free areas of the world or from places where rabies prevention and control protocols are as strict as or stricter than Hawaii’s protocols. "

Mahalo again Erick for your input on the pet quarantine program. We hope that everybody who wants to know how to move with pets to Hawaii found some valuable information in our 'Moving pets to Hawaii' post. Even though moving your pets to Hawaii has become so much easier on the pets and the pet owners, it still takes a lot of filling out the right paperwork, following the correct procedures and paying the necessary fees, when you want to take advantage of the 5-day or pick up at the airport program.

Moving to Hawaii is a huge step by itself, so maybe you want to get some help from a company who is familiar with the necessary steps to move your pets. It can't hurt to contact a pet relocation service like AKonaPet, which I found in preparation for this post.

Your comments about how you moved to Hawaii with your pets are most welcome by us and our Hawaii blog visitors. Mahalo, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Moving to Hawaii Related Articles

Moving to Hawaii
Moving to Hawaii Vacation for Ever?
Is Hawaii a Good Place to live?

Finding Employment on Hawaii

Dear Best Hawaii vacation lovers,
Hawaii has been and still is the dream of tons of people on the Mainland, more so the ones going through the rough winters like the Canadians. No wonder that the 'snowbirds' from Canada and the Pacific Northwest show up each winter in Hawaii for the simple reason that they want to see some sun!!!

And each time the snowbirds are here in Hawaii, they are wondering what it would be like to live in Hawaii for good. For the majority of people, the biggest question to contemplate is finding a job in Hawaii. Employment in Hawaii is the basis to sustain your and your family's life, whether being on the Mainland or in Hawaii.

Finding a job in Hawaii, provided you have to work in Hawaii because you are not independently wealthy does not come easy. If you were extremely lucky as a college teacher, you might get a job at the University of Hawaii. I would not count on that. Those who have a good teaching position there or at a nice private school like HPA Hawaii Preparatory Academy or Parker School on the Big Island, don't move too often.

A better chance is getting your substitute teacher's license and be available for 'subbing' at the public schools. It's surprising how many people from the Mainland, even with much more qualified jobs such as lawyers, are going this route in the beginning. It's like about $110/day but this income is not guaranteed because your name will be rotated on a list.

If you really want to live in Hawaii for a longer period, you might want to look into employment at the hotels where jobs become available on a more frequent basis. You might get turned down as 'overqualified' but it's a chance to get a job in Hawaii. Lots of people sacrifice well-paid jobs from the Mainland in order to live in Paradise. However, don't move to Hawaii with all your stuff and kids before you secured your employment in Hawaii. Be aware that hotel jobs in Hawaii depend on the tourism industry. No Hawaii visitors, no jobs!

Quite a number of people who move to the islands get their Hawaii real estate license. Hawaii will always stay a dream destination for vacation or retirees! The more hands-on people get their license as an LMT, licensed massage therapist in the state of Hawaii. It implies to spend quite a bit of money for attending one of the Hawaii massage schools for getting trained, doing many hours of supervised free massages before being allowed to the Hawaii state exam for LMTs.

As said above, the tourist industry is where your biggest chances are finding a job on any Hawaii island. The best chances for finding employment in Hawaii is Honolulu in on Oahu. It's also the only Hawaiian island where you can get around with public transportation at affordable prices and can easily share the cost of a rental apartment with a room mate. We would love to hear from those who are willing to share their experience about finding employment in Hawaii. Mahalo and aloha, Pua

Moving to Hawaii Big Island

p.s.

Hope you did not miss our post about the biggest Hawaii event.

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Tags: Employment in Hawaii, Hawaii jobs, Finding jobs in Hawaii, Best Hawaii island to find a job

Will Hawaii foreclosures help your dream of living in Hawaii

Dear Hawaii lovers and blog visitors,
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in Hawaii and whether it means 'Vacation forever'? I bet you did, and you are not alone. Most everybody who visited Hawaii once or twice or more times played with that idea. "What if we moved to Hawaii?"


