Home values almost always go up over time (see graph below):While everyone remembers what happened around the housing crash of 2008, that was the exception – not the rule.

After further inspection, our fears were confirmed: a copper pipe had failed underneath the slab — a known issue in this market — and this now marked the fourth unit we’ve had to re-pipe due to similar problems.By some stroke of luck (or fate), my family and I happened to be in town on vacation, so I was able to personally oversee the situation.

There are rules to follow!

What was great was that the garage was converted into the fourth bed and bath and completely separate from the rest of the house.

In my opinion, the 1% rule was never alive. 

So basically, get an attorney to put my contracts together as the first step, reviewing them with a title agency as the second step, putting the other team members together as the third step, and starting the search for borrowers as the fourth?

With the property tax being so high, and putting away 10% for repairs and renters insurance, the monthly profit seems so low.I would have to buy another 2-3br house/duplex, live in it with my wife and another roommate, wait 12-24 month and ask the current tenant to find 1-2 more tenants.. and do it all over again.What if later down the road my wife doesn't want to move anymore and wants to stay in the third house hack, how do I go about doing a fourth house hack without possibly living there and getting checked up on? 

I do not currently house hack my four plex but to give you some insight, this property's expenses are covered by three of the four apartments being occupied and the fourth apartment is cash flow.

That is if the two year rule still stands. 

@Desiree Rejeili Great post, Desiree — and I’d add one more strategy most sellers overlook:Rent the property out temporarily while the market resets.When a home doesn’t sell, many owners assume their only options are:Relist and drop the price againLet it sit vacant and hope things changePull it off the market and do nothingBut there’s a fourth option — and it’s smart in today’s environment:✅ Let a professional property management company lease it out for 12–24 months.You preserve your equity, offset expenses with rental income, and give the market time to stabilize.