Archive for January, 2011

Moving to Hawaii: Locating the Best Schools

Guest Post by Aloha Living.com

In searching for the perfect Hawaii home, nearby schools are often as important a factor as the number of bedrooms or the view. Hawaii is unique in several ways, from its single statewide public school system to the prominence and size of private schools. Whether you have a family or are thinking of starting one, it pays to research your education options when buying Hawaii real estate.

Honolulu is home to the largest independent school: Punahou School. And Punahou’s alumni rolls are packed with notable leaders in business and politics. U.S. President Barack Obama is the school’s most famous graduate, but AOL founder Steve Case also went to Punahou, as did eBay founder Pierre Omidyar, and even Sun Yat-Sen, founder of the Republic of China.

Nestled in a valley amongst a mix of condos and historic single-family homes, Punahou houses over 3,500 students from grades K-12. Admission is fiercely competitive, with only one out of four applicants able to enroll. And the school’s prestige comes at a price: annual tuition is over $16,000.

Punahou’s closest rival is Iolani School, situated just across the way from Waikiki, perhaps the most famous stretch of Honolulu real estate. Also a private school, Iolani is known for its rigorous academics and emphasis on long-term, high-achieving career plans. If you can afford a Waikiki condo, you can probably afford to send your kids across the bridge to Iolani.

There are dozens of other good private schools in Honolulu, including the Mid-Pacific Institute in Manoa (not surprisingly, also home to some of the most expensive Hawaii real estate), and Kamehameha Schools, which focuses its efforts on benefiting students and families of native Hawaiian ancestry. Enrollment there is, obviously, pretty limited.

When it comes to public schools, choosing from among many varied Honolulu neighborhoods becomes even more important. Hawaii’s single, statewide Department of Education brings with it a few advantages, but many challenges, and compared to school systems in the rest of the U.S., it’s fair to say that Hawaii schools lag behind.

Fortunately, some Hawaii public schools have managed to distinguish themselves.

Locally, Honolulu Magazine publishes an annual ‘Grading the Public Schools’ issue that ranks all public schools in the state. And nationally, there are a number of education portals — such as GreatSchools.net — that apply their own scores and rankings to schools.

Three schools stand out in both the Honolulu Magazine and GreatSchools.net rankings.

Moanalua High School was the top-ranked public high school according to the latest report from Honolulu Magazine, and received a 10/10 rating from GreatSchools.net. Moanalua High School is located in Salt Lake, less than seven miles west of downtown. The area is among the most densely populated areas on Oahu, packed with a wide array of condo complexes.

Mililani High School also fared well in the school rankings, and it’s also one of the largest high schools in the state, with an enrollment of about 2,500. It’s located in Mililani in central O’ahu, the state’s largest planned community. Mililani is a large suburb widely known for being great for families, with thousands of single-family homes and townhomes. The commute into town is long, but the trip is often worth it to those seeking a safe community with great schools, parks, recreation centers and shopping.

Finally, there’s Kalani High School in East Honolulu, the last of the three public high schools to earn a 10/10 GreatSchools.net rating. In terms of enrollment, it’s half the size of Mililani. But because of its location near Kahala, its students generally come from more prosperous homes. East Honolulu real estate is among the state’s most coveted, and a Kahala home is often a sure sign of success.

When you’re ready to buy a Hawaii home, perhaps to start a new career or to retire, it pays to research what the area has to offer the next generation. AlohaLiving.com — a Hawaii real estate search portal powered by trusted MLS data — can help you start your search. The site includes a wide variety of neighborhood information, including school data from GreatSchools.net. Look up profiles on public and private schools, including test scores, reviews and more.

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Moving to the City or the Suburbs? Evaluating the Pros and Cons of Both Areas

Transitioning Between the City and the Suburbs?: Here’s What You Need to Know about Making the Move

By Faith Teel
Special to Relocation.com

As the old saying goes, “The grass is always greener on the other side.” Whether you’re headed out to the wide-open spaces of the suburbs or moving into the exciting neighborhoods of the big city, you might find that you’ve gotten more than you’ve bargained for. Here are just a few examples of the things they don’t tell you in the advertisements.

