First Home Purchase In SF Bay Area

[Vu V.]

Hi BP community! 

After doing more research on my initial intention to find a property in Austin TX, I've decided to refocus on where I currently live: the San Francisco Bay Area.

Life happened and I now find myself in a good position to purchase a home in 2021. I'm looking for a 3/2 SFH located within 15 miles from the Cal State East Bay area (San Lorenzo, Hayward,etc.) and am aiming to house hack.

Since I'll be starting a new job in January, I'll have to wait until March to gather my proof of income.

I'm targeting the FHA 203k loan, my questions for you are:

With contractors:

I'm planning to hire a GC. I'm interested in hearing your story and advice on selecting the right GC and on avoiding the common pitfalls when subcontracting out jobs (slow/delayed work, etc.)

With lenders:

How early should I begin talking to potential lenders? Should I hold off until I have at least 2 months worth of paystub? What sort of questions do you typically ask in assessing whether a lender is suitable to your need (in this case for supporting 203k)? 

Lastly, if you have worked with contactors, local lenders on this type of loan and believe they are great resources, please let me know as I'd love to chat with them.