Occupancy
You move in. You stay long enough to satisfy the program. A unit you never intend to live in is not a house hack. It is an investment loan with the wrong box checked.
First-time · House hack
Owner-occupied 2–4 units
Live in one. Rent the rest. That is still a primary-residence loan — with extra underwriting on the building and the rent.
A duplex in Steubenville or a fourplex near downtown Newark can be a first purchase. FHA and conventional both have owner-occupied 2–4 unit paths. You have to live in one unit. If you will not, that is an investment file — different product, different down payment, see DSCR.
Rental income from the other units can help debt-to-income when the guideline allows it. A signed lease is stronger than “I think I can get X.” The appraisal will speak to market rent either way. Do not write the offer assuming every dollar of asking rent counts at 100%.
Insurance, water, and a furnace that serves two units all show up in the file. Budget like a small landlord on day one, even if you have never been one.
Reserves
Multi-unit files often want more cash left over after closing than a single-family. We will quote that number early so the gift conversation is honest.
The building
Separate meters help. A single old boiler for the whole building is not an automatic no — it is an inspection and insurance conversation.
Questions
- Can a first-time buyer use FHA on a duplex?
- Yes, when you will occupy one unit as your primary residence and the property meets FHA standards. Down payment is still calculated on the full price.
- Can I count the other unit’s rent?
- Often a portion, under program rules, with a lease or market rent from the appraisal. Vacant units are a weaker story than a tenant already in place. We will tell you which version we can use.
- Is a fourplex too much for a first file?
- Not automatically. It is more building, more insurance, and more underwriting. It is still an owner-occupied loan if you live in one unit — not a DSCR investment loan.
Keep reading
More first-time guides
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Before you tour
Get ready to buy
What “first-time buyer” means, how debt-to-income works, and what to stop doing 60 days out.
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Paperwork
Documents and where to find them
Paystubs, bank PDFs, tax transcripts, rent history, and how to pull each one without a scavenger hunt.
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The money
Down payment and cash to close
Earnest money, closing costs, seller credits, gifts, and Ohio down payment assistance — one number, not five.
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The payment we count
Student loans and a mortgage
Deferred, income-driven, parent PLUS, and why paying them off mid-file can backfire.
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Income that is not a W-2
Self-employed and 1099 buyers
Two years of returns, add-backs, a current P&L, and why a brand-new LLC does not qualify you overnight.
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Two names
Buying with a partner or parent
Who goes on the loan, who goes on title, occupancy rules, and when a co-signer actually helps.
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The house type
Condos, manufactured, well and septic
Warrantable condos, titled manufactured homes, private well, and septic — what kills a file before the appraisal.
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Build or buy
New construction vs resale
Builder contracts, rate locks that expire, specs that change, and why a resale file is a different clock.
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The stretch
From offer to keys
Inspections, appraisals, insurance, underwriting conditions, and closing day in this market.
Start here
Run a duplex before you offer
Send the address and the unit mix to the branch. Call (740) 314-5324.