Next Briefing · July 23, 2026 · 5:00 PM HST

The 90-day Hawaii homebuying roadmap for PCSing service members.

A free, no-pitch briefing for military families with orders to Oahu. Covered by a licensed Hawaii realtor, a VA loan specialist, and service members who've already done it. No pitch. Just intel.

Date
23 July 2026
Time
1700 HST / 2200 EST
Duration
60 minutes
Reserve Your Seat → Book Buyer's Meeting → Download the Field Guide
Who's Briefing You
Ben Janszen
Ben Janszen
Realtor
@hawaiirealtorben
Nick Foley
Nick Foley
Mortgage Broker
@ficknoley2

Led by Ben Janszen, a Hawaii realtor specializing in VA home purchases and assumable VA loans — and one of only about 10 realtors in all of Hawaii credentialed to access military installations and work with service members on base. Alongside Nick Foley, a VA-focused mortgage broker who lives and breathes VA financing — funding fees, entitlement, jumbo limits, and every detail in between.

No Cost
— Registration · Form RG-001
— or download the Field Guide instead —

Recording sent to all registrants. No spam, no high-pressure sales.

The Problem

The mainland VA playbook
doesn't land here.

Buying a home on Oahu while you're still stationed somewhere else is a different transaction than the one your sponsor described. Three things trip up almost every PCSing buyer.

The leasehold landmine

That "great deal" in the listings is almost always leasehold — meaning you own the structure but rent the land. When the lease resets, your monthly payment can balloon. Knowing how to spot it saves families six figures.

The jumbo VA math

Honolulu County's conforming VA limit is $1.2M, but real homes near the bases routinely exceed that. Most mainland lenders don't understand the partial-entitlement math — we'll walk you through what 25% above the limit actually means.

The good funds delay

Hawaii's "good funds" law means closings don't record the same day you sign. Plan your move-in for the wrong date and you'll end up in a hotel for two nights. We'll show you how to time the whole transaction.

The Reality

This is what island life looks like.

From town to the windward side to the west shore — we'll show you exactly which neighborhoods fit your base, your BAH, and your timeline, wherever on Oahu you're headed.

The Briefing

60 minutes.
A clear plan.

A real working session walking you through everything that matters between today and the day you get the keys.

01

The PCS Homebuying Timeline

When to start, when to lock, when to fly out, when to close. A clear 90-day plan you can share with your spouse and your sponsor.

02

VA Loans in a Jumbo Market

Hawaii county loan limits, funding fee waivers, current rates, and the lender-side details mainland VA buyers don't see.

03

Leasehold vs. Fee Simple

The one topic that saves Hawaii-bound buyers from the most expensive misunderstanding. We'll show you exactly how to spot it.

04

BAH Math: Buy vs. On-Base Housing

Real numbers for every Oahu duty station and BAH zone. Where buying wins, where renting wins, and how to decide.

05

Neighborhoods by Base Commute

Town, windward, central, west — the honest tradeoffs of each side of the island that Zillow won't tell you about, matched to your commute.

06

Buying Sight Unseen

Video tours, power-of-attorney closings, inspection contingencies. How families close on Oahu without ever boarding a plane first.

07

Live Q&A With the Panel

Ask anything. Bring the questions your sponsor and your spouse can't answer.

+

Bonus: The IslandBound RE Field Guide

Every registrant gets the full 16-page PDF playbook — yours to keep, even if you can't attend live.

The Panel

Three voices. One clear picture.

You won't hear from one person trying to be all things. You'll hear from a realtor, a lender, and the people who've actually done what you're about to do.

Ben Janszen
Realtor

Ben Janszen

Turnkey Group / eXp Realty · RS-87400

Specializes in VA home purchases and assumable VA loan deals. One of only about 10 realtors in all of Hawaii credentialed to access military installations and speak directly with service members about housing.