The current real estate market in Hawaii seems to get you closer to fulfilling your dream of living in Hawaii by buying a home or a condo on the Hawaiian Islands at a cheap price you can afford. True or false?

Well, recently, on my daily perusing Hawaii tweets a tweet by @Starbulletin - or a retweet by a Hawaii twitter follower - got my attention. The tweet connected to an article by Honolulu Starbulletin published on June 13th about the ever growing number of foreclosures in Hawaii with the meaningful article title 'Realty investor Blues'. The Starbulletin article quotes some most recent Hawaii foreclosure numbers which are mind boggling but the numbers clearly reflect what is currently going on in Hawaii's real estate market.


There is no surprise that Hawaii with its larger percentage of second-home owners and investors compared to the rest of the nation jumped to #15 in May in foreclosures. 42% of foreclosures in Hawaii through the month of May were non-owner occupied properties. No surprise for me that Maui was having the lead with 50% of non-occupied foreclosures.

Naturally, this high number of foreclosures in Hawaii, a dream vacation or retirement location, triggers the interest of those who have a job and a steady income or enough cash money in searching for foreclosure deals in Hawaii. Just ask Google and type in the search for 'Hawaii Foreclosures' and the number of about 5million search results makes it clear that an entire new 'foreclosure industry' has developed in the Hawaii real estate market with realtors riding the wave of 'Hawaii foreclosures'.

On my personal search for putting this blog post together, I came across another interesting article regards the Hawaii Foreclosures published by Yahoo Finance News on June 11 which emphasized that "The islands now have the 15th highest foreclosure rate in the nation, at one in every 621 households. Local economists and foreclosure attorneys say Hawaii's foreclosure filings are growing as the recession leads to job and wage cuts. Declining property values are also making it harder for people to refinance their mortgages or sell their homes."

Coming back to our original question whether Hawaii foreclosures are getting you closer to becoming a homeowner in Hawaii and living in Hawaii. My personal lay person's humble opinion is that buying cheap foreclosure property in Hawaii looks easier than it is. Foreclosure properties will be auctioned off. The bank has a clear idea what they need to make to break even and where they want to start the bidding. In most cases, this is not the bottom price you have in mind.

Furthermore, mortgages for the average person are naturally harder to get these days. Also make sure that you have seen the home or the condo you are interested in buying as a foreclosure. Considering all pros and cons of a foreclosure purchase, it might be better to look for the real deal in a real estate market where the potential buyer has all the chances of negotiating the price he/she can afford instead of going 'treasure hunting' for a foreclosed property. This way you might be much closer to your dream of living in Hawaii. What's your opinion about Hawaii foreclosures? Mahalo, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
BTW, we won't publish comment ads by Hawaii foreclosure companies.

Hawaii Real Estate Related Articles

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Tags: living in Hawaii, Hawaii foreclosures, cheap Hawaii homes

Is Hawaii a good place to live?

Here is the Hawaii vacation scenario which happens again and again, whether it's for first time visitors to Hawaii or those who are spending frequent vacations in Hawaii: You sit in a jacuzzi at a fancy Hawaii beach resort and the question 'Is Hawaii a good place to live?' appears naturally. If you are lucky, there will be a few Hawaii residents who can answer that question for you and even give you some specific information about the costs of private schools, electric bills for running AC, median housing prices and more. Lucky you! Sometimes this is already the end to your Hawaiian dream of living in Hawaii.

Here is Best Hawaii Vacation's blog answer to 'Is Hawaii a good place to live?'. What a question! Of course, Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places to live on this earth with:

- warm weather all year round
- warm waters of the Pacific Ocean attract surfers, divers, swimmers...
- abundance of tropical flowers, plants and fruits
- white sand beaches and so much more.

We say 'There is no place like Hawaii'!

