Philly Newbie Turning Research into Action — First House Hack in Sight

[Andre Willis]

Hey BP fam,

I’m in the middle of my first house hack journey here in Philadelphia and going through the NACA program.

Right now I’m approved for $467K, but that only allows me to buy up to a duplex. My ultimate goal is to land a triplex or quadplex, which I’ll qualify for after the next few months by showing proof of rent payments (currently paying my mom — fully documented).

Here’s my current game plan:

• Keep documenting rent payments so I can get approved for a 3–4 unit.

• Meet with my counselor again in November for the next update.

• Complete my payment shock requirement of $2,500/month to prepare for the higher mortgage approval.

• While I wait, I'm researching neighborhoods, running numbers on deals, and looking for value-add opportunities that fit NACA's guidelines.

I’m also diving into Philly-specific house hacking strategies and would love advice from locals or anyone who’s invested here. Right now I’m looking into:

• Fox Chase

• Cedar Park

• Overbrook

• The Zoo area (near Fairmount Park)

If you’ve used NACA or house hacked in Philadelphia, I’d love to hear:

• How your approval changed when you moved from 1–2 units to 3–4 units.

• Any tips for getting the best deal in these neighborhoods.

• General lessons learned from your first Philly house hack — especially around tenant screening, PMs, or local zoning quirks.

I’m in this for the long game and ready to move when the timing’s right.

Thanks in advance,
Andre