Multi Family investing / House Hacking in Western Washington

[Dewey Lybecker]

I'm brand new to this whole thing and I'm working on getting my focus crystal clear. I've been looking near 6th Ave in Tacoma and north from there, because from what I've seen young families are moving to that area. Is there anything I should be aware of when looking at multi-families in that area? Or should I look into a different area completely? Thanks for any knowledge anyone has, I appreciate you all!

[Michael Haas]

Both sides of 6th ave are definitely "good" parts of Tacoma, but the north side is definitely nicer. The University of Puget Sound has a pretty strong influence on that neighborhood, and the neighborhoods within 10 blocks of UPS are some of the nicest in Tacoma. There are some true, separately metered multi families in that area, but there are also many converted single families, often times with an additional unit created through undetermined work. Check Realist or City/County tax records for "zoning" and "county land use" to see if the "duplex" you're looking at is actually a duplex in the eyes of the city, or whether its actually a modified single family home.