What you should Do before moving to Hawaii

However, if you want to enjoy all these wonderful things which make people want to move to Hawaii for good, it takes commitment and dedication and the right attitude.
1.
Do your homework with research on all the Hawaiian islands. Best island to start out with is Oahu, as it has public transportation, lots of jobs and yet nice beaches.
2.
Stay in touch with Hawaii through daily reading online publications of Hawaii newspapers. Pay close attention to classifieds in regards to job offers and sharing rooms. Don't forget Craiglist Hawaii in your resources for Living in Hawaii.
3.
Don't rely on other people, even if they are your friends. They might be able to provide you with advice but you got to determine what you want.
4.
Make sure that you have housing and job lined up, before you go to Hawaii.
5.
Good idea before moving to Hawaii, try a longer vacation on the island of your choice and talk to as many locals as possible.

Even if you have done all the necessary preparations, be aware that Hawaii is not for everybody to move and live there for good. Hawaii has the biggest fluctation rate in the states. Young people often get 'island fever' but guess what, if you lived in Hawaii for 2 years and after that you move back to the Mainland, it will be probably the most adventurous years of your life. And you can say 'I lived in Hawaii'!

Yes, Hawaii is a wonderful place to live! With the right preparation, you can do it too. Hope our Hawaii Moving Tips come handy. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations
p.s.
Do something 'touristy' when Hawaii Vacation...visit a Hawaiian luau.

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Tags: Hawaii, travel, vacation, Hawaii vacation, Living in Hawaii

Moving to Hawaii

Our regular Best Hawaii Vacation blog visitors know that we occasionally answer questions in the Honololu Answers section of Yahoo Travel. Why not share our knowledge with all of you interested in Hawaii and desperate for helpful answers. I noticed though, not everybody who answers, is giving well researched or experienced advice. Keep an open mind and judge with common sense when reading Yahoo's Hawaii answers.

One of the most frequent asked question is about 'moving to Hawaii': which island is best to move to, what does it cost to live in Hawaii, available jobs in Hawaii and housing market are reoccurring questions. If those questions interest you, keep reading, what I think you should know about 'Moving to Hawaii'.

In all my years of living in Hawaii, I have come across many people playing with the idea of moving to Hawaii 'for good', so they think. Some never made it here, it always stayed the dream. Some did and from those who did, I'd say half of them packed their cases again after approximately 2 years trying. Hawaii has the biggest fluctuation rate of all the states.

That being said does not mean you cannot make it. Anyhow, when you are young and motivated and/or have a job fitting right into our Hawaii tourist industry with lots of hotels and hotel service associated jobs, chances are you will be making it in Hawaii.

Here are a few 'Moving to Hawaii' tips:

1. Easiest way to start Hawaii life is Honolulu on Oahu

-No need to buy a private car as you can rely on affordable public bus transportation system till you got settled in.

-Affordable housing in downtown Honolulu by sharing a condo with room-mates, which you still need to find.

-Plenty of Hawaii hotels offer all kinds of service jobs. Good chances to find a job there.

-No need to drive far to relax after work on Waikiki's beaches!

Homeworks to do for Moving to Hawaii:
1.
Read all the classifieds of 'Honolulu Advertiser' on a regular basis for job offers matching your training and finding affordable housing. I encourage the idea of using Craigslist as well. The more resources you use, the better.
2.
Write your resume and put all your certificates together with it. Make copies of originals. As soon as you are ready, get job applications from hotel where you intend to work and mail application with your resume to hotels. Don't give your originals (certificates) away.
3.
Read everything about Hawaii, island life and of course Honolulu, so you have an idea what to expect in your new life.

If you consider moving to Maui, Big Island or Kauai, be aware of the following:

There is no public transportation system.
Regular housing in the hotel areas is not available or very expensive and beyond your means. For example, most Big Island hotels are on the Kohala Coast, west coast. However employees cannot afford to live there. They live on the East coast, Hilo side. There are buses for them which are free but in order to get to their job in time, they have to get on a bus like 4am in the morning.

