not living in Maui & making 100k+ IS DEPRESSING ME

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by mauialoha

Hawaii Life is a TV show Jungjohann and they say that at the start of every episode
Dave

Yes, we've talked before on this forum about that very unrealistic show. Someone is looking to buy on Maui and they show shots of Diamond Head? And how misleading is that stupid saying "you just got to want it". Just what we need here -- a bunch of dreamers who have no idea about what it's like to live here.

[mauialoha]

you've talked lots of negative stuff, I must have missed that one.

[Jungjohann]

Originally Posted by TwoByFour

We worked 35 years in Seattle.

I came over here in 1975, just 23 years old, didn't know anyone over here, had no plans what so ever of staying.


So much for planning.........


And the house in the pic looks very much like the first house I lived in on Kula Highway and Omoapio Road. The only thing holding it together were determined termites, and the only thing keeping the centipedes out were the myriad of cane spiders living in the exposed trusses.

The good old,,,, uuurrrpppp, scuze me, days k: and

[davephan]

If the house in the photo was in Florida, it would be worth maybe $30K, unless you're buying it for the land, to tear it down, and build something decent. Looking at the photos, it looks like a ghetto house. The land doesn't look like it could be worth $400K. I think if you want a house that is similar to a $500K house in Florida, you'd have to spend about $1M to $1.5M in Maui. Of course, you could lower your expectations and standards and live in a shack.

Condos could be a lot cheaper, but then you're saddled with most likely very expensive monthly maintenance fees.

[KauaiHiker]

That photo has a really nice stone wall, probably over 100 years old. Do you realize how much that would cost to build nowadays?

[Rain Monkey]

[quote=Jungjohann;47601090]I came over here in 1975, just 23 years old, didn't know anyone over here, had no plans what so ever of staying.


So much for planning.........


And the house in the pic looks very much like the first house I lived in on Kula Highway and Omoapio Road........................"




Ahhh, the really good old days. When the roads were paved with dirt and one could purchase ice and beer from the family run stands that seemed to occupy every neighborhood. A long time ago, and a past now sadly missed. I too recall living in a house not much different than the one posted. It was a happy time.
I became a fairly competent shade tree mechanic simply out of necessity, and of course, the help and advice of truly caring neighbors. You had to learn do things out of your 'comfort-zone' because you'd likely end up doing without if you didn't. No Costco, Starbucks or Home Depot's. I had an old friend come over from the mainland a while back. He questioned why some of the carports appeared to be stuffed to the
gills with parts, tools, plumbing supplies, etc. I told him it probably goes back to a time you really didn't want or couldn't afford to throw anything out. You might need something for a repair to two, or go without for weeks until one could order it or find the bit needed to keep the clothes washer washing.


Sorry, way off topic.....

[galaxyhi]

Young traveler...with a name like that have you ever been there?

Sure, you can even go, leave behind $3-5K for a week, and MAYBE get some shots like that for mementos, but could you afford to live there?

I enjoy our visits very much, but when I was young and foolish I actually thought I'd retire to Hawai'i.

But after just the first visit, I realized, well, maybe not...

I'd spend too much time worrying over whether my retirement will cover my expenses adequately to enjoy it and the idea of working 40 hours at 2 jobs just to help pay the bills in retirement isn't my idea of retirement.
I'd have to go condo, the economy here is not like Seattle, it is low and cheap, though we can easily afford a house, we'd have to trade ours, my father's and my FIL's plus the property i inherit in cheap neighborhood Florida to even think about buying a property there. If we need to rely on the equity in those properties or rental values, then all bets are off on buying a NICE property in Hawai'i.

I don't see myself in retirement confined to 250 sq ft studio in Waikiki with a small bath and kitchenette and no outside space, not even a lanai. Nope not me. Although I DO like Waikiki, its only to visit and go home.

If I DO run across something OR a way to afford it, or if the next 12-15 years are very good to us, well then I might just change my tune.

For now, though, I'm content to visit, leave piles and piles of money behind as I can afford it, and come home with some self-taken, less desirable pictures for my "Hawai'i wall" and Listen to Hawai'ian radio on Pandora!!!