Remodel house more or wait to buy another house?

Remodel house more or wait to buy another house?

Ellenwood, GA · Member since 2016 · 267 posts · 70 votes
Hi guys, So I purchased a retail split level. Spent abt $33,000 to make it a decent 4/3 which I househack with 2 roommates which essentially covers my mortgage and utilities. Now, I'm considering putting in another $33K to convert double garage into 2 bed 1 bath with common living area. Reason being, I have a part time income, and am told I won't qualify for another mortgage. Remodel would cash flow an additional $1,000 monthly ($500 already deducted for maintenance, vacancy etc). Plan then would be to refinance and tap into equity maybe a yr later when I can qualify. So I am likening it to buying a $30K house and cash flowing $1,000 or is there a better use for my money? Yes I am aware that I would be putting an additional $60K plus in 1 house that would appreciate for purchase price and maybe what I put in. I don't qualify to rent another property either which I could househack as income is below the 3 or 4 times requirements. Open to suggestions on what else to do until I am 'qualifiable'. Thx
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  • Rental Property Investor · Greenwich, CT · Member since 2015 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    7y

    @Wendy S., is your property zoned for another unit? Even if it is you're looking at a 5 1/2 year payback period and I'm not confident that you'd only have expenses of 33%.

    I think a better plan would be to sell this house and buy a multi-family where you could live in one unit and rent out the others. Something like this, maybe?

  • Ellenwood, GA · Member since 2016 · 267 posts · 70 votes
    7y

    @

  • Ellenwood, GA · Member since 2016 · 267 posts · 70 votes
    7y

    Thanks Jaysen, the property almost across from my house is a 4/2.5 that added 3 additional rooms which they also used to rent by the room. No1 had a problem and it sold 2 months ago for $130,000. 

    My problem is qualifying for any kind of mortgage or refinancing because of my employment status. Had a 6 month break in employment by choice and just getting in business for myself, so my part-time income and rental income are insufficient at this time. 

    So rather than have that money sit idle I am looking at options with what I already have. 

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