Keeping pets requires a one-time nonrefundable pet fee of $200 (per pet) as well as an additional $20 monthly rent for each approved pet.

In addition, if i used fixed rate financing, my biggest expense is fixed.  

I continued paying what I had paid before, with the additional money purely going to principal.The recast to a lower amount was purely to reduce my committed monthly payment to a point that I could get my property to cash flow if I had to move out (job loss, etc).

From a credit perspective, house hacking also helps you build strong cash flow, which can make it easier to secure financing for future deals.Additionally, if you're targeting high-appreciation markets, you could also look into cash-out refinancing down the line to pull equity and fund additional investments.

Hi Shane,Congrats on the new addition to your family!

In additional to conducting educational workshops, I also write blogposts for their websites.

This combined with my new boss giving me additional responsibilities (how dare he...) and the support of my wife prompted me to take the plunge. 

I'm a very analytical person who won't start a new venture without first gaining a solid understanding, establishing the right framework and connections, and ensuring that I'm securing a great deal.

I'd rather be safe about it and ensure cash flow from day one.

My original SFR was 1100sf and I added 2 units: an 800sf SB9 unit and a 750sf ADU (converted garage plus addition).