Split the units
Write down which unit you will occupy and which rents are real, vacant, or still a guess.
Underwrite the house hack before you move in.
Living in one unit and renting the others can cut your housing cost. It does not automatically make the property cash flow if you leave. Model both cases before you buy.
2026-017 · OakridgeHouse hack
OverviewBudgetScheduleTasksFiles
Total budget$632,500of $650,000
Costs to date$318,72049% complete
Projected value$980,000On track
Land$95,000Complete
Hard costs$166,450On track
Soft costs$32,180On track
Financing$23,090On track
Underwrite occupancy
Compare the payment and operating costs you will personally cover with the rent you stop paying somewhere else.
Underwrite the exit from the hack
Rerun the property as a full rental. Owner-occupancy loan terms may change when you move.
Rehab only what the lease needs
Scope life-safety and the rented unit first. A dream kitchen in your unit is a housing choice, not NOI.
Housing savings and investment cash flow are different results
Illustrative duplex. You live in one unit. The other rents for $1,800 with a 5% vacancy allowance, about $1,710 effective. Debt service is $2,400 a month. Operating costs you still pay are $600. A similar apartment for you would cost $1,600.
Cash you pay while living there$1,290 a month after the rented unit
Compared with renting elsewhereAbout $310 a month less housing cost
If you move out and need a second rentYou do not have one yet
Full-rental gap on these inputsPayment plus operating costs exceed one unit of rent
DecisionBuy as housing only if you can carry the gap, or underwrite a second lease
The hack can be a rational way to live cheaper and still be a weak investment the month you move. House hacking software should show both statements. Do not add the rent you no longer pay into NOI. That savings is personal, and it disappears when you occupy a different house.
Common questions
What this strategy page will and will not decide for you.
What is house hacking?
You live in part of a small property and rent the rest. Typical versions are a duplex, a home with a suite, or a house with roommates. Loan and occupancy rules depend on the lender and are not set on this page.
Should roommate rent count as NOI?
For the investment case, yes, if it is durable income and you allow for vacancy. For your personal budget, it offsets the payment. Label which statement you are reading.
Do owner-occupant repairs belong in the rental budget?
Repairs that make the rented unit leasable belong in the deal. Finishes that only you enjoy belong in your housing budget so they do not pretend to raise NOI.
How does this differ from BRRRR?
BRRRR plans on refinancing you out. A house hack plans on you living there. You can do both later, but the first model should match the loan and the lease you will actually have.
What should I calculate next?
Run the NOI calculator on the full-rental case, and the rehab cost calculator if the rented unit needs work before it can lease.
Keep the numbers, work, files, and outcome connected.
Every strategy starts the same way: analyze the deal before you commit. Run one free analysis in your browser. No account and no card for that screen.