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All Forum Posts by: Shawn Tuma

Shawn Tuma has started 3 posts and replied 4 times.

Post: Duplex Concerns w/ VA Loan

Shawn TumaPosted
  • Posts 4
  • Votes 2

Hey everyone! 

This is my 1st MF property that I am investing in. I'm using my VA loan so I don't have to put any money down & can keep money in my account to fund rehab deals.


Since I'm not putting money down, I know that I won't cash flow this duplex right away. I do plan to live in the vacant side at least for a year, with a VA loan after a year I can take out a loan on another property. I'm more concerned on if it's going to be a good deal or not. I'm currently in the option period with it ending on Monday so I need to make an educated decision by then. Details on the duplex:


Price: $385k

Built: 2012

Size: 2674 sq ft (1333 each side). 2 story, 3B/2.5B each side w/ 1 car garage & driveway for both, fenced backyard both sides.

Interest: 5.49%

PITI: $2,698

Current Rent: $1,350 but could be brought up to ~$1,600, maybe $1,700

Yearly Property Tax: $8,340 (I don't pay any on my side while I live there so $4,170)

Upgrades: Vinyl floor in kitchen of both units, new AC (central HVAC) on vacant unit, roof done 2016. 

Inspection Results: Mostly small issues, inspector was mainly concerned with multiple cracks throughout the siding. Some damage from WDI, which seller will have to address this before close.

Seller is paying all closing costs, survey & title, they did a rate buy down to 5.49%, and a year warranty. 


Sorry for the long post but wanted to include all details possible. Does this seem like a decent deal for long term? I'm still on the fence about it & would love feedback from people with more RE experience than myself. I have the ability to cover all the expenses if there is vacancy, which this property has low vacancy.

I am looking for strategies and or guidelines to follow when it comes to using a MF for house hacking. I'm currently looking at using a VA loan for purchasing a duplex to live in one side & rent the other.

However in this market, it seems like even after I move out & into another property, most of the duplexes I've looked at won't be positive cash flowing, or break even. Many variables seem to be the cause of this to include house price, property taxes, interest rates, etc.

I really want to utilize my VA loan for MF properties & live in one portion and rent the others. What are your suggestions & strategies for making it work, so that it isn't costing me money in the short term & long term???

Apologies if this was asked previously, didn't see anything lately on the forums. I'm planning on closing on my 1st MF property by the end of the year. Is it worth having tenants use a 3rd party service/app for collecting rent, doing maintenance requests, etc? Or is it easier & wiser to just have payments sent to my LLC's account & having the tenant text/email me in regards to property issues? If the former is easiest, what service/app do y'all suggest using?