A Honolulu city councilmember is pushing a free two-day event meant to help local families actually buy homes instead of leaving Hawaii for the mainland, good news for would-be buyers who've written off homeownership as impossible.

• Price Into Paradise, a free event in Hawaii, is expanding to two days on the west side, with workshops on home renovations, real estate investing, raising income, and basic home-buying steps.
• A state program offers down-payment help for first-time buyers, and organizers say many attendees don't realize they could already qualify for a mortgage.
• The event targets large and renting families in particular, with organizers encouraging siblings or relatives to buy property together to stay on the islands across generations.
• A special hotel rate is available this week for families traveling in from other parts of Oahu to attend both days.

Outlook: Organizers expect the event to keep growing each year as more local families use it to qualify for homes they didn't think they could afford.