New member with many Maui questions (Kahului, Kihei: for sale, rental, insurance)

[Gary Saltz]

Hi All!

Hope I don't bore the heck out of a lot of you older members with questions that have been answered many times before. Love life, my dog Rocky, Maui. Retired in my 40's, divorced, only one family member left..otherwise alone. Am retired 20 years so I will not be taking an islanders job. Just want to blend in and live out my life. Visited Maui 50 times in past for business and pleasure But and I repeat But as a company paid trip every time and was able to live high on the hog. Now...I want to move to Maui as a regular laid back regular retired on a budget person. I now reside in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise in Sun City Grand and even though considered a Paradise in its own is a hot hell hole in the summer...I hate it and am turning into a dried out prune! I only have one lung and with the threat of getting valley fever possible every day, my Dr. says to to get the heck out and move to Hawaii. Good news...now the questions and maybe bad news from you members.

Can I afford it on an income of $32,000 a year no taxes. no debts and own both cars and Harley?? Acura MDX, MB SL500...do I bring all, none because of parking? Should I sell all and buy a better gas model when I get there?

Will you members please be honest with me and give it to me straight...is this possible or am I kidding myself. Need to rent, can't afford to buy unless there are $200K homes for sale with the bad economy.....really sucks here in Phoenix. Would like to live near Lahaina if possible. Is Upcountry a better place to rent or buy?

Need to rent...What will $1200 per month get me in 2012? I am sure things have changed since my last visit in 2004.

Thanks for listening and am looking forward to any and all answers.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Gary Saltz

Hi All!

Hope I don't bore the heck out of a lot of you older members with questions that have been answered many times before. Love life, my dog Rocky, Maui. Retired in my 40's, divorced, only one family member left..otherwise alone. Am retired 20 years so I will not be taking an islanders job. Just want to blend in and live out my life. Visited Maui 50 times in past for business and pleasure But and I repeat But as a company paid trip every time and was able to live high on the hog. Now...I want to move to Maui as a regular laid back regular retired on a budget person. I now reside in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise in Sun City Grand and even though considered a Paradise in its own is a hot hell hole in the summer...I hate it and am turning into a dried out prune! I only have one lung and with the threat of getting valley fever possible every day, my Dr. says to to get the heck out and move to Hawaii. Good news...now the questions and maybe bad news from you members.

Can I afford it on an income of $32,000 a year no taxes. no debts and own both cars and Harley?? Acura MDX, MB SL500...do I bring all, none because of parking? Should I sell all and buy a better gas model when I get there?

Will you members please be honest with me and give it to me straight...is this possible or am I kidding myself. Need to rent, can't afford to buy unless there are $200K homes for sale with the bad economy.....really sucks here in Phoenix. Would like to live near Lahaina if possible. Is Upcountry a better place to rent or buy?

Need to rent...What will $1200 per month get me in 2012? I am sure things have changed since my last visit in 2004.

Thanks for listening and am looking forward to any and all answers.

Well - sure it is possible to make it on the income - other people do it but you might be looking at a pretty drastic lifestyle change.

A quick look on craigslist shows $1,200/month rental around Lahaina will probably get a studio or a small 1 bedroom around 750 sq. ft. Lahaina gets hot - if you run air conditioning - figure $200+ month in electric.

Dump the gas guzzling SUV's unless you really need them - get something more gas efficient - you'll probably find something in Phoenix cheaper and ship than in Maui. Gas is $4.50+ in Maui.

Your potential bigger challenge assuming you can downsize your living space and be extremely frugal is that Maui is getting more expensive year over year. If you don't have a way to boost that $32,000 then what you can afford now may not be attainable in the future.

And for the biggest challenge - if you are missing a lung - your healthcare options are severely limited in Maui. That alone should have you questioning the move.

Your money will go a lot further in the gulf or southern atlantic coast.

[hothulamaui]

my biggest concern for you would be health care. maui really is limited in that area. many folks have to fly to oahu for care. we have a saying 'fly or die' do some research to make sure you have the type of docs you need on island first. oahu may be the better island for you for medical. good luck

[MKWC]

Originally Posted by Gary Saltz

I now reside in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise in Sun City Grand and even though considered a Paradise in its own is a hot hell hole in the summer...I hate it and am turning into a dried out prune! I only have one lung and with the threat of getting valley fever possible every day, my Dr. says to to get the heck out and move to Hawaii.

Would like to live near Lahaina if possible.

Good luck endevouring not to continue to be a "dried out prune" in Lahaina.

From the NWS:

LATE FEBRUARY AND EARLY MARCH LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS BROUGHT
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL TO THE WEST HALF OF THE STATE BUT PRODUCED MUCH
LOWER AMOUNTS OVER THE DROUGHT-PLAGUED AREAS OF MAUI COUNTY AND THE
BIG ISLAND. WESTERN MOLOKAI...WHICH HAD BEEN UNDER EXTREME
DROUGHT...OR D3 CATEGORY CONDITIONS ON THE U.S. DROUGHT MONITOR
MAP...WORSENED TO EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT...OR D4 CONDITIONS. THE
EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT DESIGNATION MAY BE SHORT LIVED DEPENDING ON THE
EFFECTS OF RAINFALL ON MARCH 5 AND 6. SIMILARLY...LEEWARD AREAS OF
MAUI FROM LAHAINA TO KAUPO AND EXTENDING UPSLOPE INTO KULA HAVE BEEN
UNDER EXTREME DROUGHT CONDITIONS. RECENT RAINFALL SHOULD HAVE
HELPED EASE DROUGHT TO SOME DEGREE THOUGH IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO
DETERMINE HOW MUCH.

[Gary Saltz]

Hi All! Thanks for answers so far...hope for more. Health thing is important. am only a young 66 with no problems and my health plan just happens to be covered on Maui. I have found vets for Rocky and Docs for me under the plan. Housing costs seen to be the big question.....where and what can I get or do with and without a dog.

[Calico Salsa]

On the healthcare question, I think people were trying to tell you that while we do have docs & hospitals here on Maui, they don't handle some types of response and treatment.

For example, one of our friends recently had a heart attack. Ambulanced to Kahului for the hospital, but then had to wait for medivac to Oahu for actual surgery. And had to wait a few hours for the flight, which was thankfully covered by the plan. Not a commercial flight of course, a med flight, which was over $12k. He was operated on and kept on Oahu for a few days, then returned home.

Other friend who had failing kidney needed to go to Oahu to have his port refreshed every x weeks. He could have dialysis here, but anything beyond that meant a trip to Oahu.

Your plan covers you here, that's great, but just know you'll need to go to Oahu for anything medium-drastic+.

I do not mean to discourage you, just to let you know that for your planning. Anyone with health concerns that might need to fly should live in a place where they can get to hospital or airport faster, and also have a plan in place for their doggie care. Just make good friends with your neighbors!

As far as renting with a dog - you will need to be very upfront about this with perspective landlords. You might consider offering to put in writing that you'll replace any damaged yard area (e.g. replant grass) when you leave.

[orangecat]

You'll find much better luck with animals living upcountry especially in the Kula area. $1200 wont get you very far outside a condo or one bedroom Ohana in Kihei or Lahaina, to which dogs will be frowned. The Ohana units in Kula tend to be farther spaced out so pets tend to be more welcomed; it's in general a more pet friendly area to live. Unfortunately, for most new arrivals, upcountry living isn't what they pictured living on the island to be (near beaches & it can actually get cold!).

[PalmerPhotography]

Calico Salsa, eventually my insurance will run out and I'll need to get coverage for myself. You seem to understand quite a bit about this topic - Do you have any suggestions please? Mahalo!