There goes the neighborhood?

[glossyp]

Not sure if this is the appropriate thread, but the sale of a half-acre lot on the North Shore for a whopping $2.6 million dollars got my attention. New owners are Sean & Robin Penn. Former Mr. FHB Walter Dods and Mrs. Dod sold it to them. Would you spend (if you had it to spend:)) that much money for land anywhere? If so, where? I'm thinking about the answer to that.

[tutusue]

For $2.6M it sounds like there might be a lotta oceanfront footage! At that price, there better be! If money was absolutely no object then, yah, I'd spend that big chunk o' change for an oceanfront lot. Then I'd build a family compound full of little grass shacks!

[tikiyaki]

2.6 mil to Sean Penn is like 10 - 30K to any middle class working stiff like most of us.

In cases like this, the price is relative.

On the North Shore ? If I was him, with that kinda loot ?

Yea, no problem.

[Palolo Joe]

If I had the money? I would buy as much land here as I could afford, to keep it in Hawaiian hands and away from all the retiring baby boomers.

[LikaNui]

About six months ago Sean and Robin were also rumored to have bought an oceanfront estate in Kailua for $24 million... and that rumor turned out to be false.
Ergo, I question the veracity of any new rumor about them.

[Menehune Man]

Since this is an "If I could..."

I'd prefer to buy some place up the hill (a stable hill), that has a great view of the ocean as well. That way I could go to the sea, but it shouldn't be able to reach me.

[Beau]

Since this is an "If I could..."

I'd prefer to buy some place up the hill (a stable hill), that has a great view of the ocean as well. That way I could go to the sea, but it shouldn't be able to reach me.

I agree 100%. I grew up on a hillside community and loved being near to the city, yet away from the hustle and bustle. The air temperature was always a little to a lot cooler; and you can see the ocean, but in general safe from a tsunami.

[glossyp]

About six months ago Sean and Robin were also rumored to have bought an oceanfront estate in Kailua for $24 million... and that rumor turned out to be false.
Ergo, I question the veracity of any new rumor about them.
I suppose it's possible that PBN printed a rumor, but I doubt it.

[pzarquon]

My dad lives on the beach. For the most part, it's as wonderful as you'd imagine.

Except, well, there's little things like sinkholes under your kitchen and erosion under your rock wall and drunk trespassers passing out on your lawn and neighborhood squabbles over rights of ways and neighborhood board meeting shouting matches over runoff and litter and permits and... oh yeah, the occasional tsunami threat or actual storm surge threatening to send your house floating away.

So, if money were no object? Yes, I'd splurge on a chunk of oceanfront land. But only as a long-term investment (hoping, of course, said oceanfront still exists in 20-30 years), for the equity. I'd actually live somewhere modest, inland, with a beautiful view (and a sturdy foundation... also something not guaranteed with some "cliffside" McMansions).

[LikaNui]

I suppose it's possible that PBN printed a rumor, but I doubt it. Ah. Yes, that changes things. Makes the story much more plausible.
(Sorry, but you didn't mention PBN earlier.)

[Konaguy]

Link to PBN article (http://pacific.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2007/08/20/daily37.html?jst=b_ln_hl)

[oceanpacific]

Since this is an "If I could..."

I'd prefer to buy some place up the hill (a stable hill), that has a great view of the ocean as well. That way I could go to the sea, but it shouldn't be able to reach me.


An opposing POV: I don't like residing on top of hills, on the side of hills, or at the bottom of hills. I prefer the boring and mundane flat and level lots.

The reasons are insurance rates, gasoline consumption and automotive wear-and-tear, high winds (been on Mariner's Ridge lately?), erosion, potential loose boulders and rock slides.

My sister loves to, though, and is willing to "pay the price" for getting her "billion dollar views" of the Pacific Ocean and Honolulu City Lights far in the distance.

I guess I'm just a curmedgeon ................ :eek:

[Karen]

Central Oahu's got enough view for me, and my wallet's happy, too.

