Planning for Hawaii Retirement in a Condominium

Aloha! I recently took a Senior Real Estate Specialist course on helping elders, seniors, Baby Boomers, Kupuna, and anyone caring for their parents and grandparents who own, or are looking for real estate in Hawaii. I wanted to share some important points to help you in your real estate dealings.

This course was basically a lesson in compassion and helping to care for the older generations—so that when the time comes for our loved ones to have special care, the family and home will be prepared long before that time.

Buyer’s Tips for Seniors (66+) and Baby Boomers (47+) Buying Real Estate in Hawaii

My thoughts are that you want to prepare as early as possible for your changing needs by looking at real estate that has most of your potential needs met beforehand, with minimal changes to the unit or home, to be able to adapt as your specific needs change.

Most retired people enjoy their active outdoor lifestyles and Hawaii is the best place to retire because of this. We have warm, tropical climates year-round and we offer many various senior groups of all types—from golf to bridge, gardening to charity, and many different clubs and events geared toward the older generation. Buying a one-story, one level home, or a condo that also has an elevator are very important features for older people to consider when downsizing, or buying a place to retire to.

Condominiums

Because Hawaii is a vacation destination for many, condominiums are very popular because of their ability to “lock up and leave” maintenance benefits. When you buy a condo unit, there are maintenance fees that are charged per month per unit—this is to maintain the common areas and other amenities, such as swimming pools and spa facilities, tennis, parking lot, trash, hot water, exterior paint and roofs, privacy gates, and commercial liability insurance for the exterior of the complex. 

Some complexes offer a front desk service, which helps those who use their condos as vacation rental units when they are not using it. These are called condo-tels, and they typically have a front desk person helping your guests check-in and check-out of the units with ease.

Some Features of Comfortable Condo Living May Include

• Elevator to the unit and easy access to get into the complex—minimal to no stairs to access the unit
• Wide walkways, wide or short hallways, and easy access to kitchen, living, and bedroom areas
• One-level living with bedroom near the kitchen and master bathroom
• Master bathroom with walk-in shower and grab bars mounted in key places
• Non-slip flooring throughout the unit and complex
• Kitchen cabinets and appliances that are reachable from a wheelchair—lowered cabinets and counter tops, sliding shelves, and drawers that pull out/in easily
• Parking area with lots of handicap accessibility and lots of space for cars to park, with spacious ingress and egress—level parking for wheelchair access—preferably attached garage with garage door opener
• Amenities that are safe for wheelchair access—swimming pools, spa, barbecue, beach areas, workout facilities
• Well-maintained landscaping and outdoor maintenance up-kept by the association
• Residential manager available for emergencies
• Health care, housekeeping, and home repair services nearby
• High-speed internet access
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Easy-open windows and easy slide pocket doors with sunken tracks into the floor
• Private patio—front and back porch areas
• Easy to use—climate control
• Easy access to recycling centers
• Green living or environmentally friendly amenities (solar or photovoltaic heating systems)

In my next article, I will include information on what features to look for when shopping for a home, or planning to remodel your existing home to fit your present and future needs.

Please call me at (808)-756-4874, or email claire808@hawaii.rr.com for a free e-brochure on aging, and the types of aging in place options we have in Hawaii. I hope this information has been helpful to you! Much more to come! Search Hawaii properties here.

Blessings & Aloha always~

Claire K. Bajo, RS
(808)-756-4874
claire@hawaiilife.com