How can I get into house hacking as a 19 year old with not much money?

[Jacob Brush]

How can I get into house hacking as a 19 year old with a small car detailing business? I do not have much money right now because I put a lot of my own money into my business. I am currently studying for my IT certification and plan on getting my real estate license too. Will I be able to get an FHA loan without a full time job? What are the some of the first steps that I should take so that I can eventually buy a Triplex, or a Quadplex property?

[Ben Firstenberg]

Qualifying for the loan will depend on your credit and income. FHA won't like that you have your own business (even though it's a great achievement). You may need to consider asking your parents or others to cosign on your loan to help with the credit/income aspect.

For now, I'd focus on building up your savings and keeping your expenses as low as you can. House hacking is as much about learning to live with less as it is buying the house and renting the rooms/units.  

While you're doing that, spend time looking at the homes available in your area. Try to get a good sense of what good deals look like and what kind of deal would be best for you. That is, do you want to renovate, or buy turnkey? Do you want a house with 5 bedrooms, or is a 3-4 unit better? Get an idea of price to rent ratios and try to learn the market as much as you can. That way, when you have the money and the credit to buy, you'll be ready. 

Hope that helps. I know it's "boring" advice, but real estate is often boring