Planning our move to Eden Roc...Helpful advice is welcome...

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Chris85
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 2:45 pm

Planning our move to Eden Roc...Helpful advice is welcome...

Post by Chris85 »

My wife and I are planning our move to Hawaii from Oregon. We have decided that the Eden Roc Estates is the area we would like to call home. Hawaii offers a lot of the same features and amenities that we have here and living on the outskirts of town in a wooded and undeveloped area is right up our alley. Of course, everyone here at home thinks we are crazy to move to Hawaii because it is so expensive. We understand that many of the imported goods are marked up do to the fact that they are shipped in from the mainland so the information they try to deter us with is nothing we haven't already heard. See, the thing is that we are not coming to Hawaii to live a luxurious expensive lifestyle. We are simple people and enjoy the more simple things in life. What we need to survive in Hawaii is very minimal and we feel that living in Eden Roc would be a good fit for us. We are both very much into growing our own foods and we plan to build our own home on a 1 acre lot.

We still have a small road ahead of us before we get out there. First off, we are in the process of selling our house; we also have 3 dogs which we will have to start the quarantine process with 4 months prior to our arrival. Then, we have to sell off everything we own, including our vehicles. With the money from everything, our plan is to purchase a lot in Eden Roc and be able to build a modest home. We will both be looki9ng for jobs when we get out there but will have enough saved up to get us through the looking phase. Speaking of which, can anyone tell me how the job market is out there? She has been in banking for 8 years but would love to do anything in the customer service field (really whatever we could find) and I currently have a landscape maintenance business but would also be willing to work wherever I could, whatever it takes.

We are used to hearing opinions of people who oppose our choice. The thing is, we haven't heard anything that has discouraged us yet. We would truly appreciate ANY helpful advice that you could give. We have definitely been doing our homework but true advice comes from those who call it home. I don't care if you give us reasons why not to move there, we can handle it. One we have heard a lot is that the locals don't like mainlanders coming to their island. We realize that there are several types of people everywhere you go. No matter where you are you will find someone who is different from you but how you treat each other defines your status. We are not people who are coming in to change anything our start trouble with anyone and hope that the same respect would be returned. Any advice on this would also be helpful.

One other helpful area would be that we are currently looking to purchase a 1 acre lot in the Eden Roc Estates and would appreciate anyone letting us know how much they are looking to get for their lot along with info and possibly pictures. Overgrown and undeveloped is what we are looking for. Electricity would be a plus but not mandatory and as inexpensive as we could get, so if you find yourself on the high end of the market, we're looking more for the people looking to get rid of a piece. Let us know what you have though.

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this and we truly would appreciate some insight on the topic. Thanks again and Aloha.

Chris
radiopeg
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 4:35 pm

Re: Planning our move to Eden Roc...Helpful advice is welcom

Post by radiopeg »

There are many lots listed with MLS. The price range is very variable. Sometimes for no apparent reason. You won't have electric available until you have a building permit, I am told. Maybe some place could still be on a temp connection with Helco from before they changed that rule. If you are going to hand clear, you might want to consider finding a place that has, at the very least, some road way previously cleared. These can be very densely over grown. We have been over here for over a year now on our lot, living off grid, as are many other families. Be prepared to face cell phone service as a challenge in some places. It varies by carrier. Remember it is wet here. You will probably buy more tarps in your first year here, than in the whole of your previous life. I like it because it is cooler and less humid than the lower subdivisions. Have you even visited here yet? Certainly don't buy a lot sight unseen. You can at least get your realtor to send more pictures. Catchment water will probably be a new concept to you, also.

As for the cultural challenges you might try going to punaweb.org and using their search function to check out the experience of others. Not finding work is one of the top two reasons for people returning to the mainland. Not trying to discourage you, just a fact. The second is being so far from "family". We are the most geographically isolated place on the planet. I'm retired and the money just doesn't go as far, but at least I can depend on it.

This website is not the busiest, but we can work on that...
radiopeg
Posts: 88
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2010 4:35 pm

Re: Planning our move to Eden Roc...Helpful advice is welcom

Post by radiopeg »

Let me add, we shipped 2 cats and a dog here from WA. Once you get your pets started on the clock (I was thinking 180 days) and your plans are starting to fall into place, call the Kona Vet who does the meet and inspection of your pets. She was so helpful to us in dealing with the paperwork. Take it very seriously. It has to be right. Double and triple check what ever the airlines tell you about animal shipping. We flew United and I had several different stories from their reservation people as to cost and availability. Other than the "security" inspection, where we had to take the cats out of the carrier, in the middle of SEATAC, so they could examine the carriers, and a new rule about screw fasteners on their carriers, we were OK. They had a drill and screws to use for us to fix the problem. We almost missed out flight, because of the delays with those carriers. Most people I meet have come here from somewhere else. No reason to not try it, if you have done your homework.
Chris85
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2012 2:45 pm

Re: Planning our move to Eden Roc...Helpful advice is welcom

Post by Chris85 »

Thanks for your response. So you said finding work is one of the harder things people face on the Big Island. This is weird to me seeing as how looking on help wanted websites and craigslist, there are tons of job openings just in the Hilo area alone. If anyone else has any other advice on employment in this area, it would be much appreciated.

Also, you were mentioning that we may have trouble getting power hooked up without a building permit. We hadn't heard anything about that yet but plan to purchase a solar system, eliminating the need for a temporary power pole of any kind. And yes, water catchment is a new concept but not much different than what we are used to. Here, water supply is pumped from wells on everyone's property. Same concept except the water is just sitting there instead of having to channel it into storage tanks.

In all honesty, we haven't even visited the Big Island. We have been to other Islands and are basing our decision mainly on what we liked/disliked about the other islands verses all the amenities that the Big Island has to offer. Of course, buying a property without laying our eyes on it is not going to be an option. We will make a trip over prior to our move and view all available lots at that time. We will probably just be paying cash for the lot depending on the situation but are still interested in hearing from anyone who has a lot already and is interested in holding a private loan on it or just has an awesome deal they would like to let their lot go for.

Please don't let this be the only response, I really want to hear from people in the Eden Roc area. Thanks so much for your time!
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