All Forum Posts by: Charlie V.

Hi, my area in the WV panhandle seems to be lacking in quality duplex, triplex, and quadplex homes, so I have been looking into a different way to "house-hack". There are plenty of basements in the area though. 

I was wondering how much you guys believe it would effect the rental value/appeal if I was to live in the basement and keep the connecting door locked (or even removed if that won't raise zoning problems) and just use a door to the backyard/side of the house to enter/exit daily. 

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated as I continue to look into my first purchase.

Possibly take a look on the county assessor's website? Looking for property tax records has information about the owner of the property.

Hello everyone,

I apologize if this is a newbie question but this is my first post after days of research. I am looking at using the house-hacking trick for a first property in the WV-MD-VA area and am finding it difficult to find a duplex/triplex/quadplex in a location that I can count on having a positive cashflow.

That is not quite the same case for properties with more than 4 units, but obviously there is the problem of 4 units for an FHA loan. I have found some properties that are being sold as a cluster of 3 buildings with 2 units, so 3 duplexes. Is this still considered out of bounds with an FHA loan? Or does it skirt it in that each building only has 2 units?

Also better properties can be found in the downtown area of some of the "larger" cities, but I have a mixed understanding I can't find clarification about FHA loan location eligibility. Are you able to attain an FHA loan within a major, metro area?

Also anyone with experience in the area around Winchester-Martinsburg-Hagerstown-Frederick-outer Baltimore/DC I would love to talk with to gain some familiarity having moved here a few months ago so at a bit of a disadvantage.