KennyLovesAriel
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2013
Title speaks for itself. H and I are thinking of moving to Hawai'i. We have spent the last 6 months considering where we would most like to live, and (not shockingly), Hawai'i comes the closest to having the things we listed as most important.
But, I recognize that moving to Hawai'i is kind of like people moving to Disney World -- it's often a fantasy rooted in an idea of what a paradise the location is, not a well-thought out plan. I'm trying to ensure we think through our plan.
Yes, we are planning to take an investigative vacation in the next 6 months to get a better feel for the island as an inhabitant.
Things we have considered:
But, I recognize that moving to Hawai'i is kind of like people moving to Disney World -- it's often a fantasy rooted in an idea of what a paradise the location is, not a well-thought out plan. I'm trying to ensure we think through our plan.
Yes, we are planning to take an investigative vacation in the next 6 months to get a better feel for the island as an inhabitant.
Things we have considered:
- We expect to spend the next 12-15 months doing research, preparing for the move, and hopefully securing jobs.
- No children & proximity to family is not a concern
- We have approx 150k in savings. But, we'd also like at least half of that to be a downpayment on a house, so while it provides a nice buffer for the transition, I'm not prepared to live off it for 9+ months
- We do want to own property, but proximity to the beach is not important. We are considering "the Big Island" because property is most affordable there. This means my job search would be focused largely at the University of Hawai'i-Hilo and the community college on that island. That may be too limiting. But, I'm less optimistic about us being able to afford housing on Oahu.