Nick Foley
Lender

Nick Foley

HI FIVE Team Loans · NMLS #1509851

Mortgage broker with HI FIVE Team Loans. Walks through VA jumbo mechanics, funding fee scenarios, and the current rate environment in plain English — no brochure language. Licensed in HI, CA, NV, TX, VA & more.

Start Your Pre-Approval →
Past Buyers

Service Member Panelists

Recent Oahu Buyers · Multiple Branches

Prior clients who PCS'd to Hawaii and bought before they arrived. They'll share what worked, what they'd do differently, and what they wish someone had told them on the mainland.

Aloha · You're Almost Here

Show up prepared.

Ready to Go Deeper?

A 60-minute conversation about your move.

The Field Guide and the briefing cover the universal stuff. When you’re ready to map your specific orders, base, BAH zone, timeline, and entitlement — let’s talk. One-on-one. No pressure.

Schedule a 60-Minute Buyer Consultation →
Direct to my calendar · (808) 420-5082 · hawaiirealtorben@gmail.com
Extra Resource
Bringing your pets to Hawai‘i?
The 5-Day-Or-Less program, microchip + FAVN timing, fees, and the paperwork order. Start 4–6 months out.
Read the rules →
Free Bonus

Can't make the live session?
Take the guide.

Every registrant gets the full IslandBound RE Field Guide — a 16-page PDF playbook covering the same ground as the live briefing. Yours to keep. No email gate to preview.

  • ✓The full 90-day PCS homebuying timeline, phase by phase
  • ✓2026 Honolulu County VA loan limits & jumbo entitlement math
  • ✓Leasehold vs. fee simple decoded — with a side-by-side table
  • ✓Hawaii-specific landmines: WDI termite, good funds law, cesspool
  • ✓A printable buyer's checklist — every milestone on one page
Download PDF
16 Pages
A 90-Day Field Guide for PCSing Service Members
Buying a Home
in Hawaii.
A start-to-finish playbook for using your VA loan on Oahu — covering pre-approval, the search, the offer, inspections, closing day, and every milestone in between.
IslandBound RE
Edition 2026
IslandBound RE · Field Guide
Download
Extra Resource

Bringing your pets to Hawai‘i.

Hawai‘i is one of the few rabies-free places on Earth, so every dog and cat entering the islands faces strict import rules. Done right, your pet walks off the plane the same day. Done late, they face quarantine up to 120 days.

Start this at least 4–6 months before your move. This is the single most time-sensitive item on a PCS to Oahu.

5
Day Or Less Program
Hawai‘i Dept. of Agriculture · rules current as of 2026
1
Microchip first
Implanted before any rabies test or vaccine. The chip number goes on every document and lab result.
2
Two rabies vaccinations
At least 30 days apart, lifetime. Most recent must be at least 30 days and no more than 12 months before arrival (or 36 months for 3-year vaccines).
3
OIE-FAVN rabies blood test
Must score ≥ 0.5 IU/ml. Done no more than 36 months and no less than 30 days before arrival. 120-day waiting period from the blood draw before pets qualify.
4
Submit paperwork in advance
Dog & Cat Import Form (AQS-279), both rabies vaccine certs, health certificate, and payment must reach the Animal Quarantine Station 10+ days before your pet arrives.
5
Tick treatment + health cert
Long-acting tick treatment within 14 days of travel. Health certificate from a USDA-accredited vet. (Common products like Revolution alone do NOT meet the tick rule.)
Fees (2026): $185 Direct Airport Release · $244 5-Day-Or-Less · $14.30/day additional quarantine. Direct Airport Release is also available at Kahului (Maui), Kona (Big Island), and Lihue (Kaua‘i) with prior approval.
Verify current rules at dab.hawaii.gov/ai/aqs · questions: rabiesfree@hawaii.gov · (808) 483-7151

Sunsets like this are waiting.

When the boxes are unpacked and the keys are yours, this is what Tuesday looks like. Let's get you here without the chaos.

Reserve Your Seat →