House hacking and multi-family properties are great ways to start in real estate!

A little background: Feel free to scroll down for the main reason of this post...I started out in 2011 trying everything to make my start in real estate but was not successful until 2015 when we purchased our first duplex in Fresno CA.

Starting off you will not do a zero sum investment plus get other people to invest.  

I am not an accountant, but need to start using more sophisticated accounting software. 

There's a reason that people try to buy properties off-market and that is because you can find sellers who care more about terms than maximizing returns.So start with a conversation: you already presumably have some rapport since it's your landlord and you've spoken before.

Since graduating in 2021, I moved to Washington, DC to pursue a civil engineering career and am now feeling like I am in more of a position to start learning and pursuing real estate investing seriously.

Do you also use Redfin/Zillow as a starting point? 

Here are some financing options to consider:HELOC or Cash-Out Refi on Another Property – If you or your mom have equity elsewhere, this could be a more flexible and lower-interest option.Business Line of Credit – Since the property is in an LLC, you might qualify for a business LOC, which could cover construction costs.Private Money Lender – If you’re okay with 12-15% rates, a private lender could fund this as a short-term loan, especially if the guesthouse will generate strong income.Construction Loan – Some lenders offer short-term construction financing, which converts to a longer-term mortgage once completed.Seller/Partner Financing – Bringing in an investor or structuring a joint venture with someone willing to fund the build in exchange for a share of the income.Credit Card Stacking or Unsecured Business Loans – Riskier but could work if you need to bridge a gap until the unit starts cash flowing.Would love to hear more details—especially your timeline and expected rental income.

To start out, I'm finding renters on my own and am not renting through AirBnb or VBRO.

That said, even with conservative rental income estimates, my living expenses would eventually drop to several hundred dollars less than what I’m currently paying in rent once the house hack starts generating income.I do have cash reserves to weather some rough patches, but the idea of pushing my budget this hard makes me uneasy.