Guidance on first house hack

[Alex Furness]

Hi everyone,

First time poster here. I’m looking into my first house hack and thought I’d lay out my goals here:

Current financial situation - earning $150k per year income and expect to increase. $25k in cash, $150k in individual stocks, and $180k in retirement.

Goal: looking for a house hack property in the Philadelphia area. Would like my net monthly housing costs to be $500 or less (rental income-expenses), with the possibility of moving out in a few years. A duplex or Maybe triplex I figured would Be easiest to start. Timeframe to close would be by mid 202

Some of my questions:

- is this a realistic goal in this market? 

-should I start talking with a realtor now?

-does anyone have experience in this market and know where to find the best deals in greater philly?

-one of my concerns is my lack of knowledge when it comes to handy work (can barely put together a chair I ordered online) I know it’s a common concern are there are ways to offset costs from contractors, but any advice here would Be appreciated.

-what are some of the most common mistakes first timers make?

thanks all!