What is house hacking and can it help me afford a home?

House hacking means buying a property and using rental income from part of it to offset your housing costs. Common versions include buying a duplex, triplex, or fourplex, living in one unit and renting the others, or buying a single-family home and renting out spare bedrooms to roommates. The advantage is twofold: rental income lowers your effective monthly payment, and with owner-occupied financing you can buy a two-to-four-unit property with a low down payment (3.5% FHA, sometimes 5% conventional) — far less than an investor would need. Some loan programs even let projected rental income help you qualify. The trade-offs are real: you become a landlord, share space, and take on maintenance and tenant management. Done carefully, it's one of the most powerful ways for a first-time buyer to enter an expensive market while building equity. Run the math with wealthserene.com/tools/buy-vs-rent.