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So you are thinking about moving to Hawaii?

If so, I am going to give you some unconventional advice (at least from a realtor)

Unless you have lived here before or have spent more than 6 months traveling around the islands, I would suggest that you rent before you buy.

Why?

Hawaii is quite frankly SO different than the mainland it's almost impossible to explain. The micro weather patterns, the unique traffic situations, cultural adjustments, location quirks, schooling nuances, and yes, even finding the right home can take some serious time. And I have not even mentioned the drastic differences between the islands. 

Rushing into island life with a major real estate investment and not truly understanding how these and many other factors will affect you and your family is not a great idea. You really are better off renting a home for 3 months to a year and really getting a feel for Hawaii. And if your not totally sure which island you want to live on, you may want to spend some time and "get to know" each island and then make a wiser decision.

What you experienced in a resort hotel, on a vacation, does not always mean that it's the right island or side of the island for you. 

Working with someone that has been on and lived in many different places in Hawaii can be a huge advantage versus someone that's been "born and raised" on one island. People tend to get very defensive about their home turf and truly believe it's the best place on earth. Maybe they are right, but maybe they've not even left their home town in 20 years. People in Hawaii tend to stay put in the small town they live in. I have met people that have not gone to a town that's a 20 minute drive from them....in 20 years! Seriously. That's part of that cultural difference I mentioned. Mainland people are almost "nomadic" compared to long time Hawaiian residents that thinks going to the "other side" of their island is a very LONG distance. When you live here for a while your time and space measuring gets much smaller.

If you would like to learn more about my perspective on moving to Hawaii and the unique Hawaiian lifestyle, give me a call anytime, I would love to chat with you.

Aloha!

Eric