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Hawaii - Pros and Cons

Discussion in 'General' started by Robin172, Apr 14, 2016.

  1. Robin172

    Robin172 Well-Known Member

    Anyone here with any experience of living in Hawaii?

    What would be a good salary there? What's the housing situation like? How expensive is it? (this probably ties in with the salary question). Which Island would be preferable, which to avoid.
     
  2. Cannoli

    Cannoli Typical Uccio

    It's gorgeous. It's expensive. Good DoD work on Oahu if you have clearance. Pay... Hard to say, it all depends on experience, as usual.
     
  3. Resident Plarp

    Resident Plarp drittsekkmanufacturing.com

    It's a dump once you get out of the tourist traps. The locals hate you and there's only one MX track. Gas is expensive, milk is absurd and getting anything worth having shipped from the mainland is expensive. Beaches are cool and so are the mountains.
     
  4. G 97

    G 97 Garth

    Weather good. Cost expensive. Island small. Worth it.
     
  5. SVbadguy

    SVbadguy I survived the Mt Course

    I was stationed there 15 years ago. A gallon of milk cost $8 off base. I wouldn't live there by choice. Visiting is fine.

    Had some friends in Kailua. 1960's era houses, 1300sq on .16 acre, current total assessments around $700,000 ($580k for the land). Even in NOVA these would be selling less than half that.
     
  6. Razr

    Razr Well-Known Member

    Greg Brady had a curse put on him in Hawaii
     
    t500racer and BigBird like this.
  7. Cannoli

    Cannoli Typical Uccio

    :crackup:

    I remember that episode!!


    man, I'm old...
     
  8. JTW

    JTW Well-Known Member

    I spent the better part of my youth growing up on Oahu. I can tell you that it can be either the greatest or worse place to live depending on the environment. It is extremely expensive and traffic has just gotten worse. My wife and I left in 1998 and have only been back a couple of times and each time it just keep getting worses

    If you are serious about moving there, PM me what type of job/industry you're in as I still have quite a bit of friends there and might be able to help. Are you dead set on moving to Oahu?
     
  9. In Your Corner

    In Your Corner Dungeonesque Crab AI Version

  10. Robin172

    Robin172 Well-Known Member

    My wife teaches, she's the one who suggested looking into it.
     
  11. JBraun

    JBraun Well-Known Member

    I'd live there in a second. It's true that it costs a ton to eat and you can't afford to buy a house, but so what? You can surf every day and you live in paradise.

    I always think it's funny when the objection to moving to another place is that you won't be able to have the exact same house/toys/lifestyle that you have now. It's supposed to be different. Adapt and enjoy.

    Good luck if you go for it. It's on my list of places to spend a few years if my semi-retirement continues to work out.
     
  12. 3twins

    3twins Well-Known Member

    My sister and her husband rented a tiny house in Oahu for a few years while he worked at a hospital a few years ago. Paper thin walls and neighbors so close they'd say bless you if sneezed or complained if running a blender too early in the morning.

    They had an acquaintance that lived in a tree (see salary question) and marveled at the number of chickens roaming the beach.

    They loved it and will cherish the memories, but it was expensive to live there and expensive for friends and family to visit.

    Last year they went back to visit and a possibly move back. Their 900sq ft house they had rented was recently sold for $900,000.
     
  13. deathwagon

    deathwagon Well-Known Member

    Your island of choice will dictate cost of living. You can live pretty inexpensively on the big island, but employment can be scarce. Oahu is very expensive, extremely crowded and wages are generally low. Think SoCal housing costs with Mississippi income, unless you're bringing a job with you. If you're taking a pet, make sure you look into the quarantine requirements. And finding a rental that allows pets will be a challenge.

    Many, many people move there with big dreams, only to return to the mainland within two years, broke.
     
    JTW likes this.
  14. If you've never lived on a relatively small island (i.e. an island that you can circumnavigate in an afternoon), you might want to do an extended visit, like for a month or so, before you make a commitment to stay for a long time. Some people are prone to island fever. Finding out that you're one of those people after you've made a significant financial investment/life change can be a very upsetting experience.
     
  15. Mechdziner714

    Mechdziner714 More Gas Less Brakes

    Con - No racetrack anymore
     
  16. It's a total waste to have a sportbike on Oahu.
     
  17. SGVRider

    SGVRider Well-Known Member

    I was born and raised in a shitty little town on Oahu. I left for Los Angeles at 19 and never looked back. It's high cost, low opportunity. Don't go unless you have an excellent (over 100k) job or you are independently wealthy. The lifestyle is extremely slow paced. If you have a bunch of money and you want to live life in the slow lane it could be good for you. I personally can't stand the place. Most don't last out a year after reality hits. It has absolutely nothing going for it other than decent weather.
     
  18. mmfoor

    mmfoor Team Stupid!

    No Hawaii Raceway Park, no Oahu for me. Big Island, Maui or Molokai maybe.
    Stink eye instead of the finger is pretty cool!
     
  19. JTW

    JTW Well-Known Member

     
  20. SGVRider

    SGVRider Well-Known Member

    Kasso brah! I'm from Kaneohe. You?
     

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