How long must one live in the property as primary home for fullFew related questions: If one wanted to convert an investment property to primary home and later then sell it, how long must one live in the unit prior to selling? 

I live in Fairfax, VA so I am local to the market.

There's now a credibility crisis with AI-generated reviews; one 2025 study found nearly 1 in 4 Zillow agent reviews may be AI-written.The sad truth is, it takes more work creating a fake reality than living in reality.This is unnecessary and comes from a scarcity mindset.The agents and investors I've seen trying to find a hack the most are usually the ones who work the hardest, literally.I'd rather have 1 deal per month and have longevity than have 100 deals done in 2026 but risk lawsuits and getting blacklisted.The smartest work you can do is to remain trustworthy.

So we're not rich but with our incomes combined and almost no debt we make a decent living (for the area we live at least).

your case is: you want to build capital, you live in CA, your brother lives in MD. 

Residential assisted living is more like three businesses: the real estate side, the operations (care/staffing), and marketing (sourcing new residents).

Ralph, I used to live just In Peachtree Corners before moving to Rome.

We live in California, so we’re looking into long-distance investing.

To maintain the same buying power in the future, your rents must increase to the following just to maintain the same standard of living.After 10 years: $10,000 × (1 + 2%)^10 ≈ $12,190After 20 years: $10,000 × (1 + 2%)^20 = $14,859After 30 years: $10,000 × (1 + 2%)^30 = $18,114Steve, unless you invest in a city where rents increase faster than inflation, your buying power—what you actually live on—declines every day.

If you're able to, house hacking is one of the best ways to start, getting a loan in your name so you get the lower interest rate, live in the property, and rent out the extra rooms.