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Thank you for your service. Using your VA loan to house hack in Orlando is a strong strategy, especially since you can purchase with little to no money down and there is no monthly mortgage insurance. That alone can make a big difference when you are getting started.

With a VA loan, you must live in the home as your primary residence. If you buy a duplex, triplex, or fourplex and live in one unit while renting out the others, that meets the requirement as long as you move in within the allowed timeframe.

When reviewing properties, keep the numbers simple and realistic. Use actual rent numbers from the market, not best case estimates. Plan for vacancy, repairs, and ongoing maintenance. It also helps to ask yourself whether the property still works if rents are slightly lower or expenses are a little higher than expected. If it still makes sense under conservative numbers, it is a stronger deal.

Keep some savings set aside as well. Even though the VA loan does not require mortgage insurance, having reserves gives you peace of mind and protection for unexpected repairs or gaps in rental income.

Also remember that VA appraisals can be strict about property condition. If there are safety or major repair issues, they may need to be fixed before closing. Make sure you understand the condition of the property before moving forward.

I hope this is the information you were seeking. Please feel free to reach out directly if you have any additional questions or would like to go deeper into your specific scenario.

Thanks for the feedback Ebonie. All good points and great insights. I am on the hunt now for the right deal that makes sense. I have to stay here in Florida for now, so I am looking here. Not too many 4-plexes like I'd hope. Trying to see how I can connect with other veterans as I researched we can stack, and qualify for larger buildings with more rooms.