Affording a Multifamily Without Rent

[Eric Schaaf]

Hey, BP!

I was looking over a 4-plex in a nearby town and while I believe it could be a solid investment, the monthly expenses without rental income would be, more than likely, unsustainable for me using just my W2 income. Now, obviously I would have a reserve to dip into for a few months while I screen tenants and put the finishing touches on the property, but my question is this...

When deciding to purchase a property, (my first, incidentally) should I make certain I can support it off just my W2 income alone?