Living on the Big Island is unlike living anywhere else. Here are 5 things you should learn before deciding to move to Waimea, or anywhere else on the Big Island.

So here they are. Not all apply to everyone, but they should all be considered for further research.

• Learn what’s going on in the County and State governments that might change the area you’re thinking about. Subscribe to one of the local papers’ free email of headlines. West Hawaii Today and The Hilo Tribune are the two main papers on the Island. Civil Beat covers the State, and does an excellent job of reporting on the major issues we face. You can get a free email of headlines from any or all of them.
• If you’re moving to the Waimea area, subscribe to the Waimea Community Association’s newsletter. If you have any interest in the history and culture of the town, I highly recommend the Paniolo Preservation Society’s newsletter, as well.
• Health care is scarce around here. Primary care physicians are hard to find, and specialists usually come from Oahu, or require you to travel there to be seen. Some surgeons will see patients here, but require you to fly to Oahu for surgery. Investigate carefully, especially if you have any health issues that require frequent care!
• Be very careful to look past the “headlines” when it comes to schools. I wrote about this in an earlier blog. Since then, my daughter, who graduated from Parker in 2016 and headed for Dartmouth, has come back home. I’ve had a chance to ask her what she thinks about the preparation she got at Parker. She says the academics at Dartmouth were no problem, although there were subjects that were completely new to her while many of the other students had taken AP classes in those subjects at their high schools. There just isn’t as much breadth of coverage at a smaller school. What really threw her, though, was the “culture”. She was not at all prepared for the cut throat social scene she found there. If your kid is set on an Ivy League school, at the very least, get them as much supplemental tutoring and course work as you can afford. It may mean you rarely see them, since much of the supplemental work will be at camps on the mainland, but they will be much more comfortable once they get to college.
• Finally, if at all possible, figure out a way to stay in the areas you are interested in. Rentals are difficult to find, and usually require a lease term of at least 6 months. Vacation Rentals in residential areas are becoming sparse, as a result of the recent County ordinance, but bed and breakfasts are still allowed at this time. There are huge differences, even in Waimea, between the dry side and the wet side, and within different subdivisions. But perhaps Waikoloa would be a better fit, or Kona? Take the time, and spend the money, to figure it out before you buy.

These 5 things you should learn before deciding to move to Waimea are just a start, of course. Please feel free to reach out with questions. I’ll do my best to help!