We
were inspired to write our first book, Your Ideal Hawaii Home
after meeting so many people who were unhappy with their
new dream house in Hawaii. We noticed
that mainland-style homes in our Hilo neighborhood were constantly on and off
the market. The houses usually sold
quickly, however the new buyers were soon unhappy with the afternoon heat and
high electric bills. The cold-climate,
mainland-style houses in Hilo, so unsuited to the tropical climate in Hilo, yet
so pleasing to eyes of buyers from the mainland, had a continuous turnover of
new owners. Although people who read our
book learn about the downside of mainland hot-house designs in a tropical
climate, bugs, rain, humidity, garden maintenance nightmares, and other Hawaii
house issues, the book doesn’t actually help with finding an ideal house.
after meeting so many people who were unhappy with their
new dream house in Hawaii. We noticed
that mainland-style homes in our Hilo neighborhood were constantly on and off
the market. The houses usually sold
quickly, however the new buyers were soon unhappy with the afternoon heat and
high electric bills. The cold-climate,
mainland-style houses in Hilo, so unsuited to the tropical climate in Hilo, yet
so pleasing to eyes of buyers from the mainland, had a continuous turnover of
new owners. Although people who read our
book learn about the downside of mainland hot-house designs in a tropical
climate, bugs, rain, humidity, garden maintenance nightmares, and other Hawaii
house issues, the book doesn’t actually help with finding an ideal house.
Recently
we visited a family on a beautiful property with a Hawaiian style house,
perfectly groomed orchards, quiet neighborhood, and great views. The property had been lovingly cared for and
improved to be easy to maintain. It was
a delight to spend time there enjoying the cool breezes and scented air. The elderly owners inherited the property
from their parents, who had inherited it from their parents. The owner described how his children and
grandchildren loved the place, making it clear that the property would likely not be for sale for generations, if ever. Properties in Hawaii
with the positive attributes and design elements that make living in the
tropics wonderful are handed down through generations. We have even met local residents who moved to
the mainland for their career and kept their grandparent’s home for their retirement.
Ideal Hawaii properties are rarely for sale
Many
of the homes that are for sale in Hawaii have major problems with design, lack
of air flow, wood rot, bug infestations, or mold that the new owners could not
solve. In Hawaii really nice looking neighborhoods or condos can have
unexpected problems with noise or crime that similar looking (or priced)
neighborhoods on the mainland would not have. When looking for an ideal
property in Hawaii, find out how many owners there have been over the years. If
you see a lot of owners in the last 5 years, consider it as a red flag.
If the neighborhood is having high turnover, then that is also a red
flag. Many of the best properties being
sold never make it to the market, they are sold to friends or families known to
the neighborhood. Even if a realtor is
used, the best properties are not put on the MLS because the realtors know they
will sell quickly.
Finding
an ideal house or property in Hawaii takes time. It requires research to identify the right
neighborhood and then patience to wait for a property to become available. The prize is a property that may become a family
heirloom, a place where your great-grandchildren retire.
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