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Posted On: October 28th 2026, 10:30 pm
On the Big Island, the lava zone can matter more to your loan than the price tag.
The USGS divides the island into 9 lava-flow hazard zones. In Zone 1, more than 25% of the land has been covered by lava since 1800. Zone 2, 15 to 25%. Zones 5 through 8, none since 1800.
Where some common areas fall:
Leilani Estates: Zone 1
Ocean View, Nanawale, Hawaiian Beaches, Kalapana: Zone 2
Hilo: Zone 3
Kailua-Kona: Zone 4
Waimea and Hamakua: Zone 8
North Kohala: Zone 9
WHY IT MATTERS:
FINANCING. Fannie Mae won't buy loans on Zone 1 and 2 properties, and FHA insurance isn't available there. That rules out the loans most buyers use.
INSURANCE. Many private insurers won't write Zones 1 and 2, which pushes owners to HPIA, the state-created insurer of last resort. One comparison put a 1,200 sq ft home at about $6,000 a year in Zones 1 and 2 vs about $1,400 in Zone 3 and up. A state lawmaker said this year that premiums that once ran $700 to $1,000 now top $8,000.
DISCLOSURE. Lava zones are not on Hawaii's list of special hazard disclosures for sellers. Check the map yourself before you write an offer.
The map dates to 1992 and zone lines are gradual, so two lots a mile apart can carry very different risk.
Comment LAVA and we'll send you our Big Island Lava Zone Guide: how each zone affects your loan, insurance and resale, and how to check a parcel before you fall for it.
Sources: USGS, Fannie Mae, HUD, Hawaii Life, Hawaii Public Radio
#bigislandrealestate #bigisland #lavazone #hawaiirealestate #movingtohawaii
The USGS divides the island into 9 lava-flow hazard zones. In Zone 1, more than 25% of the land has been covered by lava since 1800. Zone 2, 15 to 25%. Zones 5 through 8, none since 1800.
Where some common areas fall:
Leilani Estates: Zone 1
Ocean View, Nanawale, Hawaiian Beaches, Kalapana: Zone 2
Hilo: Zone 3
Kailua-Kona: Zone 4
Waimea and Hamakua: Zone 8
North Kohala: Zone 9
WHY IT MATTERS:
FINANCING. Fannie Mae won't buy loans on Zone 1 and 2 properties, and FHA insurance isn't available there. That rules out the loans most buyers use.
INSURANCE. Many private insurers won't write Zones 1 and 2, which pushes owners to HPIA, the state-created insurer of last resort. One comparison put a 1,200 sq ft home at about $6,000 a year in Zones 1 and 2 vs about $1,400 in Zone 3 and up. A state lawmaker said this year that premiums that once ran $700 to $1,000 now top $8,000.
DISCLOSURE. Lava zones are not on Hawaii's list of special hazard disclosures for sellers. Check the map yourself before you write an offer.
The map dates to 1992 and zone lines are gradual, so two lots a mile apart can carry very different risk.
Comment LAVA and we'll send you our Big Island Lava Zone Guide: how each zone affects your loan, insurance and resale, and how to check a parcel before you fall for it.
Sources: USGS, Fannie Mae, HUD, Hawaii Life, Hawaii Public Radio
#bigislandrealestate #bigisland #lavazone #hawaiirealestate #movingtohawaii
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