Moving to the Suburbs

Long Commutes and Distant Stores – Many people move to the suburbs in search of more space to raise a family or grow a garden. Unfortunately, there is a flip side to having more space: everything is farther apart. Your commute will probably be longer, and you’ll have to drive, because most suburbs are too spread out to make public transportation cost-effective. In some places, it’s common to have an hour-long commute in each direction, which may mean 10 hours that have disappeared from your week.

The lack of public transport also means that you’re more likely to encounter the greatest terror to ever stalk the streets: the teenage driver. In cities, teens can often walk or catch the bus to socialize, but some suburbs are so spread out that a jog to the local coffee shop would be a three-hour marathon. Suburban teens usually get cars long before they get good judgment about driving them.

A Cultural Vacuum – One of the first things that urbanites miss when they move to the suburbs is the variety that cities offer. Many suburbs are extremely homogenous, with cookie-cutter houses and cookie-cutter restaurants. Even the people often seem the same, because few suburbs are economically or ethnically diverse. Don’t bother to look for museums, and feel lucky if a few of the chain restaurants offer take-out or delivery.

Where Are All the People? – The very privacy that you came looking for can also be your downfall in the ‘burbs,’ because everyone around you moved out here for privacy as well. With everyone so spread out, it can take a long time to meet new people.

Crime is Everywhere – Yes, there is usually more crime in the city, but the suburbs are not exempt from it. There’s lots of petty theft in suburbs, and there are still gangs and drug use in the high schools. Your kids are less likely to get mugged, but that doesn’t mean you should leave your doors unlocked at night.

The Grating Outdoors– One of the biggest surprises for ex-urbanites is the proximity of Mother Nature in the suburbs. If you’ve never had to mow a lawn or check the kids for ticks, you’re in for quite an experience.

Moving to the City

No Space – The city is an exciting place to be and a great place to find work, which is probably why you want to be there. Unfortunately, everyone else wants to be there too, and that drives up the price of real estate. If you want to live in a reasonably safe neighborhood, be prepared to pay through the nose for a tiny apartment.

For the same reasons, city parking is often impossible. People often sell their cars when moving to the city, which means you will have to rely on public transportation such as buses and cars.

Other People – Other people are everywhere in the city, and that can take some getting used to. Traffic is often worse,  but the real nuisance is the noise,  smells and constant crowds.

Goodbye, Mother Nature – It can be hard to get in tune with nature in the city. The parks are often crowded with other people (see above) and some may not even be located within a close distance to your home. If you manage to score a balcony or small yard with your apartment, keep in mind that the pollution can be hard on plants and trees. It’s also tough to keep animals in the city, especially big dogs that need room to roam.

School Roulette – In the city, it’s easy to get to know other parents, and you’ll need this advantage when it comes to getting your kids into a good school. In the suburbs, getting into the right school is usually a matter of buying a house in the best neighborhood. In the city, finding the right school is a combination of luck and strategy, and every city’s rules are different. You won’t even have to raise this topic at your kids’ next playdate, because it will be the first thing on every parent’s mind.

Abrupt Changes in Neighborhoods – With everything in the city so packed together, it can be hard to tell at first glance which neighborhoods are safe and which aren’t. In some cities, the transition from slum to swank can happen in just one block. The transient nature of a community’s character becomes more obvious over time. One day, you could wake up to discover that your edgy, artistic neighborhood has become a slum or a yuppie’s paradise.

Whether you’re searching for greener grass in Levittown or the Big Apple, one thing is certain: you’re sure to need some time to adjust. Before you make the jump, take a little bit of extra time to explore the community that you’re moving to. No two cities are alike, and the same is true for suburbs, so if you don’t like what you see, look elsewhere. The quality of your life depends on it.

Sleek and Functional Products for the Home

By Serena Norr

At Relocation.com we are always on the look out for cool and innovative products for the home and office. We recently discovered some interesting new products on the market that are not only sleek and modern but are designed to make the home life easier. Check some of the most ‘buzzed’ about products for 2011.

