As a realtor in the Austin area, Jordan used his intimate market knowledge to find a duplex in need of renovations for his second house hack. Today, he shares more about his small multi-family unit house hacking story with us.
House hacking just might change your life. Before we open Pandora’s box, I highly encourage you to grab a copy of our House Hacking Quick Start Guide (free) as you read along. Not only will it deepen your learning, but it also includes a cost-saving tip most house hackers miss. You could save thousands and you won’t find it anywhere on this site.
Jordan’s House Hacking Case Study
Jordan’s house hack allowed him to in one unit of a duplex at a very affordable monthly cost for the area. He came across the idea of house hacking organically and later learned about the nuts and bolts of the strategy through various podcasts.
After deciding that house hacking was a strategy that he wanted to pursue, he bought his first home to flip and hack. He was able to walk away from that first purchase with $130,000 and lived there for free throughout the process. That represented an amazing monthly saving of $1,100 for an apartment in Austin.
The decision to move forward with house hacking was a no-brainer for Jordan. So, he moved onto his next property which we learn more about below.
The House Hack
With his second house hack, Jordan decided to purchase a duplex in need of significant repairs. He bought the duplex for $260,000 in 2019. With some major renovations, the property is now worth $425,000. In addition to the significant increase in value, Jordan is able to live in one of the units for just $500 out of pocket.
Tenants
Jordan used both Facebook Marketplace and MLS posts to find new tenants for the second unit. Currently, Jordan occupies one of the units by himself. He uses Cozy to manage the tenants and the property.
Updating The Units
After closing on the property, Jordan funded $60,000 of renovations to both units. The costs included both the interior and exterior upgrades that increased the property’s value.
Here’s a closer look at the updated units:
The Numbers Of The Deal
It’s time to find out exactly how profitable Jordan’s house hack really is!
Financing
When Jordan bought the property, he used a conventional loan with 5% down to secure funding. At the time, he was able to lock in an interest rate of 4.5%.
With that financing, the monthly mortgage payment including principal, interest, taxes, and insurance is $1,950.
Rental Income
With the financing offset by rental income, Jordan is able to live in one unit of the duplex for just $500 per month.
Let’s take a closer look at the numbers:
- Rental cost before house hacking: $1,100
- Gross Rent: $1,450
- Mortgage payment: $1,950
- Cashflow before maintenance and vacancies: -$500
- House savings plus maintenance: $600
Not only is Jordan able to save a significant amount of money in rent each month, but also able to build equity in a desirable property.
Although he still has out of pocket expenses of $500 per month while living in one of the units, he plans to lower than cost with the help of Airbnb when he is out of town.
Want to dramatically reduce your housing costs while building equity in a property? Dive into housing hacking with our House Hacking Quick Start Guide.
The Learning Curve
Looking back, Jordan wishes that he had listened more closely to the inspector before moving forward with the property. However, it still turned out to be a great deal.
With the savings he has created through house hacking, he continues to buy more real estate. Jordan is a big believer in house hacking, he shared, “everyone should do it and get their finances in a great spot!”
Get In Touch
You can find out more about Jordan’s story via Facebook or his website.
The Bottom Line
Jordan’s house hacking case study shows that is it entirely possible to dramatically reduce your housing costs with some creativity. Although he had a leg up as a realtor, house hacking is a viable strategy for anyone on the path to financial independence.
Be sure to check out next week’s great case study with Lane.
If you are interested in creating your own house hacking story, then check out our ultimate guide, read more case studies, or listen to our house hacking podcast for more inspiration. You never know what you might discover!
If you choose to pursue a house hack of your own, then please share your story here. We would love the opportunity to share in your success.
