Ep 164 - House Hacking 101: The Easiest Way to Buy Real Estate

State48 Homeowner Podcast

In this episode of the State 48 Homeowner podcast, we dive into the world of house hacking—a powerful real estate strategy that allows you to live for free while building wealth. Our guest, Dan Shelhamer, shares his personal journey of turning a house hack into a thriving real estate portfolio. Starting with just a single-family home and three roommates, Dan built a portfolio of eight doors in a short period of time.

We break down two common models of house hacking:

● The Duplex/Fourplex Model – How to live in one unit and rent out the others without sharing your living space. ● The Single-Family Residence Model – Rent out extra bedrooms to cover your mortgage, as Dan did in his first house hack.

Whether you're new to real estate investing or looking to expand your portfolio, this episode covers:

● How to buy a home with a low down payment (as little as 3.5%) using FHA loans. ● Tips for maximizing your cash flow through rental income. ● Step-by-step insights into growing a real estate portfolio while minimizing out-of-pocket costs. ● Practical advice on managing tenants, saving for future investments, and scaling up to multi-family properties.

Dan also shares how he transitioned from long-term rentals to short-term vacation properties, boosting his cash flow and tax benefits.

Key Takeaways:

● The best house hacking strategies for both single-family homes and multi-unit properties. ● How Dan went from paying zero housing costs to building a portfolio of 8 rental doors. ● Why house hacking is an ideal first step for new investors. ● The importance of leveraging FHA loans and smart financing options to grow your real estate empire. ● Tips on managing tenants and maximizing rental income, even if you're just getting started.

About Our Guest: Dan Shelhamer is a real estate agent and investor with personal investment history that includes both long-term and short-term rental properties. He’s an expert in house hacking, real estate investing, and leveraging creative financing to build wealth.

Listen and Learn: Whether you're an aspiring real estate investor or a homeowner looking for ways to live for free, this episode provides actionable insights to help you get started.

https://klausteam.com/callusfirst

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