2013 Military Housing Allowance (BAH) Rates in Hawaii

Military Housing Allowance (BAH) for Hawaii

If you’re thinking of buying OR selling a home anywhere in Hawaii (or the US), call me at 808.723.0900 or send an email by clicking here or to frank@hawaiihome.biz.  I moved 18 times while on active duty, so I know what a PCS move is!

 ** 2013 Military Basic Housing Allowance (BAH) for Hawaii (NOW Available) ** UPDATED 12/19/2012 (Click HERE for pdf version of 2013 BAH component breakdown for all locations) or use calculators below.

Below are the rates of tax-free housing allowance (Basic Allowance for Housing, or military BAH) that are provided to enlisted, warrant officer and officer military personnel (with or w/o dependents) who are authorized to reside off base State of HAWAII, for calendar year 2012 or 2013.

BAH Hawaii 2013 Calculator – Updated 12/19/12

Many military members have the choice to live on-base or off-base. So, which is better? There is no clear answer. It depends on many factors. Here is a link to the BAH DOD Housing Allowance Calculator for Hawaii

http://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/perdiem/bah.html

As an example:

MONTHLY ALLOWANCE:
E-7 with DEPENDENTS: $2835.00
E-7 without DEPENDENTS: $2178.00

Try this calculator and see for yourself if buying makes sense (keeping the home for 12 years, use an appreciation rate of 6%, which means the price doubles every 12 years. That is historically true almost everywhere including Hawaii ):
http://realestate.yahoo.com/calculators/rent_vs_own.html

For property taxes, it will be about $850 for a $300,000 home (with owner home exemption). I would use $5000 per year for maintenance costs, 2% for savings and 3% for inflation. “You would save over $100,000 (in today’s dollars) by buying a home, rather than renting, over the 12 year time frame you have entered.” Even when I raise the annual maintenance costs to $6000, or $7000, it still comes out higher.

If you want to live close to Tripler, choose Aiea, Salt Lake, Moanalua, Pearl City, Kalihi, Pali, Kakaako, Pauoa Valley, or Punchbowl, those are all within 5 miles. For other locations, call or email for information.

The years that you live in a home give you the biggest tax advantage. Also, if you live in it for 2 out of the previous 5 years, ALL of the gain is tax free. You may be eligible for additional state or federal tax credits as well. The 2 years DO NOT have to be continuous.

Aloha,
Frank Diaz, MBA (RA) e-PRO
Senior Chief, US Navy, Retired
East Oahu Realty
808 723 0900
Email: Frank /@/ Hawaiihome.biz

Military BAH rates for Hawaii 2013 available