Cons of Living in East Hawaii

Рет қаралды 11,385

5 ай бұрын

We created a few videos around East Hawaii life and buying a home there, and a few people say we need to also include some of the "challenges" of living in Puna/Pahoa, as well.
We discuss pests, weather, lava, jobs, infrastructure, crime, healthcare, and more.
If you are looking for more information about crime, check out the website, CrimeGrade.org
Amber Haley, Realtor, Real Broker, lives in Puna and is a neighborhood expert. To reach Amber, email Amber@HaleyHawaii.com
Join our 365Ohana on www.365HawaiiLiving.com if you'd like to purchase a home on Hawaii Island or be referred to agents on other islands!
Eric and Julie Ziemelis offer marketing expertise to home sellers with a large group of buyers from our private Facebook group, our real estate KZfaq channel and our extensive email list of potential buyers. For Buyers, we offer expertise and resources to ensure we remove the uncertainly from the experience AND provide a community you can reach into for information about moving and events to help you create friendships when you arrive. A full circle Ohana experience!
We also partner with these fabulous Realtors and mortgage pros to help you buy or sell around the island. Looking for connections? Contact us!
Julie Ziemelis | RS-85062
REAL Broker
Julie@Ziemelis.com
808-785-2898
www.365hawaiiliving.com

Пікірлер: 102

@missjudyvw 3 ай бұрын

I lived in Hilo and I remember seeing the sun almost everyday. Yes, it rains but passes and the sun comes out.

@user-xd7cc1bg3r 5 ай бұрын

As Julie & Amber say, East Hawaii doesn't get sunsets due to Mauna Loa / Mauna Kea blocking the westward view - but the South Point / Ocean View area is one of the few regions of BI that get both sunrises & sunsets, depending on the topography of the specific viewing location.

@amberematos 5 ай бұрын

This was super helpful! Thank you for all your content.

@rickylee816 Ай бұрын

Meth, Fights, Racism so where is the real information problems mentioned…

@punaforager 3 күн бұрын

The fire ants started about 13-14 years ago and nobody was talking about them until three or four years later when they became widespread. The coqui frogs started about 19 years ago. Walmart was a huge contributor to the coqui problem and may have been how they came to begin with- in plants they imported from Puerto Rico.

@elisas.2056 5 ай бұрын

Incredibly helpful. Thank you.

@jpadamada Ай бұрын

I can confirm the fire ants, guaranteed expletives upon contact. The coqui frog becomes white noise after awhile and you don't hear it.

@leocarpenter4702 5 ай бұрын

One of your best videos! I have to admit to being guilty of spending very little time on the Eastside. After an entire lifetime in Western Washington I find myself not wanting to deal with rain. The drive from our hale in Miloli'i to Kailua-Kona brings me about all the encounters I want with rain when driving through the most tropical area of Captain Cook. Yes, we get rain down here, but with catchment tanks that need filling, it becomes more of a blessing. Of course, the abundance of rain has the rewards of Rainbow & Akaka Falls, and those are two of the areas that will occasionally draw us to the Eastside. But, I love my sunsets and life on the Leeward Side. Aloha Julie & Amber!

@kalenareyes1684 Ай бұрын

Born in Hilo, built in Puna. If I had a dollars for everyone that came & left in 2 years I’d be rich 😂 It’s not for everyone!

@8675-__ 4 ай бұрын

Yeah Amber! She and her husband sold my house! Excellent realtors, they're knowledgeable and very good professionals. Definitely look them up😊

@surlystudios5451 3 ай бұрын

Very honest take. Kudos!

@panlasanitisoy 15 күн бұрын

Cocqui frogs came from Walmart Hilo, bringing plants from Puerto Rico. It was in the papers when it started back in the day.

@brendamclean8447 4 ай бұрын

That’s so sad that people couldn’t go home and get there pets out during the volcano eruption. I’ll never get that image out of my mind😢

@dianedoherty3655 4 ай бұрын

The most rain is found at Glenwood. We have owned property in Puna since 1969. The frogs have been around for 20+ years.

