Help! Trying to buy first house in a couple months

House Hacking
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Help! Trying to buy first house in a couple months

Jaxon Johnson
Member since 2025 · 14 posts · 8 votes

Hey there, my girlfriend and I are trying to start house hacking in the south east part of the country. We had decided on Huntsville, Alabama, but then I remembered hearing somewhere that moving somewhere with a pro team is recommended. We're pretty much fine with living anywhere in the southeast region. We're just having trouble locking in the location that'd be best for house hacking. 

If anyone has any recommendations or could help figure out what to look at, I'd really appreciate it!

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Matt F.
Rental Property Investor · St. Louis, MO · Member since 2019 · 162 posts · 72 votes
1y
Hey Jaxon, I just wanted to share my two cents. Don’t overthink the market. Within any sizable market, there will be multiple house hacking possibilities. To me, the primary consideration is, where would you like to live for the foreseeable future. That is really where you want to set up shop, and then spend some time finding the opportunities in that area. What you would not want to do is pick a market because of a property and then not enjoy living there. And like I said, my experience in real estate investing is every market has opportunities, they may look different for each other, but they are there. Hope this helps, Matt
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  • Abel CurielBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Queens, NY · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1y
    Quote from @Jaxon Johnson:

    Hey there, my girlfriend and I are trying to start house hacking in the south east part of the country. We had decided on Huntsville, Alabama, but then I remembered hearing somewhere that moving somewhere with a pro team is recommended. We're pretty much fine with living anywhere in the southeast region. We're just having trouble locking in the location that'd be best for house hacking. 

    If anyone has any recommendations or could help figure out what to look at, I'd really appreciate it!


     Hello Jaxon,

    Have you tried searching for a local investor-friendly agent here on BP?

    All the best!

    Abel

    REbuild Team - eXp Realty5234 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    1Reply
  • Jules Aton
    MD/DC · Member since 2024 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1y

    It sounds like your W2s aren't dependent on living in a certain location? If that is the case I would check out different areas, the RE climate, social climate etc. and narrow it down that way. Your team will likely come and go over the years. I was highly motivated by business, money and making deals when I was younger so while I applaud your willingness to make necessary sacrifices it sure helps if you can live somewhere you enjoy. 

    2Reply
    • Jaxon Johnson
      OP
      Member since 2025 · 14 posts · 8 votes
      1y

      @Jules Aton thank you! You are correct, I don't have a W2 and my girlfriend is a pro athlete. So we're able to move wherever. How do we check out the RE climate and social climate if we don't live in that area?

      0Reply
    • Jules Aton
      MD/DC · Member since 2024 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
      11mo
      Quote from @Jaxon Johnson:

      @Jules Aton thank you! You are correct, I don't have a W2 and my girlfriend is a pro athlete. So we're able to move wherever. How do we check out the RE climate and social climate if we don't live in that area?


       Consider what you both like and take some trips. I like to be near the water and decent size cities so NY/NJ/MD/DC have been great for my interests. 

      1Reply
  • Kate Sanchez
    Member since 2025 · 246 posts · 100 votes
    1y

    @Jaxon Johnson  Great Q! For house hacking, focus on markets with affordable housing, strong rental demand, and landlord-friendly laws. Huntsville has potential, but also check cities like Knoxville, Chattanooga, or Greenville. Good luck locking in a solid spot!

    1Reply
  • Matt F.
    Rental Property Investor · St. Louis, MO · Member since 2019 · 162 posts · 72 votes
    1y
    Hey Jaxon, I just wanted to share my two cents. Don’t overthink the market. Within any sizable market, there will be multiple house hacking possibilities. To me, the primary consideration is, where would you like to live for the foreseeable future. That is really where you want to set up shop, and then spend some time finding the opportunities in that area. What you would not want to do is pick a market because of a property and then not enjoy living there. And like I said, my experience in real estate investing is every market has opportunities, they may look different for each other, but they are there. Hope this helps, Matt
    2Reply
  • Lindsay DavisBusiness Member
    Real Estate Broker · Birmingham, AL · Member since 2019 · 326 posts · 203 votes
    11mo

    @Jaxon Johnson,

    Huntsville’s an interesting place for house hacking, and the two of you are in an especially good place given you don’t need to be tied anywhere geographically.

    As for where to invest in Huntsville, areas along the “path of progress,” so from Huntsville proper to Wheeler Lake, could be worth checking out.

    If the two of you are open to living in a smaller town close to Huntsville but outside the city proper, areas like New Hope, Arab, Hartselle, Decatur, and Athens could also be worth looking into.

    205-205-4118
    Spartan Invest4.8134 Reviews
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    1Reply
  • Jake AndronicoBusiness Member
    Realtor · Reno, NV · Member since 2019 · 1k+ posts · 938 votes
    11mo

    @Jaxon Johnson

    Congrats man!! Super powerful strategy. I've house hacked twice in Reno, NV and it's completely changed my life. Here is what I learned and what I regret: 

    https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/922/topics/1133476-hous...

    415-233-1796
    1Reply
  • Rick Albert
    Real Estate Agent · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    11mo

    You can house hack anywhere so I would just focus on your personal goals and lifestyle.

    Huntsville is a great market. Good jobs and has shown signs of appreciation. 

    If you really want to leave, here are a few considerations:

    1. Landlord friendly markets.

    2. Population over 100K (better tenant pool).

    3. Within your price point.

    4. Multiple industries (healthcare, education, manufacturing, etc.)

    With real estate it is generally safe as long as you keep the property for a while. 

    If you are thinking of scale, I would recommend multifamily, but again, that will depend on your personal goals.

    0Reply
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