Basically, it boils down to downgrading to a more affordable (but still safe) apartment, splitting rent with a roommate, or house hacking if possible.In terms of transportation, see if you can trade down for a cheaper ride, or ditch the car (and the car insurance) entirely, if you can, by biking or walking.Trimming food costs is pretty straightforward: eat out less, cook at home, and consume more staples and less meat and packaged snacks.

A new-build 4-plex can be a great move if the numbers and team are tight.I’m local and this is basically what my IEC (Investor’s Edge Concierge) model helps with end-to-end: sanity-check the lot/zoning + sitework risks, pressure-test rent/value assumptions, connect you with the right architect/GC for small multifamily, and help you line up the financing and next steps so it doesn’t turn into a slow, expensive learning curve.If you drop the neighborhood and your rough unit mix (2/1s vs 2/2s) I can point you to a few solid referral options and tell you what to watch for on the Indy side.

My buyer was out of state, so we went under contract just to get access, but we wrote the PA with plenty of outs so we could still do real due diligence.What’s helped us is just having the team basically on standby and keeping the process simple—one place for photos/notes, quick daily check-ins, and focusing on the big-ticket risks first.

Most renters in this setup already have their own bed and basic items, and including utilities and internet is a big value add.Make sure you’re using a lease that’s written specifically for rent-by-the-room.

Hopefully this can be helpful for anyone looking to learn the basics or refresh their memory :) CONCEPTS1.

I offer a one consulting phone call, not a flashy course and not anywhere near $2,000, on how to get plugged in with these companies and basically everything you need to know to successfully get these MTR contracts.

The contraption fell apart in 2 months...Same concept with you and the electrician, when you're dealing with materials that could blow your thumbs off... you hire a guy.

I am about to lose my car my place to live basically my life.

My biggest obstacle was definitely the unexpected costs, especially the sewer line replacement, which made me partner up.It was tough, but a huge learning curve and great proof of concept.

But here’s the part people forget:House hacks aren’t judged on cash flow — they’re judged on how cheap they make your life while you live there.If you live in one unit, the other tenant is basically paying the majority of your housing cost, and that’s the real win.