@jahmallajaima 3 ай бұрын

It’s true . I don’t know how these wariness are saying Hilo gets more rain. 🤦🏾‍♀️

@YouDriveUSuccess 4 ай бұрын

The rainfall differences is crazy. The higher up the hill you get, the more rain you get. Since most houses have catchment systems, the rainfall is something to consider. In HPP, property from about 15 street and up get plenty of rain for a catchment and they might overflow. 15 and down (closer to the ocean) may not get enough rain to keep the catchment full. It's crazy how a mile difference can change the rainfall so drastically!

@jahmallajaima 3 ай бұрын

You don’t make sense as you say 15th street and up get more rain and then 15th street and down get less. It can’t be both. Funny you mentioned 15th as I moving into a house end of month on 15th street.

@YouDriveUSuccess 3 ай бұрын

@@jahmallajaima please read your own statement. Why can't it be both? The roads are spaced 1/10th of a mile apart. 15th is 1.5 miles from the water. As you move away from the water you are going uphill. As the humid air is pushed uphill it tends to condense and rain more. 15th tends to be the line where it rains enough to filla a catchment system. If you're closer to the ocean, you will get less rain and investing in a well might be a better option.

@jahmallajaima 3 ай бұрын

@@YouDriveUSuccessyou said from about 15 th and up gets more rain. Then you say 15th and down gets less . It can’t be both. You can say 15th and up gets more rain , and area below 15 let’s say 14th gets less.🤦🏾‍♀️

@YouDriveUSuccess 3 ай бұрын

@@jahmallajaima it's really not that exact. If you're anywhere between +/- 14th and +/- 17th, you need consider the amount of rainfall you get for a catchment system. Even higher up the hill has issues if it's a dry year. There are free water stations on 130 just past Shower Dr if you ever run short and need to fill some containers.

@aninterestedparty1426 17 күн бұрын

Is it possible that in a half hour+ video about the cons (or “challenges”) of living/buying on the East Side that no mention was made of property insurance in various lave flow zones? For example, its cost, even its availability. Likewise, I know it’s not a sexy topic, but what about cess pools, septic tanks, their maintenance and costs, and the probably remote possibility of a sewer system? What percentage of so-called “properties” have access to city/county water, and/or electricity? “And the crime,” as was only mentioned with less than 4 minutes to go. Anyone who’s been there knows to leave the windows of your beater open at any beach spot lest they’re broken for you while your island neighbors are in search of “opportunities.” And maybe that is why so many poor dogs are literally staked & chained in so many yards in that area. And forget about the schools. Hawaii, nationally ranked, is down their educational powerhouses like Mississippi. It’s amazing, how chatty realtors can fast talk around so many serious issues, even when saying they’re here to tell you the truth. And one of them wasn’t even aware until recently that the old kingdom had been overthrown, while the other one referred to that particular time as “back in the day!” Listener beware!

@ignacioc.delacruz1042 3 ай бұрын

Great and informative video. I live in Saipan, Northern Marianas Islands and by the way you both describe life in Big Island, it does not sound much different than life in Saipan. If I were to move to Big Island, I think the only big adjustment would be cost of living.

@jeanneroewert8048 5 ай бұрын

Always found that interesting that Pahoa grocery was the same price as North Shore Kauai✨

@aaronrich9340 5 ай бұрын

My wife and I are considering Naalehu. Seems to have the right climate and safe zones, rural yes

@gatorgrandma6174 5 ай бұрын

Lived in Naalehu for 5 wonderful years.

@aaronrich9340 5 ай бұрын

@@gatorgrandma6174 that sounds fantastic!! What made you move away

@user-xd7cc1bg3r 5 ай бұрын

Naalehu is a lovely small town with basic services (Post Office, Dentist / Health Care Center, Ace Hardware, Multiple Churches, a few restaurants/food trucks, a school, etc.) It is in Lava Zone 6 so insurance is both available and reasonably priced. Do keep in mind that Naalehu is as far from town (Hilo OR Kona) as you can get on this island, expect 1.5+ hour drive to get to either town.

@8675-__ 4 ай бұрын

That is great spot!

