Consider this if you are moving to Hawaii.

This post is going to go over six tips on what to do prior to actually moving to Hawaii and some of the things you’re going to want to know and understand before moving there. First, find a vacation rental place. If you are moving to Hawaii and you’re just not quite sure how long you’re going to stay or where you’re going to live. If you’ve never even been there you might want to explore the island and get to know different areas first. Every area is different, if you go to the west side it’s a little bit more of a local vibe and warmer, if you go to the Windward side it’s a little bit more expensive but the beaches are beautiful and it’s a lot more breezier. If you want more of that hustle and bustle and that night life you’re going to want to be in Honolulu. So it’s important that you link yourself up with somebody who knows the area, or more importantly just rent a vacation rental place for a couple weeks to a month, so that when you get there you’re not feeling so rushed into just a spot that you’ve never even seen. Furthermore when you are looking to rent a place, if you’re reaching out to landlords and telling them it will take you a couple weeks or months to get there, that’s probably not going to work. Places are going so fast that landlords for sure are going to pick those applicants that are on the island ready to actually see the property. 

Second, have a plan b. If you are looking to rent a vacation rental place maybe have a hotel backup, because sometimes people aren’t always the most reliable. You don’t want to have your rental place canceled at the last minute after shipping your stuff out there. You don’t want to show up on the island after a long trip and have nowhere to go. So it would be highly recommended that you look into having a hotel backup in case you find yourself in this kind of situation. 

Third, shipping your household items. If you’re going to Hawaii and you have a lot of stuff and you plan to stay for a while, you’re going to want to ship your stuff in a container. You might want to call an international moving company, where you can basically stuff all your things into a container and they will ship it over there. That is the best way to move all your things over to Hawaii. Of course do this only in the case you are 100% sure you are staying on the island for a while. You don’t want to find yourself moving back again in a couple months, having to spend a lot of money to ship all your stuff back.

Fourth, the job search. Out there in Hawaii, it is a little bit difficult to find a job depending on what industry you are in. When it comes to finding a job, it’s best if you get yourself connected. Go into the island’s community and start talking to people and getting connected with people, because it really comes down to not what you know but who you know. However, if you’re in the medical field or if you’re a teacher, there’s a high demand for those types of jobs, so you can reach out to companies out there just do a quick Google search or go on monster.com, you can start applying there.

Fifth, be prepared to spend more than you’re probably spending now. Unless you’re living in Los Angeles, New York, San Diego, or somewhere where the cost of living is significantly expensive, you are probably going to see a significant increase in what you pay for living, gas, food and pretty much everything under the sun, that’s just how it is. It’s an island so everything’s a little bit more expensive. When it comes to buying, the average single family home is about $970.00. And if you’re looking to purchase a condo, you’re looking at about $460.000 and that’s the median, it can go high or low, there’s definitely different options.

Finally, slow down. Everything in Hawaii is about relationships, enjoying life and slowing down. If you’re coming from big cities like New York or Los Angeles where things are a little bit more fast-paced, just know that things are a little bit slower. Hawaiians basically stop to smell the flowers, so just keep in mind when you move out there that people are more about spending the time with people and in no rush. If you’re the type of person who’s always moving fast, just know that you’re going to have to shift or change, or else you will be kind of frustrated when it comes to living in Hawaii.