"I came across your page about you moving to Hawaii.  My husband and I are planning to move to the Kona/Waikolo Village area and to be honest, I am somewhat terrified.  We are bringing our 1 medium sized dog with us, we have already started the quarantine process.  I am not too concerned about that.  We have a vet that has gone through the process and I have gone over the paperwork a hundred times at least to make sure we aren't missing anything.  What I am most worried about is finding a place to live, and with a dog.  We are planning to buy eventually but I am sure that will take 6 months minimum to be in a position to do that.  How difficult was it for you to find a place to live with dogs?  I feel that Hawaii is really not a dog friendly place.  I should also mention that while we have been smart and have saved in preparation to move, we are not prepared to spend $2000+ for rent.  I don't feel like we will have any trouble finding jobs within a month.  We are also exploring the option of coming over with family for a combined vacation and so we have a place to stay while we look for a house, but vacation rentals that allow dogs is another problem it seems. 

Any advice that may calm my fear would be appreciated.  Thank you."

--Mel

​Hi Mel,

The way we did it was to visit Hawaii on a vacation/house buying trip. By the time we brought our dogs over, we owned a home. Perhaps a preliminary trip before you move to do some house-hunting? You can also work with a Realtor to find long-term housing. One of your requirements would be dog-friendly.

Good luck!

"I love your website! I plan on moving to the Big Island by December (with my husband, twin sister and our dogs) We already have their vet-work done, just waiting now. We want to live on the Big Island for a year and then Oahu. I know you said we need to look for a job before coming, it just seems like no one takes you seriously when applying from the mainland.  I'm worried about finding a place to rent with dogs. My babies are house trained and walked 2-3 times a day.  As for jobs, we aren't picky. Do you have any suggestions?"
                  
--Jack and Jill W.           

Aloha Jill,

As long as you have enough savings in the bank to cover your expenses and you aren't particular as to what kind of job you get, you could make the move. Have you thought about starting a business? There are lots of opportunities for people who have an entrepreneurial spirit and the willingness to work hard for themselves. 

The economy is improving so moving to Hawaii without any job prospects is less of a risk than before.  
​
Good luck!
---
Darrell 

​"Aloha,

We are seeking a rental for a longer duration 1 year or more while we build and ran across your web site and thought I would send a quik note as your website is a good source of information. 

We have owned in Pahoa before and recently sold our home here in Washington state. We have family in Hawaiian Shores.  Having not rented in 13 years this is quite the task.

We are seeking something that is 3 bd and  that is pet friendly with deposit as we have family pets and will be relocating as of the first of August.  

Im not sure on what you may have in terms of long term rentals but thought as a member of the local community there you might have some advice on finding a rental.

Thank you for your time and for any information you can share!"

--Barbara

Aloha Barbara,

For a 1-year rental I would suggest working through a property manager. They will know what is currently available, which units are pet-friendly, and what is available in any particular location. My property manager is Tammy Medieros with Clark Realty: http://www.clarkhawaii.com/our_agents/info/tamara-l-medeiros/ and I highly recommend her! 

Good luck!
---
Darrell 

"Hi I wanted to ask you a few questions and would appreciate any feedback you have. I am a 25 year old single mom and my dream is to live in Hawaii (Hilo in particular). I want to move by the end of the year, and I am currently saving up enough to move, get a place, and have transportation money to get my son from daycare and to find a job. I want to have enough money for a cushion until I can get these things taken care of. I know it may sound hard and I do not know anyone from the island but I want to live there, that is all I can say. What should be my steps when moving there? How much should I save? And what is the best part of the island to live without having to gouge out my pockets for a place. I looked up some places and they were not too bad. So basically it will just be my son and I moving. I don't know where to start."
--Savannah P.

Hi Savanah,

With your spirit and desire to live in Hawaii, I am sure that one day it will happen.

The most challenging part of your scenario will be finding a job. Hawaii is very tourist dependent. While Hilo is less dependent on tourism, because of the economy, jobs are hard to come by. I would recommend that you apply for jobs before you make your move, that way if you are hired, you will have a better idea where to live so that you are close to work. There will be more jobs on Oahu, but the cost of living is much higher.

If you plan to save up money to live on while you look for a job, estimate $600/month for rent (although you should look at the local papers to get an idea how much rent is: $100/month utilities, $300/month food. If you live in Hilo, you can get around by bus. So if you live frugally you could probably get by on $1000/month, just for the basics.

When you're ready to move, contact a property manager at a real estate office to help you find a place to live. They can help you get settled and make you r transition much easier. My property manager is Tammy Medeiros at Clark Realty Property Management and she is really nice. 

It will be tough making the move and not knowing anyone. You won't have that support network of family and friends when you get there, so join a church or a canoe club and try to establish friendships as soon as you can. Maybe take some classes at the community college.

My last piece of advice is to take more money than you think you will need, because everything moves much slower in Hawaii (and costs more). Also, checkout the PunaWeb forum. They are happy to answer your questions, too.

Good luck!

"Hi! My name's Chelsea and my boyfriend David and I have recently been thinking about moving to Hawaii. Your website has been quite helpful; it's nice to know there are people out there willing to help people like us out!

My main concern about moving to Hawaii is finding a place to rent/live. Also, I understand that the cost of living is higher on the islands than it is here, in Oregon, but I don't really have a frame of reference. We would be living as modestly as possible, at least while we get settled. I guess my main questions for you would be: how much money do you think would be appropriate to have saved up before we move and how hard is it to find a rental. I think we would be looking at Oahu, since there's more business there... but I don't really know! I just really want to live in Hawaii! Thanks for your time."
--Chelsea

We know how you feel about just wanting to live in Hawaii. Vivienne and I first visited Maui about 10 years ago and as we were leaving Vivienne said she wanted to live here some day. We visited each island and tried to imagine actually living there. We finally ended up on the Big Island near Hilo primarily because it was most affordable. Fortunately we also fell in love with the place so we've been very happy here.

Each island is different. I don't know which islands you've visited but before you make the big move you should visit each island and see which feels the best for you. It's true Oahu has the most jobs, but it is also the most expensive, housing-wise, both buying and renting. And I hear they have wicked rush hour traffic. Visit the online versions of the local papers and check out Houses to Rent and the Help Wanted sections. Oahu has The Star Bulletin. Locally we have the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

It probably wouldn't be very hard to find a rental. My main concern would be employment. If you or your boyfriend could find a job before you move out, that would be ideal. Check the Help Wanted ads and start sending out your resumes.

Good luck!