Ka Leo’s
Housing Guide What to look for ...........1 Amenities .....................3 Location .......................5 Pricing ..........................7 Transportation ..............8
First things first: inspecting the property JORDAN K. HENSLEY PR Staff There are many important things to check for when moving into your house or apartment. If you’re going to check out a property First things first, you found a listing for a two bedroom and one bath in Mānoa valley, got your roommate, and are going to check the property out to make a cohesive decision. When you arrive on the site, important things to check for, and quite possibly the most important, are safety and security. Check around for working smoke detectors; ideally there should be one in
each room and one in the kitchen. Also, each house or apartment should contain at least one fire extinguisher, so make sure to scope one out or ask your landlord to provide one. Make sure all locks are working, un-rusted, and are sturdy to avoid potential burglary problems. Next, as you make your way through the rooms, especially the bathroom and water-heater closet, check for leaky pipes. You might feel a bit silly getting on your hands and knees and looking in cupboards, but if there is a leak, you want it repaired before you sign any contracts.
Another thing you might want to check is the electrical outlets; you may want to bring a small electric appliance, such as a cell phone charger, and check outlets throughout the house. Test out all appliances within the house to make sure everything is in proper working order, namely the fridge, washer, and dryer. Mold is something worth checking for; feel the shower walls, look at the ceiling and in/around the fridge. Water temperature and pressure are also important things to keep an eye on, along
with proper working drainage. Look in cupboards, cabinets, closets for visible evidence of insects and rodents. It would suck to move in and find an infestation of cockroaches in your underwear drawer! Also, peer around and see if you can identify some of your potential neighbors; strike up a conversation, ask them how things are going in the neighborhood, and about potential hazards or issues that may exist. Making friends early is always a good thing. Check around for close bus stops just in case you need to jump on it for a
quick jet off to class when your ride isn’t there on time. Ample parking is also something to look for, so that when you eventually throw that housewarming party and invite all your best friends, they will all be able to drive without having to carpool. But if they are drinking, maybe carpooling is best. Be thorough and patient when inspecting your new apartment or house as well as the environment that surrounds it; it will be your home (hopefully) for the next year, so try to make your introduction into living there pleasant and stress-free.
Housing Guide 2 Tangible Amenities
WAIKIKI PARADISE Kama’aina Scholarships available!
The only off-campus housing choice with all facilities being 100% student communities. Periodic maid service. Free utilities, cable, and internet. Free air conditioning. THE off-campus housing choice for Chaminade students!
24 hour professional staff. Conveniently located to UHM, KCC & HCC Many different floor plans & student terms available specifically for UH Students.
Please call our professionally trained leasing staff today! (808) 922-4661
leasing@hawaiistudenthousing.org www.hawaiistudenthousing.org
Garage/Parking
Bike Paths
Cable/Electricity
Swimming Pool
Washer/Dryer
Kitchen
Bath/Shower
Locks
Air Conditioner/Fans
Intangible Amenities View
Security
Low Crime Rates
Cleanliness
Air Quality
Housing Guide 3
Amenities turn a house into a home ORIANA LEAO PR Staff
For some people, searching for a new place to live is a leisurely experience, and can be an enjoyable activity. But when relocating to a different home, school, or job, a finer approach to residence-hunting must be taken into consideration. In essence, amenities make a place. Amenities are the accommodations that assist in determining the value and desirability of a property, and contribute to a place’s comfort or convenience. Tangible benefits to look for include a dishwasher, air conditioner, washing machine, dryer, complete kitchen with sink, oven, stove and garbage disposal, swimming pool, garage, or car port, bike paths, and parking. Beyond physical accommodations, other intangible amenities to consider when searching for a new residence include the
view from a specific location, services such as trash pick-up and low crime rates within and surrounding the neighborhood. In some cases, a necessity that is highly valuable to one potential owner may not be the same for another. For those who have medical concerns such as asthma, the lack of air pollution and apparent cleanliness of an area can be viewed as an amenity. It is crucial to form a list of services and facilities that are significant to the potential owner, because amenities that are available or lacking, within and around a home, often determine the way one lives and operates in a residence. Personal needs and preferences concerning amenities should be voiced to potential roommates and landlords or realtors, because amenities also contribute to the value of a property and should be reflected within the residence’s price.
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An inaugural event for parents and family members of UH Manoa students! October 29-31 2010 Cost: $100 per person Information and registration can be found on our website: http://parents.manoa. hawaii.edu/events/ family_weekend.cfm
Housing Guide 4
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STREET BEAT NOHELANI ROACH UH MANOA STUDENT Do you live on or off campus? Off, I live in the Marco Polo Building.
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Why did you choose that? Well I work in Waikiki, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right in the middle of work and school. Howâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s it going? Good, I love it. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s definitely expensive....but every place is in Hawaii. Would you do it again? For sure. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the nicest building!
