I'm a recent transplant to FL and I'm about to start acquiring rehab properties in the North FL area.

Of course you do however want to make sure the property does well enough that you can live rent free or at least close to it. 

Finding a deal where you can potentially live rent free.

While the numbers look favorable for real estate both in the coming years and into the distant future in terms of net population influx, job growth, and housing starts, the other HALF of the equation is the overwhelming anecdotal interaction I have.Of the many, many new people that I met here in Denver over the past year, hundreds or maybe even thousands are recent transplants.

They live rent free and only pay their portion of utilities while building equity and learning to be landlords and homeowners.

But my goal was to find a good deal that I am able to at least break even and live rent-free while building up equity. 

I am assuming that loan scenario is for an 80% ltv, 30yr loanIf so, I found 2 better live rate online quotes from 2 lenders. 

I house hacked a duplex which allowed me to live rent free the remainder of college and also put less pressure on me to get a job before graduating.

Question 2:Are the primary startegies for house hacking is to live rent free while owning a property while landlording?

Hard to find but it would be worth it if it yields $1500 to $2k cashflow after getting a cash-out refinance and largely paying back the 100kAnother option could be to house hack and buy a 4plex on an FHA loan that needs only 3% down in which case you can buy a nicer property, live rent free and a year later you can rehab+refinance