Value Add House Hack

[Alex Haddow]

Investment Info:

Townhouse buy & hold investment in Tustin, CA.

Purchase price: $650,000
Cash invested: $95,000

Full home renovation and currently house hacking.

What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

I wanted to do invest in a fixer upper to buy at a discount, then house hack to keep my saving rate high.

How did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

This deal was found on the MLS, and I negotiated bank grants and a seller's credit through my loan officer and broker, respectively.

How did you finance this deal?

This deal was financed through a conventional loan

How did you add value to the deal?

Value was added through a whole home renovation over 3 weeks. A Pex repipe, kitchen renovation, new water heater, new LVP flooring, bathroom vanities and mirrors, new toilets, popcorn ceiling removal, new AC units, light fixtures, light switches and outlets, general home decor, paint, and landscaping.

What was the outcome?

An 83% return on total investment via equity and a great place to live

Lessons learned? Challenges?

Do not be afraid to be your own general contractor and hire out for different jobs. If someone cannot get something done, then find someone who can. This is how I finished the project in 3 weeks.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Since I have bought the home, the loan officer has since become a full time real estate investor, and my broker moved to commercial real estate.