[oceanpacific]

Central Oahu's got enough view for me, and my wallet's happy, too.

DITTO! The Waianae mountains provide a vista to the west. And I get to stay here away from the massive morning traffic jams the majority of the time.

I even once had a view of Diamond Head from my second floor balcony........... framed by a utility pole and a tree. Other trees have grown to cover it. I could also see the fireworks display at Aloha Stadium in the distance.

[Karen]

Oceanpacific, do you also find that you gravitate to Central as much as possible? or am I just pitifully spoiled in avoiding heavy traffic? Our doctors, dentists, favorite stores are here, Waikele outlets and Pearlridge and I'm happy....I don't leave the general area for mos. on end. My gas tank is happy, too.

[acousticlady]

As much as I would love oceanfront property, I don't know if I could justify to myself spending that kind of money for anything. I like to think that if somehow I had that kind of money, I would do good with it. But the truth is, I don't know how I would react if I somehow suddenly found myself with that much expendable income. I do know that if I did find myself owning oceanfront property, I wouldn't want to develop it.

[oceanpacific]

Oceanpacific, do you also find that you gravitate to Central as much as possible? or am I just pitifully spoiled in avoiding heavy traffic? Our doctors, dentists, favorite stores are here, Waikele outlets and Pearlridge and I'm happy....I don't leave the general area for mos. on end. My gas tank is happy, too.

I've resided in Mililani (two shifts) for the better part of three decades. Three of the four major supermarkets are here, two LONG'S, movie theaters, Wal-Mart, City Mill, the banks, a full-service post office ......... and our own Zippy's! Costco, Home Depot, Lowe's, Borders, K-Mart, Sam's Club are a short drive away. Aloha Stadium (for UH football) is within a reasonable distance.

Other than medical appointments in town, I don't need to venture far: don't visit Kahala Mall, Waikiki, or our faux Rodeo Drive.

[scrivener]

If I had that kind of money to spend on only half an acre, I can think of two places I'd do it.

1. Cooperstown, New York, the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. It's a small, quiet, rural town in northern New York (home also of the Farmers Museum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmers%27_Museum) and the Fenimore House[/ur] (you knew there was a connection between James Fenimore Cooper and Cooperstown, of course!). Winters, I'd pay some local college-aged students to keep the house warm and functioning. Summers, I'd be in the heart of the most baseball town in America. I'd attend minor league games of the New York - Penn League (especially the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batavia_Muckdogs]Batavia Muckdogs (http://www.fenimoreartmuseum.org/), whose home games are played in Dwyer Stadium). The only major drawback I can see to retiring there is that it's not home.

2. A small lake in northern New York, close to Watertown. I know people who own houses on this lake, and I spent the best summer of my life there.

I would be TOTALLY overpaying for these lots, since there's now way they'd go for this kind of money. But I think they are worth it.

[craigwatanabe]

$2.4 Million would buy a lot of ocean front land in Keaau. If it were to preserve land for Hawaiians I'd focus on spending it on ocean front lands where that kind of money buys a whole lot more than half an acre.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

for that cash I would trick out a yacht and do the globe!

[GeckoGeek]

Beach front - too much work. Every things rusts. Wood rot. Lots of salt spray. Nah, give me a place up on the hill where I can watch the ocean and not worry about tsunami.

[tutusue]

Beach front - too much work. Every things rusts. Wood rot. Lots of salt spray. Nah, give me a place up on the hill where I can watch the ocean and not worry about tsunami.
Methinks if one can afford 2.6M for a half acre, oceanfront lot, one can also afford the ongoing upkeep...not to mention a small, live-in staff who'll also keep an eye on it when the owners are out of town! ;)

OTOH...no amount of money can stop a tsunami. :eek:

I will say, tho', as an oceanfront dweller, I do think about hurricanes and tsunamis but I don't worry about the possibility. Sleeping next to the sound of the ocean is more than a fair trade-off for me. Negative ions rock! :D

[i-hungry]

Yes I would spend the money if I had it. Land is a good investment if you planned well.