What I learned after 1 year of house hacking

[Jonathan Baptiste]

How It All Began
So, picture this: it’s 2024, and I’m 26 years old, stepping into South Florida like I’m starring in my own “rags-to-riches” reality show. By August 2023, I packed up my introverted self, moved to paradise, and two months later—BOOM—homeowner status unlocked. Why? Because personal growth and financial stability sounded like a better combo than Netflix and takeout. Spoiler: It was worth it (but oh, the stories I’ve got).

My Master Plan: House Hacking Like a Boss
Why house hacking? Simple: It's the real estate version of a training wheels bike. With a 3-5% down FHA loan, I snagged a cozy home in a hot spot, worked from home to play handyman, and created a hedge against the "what-ifs" of life. Lost job? I still have a roof. Tenant issues? I did the math and could cover the mortgage solo if needed. Worst case? Everyone goes broke at the same time. (Then we'd just start a commune, I guess.)

The Setup: Living My Best (Small) Life
I bought a 2BD/1BA home with a private efficiency studio. Two tenants leased the 2BD/1BA, and the studio ran on short-term rentals. Where was I? Oh, just thriving in a CLOSET on the 2BD/1BA side. Yes, literally a closet.

What I Learned (a.k.a. “Please, Learn from My Pain”)

1. Leases: Month-to-Month Magic
   Strangers are like boxes of chocolates—you never know when one’s going to melt all over your sofa. Month-to-month leases are lifesavers. Why? Because the first few months may be great, but after the honeymoon phase, they might morph into messy, noisy goblins. One year stuck with a disrespectful tenant is one year too long. Trust me.
2. Set the Tone Early: Respect is Key
   As an introvert, I hate conflict. But letting minor issues slide was my biggest mistake. Tenants thought the space was theirs (and in their defense, they were kinda right), but boundaries are crucial. Communicate expectations upfront—because once they start double-parking or treating the place like a frat house, it’s game over.
3. Cameras, Cameras Everywhere
   You’d think adults wouldn’t steal each other’s food, right? WRONG. I’m not saying you need to channel your inner Big Brother, but a good camera setup is like having a silent enforcer. It stops nonsense before it starts and keeps your property safe (and your sanity intact).
4. Hard on Paper, Soft in Practice
   My lease was stricter than a middle-school dress code: no overnight guests, no smoking anywhere, and quiet hours that would make a library blush. Did I enforce all of it? Nah. But having those rules on paper was like carrying a big stick—great to wield when needed but mostly a deterrent. It saved me when things got real (hello, crazy boyfriend with trust issues).
5. Security Deposit: Non-Negotiable
   One full month of rent as a security deposit (at the very least!) is non-negotiable. If you can get the first month, last month, and a deposit, even better. You’ll thank me when eviction drama hits, or turnover costs come calling.
6. Fines = Behavior Training
   Sometimes, tenants behave worse than toddlers at a candy store. A well-outlined list of finable offenses in the lease works wonders. Nothing changes behavior faster than, “Oh, you broke the rules? That’ll be $50.”
7. Document EVERYTHING
   Living with tenants means you see it all—good, bad, and downright ridiculous. Keep records of everything: texts, emails, photos, videos. Stay professional in all communication. When legal drama pops up (and it might), a paper trail is your best friend.

The Takeaway
House hacking has been an adventure. I’ve learned about people, property management, and (most importantly) myself. Is it easy? No. Is it worth it? Absolutely. If you’re thinking about diving in, I say go for it—but maybe don’t start by living in a closet. Unless, of course, you’re into character-building experiences. 🌟

[Nathan Gesner]

Entertaining. I hope things continue to improve for you.

[Wale Lawal]

@Jonathan Baptiste

Starting at 26 can significantly build wealth in real estate. Risk mitigation is crucial, and learning from past experiences is beneficial. Expanding your portfolio, streamlining tenant management, diversifying income streams, building a network, and planning for growth are also recommended. Setting financial and lifestyle goals and using lessons from your current setup can help.

Good luck!

[Drew Sygit]

@Jonathan Baptiste cool story glad you learned a lot.

Now, multiply all that by 300+ tenants and you'll know what the average PMC has to deal with!

[Caleb Brown]

Well done! What's next for you? Going to do another? 

[Jonathan Baptiste]

Quote from @Caleb Brown:

Well done! What's next for you? Going to do another? 

 Yes, looking for another property now, ideally one where I don't have to live in a closet

[Alecia Loveless]

@Jonathan Baptiste Have been house hacking before it was a thing, 29 years to be exact. After 25 years of co-living have now graduated to one side of a duplex.

Definitely recommend it. I would upgrade properties every 12-15 months as allowed by low down payment loans if my significant other wasn’t risk adverse and opposed to moving.

I think this is a solid method for building a portfolio and wealth.

[Ray Hage]

@Jonathan Baptiste thanks for sharing your house hacking experience. I have been househacking on and off for about 4 years. Yes there have been some dramas here as but for the most part it's been pretty great. I was able to turn my place into two units so no shared spaced helped a lot. 

Some high and lowlights:

- I had one tenant that brought German cockroaches in and then blamed it on me

- Same tenant asking if her daughter can visit but failed to mention it was 5 more very noisy people

- another tenant having constant loud arguments with his gf

- tenant saved some of my stuff when the house flooded due to a pipe burst and another time during a monster rain storm. I was out of town for both of those. Just my luck haha.

- >65K in rent collected

- having someone to bring in Amazon packages when it is raining outside

- generally having someone to watch over the property when out of town often

I think the headache is worth it.

[Luis Maqueira]

The Takeaway
House hacking has been an adventure. I’ve learned about people, property management, and (most importantly) myself. Is it easy? No. Is it worth it? Absolutely. If you’re thinking about diving in, I say go for it—but maybe don’t start by living in a closet. Unless, of course, you’re into character-building experiences. 🌟

Great no move to Multifamily 

With the same skills you can manage a 1M fourplex

More independence when you grow your family

Start the journey to bill wealth  if you have a 350,000 at 6% your wealth per year 21000

with a 1M  your wealth 60,000 per year  3X

Buy a 350$ houses you need to have good credit great Income personal

Buy a 1M  Multifamily    (my unit 350$ same income)+ 2Unit rent is your income+ 3rd Unit rent is your Income .

Same only that your roommates don't live with you. And yes they pay 60% of your Mortgage.

Open to share ideas any time we have a free network to meet like-minded investors in Miami.

Luis Maqueira MMP