When should I begin seriously looking?

[Marcus Mrdjenovich]

Hello! 

I am 26 years old and doing a lot of research on house hacking. 

My idea is the typical house hacking model, find a deal on a multi family building and live in one unit, rent the rest. 

I am currently renting and my lease ends in February. I’ve never purchased a home, always have rented, and don’t have a ton of savings/assets (roughly $6000, but I will continue saving all year and have a $10k bonus coming in December.) 

 I’m having a hard time figuring out when to start my house hacking timeline/journey. Should I get pre-approved now? When should I talk to an agent?