1.    The Dyson Table Fan – A major upgrade from your standard home fan, this bladeless device from Dyson uses Air Multiplier technology to suck out air from both the fan’s small slits and its 16-degree angle – creating a steady and smooth stream of air at 119 gallons per second. Not only bladeless, its aerodynamic and sleek design (resembling a giant O) is available in white or sliver, is safe for children and pets and takes up less space than a standard fan. Of course being all sleek and modern means that it is going to cost you $299 to stay cool AND have an immaculately designed 10” fan. Those that can afford this technological work of art will be pleased.

2.    Nomadic Bookshelves – Created by Swedese Libri, these Nomadic Bookshelves are not renowned for their modern look but as a practical piece of furniture with adjustable legs that can be used as a free standing shelf or used in conjunction with another Swedese Libri shelf. Its flexibility also enables the shelf to rest comfortably on uneven floors and includes wall brackets with every shelf. Available in ash wood or black lacquer, these horizontal bookshelves are ideal for small spaces or as way to open up a room with an eye-catching and functional piece of modern furniture.

3.    Electrolux Flatshare Fridge – Fridge space can quickly diminish for people that live in a shared living situation. Electrolux, designer of functional and practical appliances recently debuted their stackable mini-fridges called Flatshare Fridge. These self-contained modules are placed on a base that then operate as mini fridges that can be stacked as a single unit going all the way up to five units. We especially love how you can personalize each fridge with its own distinctive patterns and look – creating your very own unique module to compliment your style and home. Currently still in development, we are all hoping this one hits the market soon.

4.    Wasauna Glass Bathtub – While clear showers have been around for while, this is the first time we are seeing glass bathtubs. Created by Wasauna, the luxurious bath tub has a dimpled anti-slip design whose unit is surrounded by glass while the base is covered in stainless steel. The tub is also equipped with an adjustable and padded headrest for maximum comfort that is currently on “sale” for $3,200.

5.    Joey Roth Sorapot – You would never imagine that this sleek and modern-looking apparatus was a teapot; however, at a closer glance you will see a sustainable teapot designed for both aesthetic appeal and function. Created by designer Joey Roth, the Sorapot, made from stainless steel, borosilicate (heat-resistant) glass and silicone can make two cups of tea in its clear modular tube unit that allows tea leaves to unfurl, naturally. The Sorapot is also designed to change depending on how it is cleaned as well as how it is held that will eventually matte. At $200 per pot, you will have to be quite the tea-lover to invest in this new product.

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Fun Ways to Spruce Up Your Home for the New Year

By Faith Teel
Special to Relocation.com

The second day of January often brings a sense of relief: you’ve gotten all of your vacationing out of your system, and now you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and dive back into your daily life.

The first weeks of a new year are also a great time to spruce up your house. After all, you’re already taking down the Christmas decorations, so you might as well redecorate a little bit while you’re at it. Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

Get crafty. Are you snowed in with nothing to do? Why not get out those crafty projects you’ve been meaning to tackle? This is a great time of year to repaint an old lamp, make a collage for your bedroom wall or sew a new pair of curtains. Start the year with a little bit of artistic inspiration, and set a trend for the rest of the year.

Bring the outdoors in. Sometimes winter can make a house feel drab and glum. If you’re really longing for spring, stop by your local nursery or florist and pick up a few forced bulbs. You can also perk up your home by taking a cue from the Japanese, who change the artwork on their walls in response to the seasons around them. This winter, why not pick up an inexpensive poster that reminds you of warmth and sunshine?

Do a thorough housecleaning. A chilly day is ideal for cleaning your home from top-to-bottom, because household chores give you a little exercise without actually forcing you to go outside. Now is the time to dust the chandelier, clean the lint out of the laundry room, shake the breadcrumbs out of the toaster and re-fold all of the sheets in the linen closet.

Update your light bulbs. Especially if you have high ceilings that put your light fixtures out of reach, it’s easy to put off changing your light bulbs. You need all of the bright light that you can get in winter, so make sure that all of the bulbs in your house are working. While you’re at it, dust off any glass shades, and give the fabric ones a good scrub in the sink (or at least spot-clean them).

