Current rates are about as average as they get. 

I am specifically looking in Essex county, MA because I want to house back close enough to my current W-2 job.

Quote from @Devin James: In one of our development projects, the City staff asked us to remove 40 units from our concept plan.This wasn’t requested by the City Commission at a formal hearing, it was the opinion of the staff.Our original concept already proposed fewer units than the current zoning would have allowed.Here’s what erasing 40 units means:- 40 fewer homes for buyers- Over $1M in lost profit for our team- Fewer tax dollars and impact fees that could’ve benefited the City’s infrastructure & servicesWe gotta get betterEveryone wants more affordable housing, but not everyone wants to do what it takes to achieve it we never listen to the recommending bodies. we move for city approvals and work closely. the other thing we do is keep going back to the same groups over and over and over and over every month on the same agenda and make very small reductions like 2% or 4% and that reduces and beats them down eventually they accept what you want. it's just before beating a dead horse. we keep tabling until they give us something we all agree on then we go to vote. in our city in columbus we have to get recommendations but that's our strategy. we used to come out as aggressive as possible. we typically study developments in the area and keep it very similar in terms of density. we have a track record of very controversial projects and litigation and not taking no as an answer. after a year of that haha I can tell you it's not worth it. now we are more relationship based and buying the right kinds of plots of land. if the numbers don't work on the front end don't do the development. 

In CA currently only MF properties are rent controlled.

It's a big 10,400sf corner lot which currently has a 1,614sf 2Bed2bath home.

I currently work at Deloitte in Cyber Security.

.: New to REI & BP, and debating my first move.My Background:30, single, no kids, no property, high income, fully remote worker$300K to allocate toward real estate (+ $100K/year after tax)Currently renting in NYC but planning to move back to LA (hometown) in summer 2025 or the following yearTired of paying rent and want to start building equityMy Dilemma:1️⃣ House Hack in NYC – Stay a couple more years here, buy a small multi-family now and offset costs with rental income.

What they are currently using the home for (renting by the room vs renting the entire house to one group) isn't your concern.

Will be difficult because you currently live in the property . is the 2nd unit livable and just looking to renovate ? 

They currently pay 9% interest only payments.