House Hacking in Bay Area

[Abe Rouz]

Hi 

Im starting to consider house hacking in the Bay Area. Ideally i like to avoid San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley given the changes in landlord laws. I have been primarily looking at househacking duplex and fourplex around the east bay. Any perspective, advice to get started would do wonders. I am currently a physician assistant and looking to stay local to my job sites. Thank you! 

[Jc M.]

Abe, good luck with your house hack. Been there, done that. SF, Oakland, Berkeley and San Jose may have more restrictive rent controls and eviction protections than those those mandated by California, but many Bay Area cities are following that trend. Again, those controls and protections now exist Statewide to some degree. If you go into a three or four unit then tenants will receive those controls and protections. If a SFH or owner occ/tenanted duplex and depending on use and other factors, the rental unit may not be subject to rent control and enjoy less restrictive forms of eviction protection. Also, be aware that a traditional tenancy can differ from that of a boarder i.e. a roommate. These things matter because being a California landlord carries a huge burden and ignorance of tenant and housing laws can spell big trouble. Some BP members may throw out installing an ADU since we are under a checkbox approval regime until 2026. But again, understand how an ADU may affect your property ownership, use and control. IMO, you would do best to find a single family home and rent out rooms. Assuming Costa Hawkins holds up a while longer, they provide the greatest control over your property when renting it whole or selling. For the East Bay, I'd look in and around Hayward and Concord if good schools aren't important. If you can defray 50-75% of your total costs while house hacking The Bay, you've won assuming the long-game pencils out.