Skip to content
×
Pro Members Get
Full Access!
Get off the sidelines and take action in real estate investing with BiggerPockets Pro. Our comprehensive suite of tools and resources minimize mistakes, support informed decisions, and propel you to success.
Advanced networking features
Market and Deal Finder tools
Property analysis calculators
Landlord Command Center
ANNUAL Save 16%
$32.50 /mo
$390 billed annualy
MONTHLY
$39 /mo
billed monthly
7 day free trial. Cancel anytime

Let's keep in touch

Subscribe to our newsletter for timely insights and actionable tips on your real estate journey.

By signing up, you indicate that you agree to the BiggerPockets Terms & Conditions
×
Try Pro Features for Free
Start your 7 day free trial. Pick markets, find deals, analyze and manage properties.
Followed Discussions Followed Categories Followed People Followed Locations
All Forum Categories
All Forum Categories
Followed Discussions
Followed Categories
Followed People
Followed Locations
Market News & Data
General Info
Real Estate Strategies
Landlording & Rental Properties
Real Estate Professionals
Financial, Tax, & Legal
Real Estate Classifieds
Reviews & Feedback

All Forum Posts by: Ashley Perez

Ashley Perez has started 1 posts and replied 3 times.

Originally posted by @Kevin Hunter:

@Ashley Perez, this depends a lot on your long-term goals. My long term goal is wealth that allows me to retire from the military and not need to work again. Based on my situation, I would suggest you go with option 1 or 2. However, saying that, sometimes folks get into analysis paralysis so if you think that is going to be an issue, the important thing is just getting started. I like the multi-family option for you for sure. Do what you are comfortable with and you know you will be able to get going. Another option is to buy a multi with the VA loan, get settled, and then use the career starter loan to buy a non-owner occupied investment property. Just food for thought. Good luck!!

Thank you so much! Very insightful, and this is what I plan on doing. Just backward. Using a career starter loan on downpayment first for rental property ( the offer expires May 2021) and then using VA loan for my actual owner-occupied.

Originally posted by @David Pere:

@Ashley Perez the VA loan house hack is the way to go! Sure you can use the career starter loan in order to update the home, but you could also use it as the downpayment on a rental, or even put it in an index fund and let it compound for years. Ultimately, i think the VA loan house hack is the way to go, and that is exactly what I would do. Buy a 4-plex, and house hack it!

You can qualify for a larger loan with a house hack too because you can use 75% of the gross rental income from the units you don't live in toward your debt-to-income ration (provided you hire a property manager with more than two years experience)!

Thank you! I like this. So what I am thinking of doing is an FHA loan first (so I can qualify for a first-time homeowner 3.5% down) on a rental property and I have until May 2021 to use the career starter loan, then do the VA loan on an owner-occupant property.

My main concern would be my DTI and employment. I just graduated in May and have 7 months of full-time employment. Before this, I had part-time and internships. I was reading that this can be case-by-case since job security, education, etc, is also taken into account. Would it be reasonable to buy a rental property with an FHA loan and then 6 or 7 months later buy a property with a VA loan which would be owner-occupant? Would that be too much debt accumulated? The other debt I have are 20k student loans and 2k left on car. No cc debt.

Hello, this is my first post on here ever. I am very excited to have come across this forum.


I am 24 years old, I am in the military and graduated college this past May. Initially, I was going to wait until next year until I had a larger amount of savings to buy a property, but I qualify for the VA loan now. I live and work in New Jersey and I am looking to stay in NJ for the next 3 years or so. I feel like I have many options, but unsure where to start.

My short- term goals (next 3- 5 years) are to own various MFH (duplex or so) and SFH but expand to PA since property taxes are very high in NJ and tenant laws. I am looking to only have one MFH in Jersey which would be the owner-occupant since my job is here and the rest in PA (or is there a better course of action?).

Here is my scenario: I commissioned as an officer back in May and I am eligible for the USAA Career Starter Loan as well.

Loan amount: $25,000

Interest rate: 2.99 %

Term: 60 months

Monthly payment: $449.11

So having the VA loan and this career starter loan I am looking to see what would be the best option for me to take. VA loan calculator says I can qualify for up to $300,000 (not sure how accurate this is). From the research that I have done this is what I have gathered my options to be:

**I live back home now and I am planning on moving in after BOLC - around next December. 

Option 1: Buying a cheaper MFH (2 or 3 units) owner-occupant and using the career starter loan to renovate. Live in one unit and rent out the other(s).

Option 2: Buying a cheaper MFH (2 or 3 units) owner-occupant but using the VA Renovation loan? Live in one unit and rent out the other(s).

Option 3: Buying fully tenant-occupied MFH and moving in next December or a year after buying.  My understanding is VA loan only requires 2 months' statements as proof of address. 

Option 4: Buying a cheaper SFH or MHF and using the career starter loan to fix and flip (don' think VA rehab loan can be used to fix and flip) 

Option 5: Traditional house hack- buy a MFH owner-occupant, move-in ready.

So I don't know what I don't know - if that makes sense. Looking at this, and since I can wait some time until I move in, option 3 seems like the best one. I wanted to post this on here since I am extremely new and most likely missing out on a lot of information that I may not know. The career starter loan seems like a great resource and wanted to see the best way to utilize it- if it even benefits me to use it.

What would you suggest is the best course of action given my situation?