Arizona Multi-family Advice

[Jake Vanags]

Hi there,

My name is Jake and I've been throwing my money away renting apartments in LA for the last 8 years.

Although my parents have flipped house my entire lifetime back in Ohio, I've never purchased my own home. I also live a somewhat atypical life (kind of like a digital nomad, I guess, but not completely) -- my goal is always maximum freedom and the ability to move around the globe with relative ease.

While my dream is to have multiple small houses around the world, I need a "home base" to start in the US. A place to keep my stuff when traveling, a place to crash hard after a long trip, a place to retreat to, and hopefully a place that pays for itself.

I would like to house hack in the Phoenix area for the following reasons:
1. I can afford much more in Arizona than in Southern California (I'm sick of paying more money in rent per month than a mortgage in Arizona)
2. I own my own business(es) that do not need a physical location, however I'm currently stuck paying California business taxes because that is where my current, permanent address is. I'd love to establish residency somewhere else that would be more business friendly.
3. I California's climate and outdoor life, Arizona can accommodate both of those things (I would most likely be traveling during summers, so not worried about the extra heat!)
4. Arizona is still drive-able (or a quick flight) to SoCal where I have family and friends still. I also travel to Mexico often and flights are abundant from Phoenix.
5. I travel internationally often, and while LAX is a PRIME hub for travel, Phoenix is a fantastic hub that can get me most anywhere quickly, even if it means going through LAX.

So my priorities are:
- Cost (and actually owning an asset instead of renting)
- Ease of air travel
- More business friendly than CA


My ultimate question is: Does above make sense to more seasoned real estate investors? Or should I look elsewhere?

Finally, I want to be clear that I wouldn't be looking for my dream home to settle down in -- my dream is to have places internationally. This would be more of a functional purchase than anything else. At the same time I want it to be decent to stay in!

My goal would be to have a triplex or fourplex and keep one unit for myself for when I'm in town for a few weeks at a time, etc. I would prefer something within a 30 min drive to the airport.

Sorry for the long post, but I wasn't sure where to start! I hope this all makes sense and I'd be happy to accept any feedback or advice from the community here.

Cheers,
Jake