The 'House Hack': How Your First Property Can Pay for Itself
Stop Dreaming About Wealth. Start Building It With This One Smart Move.
You've got the blueprint. You're reading Becoming a Millionaire, which means you've already taken the most important step: you've decided to build a different financial future. If you haven't downloaded your free guide to Becoming a Millionaire, grab yours here: millionaire.oregonmultiplex.com
But for most people, the leap from reading about real estate to owning it feels vast. It’s intimidating. That's where "house hacking" comes in.
This isn't a "get rich quick" gimmick. It is the single most powerful, practical, and accessible strategy for starting your investment journey. It's the launchpad that can turn the principles in the book into your reality, faster than you ever thought possible.
At truHOME, we've built our business on this very strategy. Here's how it works.
What is "House Hacking"?
In simple terms, house hacking is the strategy of buying a multi-family property (like a duplex, triplex, or fourplex), living in one of the units, and renting out the others.
The income from your tenants is then used to pay your mortgage, taxes, and insurance.
In a good house hack, your tenants' rent covers all of your housing expenses, allowing you to live for free. In a great house hack, their rent covers all expenses and puts a little extra cash in your pocket each month.
Why is This the Ultimate First Step?
The "house hack" strategy gives new investors three massive, game-changing advantages.
1. You Get "Owner-Occupant" Financing
This is the real secret. Lenders give the best loan terms to people who are buying a home to live in.
Low Down Payment: Instead of the 20-25% down required for a typical investment property, you can use an FHA loan (3.5% down) or a VA loan (0% down) to buy a multi-family property, as long as you live in one unit.
Lower Rates: You get the same low-interest rates as a regular homebuyer.
What it means: You can acquire a powerful, $800,000 cash-flowing asset for as little as $28,000 out of pocket, a barrier to entry that is exponentially lower than traditional investing.
2. You Get Paid to Live
Your number one largest personal expense—your housing—is now eliminated. That $1,500... $2,000... $3,000+ you were paying in rent or a mortgage is now yours to keep. You can use this newfound cash flow to:
Pay off debt
Build your savings
Create an emergency fund
Save up for your next investment property (this is how you scale)
3. You Learn to be a Landlord (With Training Wheels)
The biggest fear for new investors is the "landlord" part. What about tenants? What about repairs? When you're house hacking, you are on-site. You learn how to manage a property, screen tenants, and handle maintenance in a low-stakes environment. You're not just an investor; you're the on-site manager, and you're building invaluable experience.
The "New-Build" Advantage: Why Your First Hack Shouldn't Be a Fixer-Upper
You're convinced: house hacking is the way. So you start looking and find a 70-year-old duplex that "has character."
Be careful. A fixer-upper hack can be a nightmare. You're living in a construction zone, and that "small" bathroom remodel turns into a $20,000 plumbing disaster.
At truHOME, we build brand-new multiplexes specifically for house-hackers because it solves all these problems:
Zero Surprise Repairs: Everything is new. The roof, the plumbing, the electrical. It's all under warranty.
Premium Tenants: A new-build attracts high-quality, long-term tenants who are willing to pay a premium for new finishes, new appliances, and modern, energy-efficient units.
Lower Maintenance: Your "maintenance" for the first few years is... nothing. This means your cash flow is predictable and protected.
Instant Gratification: You can move in and rent the other units the day you close. No demo days, no contractor delays.
The Blueprint in Action
Let's look at the math on a hypothetical new-build fourplex in Oregon, purpose-built by truHOME for house hacking.
Purchase Price: $800,000
FINANCING
Down Payment (3.5% FHA): $28,000
Monthly PITI (Mortgage, Taxes, Insurance): ~$5,713
INCOME (You live in one unit)
Rent from Unit 2: $2,000
Rent from Unit 3: $2,000
Rent from Unit 4: $2,000
Total Monthly Income
Total: $6,000
THE NUMBERS
Your Total Income: $6,000
Your Total Mortgage (PITI): $5,713
YOUR MONTHLY CASH FLOW
Total: +$287
Think about that. You don't just live for free. You are paid $287 every month to live in a brand-new, high-end home, all while your tenants pay down your mortgage and build your equity.
This is how you turn the Becoming a Millionaire blueprint into your reality. This is how you change your financial life, starting with one smart, powerful step.
Ready to see the properties that make this possible?
Visit OregonMultiplex.com to see our new-build inventory
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