House Hacking
House Hacking in Philadelphia & Bucks County
Buy a duplex, triplex or fourplex, live in one unit, and let your tenants help pay your mortgage. I've done it myself, and I'll show you how.
I'm Alan Asriants, a licensed real estate agent in Pennsylvania and New Jersey since 2017 and a real estate investor. My portfolio started with a single house hack. Today it's 18 rental units, built through house hacking, renovations, flips and buy-and-hold investing.
I'm also an electrical engineer (Penn State) with hands-on renovation and construction experience. When we tour a duplex together, I'm checking the electrical service, the meters, the roof and the layout, and running the numbers on the rents. You'll know what you're buying before you sign anything.
What Is House Hacking?
House hacking is the most accessible way to start investing in real estate. You buy a 2–4 unit property, or a single-family home with a rentable in-law suite or basement, using an owner-occupant loan with a low down payment. You live in one unit and rent out the rest. The rent covers a large share of your mortgage, sometimes all of it, while you build equity and learn to be a landlord.
Low down payment
Owner-occupied loans let you buy a 2–4 unit property with as little as 3.5% down (FHA), 5% (conventional) or 0% (VA, for eligible veterans).
Rent helps you qualify
Lenders typically count about 75% of market rent from the other units toward your income, which can increase what you qualify for.
Live for less
Your tenants' rent offsets your housing cost. Many house hackers end up paying less than they would to rent an apartment.
Repeat and scale
After a year, you can move out, keep the property as a rental and buy your next house hack. That's how I built my portfolio.
Example: The Numbers on a Duplex
Here's a simplified look at a hypothetical $450,000 duplex, a typical price in our area, bought with a 5% down conventional loan, where you live in one unit and rent the other. Your actual numbers will depend on the property, rate, taxes and rents, and I'll run them with you on every property you consider.
| Monthly item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Mortgage principal & interest ($427,500 loan after 5% down, ~6.5% rate, 30 years) | ~$2,700 |
| Private mortgage insurance (PMI) | ~$150 |
| Property taxes (~$6,500/yr) | ~$540 |
| Homeowners insurance (~$1,700/yr) | ~$140 |
| Total monthly payment | ~$3,530 |
| Rent collected from the second unit | −$1,800 |
| Your net monthly housing cost | ~$1,730 |
Illustrative example only, not a loan offer. Budget separately for maintenance, vacancies and utilities you pay as the owner.
The Engineer-Investor Advantage
Most agents can show you a duplex. Few can tell you whether it's a good one. On small multifamily properties, the costly surprises are usually hiding in the systems, and that's where my background helps.
Electrical & systems review
Undersized service, knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring, shared meters and outdated panels: I flag them on the first showing.
Renovation budgets
From my own flips and renovations, I give you realistic repair and upgrade costs, not guesses.
Rental & legal-unit check
We confirm rents, leases and whether each unit is legal, so your income projections hold up with your lender and the township.
Landlord experience
Through New Century Real Estate, we manage rentals ourselves. I'll prepare you for tenant screening, leases and PA landlord-tenant rules.
How We Find Your House Hack
- Strategy call. We talk through your goals, budget, credit and timeline, and decide whether a duplex, triplex, fourplex or single-family with an in-law suite fits best.
- Pre-approval with a house-hack lender. I introduce you to lenders who regularly close FHA, conventional and VA multifamily loans and know how to count rental income.
- Deal analysis. For every property, we review rents, expenses, cash flow and the self-sufficiency test (for 3–4 units) before you tour.
- Tours with an engineer's eye. I assess the electrical, mechanical systems, roof, layout and repair needs in person.
- Offer and negotiation. We write a strong offer and use inspection findings to negotiate price or repairs.
- Closing and lease-up. I help you transition existing tenants or find new ones, and set you up to manage the property, or have us manage it.
What House Hackers Say
"Alan did a fantastic job guiding me through the purchase of my very first house-hack property. He took the time to educate me and answered all my questions."
Benjamin S., via BiggerPockets
"Alan and his team were incredible in helping me buy my first property, which was a duplex. Knowledgeable, patient, and smooth from start to finish."