Get ready for spring. Speaking of warmth and sunshine, winter won’t last forever. Now is the time to plan next year’s garden. Even a small apartment balcony has room for a few planters. Use them as an excuse to page through gardening catalogs and dream of summer flowers.

Give to charity. This winter, take a few minutes to sort through your stack of canned goods and other dry food. Food pantries often get lots of donations before Christmas, only to fall short later in the season. Why not give those dusty tins to someone who will appreciate them?

Don’t forget your clothes closets. This is a great time of year to sort through your bedroom closets and get rid of any summer clothes that you’ll never wear again. (Hint: if you didn’t wear it last summer, you probably don’t need it.)

Patch it up. Need a little coziness on a cold afternoon? Try an old-fashioned remedy: mend your clothes and other household items. This is a great time to sit in a comfortable chair in the warmest part of the house and sew patches onto old bed sheets or fix a tear in your favorite skirt. A cup of tea and an audio book can round out the picture and turn an otherwise dull chore into a pleasant refuge from your worries.

Paint the town—or just the house. If you manage to catch a few days of winter thaw so that you can open your windows for ventilation, now is a great time to repaint your walls. Pale, warm colors are an excellent choice in winter, because they reflect more of that scarce sunlight. Even if you can’t get a warm enough day to repaint a whole room, get out your cans of touch-up paint and freshen up the spots where the kids have been leaving hand prints.

Having a home that’s bright and clean is a great way to beat the winter blues. As you while away the days until spring, get ready for the new year by cleaning house and freshening up your surroundings. It will keep you feeling energized and uplifted all season long.

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The Celebrity Beat: Relocation.com's Celebrity Real Estate Report

By Serena Norr

California was a hot real estate destination on this weeks Beat. From Jack Black to  Lindsay  Lohan to Orlando Bloom to Drew Barrymore it seems that everyone was either buying or selling or placing their homes up for rent in Cali. Not only homes, this week it was reported that a massive yacht – 193-feet to be exact – was purchased by Google’s co-founder Larry Page. According to the New Zealand Herald, Page reportedly spent $45 million for his luxury liner that comes equipped with a fitness and massage room, on-deck Jacuzzi and a helicopter landing pad. Until next week…

•    Jack Black Purchases Home in California for $5.9 Million
According to the LA Times, actor Jack Black recently purchased Flea’s (from the Red Hot Chili Peppers) California home for $5.965 million. The Los Feliz-area home includes seven bedrooms and three bathrooms, along with solar panels, a pool, a motor home and 6,500-square-feet of living space.

•    Orlando Bloom List Hollywood Home for Lease
English actor Orlando Bloom recently placed his Hollywood Hills Home up for rent for $18,000 a month. The private and gated estate, situated on a hill includes 3/4 of an acre of gardens, an outdoor pool, spa and a gourmet kitchen fitted with custom cabinets. The home, purchased for $2.75 million in 2007, also includes four bedrooms, four bedrooms, including a master suite with a large walk-in closet that overlooks the pool and 3,200-square-feet of living space that sits on a spacious three-quarter-acre lot.

•    Drew Barrymore Buys Home New Home in California
Actress Drew Barrymore recently purchased a two-plus acre estate in Montecito, California for $5,705,000 (originally listed for $6.9 million). The Monterey Colonial style mansion includes six full-sized and two half bathrooms, five bedrooms, three fireplaces, a two-car attached garage and a guesthouse. Encompassing 6,000-square-feet, the traditional L-shaped mansion also includes a formal dining room with walnut flooring, a library and an outdoor area with a gorgeous garden and backyard terrace.

•    Google Co-Founder Larry Page Buys 193-Foot Yacht
According to the New Zealand Herald, Larry Page, the co-founder of Google recently purchased a 193-foot yacht called the Senses for $45 million. The massive white boat or what some may call a ‘floating mansion,’ includes indoor and outdoor dining areas, an office, a fitness and massage room and an on-deck Jacuzzi. The Senses can also fit 14 crew members and 10 guests and includes a helicopter landing pad. Page, who lives in Palo Alto, also owns a 8,149-square-foot mansion with six bedrooms and four full-sized bathrooms that he purchased for $6,800,000.

