Real Estate Maui Hawaii Blog
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New Maui Veteran's Facility
A one-stop-shop for veterans needs will be built in Kahului.

June 14, 2013

New Maui Veteran's Facility

Maui Real Estate Search

Maui is about to get a veteran's super center, which will be located in Kahului. The 15,000-square-foot facility will include a VA community-based outpatient clinic that provides primary and mental health outpatient care along with in-person telemedicine-delivered specialty care, a VA Vet Center, veterans benefits counseling offices and a state Office of Veterans Services.

This development is all part of the VA Strategic Capital Investment Program (SCIP process). According to Craig Oswald, a strategic planner for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' VA Pacific Islands Health Care System, funding has been approved so they can choose a site in Kahului, and begin both design and construction of the building.

This $9.9 million project will provide vets with a central location where a wide array of specific needs can be addressed. It has been referred to in the news as a one-stop-shop, if you will. The VA Pacific Islands Health Care System is looking for contractors to build the facility, but design work and site selection won't begin until 2014.

The project has received a lot of support from veterans on Maui, along with veterans service organizations, and also from veterans at the last U.S. Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing in Kahului, which was hosted three years ago by Sen. Daniel Akaka.

As for how useful this facility will be, the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System has had a community based outpatient clinic on Maui since 1988, and about 2,000 veterans per year seek out their services, so there is definitely a need for it. Adjusting to life after service in the armed forces can be jarring, but what better place to do it than Maui? In fact, for those that are financially stable, buying a Maui dream home may not be as expensive as it sounds. If you need any assistance with your Maui real estate search, you'll find our contact information at the bottom of the page. Mahalo!

RealEstateMauiHawaii.com - By Mark Harbison

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Hawaii 6th in Senior Health
Hawaii's senior health is ahead of the other 44 states, according to a recent study.

June 07, 2013

Hawaii 6th in Senior Health

An interesting report recently came up via the United Health Foundation, and it placed Hawaii at #6 in the nation for senior health. They weighed the pros and cons of senior living in every state, and we beat 44 of them! If you are interested in buying the South Maui home of your dreams so you can enjoy a blissful retirement, here are some reasons why it's a good idea.

First of all, one in four Hawaii residents will be over age 60 by 2030, as opposed to one in five today. Hawaii's seniors have low obesity rates, low levels of activity-limiting arthritis, and a low geriatrician shortfall. The challenge in Hawaii is keeping our seniors from ending up underweight, in fact. Hospice care needed some work, as did social support, but those factors weren't significant enough to keep us out of the top ten states in the country.

In 2004, the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine became the fourth school in the nation to provide a full-fledged geriatrics department, and their training is rigorous. Couple that with the benefits of the United Health Foundation's studies, Hawaii is well-equipped to manage the needs of seniors in a healthy and effective way.

If those factors aren't compelling enough, there's the lure of Maui itself. It's a wonderful place both to relax and to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. There are plenty of luxury condos and homes on the market, or for a more limited budget, peruse some of the reasonably priced oceanfront condos in Kihei. Maui is a haven of beautiful beaches, soothing spas and delicious dining.

If you have to spend your retirement somewhere, it might as well be on a gorgeous tropical island, and the family is sure to have plenty of fun visiting! If you need any assistance finding the real estate that will meet your needs, you'll find our contact information at the bottom of the page. Mahalo!

RealEstateMauiHawaii.com - By Mark Harbison

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Maui County Seeking Solar Photovoltaic Firms
Economic opportunity abounds on Maui, for solor photovoltaic firms.

May 31, 2013

Maui County Seeking Solar Photovoltaic Firms

Living on Maui

Maui's economic opportunity is good for solar photovoltaic firms right now. The county is seeking such firms to install, operate, maintain and own solar PV systems, according to Doug McLeod, our energy commissioner. Under a power purchase agreement, the participating firms would sell the energy generated to the county so as to lower our energy costs.

In general, economic opportunity is welcome, but this situation is special because it makes the cost of living on Maui cheaper, which will appeal to those who want to buy a home on Maui and earn a living here, or retire.

Hawaii's isolation is a major driver in its dedication to develop renewable energy sources. Our wind farms are one such source, and why not take full advantage of the tropical sun that shines so brightly here? We are situated closer to the equator than any other state in the U.S., and while it means we have to be diligent with our sunscreen, it also means that as PV technology becomes more and more efficient, our location will be advantageous enough to neutralize the difficulties associated with a level of geographic isolation that is second to none on Earth.

According to the commissioner, the size of the project isn't clear yet, but they are aiming for 1-megwatt of solar energy, for now. In their RFPs (request for proposals), they highlighted 15 sites, some of which are made up of more than one building, and also include rooftop, ground mount and carport PV spaces. As an added benefit, private investors will pay for the systems, meaning there will be no upfront cost to the county.

We hope to see continual reduction in Maui's cost of living via clean energy development in the future. We hope you've found this blog informative. Mahalo!

RealEstateMauiHawaii.com - By Mark Harbison

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Blogs for June 2013