Yes you need 5 people per bedroom. 1 single person short and the Sheriff will simply leave and you have to start all over again.

I would like to convert the garage into a one bedroom and rent either to another long term tenant or mid term (30 day min for professors or traveling nurses). 

We aren’t aiming for anything top of the line or updated but we need bigger and more bedrooms etc. so our next home we are looking $450kish and not much more. 

Hi Radhika-Congratulations on being a homemaker with young kids and looking to do more for the family financially now that the kids are older.You have 50K to get started but are having difficulty choosing markets and deciding where to begin and you are thinking about single-family long-term rentals out of state because you live in California.I would encourage you to start with duplexes, preferably with 2 bedrooms in each unit for tenant longevity, and ideally with separate utilities.

You should look for uneven multis (more bedrooms in one than the other) so you can stay in the smaller unit and cash flow more off the other rentals.Location wise, of all of those areas, Pennsylvania or staying in South Jersey gives you the best bang for your buck.

How many bedrooms would there be, 2?  

@Joshua Morency I started out by househacking a 3 bedroom rental allowing me to basically live rent free for a few years while I saved up enough money to buy a condo. 

Then moved out and we're sharing another house hack with less than $200 out of pocket monthly for utilities and internet while using 3 bedrooms and a bonus room for ourselves.

Quote from @Trent Reeve: Quote from @Jay Hinrichs: Quote from @John Underwood: At our 3 bedroom Lake House we have both.At our 6 bedroom Pigeon Forge Cabin we have 2 drip coffee makers and don't have a Keurig.So I agree it depends on your property. seems to me coffee pods would be much cleaner and easier on the host ? 

Sure, a professional photography session would make it look nicer, but I don't think it would move the dial as much.Your zip code at 19 rentals available for 3 bedroom properties.