House Hack or Starter Home?

[Nathan Nelsen]

First off, Hello all. I recently joined Bigger Pockets and am extremely overwhelmed but so excited at the same time. I am 25 years old and want to begin the path to financial success/ freedom to enjoy all that life has to offer, but more importantly be able to spend time with loved ones rather than sitting at a desk for the rest of my life. The idea of getting involved in real estate has been something I've pondered for the last few years and I'm finally ready to take the next step.

I've been going back and forth with idea of house hacking vs buying a starter home for the past few months. I was hoping a few could share their experiences with both, and/or things they would have done differently for their first purchase. I'm starting with little money down so I'm thinking a 2-4 unit through an FHA loan, thoughts?

Even though my mind is filled with a million questions right now I'll start with that one. I look forward to everyone's feedback and connecting with like minded REI's through the Bigger Pockets forums.

Another piece of information that I assume is important is my location. I'm living in the Detroit-Metro (Troy to be exact).

-Nathan