Customer Reviews

Affordable Paradise: The Secrets of an Affordable Life in Hawaii

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I was attracted to this book partly because the authors focus on the same idea I had reached on my own--That the Big Island, especially the Eastern side, is one of the most affordable places to live for those settling in Hawaii.
The book does deliver reasonably good information on that subject, but is of very limited use if you are intent on settling elsewhere in the Islands. It does have two chapters I thought were very worthwhile in a more general sense--One on the reasons NOT to move to Hawaii, including some insights on how to predict if you might be unhappy there, and a chapter on the detailed process of packing, moving, and shipping your possessions.
Overall, a rather limited book. On the other hand, if you are actually considering making the huge leap of moving to Hawaii, the limited cost and short time it takes to read this book may be very good investments, even if you don't fit the model of a settler on the Big Island. I should give fair warning, I have NOT (yet) moved to Hawaii, so my evaluation of the book is based on logic and instinct rather than personal experience with making the big move!

Just back from a 16 day adventure around the big isle (April '04) and I can easily say that this '01 edition is already way out of date. In most cases you can multiply by 2 on the prices given, so be prepared. Realize that in the last year alone the prices for Hawaii real estate have gone bananas. For example in an article that recently appeared on the Honolulu Advertiser's front page entitled, "Kaua'i housing prices 'insane'" it was shown that the median price for a Kaua'i condo had gone from $227K to $420K in one year! On the big isle, which is the focus of this book, condo prices only went up 38%. Residential property went up 19% As a real estate agent here in Sedona who has already made contacts to be licensed in Hawaii, I was amazed. Using this book and the best guide book of the island, Hawaii, The Big Island Revealed by Doughty and Friedman, we put over 1300 miles on the rental car touring the island. After a week in the the beauty and traffic of Kona (high land prices!), we visited Hawi, Waimea (where I used to live in the 70's), and the Hamakua coast before settling into the constant rain of Hilo. We had 10 inches one day and after 4 straight days of being house-bound we visited Paradise Park and then headed back to south Kona through Volcano for at least the chance of Sunshine.
Affordable Paradise was useful to a point and the author's obvious slant is towards the cheaper housing alternatives found principally in Puna. Even those prices are no longer relevant again by a factor of 2 times for the most part. Just don't get this book and expect to find a paradise home for under $100K that is the value and beauty you may be looking for. That said, we are in escrow now for what we think is a marvelous area - an area this book hardly touches on. The 1/3 acre lots are going for $40-85K and have lots of advantages - 800' elevation, 20-30 inches of rain/year, slower pace. So you can find something and this book will help propel you forward. Also the moving-portion may prove valuable as we are now preparing to relocate. Perhaps the fact that on the next to last day we swam with a dozen delightful dolphins at Hoo'kena Beach makes it easy to see why Hawaii has us ready to return.
Good luck and Aloha!

I've been seriously thinking about making the move to Hawai`i and decided picked up this book on my last trip to O`ahu. I have done a lot of research on Hawai`i and have a number of friends who have and still live in the state. Although the author has lived in Hawai`i for 13 years, it sure seems that he still has some things to learn about living in Hawai`i.

1) The book is titled "Affordable Paradise: The Secrets of an Affordable Life in Hawaii;" however, this title is very misleading. The book entirely focuses on moving and living on the Big Island of Hawai`i...not moving to the state of Hawai`i. The book description on the back is vague and you don't find out that the book focuses on the Big Island until you start reading the book (at least the author is kind enough to state this fact on the first couple pages...though it is a bit frustrating if you already bought this book and you intend on moving to another island). The author has some good information in Chapters 5-7 that can be applied to other islands; however, the book as a whole isn't very useful if you plan on moving to any of the other Hawaiian Islands.

2) The author tends to ramble and his points tend to get lost in the text. I think his writing is an attempt at "talking story;" however, it isn't conveyed very well in the book.

3) The author makes an attempt at using the `okina...a diacritical mark found in the Hawaiian language that marks a glottal stop and is represented by a *reverse* apostrophe. However, the `okina is incorrectly represented throughout the book as an apostrophe. In addition, the author incorrectly uses the `okina in the word "Hawaiian," which he writes as "Hawai'ian." The word "Hawaiian" is not a Hawaiian word (all words in the Hawaiian language end with a vowel) and does not have an `okina. The way he writes the word is pronounced "Ha-wai-i-an" instead of the correct "Ha-wai-an."

4) The author confuses the term "local" with the word "kama`aina." Kama`aina is the term used for anyone, white or otherwise, who have lived in the islands long enough to understand the nuances of life in Hawai`i. However, the author uses "local" in lieu of kama`aina and states that "local" refers to white and non-white residents. This is not quite right...typically, the term "local" in Hawai`i refers to non-white kama`aina only.

5) The author sites a number of comments/complaints of people who have attempted to live in Hawai`i and had bad experiences. He just dismisses their experiences and states that their perceptions were just too negative and they would never had made it. This gives the impression that the author is "talking stink" about these individuals! It probably would have been more diplomatic to use these comments to illustrate that the issues that these individuals bring up (i.e. drugs, prejudice, the threat of natural disaster) can shatter the illusion of an easy life in the islands and that some people are unable to live with these issues.