Bottom line, I still think the easiest way to start out when moving to the islands is Honolulu. I have seen families moving kids + all their belongings to the Big Island without having a secure job or an affordable house lease. They ended up spending double the money relocating everything from the Big Island to Honolulu.

When doing your homework thoroughly, you may enjoy island life in the end and never look back as many other Hawaii residents! One has to make a living, if not independently wealthy, so why not at the best location in the world!

Last but not least, when you found that place in Hawaii where you would like to move to, plan a Hawaii vacation (September and October are perfect months to do that) there for a longer period. Talk to as many locals as possible and get a feel for the weather, climate, community, housing and job situation in the area. Hawaii is so diversified in all these aspects. Make sure beaches are not too far away. When working hard, you want to relax too and enjoy the Hawaiian island life, which made you move to Hawaii.

Good luck for your moving to Hawaii project. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Resources for Moving to Hawaii

Relocation Information Moving to Hawaii
Books on Moving to Hawaii and more
Why move to Hawaii Mover's Guide Books
Moving to Hawaii Get Moving Quotes

Tags: Hawaii, vacation, travel, moving to hawaii

Best Price Hawaii Home for Sale

Kohala Coast Home for Sale on Hawaii Big Island - Ready to move to Hawaii?

This Kohala Coast Home is SOLD!

Our today's blog post will probably not only attract Hawaii visitors who love to surf on Maui for their best Hawaii vacation. Most everybody in love with Hawaii will get excited reading this new post from Best Hawaii Vacation Blog. How many times have you contemplated your options of moving to Hawaii for good after returning in the cold (or rain) from another Hawaii vacation!

Believe us this is a permanent topic when sitting in your Hawaii hotel jacuzzi and exchanging opinions with fellow hotel guests about severe weather reports from your Mainland homes. When enjoying the warm, sunny Hawaii weather at any time of the year, conversations about moving to Hawaii are heating up!

As we, the editors of Best Hawaii Vacation blog, are well aware of the relevance and importance of questions regards Moving to Hawaii and the Hawaii Real Estate market 2008 for our Hawaii return visitors, we made it one of our priorities to keep you informed about the situation with Hawaii homes for sale. Many tourists who have become annual Hawaii visitors are currently sitting in the 'starting blocks' for buying a Hawaii home or condo at the best price within the last decade.

Hawaii condos or homes for sale seem to become affordable for the average person again. Don't get me wrong. Hawaii home prices are still high. They will always be, compared to the national average. This comes with the most desired location of Hawaii. Everybody know by now that mortgages are not given out like hot crossed buns anymore after the mortgage industry got badly hurt from past greedy procedures. Anyhow, if you are ready to buy a Hawaii home at an amazing price, check out this ocean view Kohala Coast Home for Sale

HUGE $$$ Price Reduction: New Asking Price 989,000!!! This is as good as it gets for a Hawaii Home for Sale at a Premier ocean view location.

This 3Bd/3Ba 'Kohala By the Sea' home, custom built in 2003, offers sweeping ocean views from every room! Owner's are now offering this delightful home fully furnished if Buyer so wishes. Huge picture windows with jalousies beneath afford clear ocean views with plenty of air flow throughout the house.

Single level open living area offers comfortable island style living with large kitchen and great room opening up to spacious ocean view covered lanai. With two master suites and an additional guest room, 3 full bathrooms and extra space for office, this custom home has one of the best floor plans available. Plenty of room for an ocean view pool if one should want. Motivated Sellers will consider all reasonable offers.

Kohala Coast Home features include:

- Two master suites at either end of this Kohala Coast Home for sale. Both with stunning ocean views.
- Huge picture windows with jalousies beneath in all three bedrooms and great room allow for refreshing airflow throughout the house and gorgeous ocean views.
- Large ocean view covered lanai.
- Additional room off kitchen which is currently used as office.
- Mature tropical landscaping with coconut palms and bougainvilleas.
- Very private and peaceful.

