KAILUA, HAWAII, UNITED STATES, May 13, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Chip Lewis is a highly regarded, educated, compassionate and laser-focused real estate agent at Home Smart Island Homes in Kailua, Hawaii. He is also a United States Navy Veteran.

Chip was born in Augusta, Georgia, and the family moved to Alabama at a young age. He later graduated from Sylacauga High School and attended Auburn University, where he earned his BA in Finance. Following college, he accepted a job as a Financial Advisor at Mass Mutual in Birmingham, Alabama. There he obtained his Series 6 & 63 Securities License, along with his life and health insurance producer license, but after the first year there, found himself reevaluating his life. “I didn’t see myself sitting in an office forever,” he says, “I wanted to see the world and experience things before settling down, and I felt compelled to join the Military. Both of my grandfathers served in the Navy. One was a gunners mate during WWII on a Liberty Ship, the same ships he built as a civilian prior to enlisting in the Navy. My other grandfather was in the Korean War as a Storekeeper on supply ships. Also, my dad served in the Army Reserves, so I guess, deep inside, I was destined to be in service to my country.”

Chip went to Boot Camp at the Recruit Training Command (RTC) in Great Lakes, Illinois, where he began his transformation into becoming a Sailor. He then went to Naval Submarine Base in New London, Connecticut, where he attended Basic Enlisted Submarine School (BESS) and did follow-on training in the Submarine Electronics Computer field. “I chose Navigation Electronics Technician (NAV-ET) as a rate where I learned to navigate submarines and maintain the ship's electronic navigation equipment, along with interior communication systems.”

Chip’s first ship was the USS Key West, home ported at Naval Base Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. He says, “Hawaii was my top pick, and I was fortunate to get it. The weather and climate were beautiful, and I soaked in everything, enjoying hiking, biking, surfing, and water sports. Onboard the submarine I had to work to earn my “Dolphins,” which is a hard-earned insignia for those in the Submarine Force. There were a lot of demands; you needed to know how the whole ship works because when you are underwater, everyone is dependent on each other. On top of your own divisional responsibilities and qualifications, we had to learn about all the complex ship systems, with a heavy emphasis on damage control so we could be relied upon to combat fires and flooding while at sea. While stationed on the USS Key West for 5 years, Chip completed two Western Pacific Deployments, two Eastern Pacific Deployments, two major Shipyard repair availabilities, along with numerous local exercises and operations.

Following his sea tour, he transferred to shore duty at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard (PHNSY), where he served as a Submarine Safety of Ship Officer for his remaining time on Active Duty. While at PHNSY, he earned his MBA from Hawaii Pacific University and obtained his Real Estate license. “I was always interested in real estate and had been a real estate investor prior to getting my license,” he says, “and I had recently bought my first house with the VA loan. Sadly, I had a lackluster home-buying experience and I saw how other military members were largely being underserved. I wanted to make sure that it would never happen on my watch as an agent.” He also met his wife while on shore duty and decided to transfer to Reserves before starting a family.

Shortly after joining the Reserves he was promoted to Chief Petty Officer and later Commissioned as a Submarine Electronics Limited Duty Officer. He has served as a Department Head in a number of Submarine Reserve units supporting Expeditionary Maintenance and Theater Anti-Submarine Warfare Operations. Chip continues to serve as a Navy Reserve Officer with over 19 years of service.

Chip earned his Military Relocation Professional (MRP) Certification for a myriad of reasons. “First of all, I wanted to provide value and serve my fellow Veterans and Active-Duty members and their families, looking out for their best interests. Secondly, while my military service certainly prepared me to serve PCSing families, the MRP designation makes my skillset highly identifiable to potential buyers and Real Estate agents across the country, who do not know me. BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) is very generous here in Hawaii and I encourage everyone to get educated on their buying power. One of my biggest regrets is not using my VA loan earlier in my Military career. A VA loan offers several advantages for eligible military service members and veterans. These include no down payment requirement, generally lower interest rates, and often lower closing costs. Additionally, VA loans don't require private mortgage insurance (PMI), making homeownership more accessible and affordable for those who have served our country. I believe the VA loan is the most powerful loan product on the market.”

Chip, his wife and two awesome kids are longtime Kailua residents. He holds a Hawaii Real Estate Brokers license and also provides property management services.

The areas that Chip serves are: Kailua, Honolulu, Kaneohe, Hawaii Kai, Diamond Head, Waikiki, Ewa Beach, Kapolei, Aiea, Pearl City, Mililani, Waialua, and the North Shore.

The Bases Chip covers are: Camp Smith, Wheeler Army Airfield, Schofield Barracks, Fort Derussy Army Base, Fort Shafter, Tripler Army Medical Center, Bellows Air Force Base, NCTAMS PAC Navy Base, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, US Coast Guard Sector Honolulu, Barber’s Point Air Station, and Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam.

For more information about Chip Lewis, please visit these important websites:

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Chip Lewis
Home Smart Island Homes
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