House hacking in LA is definitely possible—just requires being strategic about location.Multi-family properties exist in less "sexy" areas like South LA, parts of the Valley, Long Beach, Inglewood.

I likely would have already committed but life is busy.

You’re right — I’ve since moved forward with a DSCR cash-out on the existing property, which freed up capital, but now I’m being very deliberate about how I deploy it so I don’t box myself in on the next move.The seasoning vs. no-seasoning point you mentioned is exactly what I’m pressure-testing right now, especially as I balance between a safer first acquisition and keeping a BRRRR path open long-term.I’m still in analysis mode rather than shopping loans today, but I’d definitely be open to connecting and sanity-checking assumptions with someone local who understands how DSCR underwriting actually plays out in the Central Valley.Thanks again for the insight

@Shalom Yusufov is one of them.Lenders will still require the deal to be in contract before underwriting and issuing a funding commitment.

Likewise, we expect our borrowers to hold us to our commitments as defined on these signed loan documents. 

I am exploring portfolio LOCs and cross-collateralized facilities that allow fast deployment for purchases at Auctions.I know private money exists, but I want to aggressively limit cash burn when capital is not deployed, and as a conservative person, I might go a year without buying. 

Quote from @Patience Echem: There exists a common misconception regarding the financial implications of mortgage interest particularly among real estate investors.

Yes, it is easier to learn the market in your backyard, however, sometimes the luxury of finding the right deal does not exist there.

This allows you to test the local job market and lifestyle without losing your NYC stabilized status.Invest Locally: Once you commit to a new location, look for a house-hacking opportunity there before branching out into other investments. 

Those transactions are to defer payment on capital gain taxes, which only exists if there is actually a gain (based on your adjusted basis).