•    Lindsay Lohan Rents at the Beach
Actress Lindsay Lohan (who was also recently released from the Betty Ford clinic), scored a new rental in Venice for $7,100 per month. The modern 3,100-square-foot high-rise home includes four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms that also includes a steel fireplace, huge windows and a modern kitchen with mahogany cabinets.

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Five Dog-Friendly Cities

By Relocation.com Staff

When making a decision on where to relocate, does your pooch’s social life come into play? Moving with a pet can be hard, but it’s easier when you’re moving to a pet-friendly city! Here are some of our favorites.

NEW YORK
Once you put away the moving boxes, both you and your best friend can take a bite out of the Big Apple, especially when shopping. Dogs are welcome in swanky Manhattan shops, including Saks, Bloomingdale’s and Tiffany & Co.

There are many outdoor restaurants that welcome canines. For a special treat, you can take a walk through Riverside Park (pup must remain leashed), and head to the Boat Basin Café. There, you will find a pet-friendly, open-air patio, where tails will be wagging as the sun sets over the Hudson River. Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island are also huge pet towns.

BOSTON
Dog beaches abound in Boston, where the both of you can get some exercise. If you’re hungry, most of the outdoor cafés will welcome your pack. Try Madison Park Café, which features an attractive garden setting and welcomes pets with a fresh bowl of water.

TORONTO
International relocations can be especially grueling, but in this case, completely worth it! Toronto is a doggie’s dream. In addition to the numerous dog parks and off-leash areas, you’ll find that almost every family in the city has a pup, so Fido is sure to find many friends.

For some serious treats, hightail it over to Three Dog Bakery and get a whiff of the yummy peanut butter scent that fills the shop. Pick up a pack of Peanut Woofers or some Jump ’n Sit Bits.

KANSAS CITY
When you get hungry in Kansas City, head to nearby Country Club Plaza and grab a bite at re:verse, which has a great dog-friendly outdoor seating area. Then, for some off-leash action, head to Wayside Waifs Bark Park, which features five acres of fenced-in grass, plenty of room for Fido to burn off the extra energy.

MILWAUKEE
This town is known for more than just beer. It is a super-friendly town that is super friendly to canine companions as well. You can give the pup a run at Granville Dog Park, Milwaukee’s only county park where dogs may run and socialize off-leash.

For even more Fido fun, take a trip to Petlicious Dog Biscuit Bakery and Pet Spa, located 30 minutes from the heart of the city in Pewaukee. Treat Toto to a spa grooming, a new sweater and a tin of homemade biscuits.

DALLAS
Everything might be bigger in Texas, but that doesn’t mean people are going to laugh at your favorite little buddy. Since the weather is always welcoming, pet-friendly outdoor cafés are a terrific way to spend some quality time with the pooch. In addition, large off-leash parks dot the city.

On special occasions, pooches can travel in style during a carriage ride with Party Animals Carriage Rides and tour the Historic West End and Uptown Dallas.

Related Articles:
How to Choose a Pet Carrier
Pet Travel Warnings
Video – Don’t Make These Mistakes Moving With Pets

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Moving with Children: When is the Best Time to Move?

By Relocation.com Staff

Although it is advisable to move during the summer period to start children in school during the beginning of a new school year, this is not always possible.  Given the other alternatives, experts are divided on the best time to move when you have children that are in school.  Some experts think that it is best to move during the holidays, while others believe it is best to move during the school year.

If you have the flexibility to choose when you move your family, then you should consider a couple of points when making your decision.

Moving During the Holidays:

• The children are out of school anyway.  Their studies will not be interrupted.
• Your children will start the new term with other new kids and therefore may not be considered the new kids on the block.
• Other activities such as sports or extra-curricular activities may begin after major holidays.

Moving During the School Year:

• Your children will make friends more quickly because they immediately jump into the classroom environment.
• A quickly established routine may help your children adapt easier.

Given the inherent challenges that both of these options create for your school-age children, you will want to carefully assess all of the factors before making your final decision.  Most moving companies will provide meaningful discounts when you are not moving during the busy summer moving season, which is yet another factor that you will want to take into account when you choose your date to move.

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