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My Waipio Gentry Hawaii "Home": The Price We Pay to Live in Paradise

Ahhhhh. The price we pay to live in "Paradise". How about a tour through our little townhouse and fenced in little courtyard? Hawaii is truly a scenic splendor of crystal clear blue waters, lush green mountains and valleys with gorgeous botanical scents. If you have time to view the tours then....let's begin!

Before we moved into our Waipio Gentry townhouse in early 2005 we went on a short "vacation"....fishing in Laie. (Click on the button for the fishing vacation tour!)

Our little piece of paradise is in our back yard (left)and I have an abundance of greenery from palms to orchids to bromeliads and roses. If you look closely in the picture below there are two pigeons who decided to park themselves in the little ray of sunshine next to my bromeliads. (about a week ago)

View the tour Of OUR back courtyard...our little OASIS with an abundance of floral foilage.

It's just me, hubbie and Shadow in our small 500 sq. ft. townhouse and enough for just us with our busy lives. We converted our living room into total office and the glass door leads out to our little oasis.

This IS the price we pay to live in paradise. Would you be comfortable in something smaller? Depending on the sq. ft. you would be comfortable with and just to give you an idea. Our townhouse is selling for around $240,000 and I just sold a 890 sq. ft. interior and $4,000 sq. ft. on the land - detached single family home in Mililani Mauka for $515,000. The more sq. ft. the higher it will go.

Hawaii has just so much buildable land and guaranteed smaller sq. ft. than anywhere else in the Continental United States. So be prepared to downsize. No matter what.

Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman's Mililani Hawaii Real Estate Blog 2007

Posted by Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman HAWAII Relocations & Real Estate on 07/07/2007 03:09 PM

Comments (53)

relocating to hawaii, hawaii homes for sale, mililani, honolulu

Originally posted at: Hawaii Real Estate, Hawaii Home Buying, Honolulu Housing Market, Hawaii Home Selling, Hawaii Relocations, Hawaii Military Relocations, Mililani Real Estate, Hawaii Homes Market: My Waipio Gentry Hawaii "Home": The Price We Pay to Live in Paradise

This post has been included in Hawaii Information Honolulu County, HI Information

53 Comments on My Waipio Gentry Hawaii "Home": The Price We Pay to Live in Paradise

JUL

2007

Sally, I loved the glimpse into your life. The fishing trip, your exquistie courtyard and your lovely home. It is so refective of the person you are in your writings. Thank you for sharing that with us. You live in paradise for sure, but it's obvious you create your paradise as well.

Sally--OMG! 500 Sq Ft!!! How do you do it? There are bedroom suites with more square ft in MN homes selling for under $500K. You and your hubby must be very close! ;-) Beautiful scenery and gardens!

Again, another great post! What more can I say? I can not read one of your posts without commenting on how great it is! I love the videos!

Hey, did I see Arbonne night creme in your bathroom? Katerina

Nice tours, Sally. But 500 SF? Haven't lived in something that small in many years. There wouldn't be enough room for all our artwork! Sounds like a Manhattan condo, given the size and the price. Although I sold a bunch of 600 SF 2 BR condos in Cambridge (near Boston where I lived) for $325K - $355K 3 years ago.

Thanks for sharing!

Jeff

OUCH!! Sally, my bedroom is almost that big!

Sally- you really need to go fishing more- 2004? With all that beauty around you I say you could be catching dinner weekly!! I live fishing and encourage you to get out there again and have some fun!

I grew up in a very large house. While it was great, it never seemed to be a prerequisite in adulthood- as long as Andy (daughter) and I felt safe, and had a fireplace to enjoy, we were aok. We never had flowers like yours, but a nice garden has been a source of pleasure in NY. Great videos!

My husband and I had the dream of retiring in Hawaii.

We don't dream any more.

Click photo for more information.

Sorry,

Forgot to say that we are now covered with Lava and will never be able to build on it.

Sally, as usual a great post. I ditto the comments about your square footage. Amazing! I 'spose if I got rid - except of course, my hubby, we could do it. That's more than I paid for my 2400 square foot home on 8500 lot. Like Laurie, as long as we feel safe and content and happy where we matter, whatever!!

Sally: Thanks for sharing your paradise with us. I live in a paradise area also, Canyon Lake, Tx. Our pastor once said this was the next best place next to heaven, and I think he was right. Everyone should have a paradise.Lots of other people have found it and are moving in, I hope it doesn't loose its charm.

Activerain Group: Hill Country Inspector

500 square feet? My husband and I would be divorced! We are both extremely independent and like our space. I guess I won't ever move to Hawaii. But your little courtyard looks like a special place. And the pigeons looked happy =)

WoW Sally! That's amazing you can get everything in 500sg. ft.! Although I can understand how you make due with making everything fit in just perfectly. I loved your videos! The flowers pics are out of this world!!!

