Bird-dogging vs House Hacking

Bird-dogging is the practice of finding off-market real estate deals and referring them to other investors for a 'finder's fee.' It is the most basic entry-level strategy, requiring zero capital and zero real estate knowledge. You are essentially a scout, looking for distressed properties or motivated sellers and passing the information to a professional investor. It is a great way to learn the bu...

House hacking involves purchasing a multi-family property (2-4 units) or a single-family home with extra rooms, living in one part, and renting out the others. This strategy is the gold standard for beginners because it allows you to utilize FHA or conventional owner-occupant financing, which requires significantly lower down payments than investment properties. By having tenants cover the majorit...