Good Areas to House Hack in LA

[Shala Mapp]

Hi BP!!

This is my very first post and I'm super excited to be getting in on the discussions. I am obviously a newbie, hoping to house hack my first property by January, 2018. I live and work in the LA area currently so in order for me to house hack, I don't have much of an option to buy a home elsewhere. Is house hacking possible in LA and for anyone who has done it (am doing it), do you have any suggestions?

Thank you!

Shala

[David Faulkner]

Carson, San Pedro, Wilmington, Lomita are the least expensive areas west of the 405 and still reasonable commute to El Segundo. Long Beach may be a good option too, but that is a very hot market at the moment. Torrance is also great if you can afford it, but also a really hot market.  Long Beach doesn't have rent control, while the others do, which may or may not affect you depending on the type of property ... research the laws there.

Buy a "cosmetic fixer" with good bones but dated, ugly, dirty, smelly, etc. ... then roll your sleeves up and get to work fixing it up. You want the smallest, ugliest, most run down property on the nicest block that you can reasonably afford. No HOA if you can.