Apartment hunting

The last two days we have been checking out different apartments and condos for rent on the island.

Yesterday, we just checked out 3 different complexes in Kihei.  We needed to go back anyways so Justin could turn in his application to Ruby Tuesday, so I quickly googled the names of some various complexes, and we went to the offices and asked for tours.

Piilani Garden Apartments

The first complex was right across the street from Safeway and the Ruby Tuesday's Justin was applying at.  (By the way, they did an informal first interview, and Justin felt it went well!  :)  Just waiting to see if they call for a second round.)  The first complex looked pretty nice, and the lady almost immediately escorted us to the model apartment.  It was pretty nice, and had 2 bedrooms, which I've definitely been hoping for so it would be easier to have guests.  Butttt, after we got back to the office, she gave us a brochure and told us rent was $1325 a month plus electric.  Oucccchhh...too much and they weren't even that big.  She said the ones that are right up against the street are only $1025 because of the noise, but that they didn't have any openings there.  Needless to say, that brochure went in the trash can when we got home...haha. 

Kihei Regency Apartments

The second complex was one I've been seeing on craigslist since we starting talking about moving to Maui.  The first day we went to Kihei to go to the beach, I saw the complex when we were walking around and pointed them out to Justin as a place I recognized.  These were a little more in our price range, but still a bit high.  $1075 plus electric for a 2 bedroom that is 675 square feet.  We were able to view an apartment with the exact layout of the available apartment--it was alright, but not my favorite.  Later, when Justin and I were discussing what we'd seen, I realized why I didn't really like the place.  There was no lanai/patio door, and no windows in the kitchen and/or living room.  The place seemed really dark because of it.

Paradise Gardens Apartments

The third place we checked out we hurried over to because we had a car appointment in the next city over and only had 15 minutes before we had to hit the road.  I'm REALLY glad we made the stop, because these apartments have been our favorite of what we've seen thus far. 

Paradise Gardens, named for the 4 gardens that the apartments are built around, was pretty nice.  They have 1 and 2 bedroom apartments, whereas the other places we looked at only had 2.  A 1 bedroom/1 bath (605 square feet) is $945 plus electric (so far, the closet to what we're comfortable paying!)  The lady was able to show us the exact apartment that is open for move in on the 1st, and it faces the pool, and has a lanai.  The apartment also has A/C, though I don't think I'll ever be turning that thing on if we're paying electric...haha.

We left Paradise Gardens feeling good about the search, considering we felt we had seen the best one last.  When we got home last night, I started really searching for places, both in Kihei and in other locations around Maui.  The only place I'm really staying away from is Lahaina.  We haven't been there, so I can't really judge it, but there are a couple of reasons we probably won't be settling down there.  First, its the biggest tourist city on the island.  While good for jobs, its a pretty crowded little place.  Second, its on the far west side of the island, making the drive to anywhere else on the island LLONNGGGGG.  Old Navy and Costco are 55 minutes away.  Traffic here isn't nearly as bad as Seattle, and I have a way longer tolerance for it because, well, I'm living in freaking Maui and there really isn't a reason to get irritated or road rage-y, but still, that's pretty far for my taste.

DAY 2

I wrote down a bunch of phone numbers of people to call, complexes to check out, ect.  We headed out this morning to Kahului, and I got on the phone and starting calling phone numbers.  I left 2 messages, found out 1 apartment was barely 400 square feet with twin beds (no thanks!), and made an appointment to see a Kihei condo in the afternoon.

Our first stop was Kahului Town Terrace, which are low income apartments.  Between the two of us, we can't make more than 42,000 a year to live there (not currently a problem!  lol.)  They didn't look downright awful, but we didn't actually get to look in one either since they are currently all rented out.  The appealing thing about these are the price and square footage--a 2 bedroom, 896 square foot apartment is only $879 plus electric.  Appealing stats, but who knows what they look like inside, or who our neighbors would be.  An upside (I think....) is that you can't have a criminal record and live here....hahaha.

