Gabe Amey
Home To Metro Honolulu from the mainland
Gabe is a branch manager for the mortgage company HomeLoan Financial, www.Hawaiivaloans.com, which specializes in helping first-time homebuyers and veterans get VA loans.
Tell me a bit about your background and how long you’ve lived in Hawaii.
I was born and raised in Honolulu, but I left for a few years and returned 5 1/2 years ago.
What do you like most about living in Honolulu?
The central location. There’s minimal traffic compared to living in areas outside of Honolulu, referred to as ‘town.’ I have an easy commute, although traffic can be really bad for those who work in Honolulu and live on the west side of the island. WE have good access to stores and restaurants. Everything is in about a 5 to 10 mile radius in Honolulu. There are all kinds of groups of people of different nationalities in one location, which is great. Honolulu is the best location for lots of activities.
Can you elaborate on the different cultures?
There are people from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Honolulu has a melting pot of different cultures. Locals, along with whites, Chinese, Filipinos and Asians are all here. You experience this diversity in the restaurants, foods and activities.
What types of activities are there in Honolulu?
There are parks. There’s Alamaona Beach Park with its events. The Aloha Tower Market Place, which has a nice shopping area, ship cruises, and lots of events. There’s the Shell with its concert pavilion area. There are lots of concerts. There’s also Kapiolani Park with its soccer games, rugby matches, and joggers. This park is located in Waikiki on the slope of Diamond Head.
What do you like the least about Honolulu?
Traffic is bad. The city is very crowded, especially if you want to be somewhere that’s a little more laid back and relaxing. It’s also very expensive. You pay a premium to live in town. If you buy a house in Mililani, for example, that same house can cost 50 to 100 percent more in town. A new home in Mililani for $600,000 could cost $1million in town. The closer to the beach you are, you’ll find the pricier homes.
What about traffic?
My advice for newcomers would be to work in town and consider the traffic implications if you live outside of town. Double check the traffic to determine how far you live from how far you work.
Where do you like to go eat?
Honolulu has an eclectic mix of cultures. As a result, there are diverse foods, such as Thai, American, Asian, and Filipino. There are lots of different foods that can satisfy just about anyone.
What are some of your favorite restaurants?
One is called Ono. They have great Hawaiian food. It’s a hole in the wall, but serves authentic Hawaiian food. For a party of two, you pay about $15 to $20. There’s also LaBamba. It has great Mexican food. It’s BYOB, so you bring your own booze, beer, or wine and invite your friends. You can have a party there. My favorite meal is steak and tortillas, with Spanish rice, refried beans, lettuce and tomatoes. You make your own burrito. They also have the best guacamole. This is one of the best guacamoles I’ve ever had.
What types of sporting events do you attend?
I don’t attend a lot of sporting events. The University of Hawaii has football games. But I don’t attend a lot of other events.
Are taxes high?
Property taxes are lowest in the country, but you pay more in groceries, housing, and gas. While the property taxes are low, most other expenses cost more in Hawaii. Gas costs about $3.50 to $3.80 per gallon.
How are the schools?
WE have good public schools. Most of the private schools are in Honolulu. There are about 10 to 12 private high schools. For example, Punahou High School, where Obama attended. There’s also Iolani, which ranks high near Punahou. And there’s Kamehameha – a school for children with native Hawaiian blood. There’s also St. Louis, an all-boys Catholic school, where I attended. Most schools have a student/teacher ratio of 1/20 or 25. There is 1 teacher for every 20-25 students.
We’re also experiencing problems with the public schools. WE have Furlough Fridays, which means every other week teachers are furloughed in the public schools. There are no such problems in the private schools.
Testimonials
“Team Lally did a wonderful job selling our home and answering all of our questions and concerns! Howard and Christopher have been there for my every need even after the sale of my home! A wonderful crew over there!”
“Team Lally sold a condo-hotel unit for us in Hawaii. We live in California and did not actually know or observe what was happening with the sale. They took care of the showings, finding buyers (3) and negotiating with the bank. They took care of all of the paperwork – sending us what we needed and arranging for docusign whenever possible. We were kept in the loop as much as possible and as much as we needed to be. It was a very stressful time for us and they (patiently) explained procedures to us, since we often did not know what was necessary or what the next step was. Team Lally was very professional in all dealings with us and we are very grateful for their consideration of us as stressed absentee sellers and for negotiating a great deal for us.”
“I purchased my home as a single woman nearly 10 years ago in what I call a “big girl moment”. I improved it over the years, and then decided to move home to the mainland to be closer to my family. I was referred to Team Lally, and much differently than other agents I was referred to, they called me immediately, providing a full scope of their services, which is impressive. I liked the fact that they had me meet them in their office, outside the potentially emotional environment of my home. This is business, after all! My home was first shown on June 10 and closed at a handsome price on August 30. Wow. These guys communicate regularly by phone, provide excellent service via email and while closing the sale I experienced the best possible service. Were I to contemplate moving back to Hawaii, Team Lally would be my first call!”
“Aloha! I have worked with Adrienne for several years. She is the hardest worker and the most knowledgeable realtor I know. And there is nobody better than Team Lally when it comes to Short Sales! That’s why I used her! Her Team sold my home! And they make it easy with their outstanding team! And their marketing is 2nd to none! I highly recommend Adrienne and Team Lally!!”
“Awesome experience with TEAM LALLY! We sold the home faster than expected with professional service from TEAM LALLY. I’d recommend their services to anyone coming or going to Hawaii! The team concept was what sold us on the service they could provide. It’s nice to know that every aspect of the process is covered by people who specialize in that area. Buying Agents just focus on the buyers, Listing Agents just focus on selling your home and understanding the market at the time, processing agents become your main contact after you are “under contract” for specialized customer service. Howard was very responsive with all our questions, it was as if he never left the office! Thanks TEAM LALLY!”
“Team Lally definitely earned our business. They took pictures of our house and gave us a detailed pictorial guide of what we could do to get our house ready for the market. Everything they recommended was doable, concrete, and incredibly helpful. They are consistent, very professional and we’d highly recommend them!”
“We found Team Lally a credit to us and our Family. They were professional, up to date, honest, helpful and willing to help in anything. They began to help us find a house in 2011. With up to date data and phone calls, emails and appointments, we were able to find our perfect house within a few months. Now we look at Team Lally as Friends. They were not only professional but they took the time out to get to know the family and help us with all they could. Thank you Team Lally again.”
“I love Adrienne and her crew. I am always impressed by how much they care about their customers and the time and effort they put into the care and feeding of all of us. I also am humbled by how much Adrienne does for the local community and those in need. It is just a relief to let Adrienne and her crew take care of you. Lori and Dennis Bennett”
“I purchased my first home with Team Lally. Cathy was an absolutely fantastic agent and I would recommend her to anyone! We had very specific needs for our home, and Cathy helped us meet every single one of them. We also were in the need of moving in within 45 days of moving to the island. Cathy made that happen! Team Lally is fantastic. Buy a house!”
“Team Lally is really quite exceptional. Each time we have been to the office we have had a personable and helpful experience. The connections they have with other businesses are also extraordinary. Team Lally doesn’t settle for less and they will work hard on your behalf.”