@_JanetLouise 2 ай бұрын

Re: HPP / Hawaiian Paradise Park - Deadly Hwy 130, no USPS delivery to homes, years of corruption and thievery of road fees, currently $435 and we live with unpaved and poorly designed roads. Fire ants and slug borne Rat Lung Disease. Can't dig, we're on lava rock, so have to buy cinder, mulch & soil to improve the one acre lots. No county water, we catch rainwater into catchment tanks, another expense and learning curve. The cross island hwy is very high speed and deadly.

@SapphireKaiAu 4 ай бұрын

Fire ants are evil 😂 but living in NM I have learned how to deal with them. Thanks for the heads up. I will be prepared. 😅

@YouDriveUSuccess 4 ай бұрын

The fire ants in HI are a different type. On the mainland they are mainly ground based and dig mounts. You have to be careful not to step on them, but you can brush them off your ankles. In HI, they are in the trees. They will fall on you and get in your shirt collar and in your hairline. It's far worse in my opinion!

@janetsecchi5070 5 ай бұрын

Slugs and rat lung ,definitely a good thing to know.

@jeztravel Ай бұрын

If you live in south Hawaii, you won't experience most of the issues in east Hawaii but it is so windy in our neck of the woods and almost no stores😅.

@SVmathfarmer 4 ай бұрын

I don’t remember when San Jose started claiming they get only 16 in but that’s what it says now. I’ve lived here 23 years and I also thought it was 32in. Been enjoying your channel. What part of San Jose did you live in. We farm 1 acre way up in East Hills near Alum Rock Park. Want to get out and poke around in West Hawaii. My dream place is a 5-10 acre rural property with a simple dwelling and to farm avocados - which I currently do here in San Jose and at my parents 3 acre place in San Diego all as a hobby until I retire in about 5 years then want to do in west Hawaii as well. I can get Sharwil to grow quite well here in San Jose and San Diego but I want to grow all those awesome Hawaiian cultivars that Ken Love documents in his Big Island Avocado Poster

@duraconinc.duraconinc9778 2 ай бұрын

I would love to hear more about your thoughts with "Crime". I purchased land in the Puna district and noticed an insane amount of abandoned cars. The realtor I used mentioned car theft is a big issue and the cars get abandoned in the jungle areas. Maybe that could be a topic for another video ?

@angelalubiens7586 5 ай бұрын

We rented a little cottage in HPP in 2019 and arrived late at night only to find we had not been given the right code to the door and were locked out for two hours. It was pouring rain, pitch black and a coqui frog was right by the cottage. Our 14 year old daughter started bawling and said "it sounds like we're in the Hunger Games!" 😂😂😂 Coming from small town Saskatchewan, Canada we were certainly in a different world!

@365HawaiiRealEstateInfo 4 ай бұрын

We had a similar experience when we first move to Kona!! Cockroaches, tenant issue, cold and rainy and definitely thinking we made a mistake!

@AA-cw7ql 4 ай бұрын

OMG... I am sorry that happened to you.

@kananik5985 4 ай бұрын

@@365HawaiiRealEstateInfo..great video..amber is smoking🔥..

@AK2HI 4 ай бұрын

Here in ketchikan AK we get 160+ inches of rain thats why i got land on the west side hahaha

@briangarnier5714 2 ай бұрын

When l was looking at property in 2003 the frogs were there in kapoho. So they have been on the island for a while. Same story about Puerto rico

@marcielynn4886 Ай бұрын

Sometimes it rains for months on end.

@briangarnier5714 2 ай бұрын

A question. How do property taxes work. Do they go up everything the properties go up around you or are they like california where they can only go up a small percentage each year. Unless you move and buy another place that is. It would be a shame to buy a house only to get priced out because the land taxes go up..

@jessnevares7861 5 ай бұрын

What about Squatters and break in on your property ? Seems to be a big problem on the island 😮

@user-xd7cc1bg3r 5 ай бұрын

@jessnevares7861 Squatters can be problematic here on BI, especially if your home is only occupied seasonally/occasionally. Many homeowners recruit caretakers to live at & maintain their properties when they are absent. Befriend your neighbors, they can keep an eye on your place when it is empty. Cops are generally good about evicting squatters when it is reported to them. Avoid the rougher neighborhoods when buying a house that will have periodic vacancy, some subdivisions are better than others when it comes to squatters.

