What is the best way to explore if this is an option with the seller's lender?

I still like house hacking in this market.

I would say that house hacking is a great option to consider. 

Hey @Laura Casner, I agree with others to use the local real estate and find out what others are paying.I would call an agent and give them some specs on the house you are planning and the location and they should be able to give you some decent idea of insurance cost.I would budget a bit more for repairs and maintenance for the first year after the build.

Now that the house has been sold and we no longer have to communicate with a realtor, this behavior is worse. 

My husband and I purchased a 2 family house that was fully occupied with tenants, intending to live in the first floor.

I painted the whole interior of the house repose gray from Sherwin Williams .

Hi All,I am a dormant RE investor with a few rental houses in Houston area and trying to get more active and scale up.

The home was in a great neighborhood and the home was priced at a little under half of what the comps and next door neighbor's houses were valued at.

As you are pointing out - the expenses will all hit at some point if you own for long enough.If you buy a house that needs a new roof and a new furnace within a year... then you need to budget for those expenses in a year.