Blog > Why This Couple Left Hawaii for Denver After 5 Years
Why This Couple Left Hawaii for Denver After 5 Years
by Alex Saldana
Why This Couple Left Hawaii for Denver After 5 Years
By Alex Saldana, Colorado Real Estate Broker (License #042865) · September 20, 2026
▶ For the full breakdown, watch the video on YouTube.
Mike and Suzanne left Hawaii for South Denver after almost five years on the Big Island, and the reason wasn't cost or island fever. It came down to medical access, bugs, and wanting four real seasons.
Why would anyone leave Hawaii for Denver?
For Mike and Suzanne, the deciding factor was medical care access on the Big Island, where they lived for almost five years after leaving Southern California.
It wasn't the cost, and it wasn't island fever. Suzanne started having dental and medical issues that weren't a problem when they first arrived. Getting surgery meant flying to Oahu and staying in a hotel. Their dental hygienist moved off the island, and their dentist went a full year without one (he told them there were only 12 or 13 hygienists on the entire island). With cataract surgery coming up, she decided she wasn't doing it there.
A lot of retirees in Hawaii handle this by flying back to the mainland to see their old doctors. Mike and Suzanne didn't have an old doctor to fly back to, and Suzanne wanted to recover in her own home. Add in the bugs (she slept with a sheet over her ear so nothing would crawl in or drop from the ceiling), and the decision got easier. Since moving here she says she's sleeping better than she has in years, and they've seen maybe three small spiders in the house total.
Why did they pick Colorado over the rest of the mainland?
After California and Hawaii, they wanted four seasons, mountains, snow, and a flight under two hours to kids and grandkids in California and Arizona.
Hawaii's climate felt like more of the same after Southern California, so they circled the map looking for something different. The East Coast was out because it meant bugs and screen doors again. Mammoth Lakes, California was a brief contender, but after a couple days of talking it through they realized it was another tourist town, the same dynamic they were leaving in Kona with the cruise ships.
Suzanne has a close friend in Colorado, so they came out, met her and her husband, and were sold the moment they got in the rental car and saw the mountains. What sealed it for Mike was the range of options in South Denver: close to the mountains or far, close to neighbors or not, new build or older home, townhome, condo, or single family. They made three scouting trips before committing, and didn't tell most of their Hawaii friends until they were sure.
What surprised them most when they got here?
The sheer size of Colorado hit them first, since on an island you can only drive so far before you run out of road.
Coming out of the airport and seeing the plains stretch out was a shock, but a fun one. After years of being limited to how far the island went, having all that land to explore felt like a gift. Mike says the beauty of the Front Range doesn't translate through photos, especially in May with snow still on the peaks.
The other big surprise was traffic, or the lack of it. Coming from Orange County, an hour on the 405 and an hour on C-470 are two completely different experiences. They timed a trip from their doorstep in South Denver to their seats at Coors Field for a Rockies-Dodgers game: one hour, door to seat. Their line now is that Denver is a big city that doesn't feel like a big city. Pro sports were a bonus too, since Hawaii has none. They were surprised how affordable good seats are at Rockies games compared to what they'd pay back in LA.
What happened with the house they lost?
On their very first scouting trip in May 2024, they wrote an offer on a home in the Four Rivers area on the north side of town, and it fell through.
They hadn't planned on making an offer that trip. They were still rookies at the Colorado process, and their Hawaii house wasn't listed yet, so a few things were stacked against them. Suzanne still has the listing saved on Zillow, and her friend who lives less than a mile away says hi to it when she walks by.
This was a learning experience for me too. Hawaii contracts don't really have deadlines the way ours do. It's closer to writing a deal on a napkin compared to Colorado, where the 19-page contract is step one and there's another hundred pages after that. Losing that house didn't discourage them. It did the opposite. As soon as they got home they called an agent and listed their Kona house. We went after a second home up north later that got multiple offers, and that one didn't work out either. They ended up buying in Littleton and are happy where they landed. That first house would have needed a lot of work anyway.