Related Articles

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If you like this Big Island home on the sunny Kohala Coast near best beaches and would like some more information or see more house photos, visit our site for contact information and more. Good luck for finding Hawaii Real Estate at the best price. This Kohala Coast might be right for your life in Hawaii. Aloha, Pua Hawaii Vacations

Tags: Hawaii Home for Sale, Best price Hawaii home

Moving to Hawaii Vacation for Ever?

Moving to Hawaii Dos and Don'ts

Are you tired of the long cold winter months on the Mainland? Do you dream of warmer times, sunny beaches and a more casual lifestyle? You are not alone with those dreams. They seem to sprout like mushrooms when hotel guests are sitting in the hotel jacuzzi, looking out on the wide Pacific Ocean, sipping a Maitai when waiting for the miracle of the Green Flash to happen for them on their best Hawaii vacation.

Remember this is your vacation and moving to Hawaii seems all so easy and without any obstacles. This is just like when we fall in love for the first time. Life is wonderful!!! To discover shortcomings on our new love interest, will follow much later. Let's find the shortcomings for Moving to Hawaii before you packed the container and moved the family to their new home or rental in Hawaii. Over the years of living in Hawaii, we have seen many people come and go. Moving to Hawaii takes the right planning, and making a living in Hawaii, which allows you time to enjoy Hawaii's natural beauty, is another challenge.

Don't ever forget your dreams why you moved to Hawaii! Make your life in Hawaii as much a vacation as possible.

The following Hawaii moving considerations are for people who are not independably wealthy and still want to live their Hawaiian dream.

Moving to Hawaii Dos
1.
Visit the Hawaiian island of your choice as many times as possible, most favorably at different times of the year, before buying property in Hawaii. Maybe, even rent for a longer period like a month to get a feel for island living, the area and its people.

2.
Talk to as many residents in the area where you want to move to: about the community, schools, crime rate, health care, costs of living in Hawaii

3.
Most important, make sure that you have a job when arriving in Hawaii. Hawaii jobs are mostly related to the tourism industry. Yes, there are frequently jobs available at the hotels but for some you might be overqualified and turned down.

4.
If you have children who still go to school, make sure that the public school in the area where you intend to move to is right for them. If you suddenly face having to take your kid out of public school and enroll in private school, that can become your biggest expense ever and may jeopardize your living in Hawaii.

5.
We mentioned before that the Hawaiian islands have a wet side (east side) and a drier west coast. House prices on Hawaii's east coast areas are about half the prices to the west coast. The same applies to house leasing prices.

6.
Consider commuting time for yourselves or your kids. Only Oahu has a public transportation system which works well and is affordable. On the other Hawaiian islands, you depend on your own car for transportation.

Moving to Hawaii Don'ts
1.
Don't buy Hawaii property on your first Hawaii vacation at a spur of a moment. Do your homework using the above Hawaii moving suggestions. A house on the wet but lush and green side of Hawaii, can look very tempting on a sunny, blue sky day but make sure that you can cope with frequent rain. Mold in your house can trigger allergies.

2.
Don't just pack and move to Hawaii without having proof of an affordable rental house for your family. Research carefully the house rental situation on the Hawaiian island where you are moving to. Having to stay at a vacation rental - rents for fully equipped vacation rentals include utilities are much higher than house leases - for some longer time might already challenge your budget before having started living in Hawaii.

3.
Don't commit to a mortgage for your house in Hawaii which is tight and based on two job income. There are no job guarantees in Hawaii either. Make sure you have enough money to pay your mortgage when you get laid off from your job at a hotel. Who ever thought that a big Hawaii hotel like Mauna Kea Beach Hotel had to be closed down?

4.
Don't buy property at a high, as quite a many people did before the Hawaii Housing Bubble burst last year. Your chances to negotiate with seller or realtors look much better these days. Hawaii real estate has become a buyer's market again.

