Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

[LikaNui]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

And my point is that your assumption that Kawamoto would lose money purely for the sake of “PR and image” is a rediculous, laughable conclusion.

So you know Mr. Kawamoto personally, do you? And you're speaking on his behalf?
Just checking.

[TuNnL]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

So you know Mr. Kawamoto personally, do you? And you're speaking on his behalf?

I don’t see how this is relevant to the discussion, but yes, I have spoken personally with Kawamoto. No, I don’t think that qualifies me as “knowing him” personally. And no, I am not speaking on his behalf, but of my own volition.

[tutusue]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

The news just reported that Kawamoto is still searching for more native Hawaiian families to occupy his Kahala homes...for free. Did he really not get enough qualified (whatever that word might mean in this case) applicants when this story first broke?

So far 3 families have moved in.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

Hey maybe my wife should apply. She's native Hawaiian and if we get a mansion, I can move back to my old stomping grounds when I make the transition back to Oahu.

And because he loves his tenants to have parties, I can hold HT get-togethers at my new pad!

And since I'm Japanese, I'll have a great lawn! (You can spot a home owned by a Japanese...their lawns are impeccable...well typically)

Best of both worlds for Kawamoto...native Hawaiian and a Japanese that love to hold parties!

Where's that list

[tutusue]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

Hey maybe my wife should apply. She's native Hawaiian and if we get a mansion, I can move back to my old stomping grounds when I make the transition back to Oahu.[...]

Ooooh maaaaan, Craig...get back to Oahu...wiki wiki! PLEASE!!! Home Depot on Alakawa needs you. I NEED YOU at Home Depot. HELP!!!!!

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

Ooooh maaaaan, Craig...get back to Oahu...wiki wiki! PLEASE!!! Home Depot on Alakawa needs you. I NEED YOU at Home Depot. HELP!!!!!

Or as I like to call it: Ho Mede Po

Well I am looking for a place to rent in Honolulu. I gotta sell my home here in Keaau first though. Anyone wanna buy a 2500 sq ft 4-bedroom 4-1/2 bath (full baths in each room) custom built home on 43,000 sq. feet of land for $490,000.oo fee simple? I am a motivated seller.

[acousticlady]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

Or as I like to call it: Ho Mede Po

Anyone wanna buy a 2500 sq ft 4-bedroom 4-1/2 bath (full baths in each room) custom built home on 43,000 sq. feet of land for $490,000.oo fee simple? I am a motivated seller.

I'd love to - seriously. All I'd need is $490,000.00 - boggles my mind......... teachers/profs don't have a chance.

[Mista Bumpy]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

teachers/profs don't have a chance.

No lie. Our daughter came to Oahu from the mainland, recruited and everything, huge process, and taught for a year at Waipahu High. One year was all she could afford. It was pathetic. She's deeper in debt now than when she came. That little rat nest she was renting up in Manoa cost her over $900 a month, not to mention food prices. Aloha ain't cheap, folks.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

I hate that arguement that a teacher cannot buy a home on their own...of course they can't, hardly anyone can! Most homes are purchased with combined family incomes of two spouses. Not everyone makes $90.000 a year but typically most middle class income earners make about half that amount. When combined they can buy a home and eat Hamburger Helper like the rest of us homeowners out there.

I don't want to get on teachers but at some public elementary schools I've sent my kids to the typical teacher's car is a late model Toyota Camry. Heck try going to any public school parking lot and take a look at what some teachers are driving. Heck I've seen Lexus' and BMW's parked in some of Honolulu's parking lots with my kid's kindergarten teacher coming out of it. She was single, no kids and living with her boyfriend in an apartment and came up to me to ask for their support on higher wages.

At the time I was a poorer man driving my rusted out 1986 Buick Century wagon with no reverse wondering when I'll have the money to fix the transmission and she's worried about her salary in her nicely appointed BMW 330i coupe. No wonder she couldn't afford a house, she's driving it!

[joshuatree]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

I hate that arguement that a teacher cannot buy a home on their own...of course they can't, hardly anyone can! Most homes are purchased with combined family incomes of two spouses. Not everyone makes $90.000 a year but typically most middle class income earners make about half that amount. When combined they can buy a home and eat Hamburger Helper like the rest of us homeowners out there.

I don't want to get on teachers but at some public elementary schools I've sent my kids to the typical teacher's car is a late model Toyota Camry. Heck try going to any public school parking lot and take a look at what some teachers are driving. Heck I've seen Lexus' and BMW's parked in some of Honolulu's parking lots with my kid's kindergarten teacher coming out of it. She was single, no kids and living with her boyfriend in an apartment and came up to me to ask for their support on higher wages.

At the time I was a poorer man driving my rusted out 1986 Buick Century wagon with no reverse wondering when I'll have the money to fix the transmission and she's worried about her salary in her nicely appointed BMW 330i coupe. No wonder she couldn't afford a house, she's driving it!

Yep, it's not just teachers can't afford homes, plenty of folks can't. And indeed, it is about prioritizing one's life. If you're living large, you're gonna have a harder time coming up with the $$$ for a home.

$900 a month really ain't bad if the pad is a 1 BD. That's about the going rate for a lot of the west coast states too.

[acousticlady]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

Of course it is not just teachers who can't afford the current home prices. Home prices have gone through the roof (haha) and most salaries have not. Back in the day when we got married (30 yrs ago) it was standard advice to not have your mortgage payment be more than one weeks income. When my husband and I bought our house we paid $52,000. That was the average price for a fixer-upper 15 years ago in this area. Granted, we could put this house on the market and probably get $150,000 now. More than likely we will sell this and buy something in Maui or the Big Island and become "house poor". But it is just the two of us now - so a small place is a more likely scenario. And, trust me, I have been there, done that with the hamburger helper thing. I'm just not sure I want to do it again.

By the way, I drive a Saturn with 95,000 miles on it.

[acousticlady]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

I should add, however, that my husband does not necessarily agree with me. He thinks we should dive in and get into some type of business. He's a chef - so his idea is to buy a retreat or exclusive getaway. Which of course would put us waaaay over that $490,000 mark

We are at a point in our lives where we are asking ourselves "What do we want to be when we grow up?"

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

By the way, I drive a Saturn with 95,000 miles on it.

I drive a 1997 Astrovan with 132,000 miles on it plus a down 1989 BMW with 153,000 miles on it. I don't buy new because it doesn't make sense. You pay for the depreciation which is lost revenue the minute you sign for the car.

BTW I'm still looking for a buyer for my home

[acousticlady]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

BTW I'm still looking for a buyer for my home

Love to - seriously .......Oh yeah - this is where we started.............

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Affordable housing on Kahala Ave?

Nice house...tile floors...sunken living room...full bathrooms in every bedroom plus walk in closets...smallest bedroom is about as big as most master bedrooms...master bedroom is 20 x 20...four foot wide hallway...43,000 square feet of property where on Oahu you could subdivide up to five 8,000 sq foot properties...takes a whole friggen day to mow the damn lawn.

"dangles carrot in front of eyes"

And yup those are 12x12" tiles on the floor.