almostfree

It is exactly on topic. I already retired. Every month I see a new retiree that is dead broke and has to work another 20 years because they didn't plan when they were in their twenties. The decisions you make when you start out affect you for the rest of your life. In life insurance and financial planning, there is a saying: "90 out of 100 people are dead or dead broke when they turn 65." If you want to live close to Tripler, choose Aiea, Salt Lake, Moanalua, Pearl City, Kalihi, Pali, Pauoa Valley, or Punchbowl, those are all within 5 miles. On the upper side of Moanalua Valley, past the Moanalua Golf Course (do a Yahoo! Maps search for Ala Iolani or Ala Lani Streets), there are many 6 to 8 bedroom homes. A lot of these people rent out one floor of their home for $1200 to $2000. It is one exit away from Tripler.

i bought if for $120,000 with zero down. it doubled less than 10 years later. when i left, i paid 10% (that's standard for leases greater than 6 months) of the rent for the property management company. that is also tax deductible. yes, i have dealt with a management company more than 3000 miles away, including while underwater. if she is active duty, you can buy for no money down, literally zero. if you can only get $1200 for a $250,000 condo, then something is wrong. in ewa beach and waikiki, condos on the market for $300,000 are getting close to $2000 a month for rent. in makiki, condos for $200,000 are getting $1200 a month for rent. for a $250,000 property, you should get a minimum of $1500. craigslist is a good source for rents: http://honolulu.craigslist.org/apa/ http://honolulu.craigslist.org/search/apa?query=spinnaker&catabbreviation=apa&minask=min&maxask=max&bedrooms= (the townhomes in spinnaker are going for $300,000 now) if you qualify for a low or zero down loan, it doesn't make sense to put a lot of money down. it's better to hold on to that money for other purposes, such as stocks or mutual funds (also long-term investments). if you would like to put $1000 a month into the bank, that's great. it's safe. you'll get about 1% right now and hopefully inflation will be less than that, so you don't go backwards. the interest on that money is also taxable. it makes more sense to buy 3 or 6-month cds, however. try this calculator and see for yourself if buying makes sense (use an appreciation rate of 6%, which means the price doubles every 12 years): http://realestate.yahoo.com/calculators/rent_vs_own.html for property taxes, it will be $850 for a $250,000 home. i would use $5000 per year for maintenance costs, 2% for savings and 3% for inflation. this is what i get: "you would save approximately $904,337 (in today's dollars) by buying a home, rather than renting, over the 30 year timeframe you have entered." even when i raise the annual maintenance costs to $6000, or $7000, it still comes out higher. the years that you live in a home give you the biggest tax advantage. also, if you live in it for 2 out of the previous 5 years, all of the gain is tax free. prices are now at where they were in 2005. rates are where they were in 1975. if you want to rent, it's better for mobility, but in the long run, buying a home makes the most sense, because it is tax sheltered and will be indefinitely unless congress takes that away. saving is great, do that. buying a home is great, do that. buy some coins, buy some stocks, buy some cds. start your own business when you get really bold. to make a long story short, i would get a furnished 1-bedroom in makiki for 6 months (or get a roommate and share a place), then decide what to do, as i originally recommended.

Military people have a huge advantage when it comes to buying - their BAH of $20,000+ per year is nontaxable. Their house payment interest is tax deductible. So, that $15,000 in interest each year is nontaxable when you get it, and tax deductible when you pay it. No one else gets to do that. The $15,000 interest will reduce your taxes by at least $2000 per year. I didn't say to sell it when you leave. That's not a good idea. Real estate prices double every 12-14 years in Hawaii. You may be on the upside or downside. Rather than trying to time the market, it's better to keep it for 10 years, then sell. If you have 3 duty stations, you could have 3 condos, if you plan well. In 20 years (ideally), sell the first one. Retirements have been funded this way, along with stocks, and a pension. If you want to pay $15,000 in rent to no someone else (that had the foresight to buy the home), and have nothing after 3 years, that's your choice. I bought my first townhome in Makakilo when I was 24. Best thing I ever did.

Hi, There are a lot of choices. Most single residents people move downtown initially, since it is he most lively area of the island. Your price range, in large part, will determine where you can live. Generally speaking, homes cost less the farther you are from town. The exceptions are Kailua and Hawaii Kai. Although they are on the "ends" of the island, the homes there are in higher demand. If you want a central location, take a look at Salt Lake, Moanalua Valley and Aiea. If you want more of a suburban feel (with a lot of parks), take a look at Waikele and Mililani. Those are also on the way to the North Shore. There are numerous smaller communities as well. My advice: leave the community you are considering, at 7 AM and try to get to Bishop and King Streets. That'll give you an idea of the typical commute. Since you will most likely be at Tripler, you probably want to stay within 10 miles or so, to decrease your commute. You should seriously consider buying a place. I would try to narrow down the price within $50,000 or so first, then talk to a loan officer (send me an email if you would like some recommendations or have more questions) about whether you qualify for that price range. Once you have a figure, that will narrow things down for you and help you decide on the best place to buy your Hawaii home. If it were myself, I would rent a furnished 1 bedroom in the Makiki area for 6 months, until I got a feel for Oahu. They go for about $1200-$1500. Waikiki goes for $1600-$2200 for a furnished 1 bedroom (utilities included). Then I would buy a place, lots of bargains now. Welcome to Hawaii.

