Live in one.Rent the rest.
House hacking means buying a duplex, triplex or fourplex with owner-occupant financing, living in one unit and renting the others. Here is how VA, FHA and conventional loans treat it, the 2026 DFW limits by unit count and how lenders count the rent.
Our comparative assessment: cash saved 40%, ease 25%, speed 15%, fewer strings 20%. Full rankings
A buyer who lives in one unit of a 2 to 4 unit property can use owner-occupant loans instead of investor loans. VA allows 0% down on up to 4 units, FHA allows 3.5% down on 1 to 4 units, and Fannie Mae has allowed 5% down on owner-occupied 2 to 4 units since November 18, 2023. Lenders generally count 75% of the rent as income, which can help the buyer qualify for a bigger property than their salary alone would support.
Who qualifies.
- The buyer lives in one of the units. These are owner-occupant loans, not investor loans.
- VA: eligible veterans and service members, up to 4 units, moving in within a reasonable time.
- FHA: at least one borrower moves in within 60 days of signing and intends to live there at least one year. 580+ credit for 3.5% down; 500 to 579 needs 10% down.
- FHA 3 to 4 units: the property passes the self-sufficiency test.
- Conventional 5% down: Fannie Mae, owner-occupied 2 to 4 units, approved through Desktop Underwriter. Not for manual underwriting, cash-out or high-balance loans.
- Price within the loan limit for the unit count (FHA and conventional).
How it works.
Pick the loan
VA if eligible (0% down), FHA (3.5% down) or conventional (5% down on 2 to 4 units). Each has its own limits and rules.
Pre-approval with rent in mind
The lender estimates how much of the other units' rent can count. On a Fannie Mae purchase, 75% of gross rent counts.
Find the right property
Duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in DFW. Condition, layout and rent potential all show up in the appraisal.
Appraisal sets the rent
The appraiser estimates market rent for the units. That figure, not the buyer's estimate, drives the income calculation and the FHA self-sufficiency test.
Close and move in
FHA: move in within 60 days and intend to stay at least one year. VA: within a reasonable time. Then the other units are leased.
Example: FHA duplex at $400,000
Example only. The $1,800 rent is hypothetical; actual rent comes from the appraisal. FHA upfront MIP 1.75% (unchanged since March 20, 2023) and annual MIP 0.55% for a base loan of $726,200 or less with 3.5% down, per HUD Handbook 4000.1 updated August 12, 2026. A $400,000 duplex is under the 2026 DFW FHA 2-unit limit of $721,400. Taxes, insurance and interest rates vary and are not shown.
The 2026 DFW loan limits by unit count, a VA vs FHA vs conventional comparison for the buyer's price range, the self-sufficiency worksheet for 3 to 4 units and a vetted lender match.
What works
- Owner-occupant down payments (0%, 3.5% or 5%) on a property that produces rent.
- 75% of the rent can count as income, which can stretch qualifying power.
- Higher loan limits for more units: the 2026 DFW FHA limit for 4 units is $1,083,650.
- VA buyers with full entitlement face no VA loan limit on up to 4 units.
- Tenants help cover the mortgage while the owner builds equity.
What it costs you
- The owner lives next to the tenants and is the landlord.
- FHA 3 to 4 units must pass the self-sufficiency test, which knocks out many properties.
- FHA annual MIP at 3.5% down lasts the life of the loan.
- Conventional 5% down on 2 to 4 units needs Desktop Underwriter approval; manual underwriting and high-balance loans are excluded.
- Only 75% of rent counts, and only the appraiser's figure, not the asking rent.
The part nobody explains.
The FHA self-sufficiency test on 3 and 4 units: the full PITI divided by net rental income cannot exceed 100%. Net rental income is fair market rent minus the greater of vacancy and maintenance or 25%, so in practice 75% of the rents must cover PITI. Example: if the appraiser's fair market rent totals $6,000 a month, 75% is $4,500, and the PITI cannot be more than $4,500.
2026 FHA loan limits for Dallas, Collin, Denton and Tarrant counties: 1 unit $563,500; 2 units $721,400; 3 units $872,000; 4 units $1,083,650. 2026 conforming limits for DFW counties: 1 unit $832,750; 2 units $1,066,250; 3 units $1,288,800; 4 units $1,601,750.
Before November 18, 2023, Fannie Mae required 15% down on a 2-unit and 25% down on 3 to 4 units (85% and 75% LTV). Now it is 5% through Desktop Underwriter. Many buyers still think a fourplex takes 25% down.
VA allows one extra unit for each additional eligible veteran co-owner beyond the 4-unit standard, under 38 CFR 36.4301.
The rent number that matters is the appraiser's market rent. A unit listed at $2,000 that the appraiser sets at $1,800 counts as $1,350, not $1,500.
Get the packet.
The official links are not on this page on purpose. They come in one email, organized, with what to do with each one and in what order.
- The 2026 DFW loan limits by unit count, a VA vs FHA vs conventional comparison for the buyer's price range, the self-sufficiency worksheet for 3 to 4 units and a vetted lender match.
- Every official link for this program, plus the links for every guide you explored here
- A match with a Texava-vetted lender who closes this program
- A direct reply from Albert in English or Spanish
Where should I send it?
Your packet is on its way.
Every guide you explore before you leave gets added to the next packet. Keep reading below.
Programs stack.
0% down on up to 4 units for eligible veterans and service members.
Federal / HUD6.9FHA home loan3.5% down on 1 to 4 units, with the self-sufficiency test on 3 and 4.
Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac7.0Conventional loan5% down on owner-occupied 2 to 4 units through Fannie Mae.
Side by side.
The Texava Score weighs what matters to a buyer: cash saved 40%, ease to qualify 25%, speed and paperwork 15%, fewer strings 20%.
Asked most.
Can I buy a fourplex with an FHA loan?+
Yes, if a borrower lives in one unit and the property passes the self-sufficiency test. The 2026 DFW FHA limit for 4 units is $1,083,650.
How much of the rent does the lender count?+
Generally 75%. On a Fannie Mae purchase, 75% of gross rent counts. For FHA 3 to 4 units, the self-sufficiency test also works from 75% of fair market rent.
How long do I have to live there with FHA?+
At least one borrower moves in within 60 days of signing and intends to live there at least one year.
Is 5% down really possible on a conventional duplex?+
Yes. Since November 18, 2023, Fannie Mae allows 95% LTV on owner-occupied 2 to 4 units through Desktop Underwriter. It does not apply to manual underwriting, cash-out or high-balance loans.
Can a veteran house hack with zero down?+
Yes. VA allows up to 4 units if the veteran lives there, and with full entitlement there is no VA loan limit.