We would then live in one unit, use two units to pay the debt service and operating expenses, and the fourth unit goes to the lender/investor to pay off their position.

Would I be selling the benificiary position of the trust?

I noticed that the homes up north are a lot cheaper then the ones here in south Florida.

I will be cash flow positive above my $2250/month mortgage/ins/taxes.- My goal is to follow Scott Trench's ideas in Set for Life and hopefully rent a room for under $1200/month to save some extra cash and use it along with my current savings to buy and house hack a duplex/triplex/fourplex in 4-12 months in the Oakland/Emeryville area.- I consider myself very handy since I have renovated my entire house 99% by myself and pulled permits. 

I got a call yesterday from a tenant of five years to give 30 days notice.

were I to buy in la, i would go the HRA route and house hack, but i still don't know if i can get positive cash flow with the prices here unless its a foreclosure. 

Hi @Michael PlanteIf you listened well to Podcast  238 really well, you would have noticed my first 2 apartment complexes I purchased went bad really fast.

I'm assuming they would charge a fee for the renewal, so I'm surprised you didn't notice.

Emerging market with positive future. 

I want to confirm with the city of course but my actual taxes/insurance should be closer to $240 a month, leaving positive cash flow of $60 a month.