I am way out of touch (in more ways than one), but a friend was hired at Tripler Army Medical Center a few years ago. Not until she had one year of experience as an RN, however. Hopefully you hit the mark they are looking for. I would go to the Federal jobs website USAJOBS and set up a search agent for RNs, and/or "Registered Nurse". Let us know if it works! Here's the link again: https://my.usajobs.gov/login.aspx?redirect=https%3a%2f%2fmy.usajobs.gov%2fagents%2fmanagejobagents.aspx I had a great job there a few years back. I was hired by a local temp agency. One of the best jobs I ever had. Let me know if you need a local contact for them. Aloha.

Bring the dog, but wait until you get a place rented. On Oahu, roughly 90% of condo and townhome landlord do not allow pets. Talk to Realtors on Maui to get more details. This web page is being updated (I hope) http://www.hawaiianhumane.org/programs/petshousing/petshousing/index.asp It will give you a better idea. Search on Craigslist http://honolulu.craigslist.org/mau/hhh/ You can select pets to get a good idea of what's available. Aloha.

I would leave it behind. It will probably cost you close to $1500 to ship it to Hawaii. There are plenty of cars here. You can even rent a car for almost the same as a month's car payment on Priceline. If you live within 5 miles of downtown Honolulu, the bus will get you where you need to go almost as fast as a car. See: http://www.thebus.org Email me if you need help finding a car when you arrive. I like to shop for cars like some people like to shop for shoes. Frank

Here are some good resources: http://www.hawaiipca.net/resources http://www.hawaiipca.net/files/2006_directory_07-09.pdf (good demographic information). http://www.hawaiipca.net/news http://www.hawaii.edu/hslib/subjguides/hawaii.html Aloha, Frank:smokin:

Hi Marie, I think of Metro as "in town" +/- a mile or two. You can walk to markets, theaters, Ala Moana Mall, or Waikiki (a little further but still a fun walk). You'll have to visit to get a good feel for what the best minimum floor to be on. In general, the 7th floor and up cuts out most street noise. Above that and it's more about views. I was a full-time real estate from 2003-2006, then went back to half-time in 2007 as the market slowed. I have been in the medical field for 25 years. I don't know if you can email me directly and don't want to solicit on this site, but send an email if you want detailed property information from the MLS. I can send it to you. A good email address is frank (AT) hawaiihome.biz There are a few other very interesting condo projects around town worth considering. Aloha, Frank

Hi, The Admiral Thomas neighborhood is definitely what I would call "Metro." It's close to H1, the main highway. It is also a leasehold property, but fortunately the lease is good until 2046. You can still get a 30-year loan up until 2011. The average price is around $650,000 in that building. Maintenance fees are around $1000/month The prices will probably decline for another year or so. http://www.starbulletin.com/news/hawaiinews/20081002_Oahu_home_prices_reminiscent_of_2005.html The biggest consideration is probably schools for most people. This is an excellent area, since it's near town, but you may want to consider private schools, if you have children. Email me if you want more info. Aloha, Frank

The later you leave, the faster you will get there. I wouldn't try going out before 6, traffic is really heavy. The shortest and fastest way is to go up Kalakaua, then jog over to Punahou, then cross H-1, take a right, and another right to get on the on ramp. Alternative - go up McCully, but all the cabs and limos go that way too, so it can get busy. My favorite: Take Kalakaua to Beretania, then turn right on Piikoi. If H-1 is totally blocked, keeping going down Beretania, it changes to King, then turns into Dillingham Blvd and takes you right into Tripler. The other poster is right. The best place for cars is at Hickam AFB. Email me if you directions. There is a car lot there with used cars. You won't get much for $2000 though. It will most likely need repairs within a month or two. I think you can join Pentagon Federal credit Union if you work at Tripler. THey have really good rates for loans.

If you need anything from Tripler, send me an email. I would be happy to stop in and pick it up for you. Spouse Preference varies depending on each job and how it is funded. I would consider ANY base in Hawaii. Tripler is an excellent place to work, but there are many clinics on Oahu. Try this guide: http://www.mwrarmyhawaii.com/acs/acs_documents/Employment_Resource_Guide_2007.pdf There are some good job hunting websites starting on page 12. An excellent way to start is working for a Temp agency. The best job I ever had was at Tripler 3 years ago. Adecco hired me for a 3-month job. I added 10 months to it and got a pay raise as well. Also, try: https://cpolwapp.belvoir.army.mil/public/vabSelfNom/index.jsp Hawaii is expensive, but your husband will be getting a stepped housing allowance (BAH) and you will get COLA if you get hired into a regular position. I would rather than live in Hawaii than anywhere else, even if I had to have 3 jobs. Aloha, Frank US Navy, retired [email protected]