All Forum Posts by: Nadeem Alamgir

Welcome to BiggerPockets! @Brian Button

If you're planning to live in the property, FHA 3.5% down let you get in with less money down and you can still house hack if it's a duplex, triplex, or quad.

If you're buying as an investment (not living there), most lenders will want 20–25% down on a conventional or DSCR investment loan. That's why a lot of newer investors start with a house hack to lower your living expenses, build equity, and can transition it into a rental later.

Welcome! @Francisco Bautista

@Tayson Neal house hack is probably the cleanest way to get started. It lowers your living expenses immediately, gives you landlord experience with less risk, and you’re building equity while you live there. Flipping is a great strategy too, but it’s cash intensive and doesn’t solve your rent problem in the short term.

Many investors overlook smaller towns but if the numbers work and you buy right, you’ll still build wealth. Starting local is easier for your first deal since you can learn the ropes close to home.

Welcome to BiggerPockets @Mikey Knight!

Some investors will either partner with private money (friends,family, network) to cover the down payment and upfront rehab, while the hard money lender finances the bulk of the purchase. Over time, you build relationships with lenders. Once you prove yourself on a few deals, you can sometimes negotiate better leverage.

Hey Ryan, I would check out Facebook groups in your market. You'll find plenty of wholesalers there and ask to get added to their buyer's list. Many of these deals are going to be junk, but there's definitely good deals in the mix if they're actively sourcing. Also, reaching out to some investor friendly agents that source their own deals/pocket listing is another deal source for you. 

Welcome to BiggerPockets @James Jordan. House hacking is one of the easiest way to get into RE investing. I’ve seen a lot of investors begin with a duplex and house hack one side. A few things to look out for when you start to look for deals is running the numbers both ways with and without you living there so you know what it looks like once you move out. Pay attention to the condition of the big ticket items like the roof, furnaces, and windows, and lastly check if they’re separately metered.

Hey Salvatore, I work with A LOT of BRRRR buyers in the C and D neighborhoods. The strategy works as long as your all in (purchase + rehab) stays under about 75–80% of ARV or leaving some in. If you go this route, make sure the numbers are conservative and that you have strong property management lined up. The tradeoff is tenant turnover, management headaches, and slower long term appreciation compared to A/B neighborhoods.

Making sure to join a really good team with top performers will make a big difference.