Free calculator
House Hacking Calculator
See what living in your first house hack actually costs each month once the rent from the other units is applied. Adjust the numbers to match any real listing.
This page is for first-time buyers weighing a two to four unit. Your numbers stay in the browser.
What living in your unit costs each month, after the rent from the other unit(s) is applied.
Down payment plus estimated closing costs.
Principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA, mortgage insurance.
Monthly cashflow once every unit is rented and you have moved on.
Estimates only, for education. Mortgage insurance is approximated; property management is not included (assumes self-management). Confirm every figure with a lender and the actual property before you offer.
In plain English
What the numbers mean
Your monthly housing cost is the headline number: your full mortgage payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and mortgage insurance) plus a reserve for repairs and vacancy, minus the rent you collect from the other units. If it is negative, the rent more than covers the payment and you live there at no cost.
Cash to close is your down payment plus estimated closing costs. With FHA financing at 3.5% down, this is far smaller than most beginners expect. Lenders also want reserves on top, which this figure does not include: to see the full number across FHA, conventional, DSCR, and VA side by side, use the first deal cash planner. For the financing details, see FHA vs conventional for house hacking.
If you move out shows the monthly cashflow once every unit is rented and you have moved on. That is how a house hack becomes a standard rental. Budget a real cushion on top, using how much cash reserves to keep.
Not certain house hacking is your path? The strategy finder ranks it against buy and hold, BRRRR, short-term rentals, and flipping using your own cash, credit, and time.
New to the strategy? Start with house hacking for beginners, decide between a single-family or a duplex, then find where the math works best with the ranked best cities for house hacking. When you have a real listing, run it through how to analyze a house hack before you buy.
Before you trust a number
Questions people ask first
What is house hacking?
House hacking means buying a small property, living in one part of it, and renting out the rest so the tenants cover most or all of your mortgage. The classic version is buying a 2-to-4-unit building with an FHA loan, living in one unit, and renting the others.
How much money do you need to house hack?
Because you occupy the property, you can use FHA financing with as little as 3.5% down. On a $220,000 duplex that is about $7,700 down plus closing costs. The calculator shows your estimated cash to close for any price and down payment you enter.
Does this calculator use FHA numbers?
It defaults to a 3.5% down payment (the FHA minimum for an owner-occupied 2-to-4-unit) and includes an estimated mortgage-insurance charge. You can change the down payment, rate, taxes, insurance, and rent to match any specific deal.
Is house hacking worth it?
For many beginners it is the lowest-cost way into real estate, because tenants offset your housing cost while you build equity. Whether a specific deal is worth it depends on the price, the rent, and your local market. Run the numbers here, then verify against a real listing and a lender.
Not buying a course today
Take the twenty page guide instead.
Four ways people actually start, what each one asks of you in cash and effort, and six questions that point at the one to start with. It downloads the moment you submit.
What happens next
Run the numbers on a deal you have found.
The 28 day course is the order to do it in: the market, the lender, the analysis, and then the offer.