5 WORST Things About Living In Waikiki Hawaii!
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Living In Waikiki Hawaii!
Waikiki is one of the most popular destinations in Hawaii. Not just for tourist but for those looking to live the city life in paradise. But living in Waikiki isn’t for everyone. Let’s dive in to the 5 worst things about living in Waikiki.
5. Hustle & Bustle City Life
Waikiki is known as the concrete jungle in paradise.
If you were comparing Waikiki to another city in the United States we would say Miami, Florida draws the closest comparison to Waikiki, Hawaii with Los Angeles, California being a close second.
There’s not many cities in the United States where you’re walking through tons of high rise buildings, hotels, shops, and condos and make a turn one block over and be on one of the most famous beaches in the world. That is Waikiki!
But with all of that comes the hustle and bustle of the city life.
Hawaii is known as a very laid back place. We’ve discussed this time and time again in our blogs and videos. It’s a laid back lifestyle.
Waikiki can make you forget about that laid back lifestyle the rest of the island lives by.
People in there are just busier. They have places to be and things to do just like anyone else but for some reason it may seem like what they need to do or where they’re going is more important than what you have to do.
The laid back lifestyle seems forgotten in Waikiki.
With that also comes with how people carry themselves.
This is by no means a blanket (general) statement for everyone that lives in Waikiki.
But generally speaking, when you’re living the city lifestyle and people who seem like they’re in more of a rush, comes people who show less aloha.
So the hustle and bustle of the city life is for some but not for everyone.
4. Waikiki Is Very Noisy!
With more people comes more noise.
This is for any city in the United States and Waikiki is no different.
Expect more loud music, more sirens, more people out later in the night, and everything else that comes with living the city life.
Waikiki isn’t necessarily to the degree of a city like Las Vegas where just about everything stays open 24 hours. When is comes to nightlife most clubs and bars close around 2am. But with the nightlife scene comes people who may not be fully coherent and are being loud late into the night.
Loud music also comes with that lifestyle.
If you’re looking for a quiet place to live on the island then Waikiki may not be the best place for you.
HOMES FOR SALE IN WAIKIKI
3. Lots Of Tourist!
We’ve already mentioned Waikiki being one of the most popular destinations in Hawaii and a lot of the people in Waikiki are tourist.
Not everyone that works in Waikiki lives in the city but there are some that do.
Those that do typically prefer to be closer to work and also don’t mind the amount of tourist they encounter daily.
It’s important to note that Hawaii’s economy relies heavily on tourism. It relies heavily on people coming to the islands for a visit and spending money.
Now…are all of the tourist only in Waikiki?
No. Most certainly not.
There are other destinations on the island that tourist flock to but Waikiki is the most popular destination. It is heavily marketed to drive more tourist to the city for their vacation in paradise.
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Living in Waikiki also means having access to Waikiki’s beaches.
You can fully expect those beaches to be some of the most jam packed beaches on the island of Oahu. Especially in the summer months when Hawaii has its most visitors.
So if you’re thinking about living in Waikiki you’ll be navigating daily life through people who are most likely only here for a few days.
2. Waikiki Is So Congested!
Just like any other “city”, do not expect to live a spacious life in Waikiki Hawaii.
Other than less space, what do we mean by congested? Let’s give some more context…
Most of the island in general may seem congested. Especially if you’re relocating from a place where you’re used to having a big yard and your neighbors house isn’t within what looks like broad jumping distance. (NOT RECOMMENDED!)
We’re here to manage those expectations in general but more so in Waikiki.
Parking spaces are tighter.
Condos are smaller.
More and more people coming every day.
It can really give you the feeling of living right on top of your neighbor. Or elbow to elbow.
More than likely you will not have a yard. This could be a huge factor if you have pets or enjoy having an outdoor space of your own.
If you have pets you’ll be getting in the elevator or taking the stairs regularly for their potty breaks. While this could be great exercise for you, it may not be ideal.
We really want you to keep all of this in mind when considering the Waikiki lifestyle.
We could honestly write an entire book on places to shop in Kapolei but we’re going to keep our list small for now.
Other amenities and things to do are going to the movie theater, Coral Crater Park for some ziplining and fun adventures, going to the beach, Ko’Olina Resort area, Wet N Wild Hawaii, checking out a Luau in Paradise Cove, and tons more.
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1. Condo Living Lifestyle
Like we were talking about the congestion of Waikiki comes the condo living lifestyle.
In Waikiki’s zip code of 96815 you will not see very many single family homes, if any at all, available for sale or rent.
Condos are also not created equal in size, location or condition.
Studio and 1 bedroom ondos typically range anywhere from 250-400 swore feet in living space and can cost anywhere from $150,000 - $700,000 (variable and market dependent).
A 2 bedroom condo unit can be anywhere from 400 square feet and up and range anywhere from $500,000 and up (variable and market dependent).
Then you have your luxury condo units that provide more space and sometimes better views.
One VERY IMPORTANT item to consider is parking!
Parking in Waikiki is not easy.There’s not very many places or garages to park that are free.
Also important to note that not every condo comes with a parking stall.
While a lot of people like living in Waikiki because they don’t feel the need to have a car, others may have a vehicle and need a parking spot. Whether you’re purchasing a condo or renting and require a parking stall this is something you’ll definitely want to check on the home listing.
Last but not least is the land tenure of the condo if you’re planning on purchasing a condo in Waikiki.
We have to types of land tenure in Hawaii.
Fee simple and leasehold.
Keeping these in simplest terms, fee simple means you are purchasing a unit in the structure but also have rights to the land. “Fee” simply means land.
In a leasehold someone else, or maybe a corporation, owns the rights to the fee and are selling a unit in the structure. If you purchased a unit in a leasehold building you would not have rights to the land and are essentially considered a tenant on the land. Yes…a tenant. Hence the word “lease” in leasehold.
Without getting in the weeds too much with these terms in this blog, if the lease ends without a renegotiation of the lease term or the fee made available for purchase you could potentially lose out on the unit purchased as a leasehold.
While you’re searching online and looking at condos pay attention to the “land tenure.”
It should say fee simple (FS) or leasehold (LH).
This is more common in Waikiki than any other place in Hawaii.
Living In Waikiki Hawaii
These 5 WORST things outline in this blog are some of the most common reasons people choose not to live in Waikiki. But you may also be a person that doesn’t mind anything that we talked about above and enjoys the city life and all that comes with it. Bottom line is Waikiki living is for some but not for everyone.
If you’re moving to Hawaii, thinking of investing in a condo in Waikiki, or already here in Honolulu, Hawaii and wanting to purchase a home reach out to our team of local real estate agents. We’ll help you navigate the waters of purchasing a home in Hawaii and be with you every step of the way.
Shoot us a text, give us a call, or send us an email. However you’re comfortable, we’ve got your back when living in Waikiki Hawaii.
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Ryan Strong
