Hoping to move to Maui! Need Advice... Board size?

Sunny15 · Joined: 26 Sep 2010 Posts: 22

Thanks again everyone. I will not worry about 4-wheel drive and will probably pick the living situation that seems the quietest. Speaking of quiet living situations... how is the chicken situation on Maui? I hear that on Kauai they wake you up at all hours of the night.

Also wondering about cell phone coverage. I have a verizon pre-paid phone right now and might change it to something else since pre-paid is kinda a pain... I end up roaming a lot of the time here in Oregon. Any thoughts?

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

Earplugs.

They won't do squat for the phone, but will do wonders for the chickens ... if you can catch the damn things and find their little ears.

Of course, if you can catch them, noise -- and your next meal -- will not be an issue.

Mike \m/

keycocker · Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 3598

Verizon works best here
You won't roam but you get to stand out in the driveway with any company in many places.
Ask the landlord straight out about chickens and look around for rooster farms. They are little a- frames in rows in the fields.
They are busting cockfights so the Filipinos are farming roosters a lot less.
In Kihei you will need aircond. Elsewhere not really.
It is possible to sail there but nearly everyone will be on the North Shore including your neighbors who live at the Kihei launches.It is about 12 miles to Kanaha and 16 to Sprecks from Kihei.Gas is $4.48 today-highest in the nation
Lots of space on the water as a result. It usually blows from a bit off to a lot offshore, and you can't see to sail the rough water after 3 PM because of the reflections.
When an expert or pro sailor tells me "I have been biking because the wind hasn't blown for two weeks", it is assumed he means "except in Kihei which doesn't count."
In Kihei you can afford a condo or even a small house right across from the beach, but upcountry that is very unlikely.
Many houses here have a guesthouse in the yard called an ohana to rent, sometimes attached. Usually not as good as a real house which costs about the same to rent as a condo.
Don't sign a long lease if you can avoid it. There are amazing good deals to be had if you make some connections.Many empty fabulous homes all over esp. up country.
The center of windsurfing ,SUP,kiting is Paia.

scorpionfish · Joined: 14 Apr 2000 Posts: 36

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They won't do squat for the phone, but will do wonders for the chickens ... if you can catch the damn things and find their little ears.

Shoot.... that was actually pretty funny!

ARA1 · Joined: 15 Jul 2009 Posts: 14

How much would a 2 bedroom house , nothing fancy but no dump either, cost to rent near kanah or in general the north side?
What would u guys living there estimate yearly living expense are.. Food utile,gas, cable, one a week dinner out ..etc..

keycocker · Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 3598

About $1000 for an Ohana and $1300/mo for a modest house same size. We rented ours out for $1300, $1100 and $950 in the past depending on who the client was.
We spend about $3000/mo. to live and know others who do the same. We have no car payments or any other for that matter, wear old shorts and rashguards, and have no heat or air in our house
I drive a beat up van full of gear and an old Porsche with a Chevy V8 adapted. Most roads upcountry are that curvy kind lined with flower trees and scenic drop offs that sports cars owners dream of..
The weather depends on your altitude on the volcano.

ARA1 · Joined: 15 Jul 2009 Posts: 14

Thanx! Is that 3000 including the rent?
nd pardon my ignorance.. But what is an Ohana?

keycocker · Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 3598

It is an ancient custom here to have a guesthouse in your yard in residential areas.Like many old customs here ,we try to respect that. These are often rented these days.Less private, share the water bill and sometimes share tiny yard.
Private house is better.$3000 includes rent or house payment but not teen age kids, drinks, or other bad habits. LOL

MalibuGuru · Joined: 11 Nov 1993 Posts: 9300

Ara, are you thinking about leaving town? Keycocker set up the options correctly. There is however a thing called island fever that effects many who move there. I highly recommend 2 month long trips there to see if it's for you, before you commit.

We rented ohanas by the month when we 1st thought about living there. You must get used to the locals, the weather, the roosters, higher prices etceterra.

But then again, you've got to get used to clean air, blue 80 degree water, fresh fish, trade winds, and bikinis everywhere.

It is almost a foreign culture. We decided to only live there part time. That may increase from 1-2 months per year to 3-4 when our son goes to college. Hope to see you there!

keycocker · Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 3598

Xcellent advice from Bard. Unless you are a variation of Asian your ethnic group will be a minority culture here. Some foreign countries are more like mainland USA than Maui. For example there are lot of kinds of raw fish dishes sold everywhere not just sushi.
The street names are daunting to some, roads mostly steep. You can coast from Makawao to the beach 10 miles away with your engine off. Your new car may have a corroded out roof in 3 years. House prices start around $300K
On the other hand to add to his list you will find folks let you pull out in traffic, the water seems warm to newbies, fresh fruit growing everywhere, low crime rate is getting lower, prop tax on my $350K house is $265/yr.
The small stuff matters a lot more when you stay here for longer times. His advice to test drive life here, and take it in stages, is an smart insider tip.