House hacking finance question

[Blake McFarlane]

Hey everyone! I am planning on buying my first multi family within the upcoming months using an FHA loan. I will be house hacking Ofcourse.

I have a few questions. Most of them are for reassurance but I hope I am not mistaken.

1. Should I find a lender and make sure I know how much I am getting approved for before beginning my home search? Or should I find a realtor first?

2. This one kind of ties in with the first one. I remember seeing somewhere that mortgage lenders will add the estimated rental income to your annual income which will help get you approved for more? Is this true and if it is, how does a lender know how much I will be receiving in rental income if I haven’t found my desired investment yet?

3. I plan on getting into real estate full time and getting my license. Would it save me money to get my license before buying my own home? If so, what kind of costs could I expect to save.

A big thank you in advance to anyone who answers any of my questions! :)