The 4plexes Blog
This is where we write about buying a 4plex and house hacking: how the purchase works, how financing works for a four-unit property you live in, and how to think through a city before you buy there. Everything here is educational material, written for everyday buyers, not just investors.
New articles will be posted here as they are written. Until then, the guides below are the best place to start.
Latest posts
4plexes Updates: Two New Portland Metro 4plex Listings — October 30, 2026 — An active $1,090,000 Hillsboro listing and a pending $950,000 Beaverton listing, with actual rents from public listing sites.
The Worst Time to Buy Real Estate Revealed! — Why waiting to buy could be the biggest mistake, and the mistake investors make over and over.
What is a FOURPLEX? — Buy a 4plex, live in one unit, rent out the other three: the house hack explained.
What is NOI in real estate investing? — NOI, net operating income, broken down on the blackboard: the number that tells you whether a property makes money.
Rent Is Ruining Your Life? — Sky-high rent? Buy a fourplex, live in one unit, and let your tenants pay the mortgage.
4 plex over one million dollars in north Portland — $1,175,900 for a 4plex in North Portland: four units, one roof, and a path from renter to owner.
Escape The Rent And Mortgage Cycle In Just 5 Years! — No rent. No mortgage. In just 5 years: how tenant rent attacks the mortgage until it is gone.
4PLEXES Logo Painting! (Short) — Watch the big red 4P 4PLEXES logo go up on the wall, one brushstroke at a time.
Find CHEAP Fixer Uppers in Seattle FAST on Redfin.com — How to search Redfin for cheap fixer-uppers: duplexes, triplexes, and 4plexes for house hacking.
4PLEXES Logo Painting! — The 4P goes up on the wall: installing the 4PLEXES logo.
4plexes Updates: Portland Metro 4plex Listings — October 27, 2026 — 39 active 4plex listings across the Portland metro area, with prices from lowest to highest.
Start here
How to Buy a 4plex walks through the purchase step by step, from finding a four-unit property to closing. If you are new to this, read it first.
The House Hacking Guide explains the core idea: buy a 4plex, live in one unit, and let rent from the other three units help cover your housing costs.
Loan types for a 4plex covers how an FHA loan works when you buy a four-unit property and live in one of the units, including the low down payment option for owner-occupants.
4plexes by city
Looking in a specific place? Our cities hub lists 4plex guides for cities across California and Oregon, including Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, Salem, Eugene, and Bend. Each city page covers the same buying and house hacking ideas with a local angle.
Questions, answered
The frequently asked questions page answers the questions buyers ask most: what a 4plex is, whether you need perfect credit, whether you have to manage the property yourself, and how a 4plex differs from a regular house.
About 4plexes
Learn who is behind 4plexes, and get the playbook for the full step-by-step plan.