Hawaii is a completely different market. While it is always better to be able to buy a home and gain equity and tax advantages , in Hawaii the average sales price for a home is $800,000 , condos are $400,000+ . Qualifying keeps most people from being able to buy here so most young people starting out have to rent . It's a crazy cycle of events because the longer they wait the higher the interest rates creep up.Finding a great mortgage person is the best place to start .