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  • Moving to Oahu - Need Advice

    Hello. My name is Aaron Bowen. My family and I (wife and two infants) are moving to Oahu after Christmas. I have printed up a map of Oahu and see that there are many different cities to choose from as far as living in goes. I am looking at spending not more than 1200/mo. rent for a 2 br apt. I am looking for a pretty decent area. I am currently living in Southern California. We have alot of crime and drugs out here. I am looking to get my children away from that kind of environment. I want to be away from the meth and the crime and gangs. I don't want that around my kids. I plan on working in Honolulu but from the pictures Ive seen it reminds me alot of LA. To much of a city for me and my family. Were looking for a little town that is free from the drugs and crime. Ill drive into the city for work but I want to live in a little town. A town were everybody knows everybody and family and community are of great importance. I also want to move to a town that won't isolate me and my family because of our skin color (white).Any input will be helpful. I will be very grateful and appreciative. Thank you.
    Last edited by aaron; July 20, 2005, 09:52 PM.

  • #2
    Re: moving to oahu. need advice.

    My first piece of advice to you would be to cancel those after-Christmas plane tickets. You sound like you have never been here -- and you want to move yourself and your family to one of the most expensive cities in the country, sight unseen? Take a week off right now, fly to Honolulu with your family, and have a nice vacation. See what O'ahu is like, in person. Check out the rental prices ($1200 for a nice 2 bedroom place? good luck!) and the various neighborhoods. THEN, decide whether you really want to move to Hawai'i.

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    • #3
      Re: moving to oahu. need advice.

      Holy cow. $1,200 might get you a small one-bedroom in an okay community. My bet is to get a two-bedroom apartment like the one you have in mind will cost you well over two grand.

      And you want to get away from meth? Hawaii's the meth capital of the country, man! Or at least very near the top of the list.

      You need to do a lot more research, and actually spend some time here visiting, before moving. You could otherwise very likely end up on the streets here with your family, and even though it is Hawaii, it's no picnic. You owe it to your kids to plan better.

      Hell, if I were you, I'd just move north to Oregon or something.

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      • #4
        Re: moving to oahu. need advice.

        Sounds like a good idea. Ill be visiting in Sept. to check things out. I saw that Waipahu and Waianae have pretty cheap rentals. Ill have to go and check out those apartments. Thanks for the replies though.
        Oh and by the way, I'm from the desert, Oregon is to cold for me.

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        • #5
          Re: moving to oahu. need advice.

          Originally posted by aaron

          I saw that Waipahu and Waianae have pretty cheap rentals.
          IMHO, the areas you mentioned are pretty rough high-crime areas for newbies to be moving in to, and therefore, the fairly cheap rent.

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          • #6
            Re: moving to oahu. need advice.

            Originally posted by aaron
            Sounds like a good idea. Ill be visiting in Sept. to check things out. I saw that Waipahu and Waianae have pretty cheap rentals. Ill have to go and check out those apartments. Thanks for the replies though.
            Oh and by the way, I'm from the desert, Oregon is to cold for me.
            First of all, welcome to HawaiiThreads. Second, I don't think you would like to live either in Waipahu (sorry Adrian) or Waianae. Hawaii is the capital of Meth. It has found it's way into our neighborhoods. Unlike the mainland, we can only go around the island. Really think it out before coming here with your family. There are countless of others before you that have come unprepared and found themselves on the streets. I wish you and your family the best. Take care.

            Autie Lynn
            Be AKAMAI ~ KOKUA Hawai`i!
            Philippians 4:13 --- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

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            • #7
              Re: moving to oahu. need advice.

              As everyone previously has stated, Hawai'i is not the place to move to if you want to get away from drugs and crime. The cost of living is high and your dream of renting a 2-bedroom place in a safe area is just a dream...and are you sure you'd be willing to spend an hour or more on the freeway just to get to work? (NOTE: Living on an island with a population that outstrips the infrastructure doesn't make for a pleasant commute).

              If you want safe, and you don't like cold weather, have you thought about moving to the southwest? Seriously. There are jobs out there and the cost of living is a whole lot lower and crime is less because there are fewer people. Places like Salt Lake City, small towns outside of Las Vegas, Albuquerque...all those places do have winters (snow) but the quality of life is great.

              Miulang
              Last edited by Miulang; July 21, 2005, 06:20 AM.
              "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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              • #8
                Re: moving to oahu. need advice.

