How do I figure out how much I need for a househack?

[Brooke B.]

Hello!

My plan is to househack a duplex within an hour from Philadelphia but not actually in Philly. I will live in one half and have 2 tenants in the other half. I think 150-250k is a good range for prices to look for (but please correct me if I'm wrong!).

I am 26 years old and work as a financial analyst making 65k a year and expect to get a raise (will probably change to 70k) within the next year. Unfortunately, my student loans have really depleted my savings. Currently only have 12k in savings...but I do have a credit score of 744. Talked to one lender and they said I will need at least 20k to start shopping properties. I am hoping to obtain down payment assistance since without it, I would basically have no savings...basically, I am just looking for a dollar range I can strive for so I can plan accordingly. Or if someone could provide a calculator/calculation for finding out this number range, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!