house hunting

It may be slightly too early to check out houses in Hawaii, but I need something to do to pass the time at work. We have been tossing around the idea of the husband going on active duty and moving into base housing on Oahu ( he'll be Lieutenant so the houses won't be horrible). We'd be able to save some money and possibly have the military move us out there. But I really want to live on the Big Island. Trulia has become my best resource for house hunting. I LOVE what the owners have done with this house:
http://www.trulia.com/property/1076418478-197-Kaiulani-St-Hilo-HI-96720

But I can see the hidden potential in
http://www.trulia.com/property/1090912308-28-2889-Kaakepa-St-Pepeekeo-HI-96783

My husband and I don't usually see eye to eye when it comes to seeing hidden potential and this is one of those times. We want a house that has a decent sized lot for my green thumb to run wild :) but also enough space inside. We've been spoiled, because every time we come to Hawaii we stay in a nice large house. I am just not sure how much renovations cost in Hawaii. Plus, if a home costs around $400,000 don't you want to just slap some paint on the walls and call it a day? Personally I'd like a house around $250,000 that needs some work, maybe upgrade the kitchen and bathrooms, with a big lanai, established fruit trees and a great ocean view. The neighborhood needs to be safe and far enough from my mother-in-law that she can't walk in every morning. Much love Sarito!
I think either living near Pepeekeo is as far North as we would go (on the Hilo side anyway) and Hilo is as far South. We could go inland to the Hilo Medical Center area but I don't want to be able to see into my neighbor's window from any room in the house. I'd like at least one acre to play with.

I've already had some experiences with home improvements. Some have turned out fabulously while others have been downright disasters. My best renovation so far has been my reclaimed antique oak floors. I did my research and found a somewhat local mill- The Woods Company located in Chambersburg PA. They have a section on their website that has wood on sale, mainly because the amount of wood they have left in that type isn't enough for most jobs. I got quote and in about two weeks they had milled the pieces to be tongue-and-groove with end matching. The room we re-did was pretty small and almost a perfect square. I hired a local company to come in and install the floor, after my husband and I ripped up the ghastly carpet that was already on the floor. I had some stressful moments but the floor is my favorite thing about the house.
The worst home improvement was changing the fixtures in the bathroom. We ended up having to hire a plumber because one of the pipes crumbled when we tried to twist it. Not fun!

Well daydreaming is done and back to work I must go.
Forever seeking Aloha

Britt