â&#x153;Ž GARRETT GEORGE UH MANOA STUDENT Do you live on or off campus? I live on campus in Gateway dorms Why did you choose that? I love the view and my set up with two roommates. How is your choice working out for you, would you do it again next year? It is going fine for the most part, so I will probably dorm in the apartments next year.
Housing Guide 5 Location: the cornerstone of living JENNA RITTER PR Staff No matter where you live on O‘ahu, there are many resources available close by. That’s the benefit of living in a city. It just depends on what’s more important to you. Do you want to live closer to the beach or right on campus? If you’re living near Mānoa Market place you will have some resources available. Here you’ll find Long’s Drug store, Safeway, Blazin Steaks, Mcdonalds, Starbucks, Andy’s, a laundromat, Post Office, First Hawaiian Bank, nail salons, and many more great places to grab a meal. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and
Sundays, they offer a farmer’s market in the center of Mānoa Market place where you can get good deals on local fruits and veggies. If you choose to live back here, however, you do get more rain and you are further away from the beach. If you live on Campus, or close to the surrounding area and don’t have a car, King St. is just a short walk or bike ride away. There are many great spots here at a convenient distance. There are Kōkua Market and Down to Earth as healthy alternatives to fast food restaurants. Burger King, Teddy’s Bigger Burgers, Blazin Steaks, Bubbies, The Curry House, and the Varsity Bar
are all near Puck’s Alley. There are also many housing options around Waikīkī. So, if you want to be close to the beach, this is the spot for you. On the Diamond Head side of Waikīkī you have Kapahulu, which is packed with restaurants (ranging from Taco Bell to local plate lunches; many clothes and jewelry shops, Snorkel Bobs, bars, tattoo and piercing spots, smoke shops, and a Safeway. At the other end of Waikīkī you’re situated close to Ala Moana shopping center and Walmart. Located on Ke‘eaumoku Street. Ala Moana offers great outdoor shopping
DO YOU NEED A PLACE TO RENT? ARE YOU AVAILABLE AS A ROOMMATE OR LOOKING FOR A ROOMMATE TO SHARE YOUR PLACE? Visit us on our website or at our ofßce. Use your UH username and password to login and search our listings. We have listings for Rooms in Private Homes to six-bedroom houses…and everything in between!
Faculty/Staff/Property Owners: Our ofßce is seeking listings now! Rent to a UH student, faculty, or staff member! Create an account & submit your listings through Property Management!
https://www.housing.hawaii.edu/och Program ofßce is located in the back of the Hale Aloha Dining Hall, the entrance is located across Hale Aloha-Mokihana.
• Search the Vacant listings for apartments, houses, and rooms in private homes. • Submit yourself as a Roommate Available. • Search the Roommate Needed listings for available rooms. • Search the Roommate Available listings for potential roommates. • Submit a Roommate Needed listing if you need a roommate in your place.
Mailing address and Contact information: Off-Campus Housing Referral Program, 2569 Dole Street; Honolulu, HI 96822 Phone: 808-956-7356 • Fax: 808-956-6732 • E-mail: och@hawaii.edu
ranging from all the major department stores to surf shops. There is a DMV office, a furniture store, Post Office, ATM’s, banks, Honolulu City Info Center, a food court, and many great dine-in restaurants. It even features several nightclubs including Pearl, Venus and the O-lounge— all within walking distance. Trash is another thing
you need to think about. If you don’t live in on campus, pickup is conducted on a 3-4 day period. Depending on your neighborhood, the day you need to put your trash out will differ. Check out opala.org for exact days and time for curbside trash pickup. Remember to recycle everything you can and separate those items from your trash.
Housing Guide 6
STREET BEAT
HANA STUDENT HOUSING Kama’aina Scholarships available! The only off-campus housing choice with all facilities being 100% student communities. Periodic maid service.
STREET BEAT MARC ELLIOTT UH MANOA STUDENT How much is your rent? I pay a lot, upwards of 3500 a semester for Gateway. Is it reasonable? It is reasonable with regards to the surrounding city. Are you going to stay or leave if so why? Next year I plan on moving in to Wainani with my homies. MIWA KIMURA UH MANOA STUDENT
Free utilities, cable, and internet.
How much? $900 rent Studio Style in Waikiki
Free air conditioning.
Worth it? No. noisy neighbor, the environment is not safe.
THE off-campus housing choice for Chaminade students!
24 hour professional staff. Conveniently located to UHM, KCC & HCC Many different floor plans & student terms available specifically for UH Students.
Please call our professionally trained leasing staff today!