Hey Sally, I could do 500 sq ft. My home is under 1200 sq ft and w/ 2 kiddos it's tight. But when it was just my daughter and I it was more than enough. Less to dust. :) LOVE the backyard! The prices are amazing. My patio home would sell for about...maybe $80,000? I haven't run comps recently. We have to sell a lot here to make money. :)

No more fruit on comments? What's carambola

Melody: Thanks for the positive twist...I love my little house...and you know what? When we bought it we said we were going to make sure if something happened to either one of us that the other would be able to handle it.

Okay....I'll admit it! I hate to clean and take care of a bunch of stuff too!

Teri: Hahahah! I knew everyone would trip out on this...hey...like I said...the price to live in Paradise!

Katerina: Yup...Airbonne...good stuff for this old lady!

Jeff: Hey...it's what we're used to. Before this we had 350 sq. ft. whoa!

Sarah: So if baby sister wants to come visit...I'll get you a hotel room :)

Michele: I didn't catch one darn fish...oh, we BOTH didn't catch one darn fish. So...how fun was that? lol!

Laurie: Thanks for coming by again....and thanks for the nice compliment and comment!

Viginia: Wow...sorry to hear that. Maybe that's why we live on Oahu and not the "Big Island of Hawaii". I don't think I would buy anything over there...especially after the earthquake too. Again, sorry for your loss. Did you own vacant land...what area?

Teri: And Mr. "W" will be living here too at the end of the month. Then again, he's used to it like us. Reality. And I'm safe, happy ....and with busy lives...not much to clean! (my house is always neat and clean!)

Carl: Thanks for dropping by....I hope your paradise stays that way as well.

Lisa: You're funny. I guess we're just used to it...and always like a clean house with no clutter and live a simple life. (I got sick of going to my mom's and taking stuff to the dump I vowed I would never get anything big to accumulate crap lol!)

Lizette: Hey, there! We do make everything fit just perfectly don't we. We really learned how to utilize our space...including going upwards with our desks....sure made it more practical! (shh...he's behind me playing his game)

Steph: I'm with you! (I hate to clean....I don't like to cook often....and my biggest chore is the bathroom!) And again....I refuse to accumulate stuff like my mom. For the past three years we have been to the dump at least 40 times!!!!

Cheryl: Hi There! My sweetie pie's name is Shadow and she's a female. She actually has been kind of sicky the past three months. He blood platelets are extremely low and she's on steroids and next week will do more blood work (every two weeks) and most likely go on antibiotics again.

Nice flower selection ...where do you find the space?

Such a lovely place Sally. But, do they have storage units for people to rent?

Neal: Did you look at the video? I show the "entire" house...haha! We go upwards in the living room (now all office)...and tv watching in the bedroom only at night..or as in today.....soon to watch a blockbuster movie.

Joan: Storage units are in abundance here! And it's as bad as renting...figure a 5 ft. sq. space for $100 per mo. By time you get enough space for your "stuff" it isn't worth it. Just go to the swap meet and sell stuff. Right now my client is selling the extra stuff he has to downgrade.

yes and you showed me your house a few months ago with some still photos.

Sally - thanks so much for inviting us into your home!! That was really great.....and to think we considered moving to Hawaii with my dad.....the prices are up there with Miami Beach Luxury condos.

Neal: Okay...

Ines/Rick: You're welcome! Yup!

JUL

2007

The price of paradise is a small price to pay for being able to live here.

Randy: Great slogan there! I totally agree!

500 sq ft? wow and I feel like the walls are closing in on me in 2000 sq ft.... on an acre :o)

Sally, What a beautiful oasis you have ! And just the right size. I love smaller living spaces since they are such a smaller footprint on the earth. I definitely could do that too, especially if it was in a paradise like where you live. Ok, I had to go and measure my living space just now so that I could an idea of how big 500 sq ft is. Where I live right now is 840 sq ft and I live alone(for the first time in my ENTIRE life) and often find it is kind of big so I could definitely do 500 sq ft.

Shadow is a cutie. thanks for pointing out the pigeons, I never would have seen them otherwise !

I hope you have the kind of day you most enjoy, Sally.

Sally, I love your little special corner of the earth and wouldn't mind the size at all, I don't think. Especially with the beauty you're surrounded with. I don't need a lot of things around me, I just need things I LOVE. Thank you for a wonderful post and terrific videos---and I hope Shadow is well again soon.

Hey Sally,

I have said it before, you look like you live in paradise, which you do. I would also of guessed that there is an extreme expense that goes with that, which there is, But you Got The Dog!!! The bounty hunter, who can say that???? Lol!! :0) :0)

Have a great day,

Tom Weiss

Boy Sally, I lived in a lot of different areas of Oahu in the 80s, nothing so tiny! Pearl One was my first home away from Hickam, huge condos, my share of the rent? 350 a month, my roomy owned it. When she sold that we moved into the townhomes in the same loop and those were very nice. After she relocated I shared rental homes with roomies, never paying more then 350 a month, and always nice sized. I always stayed pretty close to the airport since that was where I worked.

Steve and I are getting ready to move to a 3/1.5 with a garage next week, we now have a 2/1 no garage, we are sooo looking forward to the room.

