I think it is sitting on volcanic rock. When I went around with the inspector, he said these houses are on cut-away lots, which is better than filled lots... there has been no settling. I do have some water coming down the hill collecting in the courtyard so I see I could use a french drain. You are right about brakes living up here! One of the selling points of my car was the brakes are replaced (pads, too) under the warranty for four years. I gear down.The good news is the streets were engineered correctly up here--not a single pothole. They are pitched in a way that water flows off. I cannot get over the shape of the streets right now...that is going to cost the state some big money.
You know, there are boulders on the hillside up here below my house and last year a big one rolled into Nui Valley. Same thing in Aina Haina. that would be worrisome, remember last year when all those boulders fell in Nuuanu and killed that poor girl?
I lived in San Clemente when all these multi-million dollar houses completely fell off the cliffs above the ocean...