Hey guys I'm looking to buy a 2nd property in the L.A area and I want to know what the better strategy would be: 1. sell my primary residence and buy a duplex so I can do a house hack OR 2. do a cash out refinance to house hack for said duplex.

That will allow you to better place your money in areas you know can succeed whether it be in the arbitrage or ownership space.

This will provide you two benefits:1) Help you better define the position, so you can hire a better matched person2) Make training the next person easier

So glad you could provide a better insight.

If you have a building background, I would work with an architect and build some unique places that are stick built to hold the equity value better.

Maybe a better question would have been if you know how much money you have for a down payment on a property?

@Erik Estrada is absolutely correct that working with a broker usually leads to a better rates and fees.

In the greater Orlando area, more is better in every way.

I am hoping to learn more about how investors analyze their deals and make decisions, as well as looking to better understand general real estate investing.

Are there better markets or hybrid approaches I should consider (e.g., smaller multifamily properties that accept Section 8 tenants)?