Sally, I only use Arbonne for my entire family. My husband loves the anti aging mens line. I am also an Area Manager with Arbonne and have been with the company for 4 years. Great people! Safe and effective products! I can spot the RE9 anti aging bottles anywhere! Keep posting your great posts, love them! Katerina

How beautiful...I love the gardens with all the colorful flowers! Is it like that year'round? I know right now I could never live in something that small because I have 2 kids and 2 dogs...I need my own space to hide!! Maybe when my kiddies are grown and gone....

Thesa: Yup...and I love living in Hawaii ...so that's that.

Jo: I will have a wonderful day. I find that no matter what....a lot of supportive people are here on the Rain....thanks for your kind comments....and funny how you went to measure. We sometimes think we should have got a two bedroom and have a living room...then we think of how we're not even home a lot and if we are we're just on here....blogging. Oops...he plays his game. :)

Carole: Yeah, I just like my hubbie, doggie, plants around me. Oh, and my pc....to bring in all my AR friends :) Small isn't so bad...I'm not homeless.

Tom: Funny! (we don't even watch that ..my hubbie is not fond of cop shows...I have to fight to watch "cops".

Lysa: Was it the Bouganville townhouses you lived? The two bedrooms are 325k and maintenance fee (they just had a special assessment and raise in fees) to almost $500 per month! This is what we wanted to afford and since we bought it has gone up 80k! If we wanted "nice sized" we would be paying 300k and more for a two bedroom. The real estate boom kicked even the renters to the curb. Many homeless due to increase in rent (because of the real estate market skyrocketing) Renting a one bedroom like mine is about $1200-1300 per month.

Katerina: Yup....this is the only stuff I've used for the past two years. A client of mine is a nurse and sells this stuff too.

Susie: Yeah, my kid's are grown and gone....and we just have our poochie.

Sally, Thank you for sharing. I love your dog. Your posts inspire me to work harder so we can make that Hawaii vacation we promises our kids.

Sally,

I love that you shared this with us. 500 sq ft is small, but I would agree it is worth it to live in paradise! :)

Mana: Work work so can play! Just be sure to include the Hawaiian Water Park for the kids!

Suzanne: You're welcom! It's worth it...and in the budget. :)

Sally - What a wonderful post. One of the fun things about real estate is that we get to see how other people live. Thank you for this gimpse into your life.

Marlene: You're welcome! I don't mind the sharing of my life at all. It kinds give me a glimpse of the person who writes the response. Thanks!

Sally, It's funny you should mention the water park, we took the kids to Raging Waters at San Dimes yesterday and girl you should have seen their mama. My kids know I am no ordinary mom, but they were shocked yesterday. Now I can't wait to hit the Hawaii parks.

Mana: Okay....what did you do? Never mind...you probably went all out right along with the kids...something I would have done in my younger years with my kids.

Having no kiddies at home will have its benefits someday...

You're just a few years ahead of me!

(not that I'm in a hurry but it's definitely a top of

discussion with me and my husband)

Susie: I like the blue dancing guy...does it have a name? Looks like it's dancing for you...:)

Sally, I wrote a post on my blog about our vacation, check out the picture. That's one of the things I did.

JUL

2007

Sally this is a great post! Thank you for sharing your life with us.

Mana: Saw that and commented! What a banana!

Ana: You're welcome...at least I can give a peek of some of me to all of you!

Great post. It was fun for me to read and even funner for me to read all the comments on the small sq. ft. I'm a Maui girl and raised my kids (family of 4) in our 700 sq. ft cottage. I think the reason we can live in such small homes here is because we have our lanais and yards and we aren't stuck inside all the time. One positive about living small in Hawaii is you don't have to clean a big house and it's easier to find things when they're lost in a small home. I've attached a picture of our christmas outside. We certainly don't have room for a tree in the house! :) (The pink in the right corner of the pic is the red ti flowers that bloom in the winter.) aloha, Karen

Hi Karen! That was wayyy funny. You see the pic with my dog looking at the singing Hallmark thing? That's our Christmas tree...hahaha! Thanks for popping by...you should come on more often...

He Sally, loved your tree!!! You are too funny, I showed this to my daughter who is now 21, she reminded me of a year when trees were really expensive here and we were really poor, we hadn't bought a tree so my kids tacked up a green shower curtain in the corner and hung some ornaments on it. But my favorites were the years we bought a potted norfork pine and planted it after christmas, now we have 5 very tall norfork pines in the yard. Twice now we have decorated one of those Norforks and used it for a xmas tree, The only trick is you can't put presents out till the night before and sometimes the ornaments come off in the breeze :)

Have a great day! Karen

Ah...the simple life huh? Lucky we live Hawaii, huh?

I think with such a beautiful outdoors it is possible to live with less indoors -- however, 500 sq ft is just a little too small for me. I would say 1000 would do it, but then I'm not sure if Ihave the budget! Enjoy paradise, it looks wonderful from here.

Joan: Yeah...if you're used to big then it would be like a walk in closet for you lol!

JUL

2007

I know where I'd be blogging: The courtyard! F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S

Kat: WooHoo!

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