House hacking in Los Angeles, CA

[Sophie Latapie]

Hi all! Newbie, prospective investor here. I'm hoping to house hack a duplex in Los Angeles County for my first investment property, but my mortgage banker (who's also an investor) said it's pretty much impossible to find a property where the generated income covers all, if not any, of the mortgage. He also said it will take years to see cash flow. I understand I live in an expensive, competitive market - but are those realistic expectations? Is house hacking - or at the very least, seeing positive cash flow in the first year - absolutely impossible in LA County? Thank you in advance for the insight and advice!