About this episode
Thomas Collins explains house hacking, multifamily investing, and how to make your assets pay for your lifestyle—starting with your first property.Full DescriptionIn this episode of RealDealChat, Jack Hoss sits down with Thomas Collins, founder of Shift Rich Academy, to break down one of the most powerful entry points into real estate investing: house hacking.Thomas shares how a single conversation at his day job sparked a mindset shift that led him from renting at $1,400/month to owning a duplex where his tenants paid nearly the entire mortgage. He explains why multifamily properties (especially duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes) are the smartest first move for new investors—and how FHA loans make it possible with just 3.5% down.The conversation goes deep into:House hacking vs flips (and why HGTV gets it wrong)Establishing your buy box when you plan to live in the propertyUsing short-term rentals to dramatically increase cash flowCostly mistakes with tenants, licenses, and partnershipsWhy systems, virtual assistants, and AI prevent real estate from becoming another jobHow confidence explodes after the first dealWhy waiting for “perfect” kills momentumThis episode is packed with real-world lessons, beginner clarity, and systems thinking for anyone sitting on the sidelines.👉 Join Thomas’ free community: Skool.com → Shift Rich Academy 👉 Build systems & scale smarter: https://realdealcrew.com⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 – Make your assets pay for your lifestyle 01:00 – The conversation that changed everything 03:00 – First duplex: living for $130/month 04:45 – Why house hacking beats flips for beginners 06:05 – FHA loans & buying up to four units 07:10 – Establishing your buy box when you’ll live there 08:40 – Long-term vs short-term rental hybrid strategy 10:30 – Parents, college kids & house hacking 11:45 – Managing tenants vs hiring property managers 13:45 – Renting to friends (and breaking the rules) 15:00 – COVID lesson: l
