Multifamily house hacking with an FHA Loan

Multifamily house hacking with an FHA Loan

Member since 2021 · 1 post · 0 votes

Hey guys, I am new to the real estate investing game, but have been doing a decent amount of research for what would suit me best. Multifamily house hacking seems to be the initial route that I would like to go for at least the first buy. I want to try and use the calculator here on BP, but it seems like it is a bit better for conventional loans in order to vet deals. What are some good ways to incorporate the fees, like PMI and other fees, to the calculator to see if it is a good deal?

And what should I look for when it comes to these multifamily homes since the first year I would be living there and would not be having say two rental incomes in the case of a duplex. I most likely would be putting myself at a net loss for a year, but it kind of gets a little tricky when calculating if the house is a good deal. Not sure if I should be looking for something that totally covers what I have to pay with 1 rental income, since that seems a bit tough.

I just have been thinking about this for a while and wanted to get some other ideas. Thanks in advance!

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Real Estate Agent · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
4y

@Michael Celli congratulations on kickstarting your pursuit for a house hack deal. Depending on your market, 2-4 unit properties can be difficult to get under contract. From personal experience and working with client's looking to house hack, the buyer pool is very competitive. Neverthelss, again, this depends on your market and buyer demand. Most investors would advocate for the house hack investment to break even, meaning income covers all expenses, thus allowing you to live "free". However, being a little more risk adverse, I would recommend buying a house hack deal even if all expenses aren't covered. As others have mentioned, wealth through real estate is built via equity growth and downpayment. As far as calculating your monthly mortgage including insurance, speak to your lender to obtain a disclosure on all fees and required monthly payments. I also like the idea of buying a property that is already rent ready or will require minimal work. As a newer investor I would not get wrapped into a big reahab project. Hope this helps! 

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  • Ben ScottPro Member
    Property Manager · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2019 · 577 posts · 351 votes
    4y

    For your first investment, I'd look at something turnkey that needs minimal work. That will help you to better manage expected Profit & Expenses. If you speak with a lender, they should give you estimated monthly costs and mortgage so you could gauge that against the potential rent of the other side. 

    Finding a house hack where your tenant pays your COMPLETE living expense is unlikely. When you house hack, your monthly mortgage is WAY less than you'd pay for a single family. There's still an expense, yes. But you're gaining equity a relatively scarce asset.

  • Rental Property Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 21 posts · 65 votes
    4y

    If you do go through with a house hack, might I suggest you still hire a property management company? Having the neighbors know that you're the owner can lead to a headache when they come knocking on your door about every little thing.

    As far as evaluating the deal, look at the market rent you'd be paying for your unit and add that in just like you were paying rent. If the point in the future is to convert it to a full rental or sell it to another investor/house hacker, you want to know what the numbers would look like in that scenario.

  • Julio GonzalezPro Member
    Specialist · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    Hi Michael, you found the right place for information! Hope you find what you're looking for here!

  • Real Estate Agent · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    @Michael Celli congratulations on kickstarting your pursuit for a house hack deal. Depending on your market, 2-4 unit properties can be difficult to get under contract. From personal experience and working with client's looking to house hack, the buyer pool is very competitive. Neverthelss, again, this depends on your market and buyer demand. Most investors would advocate for the house hack investment to break even, meaning income covers all expenses, thus allowing you to live "free". However, being a little more risk adverse, I would recommend buying a house hack deal even if all expenses aren't covered. As others have mentioned, wealth through real estate is built via equity growth and downpayment. As far as calculating your monthly mortgage including insurance, speak to your lender to obtain a disclosure on all fees and required monthly payments. I also like the idea of buying a property that is already rent ready or will require minimal work. As a newer investor I would not get wrapped into a big reahab project. Hope this helps! 

  • Drew SygitBusiness Member
    Property Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 12k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    4y

    You can fudge your way through the templates by adding the upfront MIP to the loan amount and the monthly MIP to the interest rate.

    As already mentioned, add in the rent you'd get on your unit to determine if this is a good investment.

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