What was the hardest part of moving from Hawaii to Colorado?
Finding an affordable moving company and handling pet logistics were the two biggest headaches of the ocean crossing.
Moving off an island is expensive and complicated. The pets needed shots and papers to come back to the mainland. They had to decide whether to ship their cars and whether their Hawaii furniture would even fit a Colorado house. Suzanne handled the logistics lists (she's a secretary by trade), and she compares it to having a baby: you forget how much work it was until you're in it again.
Their solution was practical. She added up what they'd paid for every piece of furniture, since they'd bought everything new when they moved to Hawaii, and decided it made more sense to sell most of it and buy again in Colorado. They shipped the bed because they love it and left almost everything else. They also hired a company to pack the kitchen, wrapping every single item, rather than doing it themselves a second time. Their take: a move is a move, whether it's across an ocean or across a state line, and it's complicated either way.
What would they do differently if they moved again?
Suzanne's one regret is not selling the Hawaii house first and renting in Colorado for six months to find the right area without a deadline.
The stress of counting down three weeks, two weeks, one week to find a house before their closing in Hawaii was the worst part of the whole process. Looking back, she'd sell first, commit to renting for six months or longer, and take the time to narrow down the area. They'd also be less afraid of the snow. They still don't own four-wheel drive vehicles and still don't need them, and the worst storm they've had was the day of closing.
After 21 months, the only thing worse than expected is the summer heat, and this summer has been unusually hot everywhere. Better than expected: how friendly people are. They were nervous to admit they came from California, but everyone from grocery clerks to the guys at the gym has said welcome to Colorado. Their advice to anyone on the fence, especially retirees: life is short, do it before you get older, and pull the trigger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is healthcare access a real problem in Hawaii?
For Mike and Suzanne on the Big Island, yes. Surgery meant flying to Oahu and staying in a hotel, and their dentist went a year without a hygienist. Many retirees there fly back to mainland doctors, which wasn't an option for them since they didn't have established doctors to return to.
Do you need a four-wheel drive vehicle in Denver?
Mike and Suzanne have been here 21 months without four-wheel drive and still don't need one. Roads to Winter Park and Summit County get plowed within a day or two of a storm, and there's a train from downtown Denver straight to Winter Park if you'd rather not drive at all.
How different is the Colorado real estate contract from Hawaii's?
Very different. Hawaii contracts have few if any hard deadlines, while Colorado's purchase contract runs 19 pages with strict dates for inspection, appraisal, and financing, plus roughly a hundred pages of supporting documents. First-time Colorado buyers from other states are often surprised by how structured it is.
Should you sell your current home before buying in Denver?
Mike and Suzanne say they'd sell first and rent for six months if they did it again. Buying with a hard deadline from a pending sale was the most stressful part of their move. Renting first gives you time to narrow down the area without pressure.
Will family actually visit if you retire to Colorado?
In their first two years, they've hosted three siblings, a son with five kids on a ski trip, friends from Hawaii on a road trip, and a Florida friend who stops by for disc golf. They also fly to California more often now than they did from Hawaii because the flights are shorter and cheaper.
What do they miss most about Hawaii?
Friends, more than the ocean or sunsets. Because most people in Hawaii moved there without family, the bonds between residents run deep. They stay in touch by text and recently hosted Hawaii friends who now live in Arizona. They're building community in Colorado through church, Bible study, and their local gym.
How hot do Denver summers actually get?
Summers regularly hit the 90s and occasionally 100, and this year has been unusually hot. Suzanne says it's the one thing worse than she expected. The upside is low humidity, so shade and a breeze make a big difference. The mountains at 8,500 feet run 15 to 20 degrees cooler during the day.
Thinking about buying or selling in Denver?
Call or text (303) 552-4804 for a no-pressure conversation about your situation.
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