Read also Keoki's article about Moving to Hawaii on Hawaii Affordable Vacation Rentals. It gives you an insider perspective and how we made our dream come true to live in Hawaii. Feel free to ask your questions about Moving to Hawaii or help people with more recommendations to make their dream of living in Hawaii come true.

Aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide
p.s.
Don't forget to submit your post to our 1st Best Hawaii Vacation Blog Carnival. Everything goes: from Best Things to do in Hawaii, Hawaii YouTube Videos, Things to see in Hawaii, Hawaii Trip Reports, some special trip advice for Hawaii vacation. We extend submission till Thursday 8/23/07. We are happy to promote your blog

Resources on Moving to Hawaii
Relocation Information Moving to Hawaii
Books on Moving to Hawaii and more
Why move to Hawaii Mover's Guide Books
Moving to Hawaii Get Moving Quotes

Tags: Moving to Hawaii, Hawaii, Best

Big Island Housing Bubble

Big Island Housing Bubble

Let’s pick up where we stopped with our last post on the building or ‘overbuilding’ boom on the Kohala Coast and on Hawaii Big Island. Real Estate market in Hawaii and on the Mainland has been, and still is, an ever-discussed topic all through the year 2006. The so long predicted bursting of the housing bubble seemed to have finally happened or was it just stabilizing of the market or correction of overpricing, as some real estate analysts pointed out?

In January 2006 the available inventory island-wide began to increase as house sale prices declined. Interest rates remained stable, which was encouraging to buyers. The housing market showed a totally different picture this year than it showed in 2005. What will the new year 2007 bring for the Big Island real estate market?
The Hawaii Housing Bubble blog with Oahu and Mainland house sale stats offers some interesting insight into real estate ‘bubble’ facts in Hawaii and on the Mainland. If you are interested in buying a house in Hawaii, this information might be worthwhile reading. The more you read, the more you know. The decision-making is still up to you, just like in the stock market. Not all the predictions by the top analysts are the right ones. Some basic trends help though for making your own house buying or selling conclusions.

Here are a few stats backing the current real estate market on the Big Island:

The Kona Coast has 429 listings with a median asking price of $729,000, with 28 sales last month and a median price of $620,000.

Puna on Big Island’s East Coast currently has 611 active listings. Vacant lot sales and prices in East Hawaii have plunged steadily since November of 2005, according to information compiled from the Hawaii Information Service. Vacant land was a hot commodity last year as investors bought lots in hopes of flipping them for a good profit. But the slowing market made speculators move on, at least for the moment.

With an average Hilo home going for $350,000, buyers last month were paying $17,000 less than they were in November of 2005, with a 20 percent drop in sales volume. Hilo had 34 sales in November 2005 and 27 sales in November 2006.

Last but not least, high end homes over 1 million dollars on the Kohala Coast, such as Kohala Ranch, Kohala by the Sea and Kohala Estates are still at high demand. However, asking and selling prices for the medium range are falling in the Waimea/Kamuela area on the Kohala Coast, especially so in that odd area between worker housing and upper middle class properties $500K to $900K.

All the above stats are once again proving that it’s a buyer’s market, as we ended our most recent post. Some buyers are waiting for the market to swing even further their way in what experts have called a "market correction" after years of brisk sales and high prices, but remember ‘there is no place like Hawaii’ and properties on these islands are not unlimited!

Merry Christmas and aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Rental Guide

Tags: hawaii housing bubble, hawaii real estate

Building boom on Kohala Coast of Big Island

Aloha Kohala Coast lovers,
Not everybody can afford an annual Hawaii visit. Trips to Hawaii don’t come cheap. So, let’s assume you have not been back for another vacation on the Kohala Coast for about two to three years but plan another return visit for next year.

Well, you’d better be prepared for changes, big changes in the Kohala Coast scenery you have come to get used to in those past years. Hawaii Big Island was always the island, which was laid back and low key. Beautiful Kohala Coast beaches have been a big attraction to travelers who did not want lie on one of those crowded Maui beaches but rather spend some peaceful time on one of the best Big Island’s beaches, like Hapuna or Mauna Kea beach.