(808) 922-4661
leasing@hawaiistudenthousing.org www.hawaiistudenthousing.org
Would you live there next semester? No. I would still choose to live off campus because living on campus is inconvenient and I do not like the feeling of stuck on campus. RUTH MANUEL UH MANOA STUDENT How much? Free, live with parents Worth it? Yes. Saving money to spend on other needs. Would you live there next semester? Yes, it is a better living environment compared to dorms.
Housing Guide 7
Balancing cost and preference AYAKA ITO PR Staff One of the key elements of deciding on housing is the room rental fee. There is a wide range of budgets for housing and rental fees. Prices are dependent on location and surrounding environment. Let’s set the base line to $1,000 and compare the differences in different areas around the campus. A $1,000 budget for an on-campus housing unit would get you a two-bedroom unit with two occupants, including a shared bathroom with water, electricity and internet, but with no kitchen or parking at Frear Hall. With the same budget one could rent a studio-style room with a bathroom and a small kitchen in Waikīkī. It comes with kitchen utensils, but does not include electricity, internet or parking. The s ame sty le of ap ar t m e nt i n Ma k i k i i s h a l f t he pr i c e. Wit h a $1,00 0 bu d ge t , re nte rs re ceive one b e d ro om , a k itche n , a b at hro om , p ar k i ng and a
l anai, as wel l as water, g a s and e l e c t r i c it y. Other than the rental fee, housing can have additional costs, like the deposit, security fee and application fee. On-campus housing has a $250 deposit and $25 nonrefundable application fee on top of the annual room fees. These prices are relatively low compared to off-campus housing. The average off-campus security deposit fee is around $1,000. Also, leasing could be problematic for students since off-campus housing is not designed specifically for students. The lease could be too long or too short, and students might need to pay extra or move out in the middle of the semester because of the fallout of the lease. Off-campus housing support organizations give students additional options. The Atherton YMCA is right across from the Mānoa campus and has room selections including singles, doubles and quads. They offer the housing per semester and the price for a single room is around $860
per month, which includes internet, electricity, utilities and shared bathroom and kitchen. Unlike on-campus housing, the YMCA offers intermission-period housing so students don’t have to worry about moving in and out during winter and summer breaks. Ohia student housing is located in Waikīkī area and amenities include partial maid service, internet, shared kitchen with utensils and a swimming pool. There are also 24-hour on-site resident assistants at the front desk. Pricing ranges from $650 for double occupancy to $1,150 for single occupancy. These off-campus student housing prices are reasonable and since the units are designed for students, they also provide a focused living environment. Some students want to live on or near campus, some want to live close to the ocean, and others place priority on low pricing. Every student has a different need or preference. There are varied housing options available around the island, allowing students to select housing that meets both their budgets and their preferences.
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1295 S. Beretania St. | Honolulu, HI 96814 *Good for classic burger or cheeseburger www.honoluluburger.com Free Parking in Back!
Expires Nov. 30
Housing Guide 8 Tactical transportation: getting around town
JORDAN K. HENSLEY PR Staff Transportation is a major issue that needs to be addressed when choosing a place to live. Bus commuting, procuring a car and walking are all possibilities that must be taken into consideration before choosing or narrowing down housing choices. Choosing to live with a roommate is your best financial option in Hawai‘i since the cost of living is so expensive here. A two bedroom one bath in places
such as Kāne‘ohe or Pearl City go for around $1550/ month usually with no furnishings. If you find yourself in this situation then saving money by using your UH bus pass will be your best bet. If you are looking for something closer, Waikīkī, Kaimukī, Palolo and Mānoa would all also be good bets since the bus, walking, or bike riding are reasonable and economical. Student housing in Waikīkī ranges from $550/month (less utilities) to $1,550 for a two
bedroom and one bath. If deciding whether or not to purchase a car is your deal breaker then crunch on these numbers: $1,460 per year is how much you save by using your U-Pass to catch the bus. If you pay $20 a week on gas, that’s $1,040 per year and $1,060 per year is how much you would spend on insurance. Average prices for used cars range from $1,00030,000 depending on make and model. Is that jalopy worth it or should you
hold out for a used Jaguar? Cars cost more than they’re worth, especially used cars, claims www. ehow.com. “It can be hard to fork over money for a car in the same year you’re paying for other expenses…unless you live in a city with excellent, safe public transportation.” TheBus is an internationally recognized organization and is known for its adaptivity in routes as well as excellence in public transit. Walking and biking are ‘green’ alternatives to bus-
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ing; just realize that when you purchase a bike in the State of Hawai‘i a $15 bike license fee is charged, but lasts a lifetime once bought. Used bikes don’t require the fee, so if you scan Craigslist and see a listing, snag it. Overall while a multitude of choices are available for housing, make sure to take transportation into account when deciding where to live. The general rule of thumb is: the closer you are to something in Hawai‘i, the easier it is to walk, but the harder it is to find parking.