Puuone Towers

The second place we wanted to check out was through a realtor, so we had to go pick up the keys first, and then could go look on our own.  This place was in Wailuku, which is RIGHT next to Kahului, and at the base of the Iao Valley.  We picked up the keys and headed over.  This apartment had great stats--$950 including all utilities for a 2 bedroom/1.5 bath--767 sq. ft.  But, that was where the great ended.  We walked into the OPEN AIR hallway from the stairwell, and all I could smell was cigarette smoke.  It was like the smell was stuck to the building.  We found the available unit (which was conveniently located right next to someone who was currently smoking in his condo...icky!), and went in.  The size really was the end of the attractiveness of the place.  The apartment was in pretty gross shape--the carpets were stained, the wall patched in tons of places, and the washer/dryer was stacked in the middle of the kitchen in a cubby like thing...which was super awkward because it made the actual walkable part of the kitchen very small and in an awkward L shape.  When we got back to the realtor's office to return the keys and get our key deposit back, the lady didn't even ask us how we liked it or if we wanted to fill out a rental application--I think that speaks to what this place was like.

I had written down the names of two other apartment complexes in the area--we drove past one of them and kept right on going.  They were scummy to put it plainly.  We didn't even go see the other complex.  Wailuku isn't really the place I want to be.  Kahului doesn't seem to have much to offer us either.  Its very city-like, but there are not a lot of nice places to live.  Everything seems run down.

Harbor Lights

There is a complex in Kahului called Harbor Lights.  Locals call it Harbor Frights...lol.  A 2 bedroom/1.5 bathroom is only $850 a month including all utilities.  And these aren't even low income housing!  Justin and I went back and forth about actually going to check them out, but after seeing Puuone Towers, I don't think we'll even be giving it a chance.  When we got back to our place, I was talking to Shaun about how most of the places we saw today told us the places we didn't want to live, and she responded with "You guys didn't go to Harbor Lights, did you?!"  Lol, that place is notorious!  When you google it, no one has anything nice to say in forums, and a new story from 2008 pops up about a police stand off that happened there with a guy holed up in his apartment with many, many guns.  Awesome, right?  My favorite comment was from a couple from New York who said they wouldn't live there, and they've lived in some pretty ghetto places back in New York.  Haha.

We headed down to Kihei to have lunch and hang out until our appointment to see the condo I had found on craigslist.  We ate at this little Mexican place (Taco tuesday!  yay!), and then walked the Tacos off by walking up and down the beach until it was time for our appointment.  I was pretty stoked about this place--$900 plus electric, 1 bedroom/1 bathroom, and had just been remodeled with new hardwood floors and a pretty kitchen.  We sat in the car for 10 minutes since we were early for the appointment, then walked to the unit, and are told that she already rented the unit out to someone else, didn't we get her message?  Uuhhhhh....no.  Oh well!  I was pretty disappointed, because it did look like a pretty nice place, plus was VERY close to the beach in Kihei. 

So that was our 2 days of apartment hunting.  Places pop up all the time, but it seems like the really good ones go fast, so I think its going to take a little amount of luck to see the ad, call, and claim dibs after seeing it...lol.  But, Paradise Gardens is also pretty good, and I think I would be perfectly happy calling it our first apartment.  :)

I think we have unofficially decided that Kihei is where we want to be.  Its only a 10-15 minute drive to Kahului, where I'll be working at Old Navy.  (That is, if the manager will call me back!  Jeez!  lol.)  And I love the beaches.  South Kihei road runs right along the beach and has tons of shopping and A LOT of awesome restaurants.  We've eaten at 3 different places there and have yet to be disappointed. 

Well, that's it.  Sorry this turned out to be a novel...haha.
Oh, and Shaun said that she would call another friend she has that lives and teaches in Makawao this week, and we can all all go grab coffee and gab about me teaching.  Yay!  Hopefully I'll get an "in" with subbing this way.  I'm pretty excited.  :)