How it works
How a first home comes together.
Traditional homebuying
or house hacking.
Both start with buying a home. The difference is whether you take on renters once you move in.
Take the House Hack QuizA home that's
all yours.
More privacy and a simpler life after closing. You carry the whole payment and every repair yourself.
- Privacy
- Keep your living space for yourself, without tenants sharing it.
- Monthly costs
- You cover the full payment, utilities and upkeep.
- Responsibilities
- Maintain your home and plan for repairs.
A home with
a tenant.
Rent from a room or another unit can help with the payment. You take on tenants, leases and repairs for more than one household.
- Privacy
- Share a building or part of your home with tenants. The layout shapes how much space you share.
- Monthly costs
- Rent can help with the payment. Budget for repairs and months without a tenant, too.
- Responsibilities
- Handle leases, tenant questions and repairs, or pay a property manager to do it.
Buying a home generally follows these seven steps.
Three phases, with your next steps, my role and the details worth knowing. The details depend on your loan, your contract and the property, so treat this as a map.
Step 1 of 7: Talk it through
Talk it through
You tell me what you want the next few years to look like: where you spend your days, what you can comfortably pay each month, and whether sharing a building with a tenant sounds workable. I ask questions until the picture is clear.
- What you do
- Bring your questions. You don't need answers yet.
- What I do
- I help turn your questions into a search plan and explain what working together involves.
- Worth knowing
- A conversation doesn't commit you to buying anything.
Choose a path
Decide what you're shopping for: a home that's all yours, a home with a room to rent, or a duplex, triplex or fourplex you live in. Use the comparison above to weigh privacy, rental responsibilities and the kind of home you want.
- What you do
- Decide whether you want tenants, and how much space you want to share.House Hack QuizFind Your Place
- What I do
- I help you compare the daily responsibilities of each option, including the work that comes with renters.
- Worth knowing
- You can change direction as you learn more about the homes and financing available.
Talk to a lender
A lender reviews your income, debts, credit and savings and tells you which loans you may qualify for. If you're looking at a 2 to 4 unit property, ask how they count rent from the other units and what they require when you live in one.
- What you do
- Gather pay stubs, tax returns and bank statements, and pick a monthly payment you can live with. Ask about loan types, down payment requirements and assistance programs you may qualify for.
- What I do
- I can connect you with lenders in the Roots network and help you prepare questions about the properties you are considering.
- Worth knowing
- Pre-approval is an estimate, not a final loan approval. That comes later, after the appraisal and underwriting.
Find the property
Tour homes that fit your list and your budget. For a house hack, look closely at the layout: separate entrances, separate utilities, parking, and how much privacy each unit gets.
- What you do
- Sort your needs from your wants before listing alerts pull you in every direction.Run a property through the Roots house hack calculator (opens in a new tab)
- What I do
- I help you compare homes against your priorities and spot questions to bring to the seller, lender or inspector.
- Worth knowing
- Rent is an estimate until a lease is signed. Ask what similar units nearby actually rent for, and whether the building comes with tenants and leases already in place.
Offer and inspection
I help you write the offer and negotiate. Once it's accepted, a home inspection shows the condition of the building. On a multi-unit, that means every unit plus shared systems like the roof, plumbing and electrical.
- What you do
- Plan for the earnest money deposit specified in your offer. Once accepted, schedule the inspection, read the report and decide what to ask for.
- What I do
- I help you write the offer, track contract deadlines and negotiate requests after the inspection.
- Worth knowing
- Your contract sets the earnest money amount, deadline and conditions for its return. Inspection findings can lead to repair requests, a price change or ending the purchase under the contract’s terms.
Closing
The lender finishes underwriting, an appraisal checks the value, and you sign the final paperwork. Then you get the keys.
- What you do
- Answer lender requests quickly and read your Closing Disclosure before closing day.
- What I do
- I help coordinate the remaining steps with the lender, title team and seller, including the final walkthrough.
- Worth knowing
- Closing costs come on top of your down payment. Your lender's Loan Estimate lists them early.
Move in
Move in and make it home. If you bought a house hack, you now also run a small rental: finding and screening tenants, leases, repairs and collecting rent, or paying a property manager to do it.
- What you do
- Set up utilities and a maintenance budget. If you plan to rent out space, learn the landlord, tenant and fair housing rules before advertising.
- What I do
- I remain a point of contact for questions and can connect you with resources in the Roots network as you settle in.
- Worth knowing
- Your lender confirms the occupancy requirements for your loan. If you rent out part of the home, budget for vacancies as well as repairs.
You don’t need everything figured out.
Bring the questions on your mind, the priorities that shape your day and a rough idea of when you’d like to move. You don’t need to have a home picked out or know which path you’ll take.
I’ll help you put those pieces together and talk through what to explore next.
Let’s talkDo I need pre-approval before reaching out?
No. Start with your questions. Talking through your goals can help you decide what to ask a lender before you begin looking at homes.
Can I change paths?
Yes. You can start by considering a house hack and decide a home without tenants makes more sense for you, or the other way around. We can revisit your priorities as you learn more.
Can I buy without tenants?
Yes. A home that is all yours is one of the paths here. You carry the payment and repairs yourself, with more privacy and no rental responsibilities.
What should I prepare?
Think about where you spend your days, what matters most in a home and what you want your next few years to look like. If you have a question or a home you are curious about, bring that along. You do not need a finished plan.
Let’s figure out your first step.
Tell me what you’re weighing, and we’ll talk through where to start. If you’re still exploring house hacking, the quiz can help you think it through.