1️⃣ Househacking a Multi-Family (2-4 Units):This is how I started with a 3 family outside of Hartford CT—and how many of our clients in expensive markets do, too.

Include the finish selections as well so they understand what is being installed (Carpet is cheaper than hardwood and if you install hardwood herringbone thats even more expensive).Then you have the general terms as part of the contract which are insurance requiremens, licensing, schedule, indemnifications, lien waivers, case of default. 

This will allow you separate business income and expenses from personal income and expenses.Since you plan to house hack your bookkeeping and tax return preparation will be more complicated because a percentage of your home expenses will be personal deductions and some will be business deductions.

It is actually better to start with a slower season and welcome expensive guests when you know what you are doing. 

Faced with mounting expenses, extended timelines, and diminishing returns, we ultimately decided to sell the property instead of continuing with the BRRRR strategy.The Insurance Mistake:The biggest lesson I learned was that I had the wrong type of insurance.

@Rae Chris Ann Arbor is pretty expensive, so difficult to find cashflowing rentals.You may want to look in Ypsilanti - if you want to stay in your area.Otherwise, Metro Detroit offers a LOT of options.Read our copy & paste below for some helpful info:---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

Treating loan repayments like a non-negotiable expense while reinvesting property cash flow back into building equity.

.- If interest rates remain high, this is further upward pressure on rents in the near-term, as the alternative to renting - buying a home with a mortgage, is expensive - this should increase demand for rentals. - Rents are also a function of supply - 2024 saw the most new construction of multifamily units in American history (nearly 575,000 estimated 2024 deliveries of new multifamily inventory), and 2025, while not a record setting year, will see deliveries top 500,000 again - a huge supply increase. 

A few notes from a licensed insurance agent:$500,000 liability coverage on renters insurance is not difficult or expensive to get. 

I currently live in San Diego, Ca. but have been looking in the midwest, mainly Iowa, Indiana and Ohio, for properties.Hey Janet, I moved to Columbus a few years ago (from Portland, Oregon which was super expensive) to become a full time real estate investor, and ever since, I've completed quite a lot of BRRRRs, flips, and own a successful rental portfolio here in Columbus Ohio.