Sorry man, I haven't checked in for awhile. As far as housing goes, something on the beach would be hard, and for something in that price range you'd have a roomie or two. I'm a student at the University, and unfortunately don't know what's going on with the housing in town now. I figure that one of the best things about living on the islands is that every thing's within driving distance, and as nice as a beach house would be, it wouldn't be too big a deal to get to either the north or south shore depending on where you are.
If I remember correctly, my mom's rent is somewhere in the $1500 range for a 2 bedroom in the Mililani Tech Park area, which is a bunch of town houses and apartments around the middle of the island. Lots of military coming and going, so there's usually something open around there.
If you need something closer to town, I'd look around the Manoa or Kaimuki area. Both places are closer to the University, but they're pretty nice areas, and I think you might be able to find the place you're looking for.