Military House Hacking?

[William Edwards]

I have been a member for about 2 years, and this is my first post hello to everyone, but I need help. I am currently living in Japan and looking get a house in the Warrensburg, MO area. I'm moving to the area with my wife later this year and I wanted to connect with someone who is currently house hacking in the area to help me filter through neighborhoods to further my knowledge of the area to help me further my career in real estate investing.  

[Laura Shinkle]

Hey @William Edwards, I'm excited for your plan!! While I'm not in MO, I'm happy to help where I can!

My first recommendation, since you don't know the area, is to find a Realtor that can help you. They should be able to help you narrow down a location based on what type of neighborhood you're looking for, price range, and distance from work. That said, it doesn't look like Warrenburg is very big, and is a college town, so househacking might work best near the college for a steady stream of tenants. 

When you're about 4-6 months away from wanting to purchase, ask your Realtor for lender recommendations. I'm assuming you'd want to purchase with your VA loan to take advantage of that benefit. Most lenders are familiar with VA loans, and your Realtor can guide you towards one that has a great track record and will help you build your portfolio!

[Hamp Lee III]

Welcome to BiggerPockets!

If no one responds, you can click the “Find An Agent” link above.

If all else fails, I can connect you with a local agent.

I’m active duty Air Force as well…😉

I wish you all the best.

[Ryan Thomson]

@William Edwards best of luck. House hacking is amazing. 

Here are some resources I found really helpful on my journey:

1. For podcasts I really like the House Hacking episodes on Bigger Pockets Podcast and other channels. Here is a playlist with the best House Hacking Podcasts I’ve found: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4A6uLsPfdWEMmJhG4TSjyb?si=743bb403548f47fb

2. Great beginners guide: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Ultimate_Beginners_Guide_BiggerPockets.pdf

3. The Book on House Hacking Strategies by Bigger Pockets is also a fantastic book

4. Happy to talk if you want more advice

5. Connect with a realtor who understands house hacking and has invested themselves

6. Connect with a lender to see what you qualify for and how you can improve that situation

7. Go to local Real Estate meetups and learn from people there