How does house-hacking a 2-4 family home help affordability?

House-hacking a 2-4 family home improves affordability by using rental income from the other units to offset your own mortgage payment, effectively lowering your real monthly housing cost below what a single-family purchase at the same price would require. It also typically qualifies for owner-occupant financing with a lower down payment than a pure investment purchase. Brian can point you toward towns in his coverage area where legal 2-4 family zoning actually exists.