Sandro Tasson
Sandro Lawn Services and More: 808-347-4462
How long have you lived in Maka Kilo? What brought you there?
I’ve been here about a year-and-a-half. I came here to visit friends of mine in the military. They were moving to Hawaii and I’m not sure I could’ve found it on a map, but I said, “Sure let’s do it.” I went back and forth to visit a few times till I finally got married (my wife is in the Coast Guard), and that’s how it went. We really love it here.
Where is Maka Kilo, and what’s it like as a community?
Maka Kilo is on the west side, but not on the west coast. It’s on the windward side of Oahu, on the southern end of the western slopes of Waianae. Truly beautiful. Not crowded, either. You don’t have too many big stores. It’s on a hill, so pretty much all the houses have a great view of Pearl Harbor. Some people can see the farms of the highlands. It’s windy, but the temperatures are great up here. You don’t even need AC. It’s a little cooler than down the hill.
How’s the weather?
The weather here is good. It’s warm during the day, and a little chilly at night. There’s a little wind. We open the windows most of the year. The weather here is the best thing about this place. You can go to the beach every day if you want, or go hiking, wear T-shirts and short every day. That’s pretty nice.
Did you have your heart set on Maka Kilo or did you consider buying in other neighborhoods in and around Honolulu?
We were looking to buy a house for two-and-a-half years, just browsing, basically. Then we found this one and fell in love with the place. The view is fantastic, and it’s so quiet—we have some great neighbors. We said, “This is the house we want.” Adrienne told us it would be a tough one to get, but I said, “I can wait 10 more years, I don’t care. Don’t show me any other houses.” And somehow Adrienne made it happen.
How was it starting your own business?
I moved first with a tourist visa to see how it was—those last three months. When I started looking at colleges I applied for student visa to allow me to stay longer. But by then I was running low on money, and I didn’t have time to work while going to college. So I went back to Italy. My previous boss hired me the day after I landed, doing landscaping work.
My friends called and invited me back to visit in Honolulu. I quit my job again and came here. I met my future wife, who was living next door to my friends. We eventually got married. After the wedding you have to wait five or six months for green card. As soon as I got my green card I started working at Home Depot. I saved up for a small truck and small lawn mower. In the beginning I was happy to get one new customer every other month, and now the phone’s ringing all day. America is great; if you work hard you’ll see results.
Is your area small-business friendly?
Yeah, I think so. I had previous experience in a country where they taxed you 60%. Gas in Hawaii may seem expensive at $6 a gallon, but in Italy it’s $11. I mean, Italy is a nice country, but the taxes kill you. Retail taxes are 23%. Here they really make stuff easier for business. You can actually get permits right away.
Was it hard to meet people when you moved to Maka Kilo?
No. My wife’s from Boston—she said the mainland is different, that they don’t like people from other countries. But Hawaii is a multiethnic island. You have people from all continents and everybody here is welcoming and nice. You hear about the Aloha spirit, but you have to see it to really appreciate it and how friendly everybody is.
Is it hard to get to know the island natives?
I’ve got black hair and brown eyes. If I get a tan I can blend in a little. As long as I don’t talk, I’m good. Depending on what area you go to, I think if you respect the locals and respect the places, everybody will be cool. Like most places, if you don’t act stupid, you’ll get along just fine.
Would you have any advice for newcomers regarding transportation or traffic in Maka Kilo and the city of Honolulu?
The traffic here is horrible. Even if you leave at 5 a.m. it will take you an hour to get to work on account of the traffic. I suppose if you’re from California you’d like it because it seems like the Autobahn compared to Bay Area traffic, but it’s still a mess. Definitely try to buy a house near where you work or you’ll waste three hours a day stuck in traffic. My wife has to leave at 3:30 every morning to make her 5:30 shift. Without traffic it’d be 25 minutes. Even coming back it could be an hour, an hour and 20. I guess people don’t mind because they take life a little slower around here.
How has the real estate market changed since you’ve been on the island?
My house went up at least $100,000. If I wanted to sell it now, it’d easily sell for $100,000 more than what I paid for it. In Oahu there are more buyers than sellers; it’s the only place where the value just doesn’t drop. The houses keep their value because the land is so limited.
Do you like the quality of life in Maka Kilo?
I love it. Like an example, when you’re driving and you need to merge, everybody waves you in. It’s a very easy going place, I think. Over here, everybody says hi to you, even people you don’t know.
What surprised you most about moving to and living in Maka Kilo?
There’s so many things. Like I said before, coming from Italy, America is just a happier place. You can save money and do what you want to do. In Italy everyone drives small cars. Over here I can afford to drive a V8 truck and still pay less than what I’d pay in Italy. There’s so many things. Hawaii is a beautiful place—even driving to a job is like being on vacation. The ocean is so blue, the mountains are so green. We just really love living in Maka Kilo.
What would you say is the one “can’t miss” event or place that a family living in Maka Kilo and Hawaii should be sure to experience?
I would tell them to go to the windward-side beaches. Waimanalo Beach is one of my favorite places on earth. It’s not crowded, and the water is so blue. The little ocean waves, all the palm trees, the snow-white sand. It’s stunning.
How do you cope with the higher cost of living?
