---
title: "House hacking — What It Means | Ondo RE"
canonical: https://www.ondorealestate.com/glossary/house-hacking/
---

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Investing[All terms starting with H](/glossary/#letter-H)

# House hacking

Living in one unit of a property while renting the others, using owner-occupied financing to buy an income property.

Buying a small multi-unit property as your primary residence can allow owner-occupied financing terms on a property that also produces rent: generally better terms than an investment loan.

Occupancy requirements are real obligations, and some programs allow a portion of projected rent to help you qualify. The rules are program-specific.

## Related terms

- [FHA loanA government-insured mortgage designed to widen access to financing, with lower down payment and credit thresholds than most conventional loans.](/glossary/fha-loan/)
- [Occupancy typeHow you will use a property (primary residence, second home, or investment), which drives pricing and program eligibility.](/glossary/occupancy/)
- [Cash flowWhat remains each month after rent has covered operating expenses and debt service.](/glossary/cash-flow/)
- [DSCR loanAn investment-property loan qualified on the property’s rental income rather than the borrower’s personal income.](/glossary/dscr-loan/)

## Go deeper

- [House hacking a duplex with FHA](/blog/house-hacking-duplex-with-fha/)

## More in Investing

- [1% rule](/glossary/one-percent-rule/)
- [1031 exchange](/glossary/1031-exchange/)
- [50% rule](/glossary/fifty-percent-rule/)
- [Appreciation](/glossary/appreciation/)
- [CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate)](/glossary/cagr/)
- [Cap rate (Capitalization rate)](/glossary/cap-rate/)

## Have a question about your own situation?

Ondo handles brokerage, lending, property management and notary under one roof, so the answer does not change depending on who you ask.

[Talk to Ondo](/contact/)[Browse all terms](/glossary/)

Loan information is provided by Ondo Real Estate (NMLS ID on file). This is not a commitment to lend, a loan approval, or an offer of credit. Rates, terms, and payments shown are estimates for illustration only, are not a quote, and are subject to credit approval, underwriting, and market conditions. You are not required to use Ondo for financing to buy or sell with Ondo. Equal Housing Lender. Program rules, fees, and county loan limits change. Confirm the current published schedule and lender overlays. Nothing here is a quote, a lock, or a credit decision. [Licensing and disclosures](/licensing/)