@jessnevares7861 5 ай бұрын

@@user-xd7cc1bg3rok so what are the better neighborhoods? If we did purchase a property there it would only be recreational. Break ins i hear is also a big problem there. 🤔

@user-xd7cc1bg3r 5 ай бұрын

@@jessnevares7861 So, here's where it gets a bit more complicated - pretty much every subdivision on the island (besides those in Kona or Waikoloa) have better & worse neighborhoods within the subdivision, best to actually visit the homes you're interested in and check out the neighborhood with your own eyes. Drug houses are almost always obvious, as well as the unmaintained / junkyard properties. These are the key indicators of a "rough neighborhood" in my opinion. But even in the good areas, it is wise to get the neighbors on board, and a competent caretaker is always a big plus. If you specify which subdivisions you're looking at, or which area on the island you're interested in, I'm sure you'll get some opinions on the risk factors.

@jessnevares7861 5 ай бұрын

@@user-xd7cc1bg3rRoger that. Funny I don’t hear of these problems on Maui. Thank you.

@user-xd7cc1bg3r 5 ай бұрын

@@jessnevares7861 I have no personal experience on Maui. But keep in mind that every Hawaiian island is different, in every way. If you're seriously considering buying on Big Island, my best & strongest suggestion is this: come here and see the lay of the land for yourself. Meet the locals. Ask questions. Visit the subdivisions you're considering. If you are looking at specific properties, speak with the neighbors. If you become serious about any of those properties, visit them just after sunset, and from 4:30am to sunrise, and listen: evenings for the coqui frogs, and mornings for roosters. There's more to know... watch the 365 Hawaii Real Estate videos. I've experienced enough to know that this channel offers truthful, reliable info in their content.

@enigmatic-hamster 5 ай бұрын

Have you guys heard any talk on if it is currently better to buy a car on island or ship one from the mainland?

@Bobchai 5 ай бұрын

All cars, new and used, cost somewhat more in Hawaii, but you can always find some deals when people are moving back to the mainland and need to sell quickly. I am planning to buy another car soon, here in Kona, and having a car shipped here would be a big hassle for me. We shipped our cars over when we moved from California, which has a drier climate. Rust can be a problem with older cars, especially in east Hawaii (one writer once said that cars are biodegradable in east Hawaii!). I would definitely own a car with high clearance underneath, because of the rough roads.

@user-xd7cc1bg3r 5 ай бұрын

My personal opinion - if you plan to buy a new car, buy it on island. If you already have a good, reliable car, consider shipping it over. Especially if you are located on the west coast of the mainland.

@8675-__ 4 ай бұрын

It's best to buy one there but you need to be a mechanic so you know you're not buying a junk car. Buy in the Kona area for best buys.

@jahmallajaima 3 ай бұрын

Unless it’s a brand new car or almost new it’s always best to ship one from da mainland. Reason! Due to all da rain, ocean, volcanoes, cars rust a lot here.

@pamshultise2625 Ай бұрын

I'm near South Point with lots of wind and considering moving to the Hilo side. Do they get that wind a lot?

@mikan1089 Ай бұрын

@miketlcm9776 5 ай бұрын

Rain, stale water, must have lots of mosquitos?

@kfbob364 5 ай бұрын

San Jose averages 16” per Year

@365HawaiiRealEstateInfo 4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the info! I definitely thought it was 32!

@jtlathe 2 ай бұрын

I would like to be able to visit someone who has made a off-grid homestead while I'm visiting. I have a lot in Aloha estate and have family living in Hilo. I will be here till April 3rd. Do you know anyone who willing to show me their property?

@christinewhyte7267 4 ай бұрын

Too bad the frogs don’t eat the ants 🐜

@justinssebanenya1329 5 ай бұрын

Are there any dangeeous wild animals to be aware of, especially in sparcely populated areas?

@wthomas5697 5 ай бұрын

Not really. Except in the ocean.

@user-xd7cc1bg3r 5 ай бұрын

Feral pigs can be dangerous, and are generally found in the more rural agricultural areas. Also, certain regions of the island have large populations of wild dogs (Ocean View, for example) and maulings do occur from time to time.

