Out of State Purchase on First House? [House Hacking]

[Aanu Jibodu]

Hey BP community!

Question: I’m moving from the Northeast to the DFW area by the end of the year, and I’m excited to start my investing portfolio with house hacking (purchasing a SF and renting out to roommates). My goal was to purchase a house while I’m still living in the NE with the help of an agent and maybe a few visits down to the area. My parents, who I still currently live with, recommend that instead I rent an apartment for a few months to a year in DFW to get to know the area better and search for a “dream” house before buying. (Their concern is my purchasing my first home out of state.) I do want to rush into house hacking because I’ve gotten so excited about it and bc I’d like to save some money, but I’m wondering if it really could make sense to rent  in the area for some months to better get local context before purchasing. Is there value in doing so? My ultimate goal is to live in the SF for a couple years before converting it into a full rental. I’d appreciate any general advice as to how I should think about this.