                Thank you so much for your replys.I WILL be moving there after Christmas. I have thought about those other places in the S.W. you speak of and they lack ocean. Gotta have ocean. Love to fish, love the smell, love the sounds of the waves, love looking out at the horizon. Okey, so $1200/mo. is a pipe dream for a nice place. If its 2 grand then so be it. But where to look and live? And as far as Hawaii being the meth capitol, that is really to bad. I absolutely hate that drug and the lives of the users and their families and the communities that it destroys. I work in a drug rehab and we got kids coming in and out of there behind that drug. It seems to be a country wide epedemic. NE ways. So what is wrong with Waipahu and Waianae? I looked at the 2000 census and saw that less than 10% white. Is that why you say I should stay out? Kind of reminds me of living in a section of Pontiac Michigan. I got off the bus and it seemed as if I was the only white person in the neighborhood. A little scary at first but I got use to it and the fellas got use to me. Every thing was cool.
                I really appreciate your honesty and your help. As far as living on the streets go, well I am a nurse, and fortunetly nurses are in a pretty high demand. I will work two jobs if thats what it takes. I am not a materialistic person and have no problem riding a bus to and from work and shopping at thrift stores.
                And that hour commute to work you speak of, whats the rush. (LOL) A perfect opportunity for some prayer and meditation. I was driving 45 minutes to and from here as well and thats just the way it goes.
                So again, whats wrong with Waipahu, and Waianae. How about Pearl City or Makaha. What about Mililani Town. Thank you again for your honest replys.

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                • #9
                  Re: moving to oahu. need advice.

                  Oh, you're a nurse? In that case you're right, you'll have no problems landing a job. It sounds like you've given this some thought, which is good. You should still definitely come and take a look before you move for real. Welcome to the islands.

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                  • #10
                    Re: moving to oahu. need advice.

                    Ill be going there in Sept. to check it out.

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                    • #11
                      Re: moving to oahu. need advice.

                      Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro
                      ($1200 for a nice 2 bedroom place? good luck!)


                      I'll take a dozen!

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                      • #12
                        Re: moving to oahu. need advice.

                        Originally posted by aaron
                        Okey, so $1200/mo. is a pipe dream for a nice place. If its 2 grand then so be it.


                        I'll have 6 of these, please!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: From Palm Springs California. Hello.

                          Originally posted by aaron
                          I'm from Palm Springs California. Found this site looking for info about moving to Oahu. Plan on moving after this Christmas.
                          Why would you want to move from ritzy Palm Springs to Honolulu? Especially to move to Waipahu or Waianae? You want comparable, shoot for Hawaii Kai or Kahala. Crime is lower in those areas. I think you and your family would be very disappointed if you moved to Waipahu or Waianae.

                          Miulang
                          "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: moving to oahu. need advice.

                            Originally posted by kimo55
                            I'll have 6 of these, please!
                            I'm not sure if the price is what's going to kill you. It might just be the availability of ANY 2-bedroom anywhere on the island that might keep you from moving. I suggest you take a gander at the Advertiser classifieds. Look under "Unfurnished Apts". Then click on any section of Oahu. How many apartments do you see for rent? (the ads only come out on Sunday for those of us on the Mainland). Nada and nada again at ANY price. What's been happening is for every available apartment, there are at least 3 or 4 people bidding on it, so even $2k a month might not get you a closet. Sad but true.

                            Miulang

                            Here is a story about the rental market squeeze. Or this more recent story last month. Oh yeah, and the salary you get as a nurse in Hawai'i is going to be far less than what is being offered on the mainland, too, even though it's more expensive to live in Hawaii.
                            Last edited by Miulang; July 21, 2005, 05:20 PM.
                            "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: moving to oahu. need advice.

                              Congratulations on the upcoming move - I agree with everyone else - check out the island before going. Rock fever can get you. Of course, if you take the time to appreciate the islands, the people and the culture, that rock fever will vanish. The rents are going to be higher than you're expecting - but you will be living in Hawaii - somethings are worth sacrificing. But it sounds like you're in the right frame of mind and I wish you the best of luck. I've listed a few sources for rentals (I haven't used any beyond just daily checking to see what's available - we'll start looking more seriously at the beginning of September.) One thing you might want to consider - the Big Island. I believe Glen lives there and could offer you some good advice - it's no where near as populous, is huge in land mass comparison and should still offer job opportunities. Good luck!

                              http://honolulu.craigslist.org/

                              http://www.marcusrealty.com/Search/Propertysale2.aspx

                              http://www.rentalsillustrated.com/

                              http://www.hicentral.com/home.asp

                              Stephen

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