@wthomas5697 5 ай бұрын

The pigs run away. I've never seen any wild dogs. Where did you see those?@@user-xd7cc1bg3r

@8675-__ 4 ай бұрын

Wild pigs during mating season!

@moriscondo5511 18 күн бұрын

does diatomaceous earth work against the fire ants there?

@lovely-mk4rt 2 күн бұрын

I think that would be a good option to try

@marioahu5000 Ай бұрын

What the heck...these fire ants and conquistadors need to go now.

@adamlamberti1805 23 күн бұрын

This video is depressing. I am never vacationing on the east side.

@jahmallajaima 3 ай бұрын

Those fire ants are real f**kers. I get bit on the regular. They love hanging inside your bras. The chest is the area they bite the most. You sure about there being mounds. Now my memory isn’t the best but I thought they said we don’t get mounds here. In Texas yes not here. I’ll have to reread on that. Coqui frogs are okay and even though I hate frogs it’s centipedes that bring terror. How are you gonna say Hilo gets more rain than Puna. You are so wrong. We get more rain in Puna and glenwood gets probably the most. I can tell you there’s so many times I’ve gone into Hilo and it’s raining at my house , but sunny in Hilo. Iselle was not in 2008. I know cause I was here in 2008. I left here for a few years in 2010 and didn’t return till 2015. Iselle happened after I left here before I moved back. Island naturals in Pahoa is higher then in Hilo? I Neva noticed. If anything I thought was a little cheaper. So Kona one is the cheapest out of da three? Next time I go over to kilo a I’ll do my shopping there. I do know da health food store in Waimea is the most expensive and I don’t like shopping there.

@RealityTrailers 3 ай бұрын

Grow a Neem tree and boil the leaves in clean water, let it cool down. Put into spary bottle and spray where ever they are. Many other uses for Neem. In Florida we use rice, which after the ants consume rice it kills them.

@astatine0085 5 ай бұрын

Why don’t you bring some anteaters in to clean up the ants. And for frogs what about predators?

@Jgdulos70 5 ай бұрын

Genius

@user-xd7cc1bg3r 5 ай бұрын

If every single anteater on the planet were imported, they wouldn't even make a dent in the fire ant population. (They tried that with the mongoose to control the rats - now we have millions of mongoose AND rats...)

@janetsecchi5070 5 ай бұрын

I was told that fire ants are more in the trees.

@user-xd7cc1bg3r 5 ай бұрын

@@janetsecchi5070 LFAs are primarily ground nesting ants, however they are found in many trees - specifically Guava, coffee, and any tree that has a source of sugar or water. When rain floods their underground colonies, they seek higher ground. They also like to travel on PVC water pipes, and for some strange reason, they are attracted to electricity. 🤷🐜🔌

@jahmallajaima 3 ай бұрын

I was just talking to a friend two days ago about fire ants and how we need anteaters. But then we said anteaters may not like eat fire ants. A friend said if you get black ants you won’t get da fire ants

@davidw5761 24 күн бұрын

No more Haole popolo's mainland transients 👎

@user-gi9ft8lb5y 3 ай бұрын

Lidocaine works on the pain in a minute.

@michellelanden3017 2 ай бұрын

lol...cute woman

@vuaeco 5 ай бұрын

Coqui frogs are out of control because they have no predators. You need to bring snakes over to take care of the frogs. :D

@user-xd7cc1bg3r 5 ай бұрын

No. Just NO.

@janetsecchi5070 5 ай бұрын

Ooh please no snakes!

@youmakeitreal 5 ай бұрын

It would be great if we can bring a predator over to take care of the rats! 🤔 oh... wait...😯

@Angelaaa1015 4 ай бұрын

No thank you! That’s part of why I love Hawaii no snakes!

@365HawaiiRealEstateInfo 4 ай бұрын

Yeah...I think we have had enough toying with the ecosystem @@youmakeitreal

@jerryyeh2251 4 күн бұрын

I think the two ladies did not mention geckos. They somehow can squeeze into your house, and hard to get rid of.

@russtgrower750 4 ай бұрын

Julie so fine 😍

@jerryyeh2251 4 күн бұрын

I live about 5 miles from Pahoa for 2-1/2 years. I feel it is safe here. But, keeping firearms for self protection is a prudent thing to do.