If you’ve decided to turn your dream of living on a warm, tropical island into a reality by moving to Hawaii–congrats! While most find moving to Hawaii to be a pipe dream, we believe it is one of the smartest decisions you can make. But moving can be hard, especially when it’s overseas. Luckily, we are here to give you some advice for your transition to the Aloha State!

Budget for furniture and shipping costs

Unfortunately, moving to Hawaii isn’t as simple as loading up the U-Haul and taking a fun road trip across the country.

You are going to need to prepare for the high shipping costs of moving overseas and really consider what is worth taking with you. Also, don’t be afraid to negotiate for the furnishings to come with your new home; you may be surprised at what you can get!

Educate yourself and prepare for hurricanes and natural disasters

Sometimes, disasters strike. The best way to not let that ruin your move is to be prepared! Make sure you have the right commodities to keep you safe in your new state.

Reach out to a local lender

Choosing a local lender when buying property in Hawaii will really pay off. Find a lender who regularly conducts business in Hawaii and has a local office there, so that you know they are knowledgeable and experienced in dealing with everything that is unique to the area. Pacific Home Loans has been in business in Hawaii since 2007 and has closed thousands of loans—give us a call, we’d love to be your local lender of choice and answer any questions you may have!

Take the right steps to get pre-qualified

Before you start shopping for your new home in paradise, reach out to Pacific Home Loans to become pre-qualified and to begin the loan process. Start to gather the loan documents that you’ll need and make sure your credit report, tax returns, banks statements, and pay stubs are easy to locate and accurate. Take a look at your checkbook and bills to make sure all of your recent payments have been paid on time.

Get comfortable working remotely

You won’t be able to fly to Hawaii for every transaction in the moving process, so be prepared to be doing most of your paperwork and research online or over the phone, rather than in person.

We hope these tips will help you in your future transition to a beautiful island life!