Best house hacking book for someone just starting out?

Question

Hey everyone,

I’m just getting started with real estate investing and looking for some guidance on what to read next.

So far, I’ve only read The Book on Rental Property Investing by Brandon Turner, which gave me a solid foundation. Now I’m trying to narrow in specifically on house hacking, since that’s the strategy I want to pursue for my first deal.

My plan is to buy in about 2–3 years, ideally somewhere around the Hartford County area in Connecticut. I’m aiming for a solid B or C class neighborhood (definitely trying to avoid D class) and likely targeting a duplex, triplex, or fourplex so I can live in one unit and rent out the others.

I’ve seen a few recommendations floating around, but I’d rather hear from people who have actually used a book to take action.What’s the best book specifically for house hacking?

Anything that helped you go from learning to actually buying your first property?

Are there any books that helped you better understand analyzing small multifamily deals?

I’ve come across The House Hacking Strategy by Craig Curelop, which seems pretty relevant, but curious if that’s the best place to start or if there are better options.

Appreciate any recommendations or advice—especially from anyone who’s done this in a similar market.

Thanks!

Bryce Jamison · Answer

Based on this post, I feel confident you'll be very ready to make this purchase in the time frame you laid out.

I'm not sure you need house hacking specific info. Since you're not living with your tenants, I'd apply the same rules for traditional land lording. Brandon T's book has most of what you'll need. What gaps you still have may be best filled with YouTube, podcast, spending time on Zillow under writing deals, forums like this, and talking to other investors at meetups. I find having the most current information on market trends, interest rates, and pitfalls to lookout for helps me feel more confident in my decision making compared to a book that could be several years old.

I'm personally a fan of Graham Stephan, the BP podcast, Robuilt, and David Greene. I also find non specific real estate books like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People & Extreme Ownership help motivate me to do the things I already know I should be doing.