6) My major point of contention is that the author completely dismisses the issue of prejudice and racism by saying that those who experience prejudice from locals (particularly whites) just do not have enough aloha in their hearts. He actually goes so far as to say "...most of the locals, particularly those of Hawai'an ancestry, can see auras. They Know immediately if a person in their midst is there in love or if that person has a pre-conceived notion that generates fear or some other negative emotion in themselves." Sorry, but prejudice and racism in Hawai`i is a very *real" and *major* issue...just because the author hasn't been the victim of racism in Hawai`i doesn't mean it doesn't exist! I know several people who have lived or who currently live in Hawai`i who have been the victims of racism...and they have *plenty* of aloha in their hearts. I also experienced some unprovoked racism on one of my visits to O`ahu (a local yelled at me while I was waiting at a bus stop to go back to the mainland where I belong). Being fully informed of this issue, I understood where the guy was coming from...it didn't bother me too much and didn't sour my taste for Hawai`i. I truly feel that the author completely oversimplifies the intricacies of a prevalent and complex problem that exists in Hawai`i.

If you are seriously thinking about relocating to Hawai`i, I highly recommend "So You Want to Live in Hawaii" by Toni Polancy. I found this book to be a much more valuable resource than "Affordable Paradise"...it gives you the true nitty gritty about living in Hawai`i (including all of its problems), gives an overview of the pros and cons of each island, and shows that living in the Aloha State can be very challenging, but also very rewarding.

I had also bought "So You Want to Live in Hawaii", which i thought had a somewhat pessimistic tone for considering moving to Hawaii.
Affordable Paradise seems to have a very realistic and thorough understanding of whats involved both physically, financially, and mentally for considering making the move. It presents both positive and negative aspects for choosing Hawaii, and what to look for in purchasing a home, shopping, and understanding the locals. Very good book.

Affordable Paradise: The Secrets Of An Affordable Life In Hawaii by long-time Hawaiian resident Skip Thomsen is a practical, straightforward book about living economically day-to-day in one of the most beautiful and sunny of America's 50 states. From finding a serviceable house for less than $100,000 to work and retirement opportunities, Affordable Paradise is an indispensable reference to consult for anyone seriously considering a move to Hawaii for the best of what island living has to offer, yet needing to live within budgetary constraints.

After reading reviews on this site I ordered Affordable Paradise, as well as So You Want to Live in Hawaii by Toni Polancy. I loved Affordable Paradise and highly recommend it. I do suggest purchasing both books and reading them together. Toni Polancy's (So You Want to Live in Hawaii) book is quite pessimistic, right from the opening lines...but it does contain some valuable information. Skip Thomsen's book is my favorite by far. The author also maintains a website where updates are available free of charge.

As a recent permanant resident to Kauai, I had also considered Big Island. While some areas of Big Island are still more reasonable than the other islands there is no longer a huge price difference in real estate between any of islands anymore. That's why I ended up choosing my favorite island (Kauai, where I just bought acerage) versus settling for the Big Island just because I thought property would be cheaper there. If you love the Big Island great, if not know that there are other options.
The pricing qouted in this book is FAR out of date and I would times it by two to three what the author quotes. I also feel he down plays the issue of Lava Zones 1 and 2 -- where, by the way almost all of the reasonably priced property on the island is located. Before buying property one should visit the USGS website for more information regarding the dangers of buying in such areas. Also, the author's information on vehicle pricing is way off. Cars are more expensive on all of the islands over here. In fact, many people make money by importing vehicles and reselling them on the islands.
While I appreciate the tone and find the portrayal of island life and job hunting accurate, too much has changed for this to be a viable resource in helping anyone move over to the Big Island.

This is a wonderful book if you're planning to move to the Big Island of Hawaii. It breaks it down in an easy to follow way. Plain spoken and unbiased (although the author clearly loves the island). Lots of practical advise but if you're planning on moving to another island in Hawaii this might not be for you.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I wish there were a version of it for every city or area I wanted to move to, Hawaii or not, very informative and entertaining for what it sets out to do. It's not an all-inclusive everything-for-everyone book, it's like having someone show you their life on the big island and having them share everything they like or don't like, more of a "what it's like to really live here" approach that includes the cost of groceries and how people drive. One real view is more valuable to me than some blanket approach even if it's less comprehensive, I can get a tourist map anywhere. Be sure to check which version of the book you're buying if you purchase used, though, the real estate scene has changed a great deal since the first edition and if you don't at least check his website for updates, you'll be sorely disappointed when you check real estate prices.

Skip Thomsen writes about a popular Island pastime called "talk story," when a neighbor drops by to talk with you. Life comes to a halt, as you prepare a beverage, & sit down for their visit. AFFORDABLE PARADISE is like that.

Skip Thomsen tells you about life on the Big Island, & in particular the Windward side & Hilo.

As your tour guide to The Big Island, he covers:
The Dream & The Realities
Finding Your Own Special Place - The Choices
Your Virtual Tour
Making the Big Move - Arranging Shipping; What-and-What NOT-to take
Do I Take My Car?
What About Pets?
Kids and School
Shopping
Income Opportunities
Retirement

A pleasure to read, with lots of useful information & honest perspectives.