However, as we all know, the ‘only constant in life is change’! Finally, the building boom from Oahu and Maui has caught up with the Big Island. Kona has changed a lot but the Kohala Coast as well. Even though we are all well aware that the economy of West Hawaii, like the entire State of Hawaii, is dependent on the visitor or tourism industry (West Hawaii welcomes more than a million visitors annually!), not all residents approve of the current situation. More and more condos and town houses are already up or are still getting developed on both sides of Highway 19 on your way from Kona to the Kohala Coast. Waikoloa Beach Resort added two more condo or town house complexes, as did Mauna Lani Beach Resort and Waikoloa Village area. Many more complexes are just new where there was bare land before.

Infrastructure changes with shopping centers and additional lanes on the Highway will have to follow! Hey, you know what the good part of all that additional building here on the West coast is: It will increase the number of available Kohala Coast homes, houses and condos, adjust the asking prices and by doing so, it will eventually create a buyer’s market, which can already be observed at certain Big Island areas and certain medium level prices. Perfect for the average buyer looking for an affordable Big Island home for sale or property to buy.

Plus, it will also increase the available Kohala Coast vacation rental units, as a lot of those new homeowners use their Hawaii home as a vacation rental condo or home to help pay for their mortgage. With more vacation rental units being available close to the beaches, your chances for finding a great place at a perfect rate are getting better by the day. Long story short, for our Kohala Coast visitors it’s a win-win situation! Happy? I bet! Stay tuned for more from the Kohala Coast. Aloha, Pua Kohala Coast Vacation Guide

Tags: Big Island, Hawaii Real Estate

Realizing your dreams - Moving to Hawaii Big Island

Prices are Dropping - Real Estate Big Island New Market Analysis

Aloha Hawaii lovers. This is a good one!

Are you one of those Kohala Coast return visitors who dream of having their little piece of heaven in Hawaii? Well, your chances of being able to buy a nice Hawaii property seem to be rising by the day or at least, by the month. After prices for real estate and houses for sale on all Hawaiian Islands were skyrocketing for the last two years, the Hawaii real estate market came finally to stagnation, as watched in other states like Arizona and California, with houses sitting much longer on the market and prices being dropped for making the sale.

Of course, Kohala Coast property prices near the ocean or properties with ocean view are still not in the average, affordable category but being all the time in the heat by the ocean means high costs for air conditioning to stay comfortable and cool, plus tidal waves are not out of the picture. Nobody can predict Mother Nature! Here is a great alternative to ocean front properties.

If you are a lover of all the Kohala Coast white sand beaches like Hapuna Beach, Mauna Kea and Spencer Beach, you don’t need to go far inland or better upcountry in order to find a nice house in ‘cowboy land’ in the Waimea area with a short 10 – 15 minute drive to the coast. See what our realtor friend and longtime Waimea resident Bill Jardine has to say in his current Waimea real estate market analysis Market Update 2006

Interested? Here is a great Kohala Coast Home for Sale…beautiful 2-story Big Island home with mountain & ocean views in most desired area of dry/sunny side of Waimea in Kamuela View Estates on the sunny Kohala Coast. Downstairs ohana style 1 bedroom/1 bath guest apartment offers a perfect opportunity for a vacation rental for additional income.

Find more information on Kohala Coast and Big Island real estate & Big Island homes & land for sale on these Big Island real estate listings. Have fun contemplating your options for moving to Hawaii Big Island. Last but not least, don’t buy on vacation at the spur of the moment. Living in paradise is not for everyone. Make sure you and your family don’t mind being 2500 miles out in the middle of the largest ocean on this planet! Keep dreaming and planning! A hui hou. Pua www.kohalacoastweb.com

Tags: Hawaii Homes, Hawaii Real Estate