My wife is in the military so she’s making the money and paying the mortgage. I have juice money. Without the military salary there’s no way we could afford it. We’d have to rent a room. Some people here work three jobs to afford living here. They don’t really—they take it easy, but you still have to work so many hours, it wears you out. We have a house that has four bedrooms. We don’t have any kids yet so we rent rooms out—we have three people renting from us. And a bedroom here costs $800 bucks. The people in our neighborhood who can afford to buy a house are all either older or in the military.
Do you travel between the islands much?
I went to Maui a few times to buy vehicles. In Hawaii the trucks are beat up a little bit from work or they have a lot of mileage. But I went two times to Maui. It was worth it to fly there and have the truck shipped here. The whole process only took twenty minutes. I would like to go back for an actual visit and really see the island, though.
Do you have a favorite restaurant in Maka Kilo or in other parts of Honolulu?
I like this new restaurant called Le Nonne. It’s an Italian place. It just opened and the owner is this guy from Tuscany—he’s really doing his best to make Italian food as authentic as possible even if you don’t have fresh produce.
Is there anything that you don’t like about living in Maka Kilo or living in Hawaii?
The traffic probably. That’s about it. We only have one freeway and if there’s an accident you are talking about hours. If there’s a big crash, the freeway will shut down for four or five hours. There’s just no moving.
What advice would you give people who are house hunting in Honolulu and especially in Maka Kilo?
There’s some areas you can afford, some condos or small houses. Some other areas you have to take your time and take a look. It depends on your budget. Some houses are so close to each other you could high five your neighbor from your window.
For house hunting, after spending so much money you want to make sure to take your time and pick out the one you really like, and to find a Realtor who really cares about your decision. Adrienne and Attillio are good people. I usually don’t recommend people, but those two take pride in their work—they really care and do everything they can to make you happy. They will tell it to you straight and not let you make a mistake.
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!”
“Adrienne was very helpful in selling our house. It took us a year and a half to decide to list and never did we feel pressured to do so before we were ready. We always received good information and all of our questions were answered in a timely fashion. Adrienne and her team were able to work with the buyers agent and our lenders to close our short sale in a timely fashion. I would not hesitate to refer friends to Adrienne when selling or buying a home.”
“My husband used to work with one of the agents and we were put on their mailing list. We have really enjoyed all the information that we receive. “
“Dealing with team Lally has been a great experience. All of the agents which I encountered were very knowledgeable and courteous. The office which they conducted their business was neat and tidy. The atmosphere was very conducive.”
“We had a friend that asked who could help their move to paradise. It sounds cool however they were stressed. After making a couple of calls, I knew who they needed to call. Team Lally exceeded their expectations and after the first call the stress level went way down. Thanks for your help. We can’t wait to make our visit and give you a hug in person.”
“When my husband and I got transferred here with the Coast Guard we were interested in purchasing our first home. We found Adrianne through other military members that she had helped. Adrianne and her team went above and beyond to help us find our first home. She took out all the stress and helped us every step of the way, from finding a home to finding a lender to get a loan. We found a short sell and she helped us get into our house and close within a month! Adrianne and her team has made us feel like family the way they take the time to call and check on us throughout the years and through their client appreciation events. Thanks again Adrianne and Team Lally!”
“Adrienne was extremely helpful!! We were first-time homebuyers and purchased a short sale on top of that. Adrienne helped us understand every step and the entire process was smooth from start to finish. We highly recommend her and her team!”
“I am a retired, disabled veteran. In the summer of 2013, I faced significant financial, professional, and personal challenges. At the center of these challenges was the fact that my home was under water and I could not continue making payments. I had previously worked with three other real estate agents on island (two from major companies and one independent) and could not better my situation. Facing the brink of foreclosure and financial ruin, I called Team Lally on a recommendation from a friend. From that moment forward, I was able to take comfort in the belief that these people would achieve the best possible outcomes for my circumstance. While all Team Lally members went above and beyond to help me, I would like to highlight a few.Adrienne Lally, President/Team Lally – Simply the best real estate professional I have ever worked with. Within 36 hours of first contact, she had personally assessed my home and situation, and developed a cogent, strategic plan for presentation, foreclosure avoidance, and best-pricing. Her knowledge of the Hawaii real estate market is beyond reproach and she repeatedly took the time to answer every question and concern that I had. As a veteran herself, she offered unique insight on my circumstance and developed a rapport I found with no other real estate agent. Most importantly, she maintained consistent contact throughout the process via weekly updates, even after I left the islands. I was never just a number to Adrienne Lally. If I am e…
“We interviewed three different Realtors and we Team Lally were incredibly organized and impressive. We hired them to help us find a home in Hawaii. They had such great local knowledge and incredibly responsive. True Professionals!! Unfortunately, my job situation changed and we ended up not buying a home, but if we are coming back we know who we would work with. Team Lally is #1 in our book!”
“Adrienne Lally and the team are absolutely wonderful. Adrienne exudes excellence and knowledge in the real estate field. Customer service and great communication skills are just a few of the qualities that Adrienne and the team take pride in. She looks out for the best interest of her clients and makes sure that the buying and selling process is easy and pain free! I would strongly recommend Adrienne and the team for the purchase or sale of your Hawaii home or condo.”