5 Common Myths about Finding a Home in Hawai’i

If you recently received orders to O’ahu, one of the first things you did was likely hop on Zillow to check out what homes are like in Hawai’i. Depending on where you’re PCSing from, the results can be….. disappointing to say the least. Prices are high and the quality of homes may not be what you’re used to on the mainland. In fact, this is one of the most common concerns we receive.

So, keep reading to dispel the 5 most common myths we hear about finding a home in Hawai’i.

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5. Base housing is always less expensive in Hawai’i.

If you look on Hawai’i military Facebook pages, you will read lots of mixed reviews about military housing. Some people swear up and down that base housing is so much cheaper on a monthly basis. This is not always true.

First, BAH is Hawai’i is much higher than many other duty stations. As a result, you could be giving tens of thousands of dollars away in BAH each year, making it the same monthly cost as renting or buying out in town. We recommend taking a look at your annual BAH (BAH Calculator) and evaluating all your options..

4. You need to wait until you arrive on island to begin the home search.

If you plan on going with military housing, it is true that you need to wait until you arrive on island to join the waitlist. It can take anywhere from a few days to a few months to get into a home, depending on various factors.

However, if you are considering renting or buying, it is very possible to have keys to your new home waiting for you when you arrive on island.

For more information on how you can skip a hotel stay, contact us!

3. Base housing is always nicer.

Base housing is not necessarily nicer than what you can find out in town. The quality of homes and property management varies greatly from community to community, as well as by service branch.

We recommend talking with people who currently live in the communities you are considering to get honest reviews, as well as doing your research online.

Topics to look into include: water safety, pest control, mold issues, etc.

On the other hand, there are lots of nice options out in town. The misconceptions about housing in Hawai’i stems from the fact that most of the island was developed in the 60s and 70s, so many residential buildings are older. However, there are many homes that are very well maintained and can be very modern on the interior.

We recommend getting in touch with a local housing expert to learn more about the housing market in Hawai’i if you are weighing your options of on vs. off-base housing.

Request a Hawai’i housing options consultation here.

2. It’s impossible to find a home in Hawai’i.

Due to limited land availability and high demand, it can competitive trying to get into a home. This applies to base housing, renting, and buying.

If you opt for base housing, you are added to a waitlist once you arrive on island and just wait as long as it takes to get into a home.

If you opt to rent or buy off base, we recommend beginning the home search before you even arrive on island to reduce stress and allow you to get out of your hotel and settled into your new home as quickly as possible.

1. It’s too expensive to own a home in Hawai’i.

If you’ve done an online search, you’ve probably seen that the prices of homes in Hawai’i are relatively high (unless you’re coming from a duty station with similarly high home prices, like San Diego).

However, depending on your family size, what areas you look in, and your home requirements, it is very possible to purchase a home where the MONTHLY payments are close to BAH.

Julie Principe is a licensed real estate agent in the state of Hawaii (RS-84789) and is brokered by Keller Williams Honolulu (RB-21303).