Juan B., via BiggerPockets
"Extremely thorough and honest. He will point out the good, the bad, and the caveats of each property."
Kenneth Z., first-time buyer, via BiggerPockets
Read all 91 five-star reviews on Alan's BiggerPockets profile.
Where We Help You House Hack
We focus on markets with strong small-multifamily inventory and rental demand across Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery Counties and nearby New Jersey, including Roxborough, where we do a large share of our business:
- Roxborough
- Manayunk
- Mt. Airy
- Chestnut Hill
- Fairmount
- Fishtown
- Graduate Hospital
- Point Breeze
- Passyunk
- Northeast Philadelphia
- Bensalem
- Feasterville-Trevose
- Lower Moreland & Huntingdon Valley
- Levittown & Bristol
- Warminster
- Warrington & Jamison
- Richboro & Newtown
- Hatboro & Horsham
- Abington & Willow Grove
- Upper Dublin & Ambler
- Rockledge & Jenkintown
- Ewing, NJ
- Princeton, NJ
House Hacking Guides
FHA Loans for Duplexes in PA
Down payment, rental income rules and the appraisal issues that sink FHA deals. Read the guide →
The FHA Self-Sufficiency Test
How to tell whether a triplex or fourplex qualifies, with a worked example. Read the guide →
House Hacking in Roxborough & Manayunk
Sub-areas, tenant demand and Philadelphia rental rules in Northwest Philly. Read the guide →
House Hacking in Northeast Philadelphia
Where to find brick duplexes in the Lower, Near and Far Northeast. Read the guide →
Best Bucks County Towns to House Hack
Where to find duplexes and small multifamily properties in Bucks County. Read the guide →
House Hacking FAQ
What is house hacking?
House hacking means buying a small multifamily property (a duplex, triplex or fourplex) or a single-family home with rentable space, living in one unit, and renting out the others. The rent from your tenants helps pay your mortgage, so you build equity while living for far less than you would renting.
How much money do I need to house hack in Pennsylvania?
Because you live in the property, you can use owner-occupant financing. FHA loans allow as little as 3.5% down on 1–4 unit properties with a 580+ credit score, conventional loans allow 5% down on 2–4 unit primary residences, and eligible veterans can use VA loans with 0% down. You will also need closing costs and reserves. We connect you with lenders who do house-hack loans every week.
Can I use the rent from the other units to qualify for the mortgage?
Usually, yes. Most lenders count about 75% of the projected or current market rent from the other units toward your qualifying income. For 3–4 unit properties, FHA also requires the property to pass a self-sufficiency test, where 75% of total rent must cover the full monthly payment. Alan runs these numbers before you make an offer.
How long do I have to live in a house hack?
Owner-occupant loans generally require you to move in within 60 days of closing and intend to live there for at least 12 months. After that, many clients move out, keep the property as a rental, and repeat the process with a new owner-occupied loan.
Where are the best places to house hack near Philadelphia?
Northeast Philadelphia, lower Bucks County (Bensalem, Feasterville, Levittown, Bristol) and eastern Montgomery County (Abington, Hatboro, Willow Grove) offer a good mix of duplexes and triplexes, steady rental demand and reasonable entry prices. The right area depends on your budget and commute. Alan will walk you through the trade-offs.
Why work with an agent who is also an engineer and investor?
Small multifamily properties often hide expensive problems: outdated electrical service, knob-and-tube wiring, shared utilities, illegal units and deferred maintenance. Alan is an electrical engineer (Penn State) who has managed his own renovations and flips, so he spots these issues during showings and helps you budget for them before you are under contract.
Is the house hack a good long-term investment?
For many people it is the most affordable way to start building a rental portfolio. Alan started his own portfolio with a house hack and grew it to 18 rental units. Every deal is different, so we always review cash flow, repairs and your goals before you buy.
Ready to Buy Your First House Hack?
Book a free strategy call. We'll look at your budget, your financing options and the best areas to start.
The Asriants Team · New Century Real Estate · Selling a home? · About Us · Мы говорим по-русски · Se habla español