House Hacking 101: How We Bought Our First Home in San Diego Without Being Rich | Paulina Garcia E16

In this episode, I sit down with my girlfriend Paulina — a Mexican immigrant who moved to the U.S. just five years ago with a dream of owning a home in America. That dream felt nearly impossible in a place like San Diego… until we learned how to play the game differently.

When I moved here as a travel nurse, I also thought homeownership was out of reach. But through creative strategies like co-living, high-leverage loans, and house hacking, we turned that dream into reality.

Together, we break down how we bought our first property, built over $80,000 in equity in just 18 months, and now live for below-market rent — all while laying the foundation for long-term wealth.

We get into the good, the bad, and the hilarious realities of living with roommates, and how we used cost segregation studies, appreciation, and loan pay-down to turn our primary home into an investment vehicle.

If you’re tired of renting, think San Diego is too expensive, or want to know how real people are building wealth through real estate — this one’s for you. From finding the right property to financing it, living in it, and learning from the chaos, this is your A-to-Z crash course on house hacking done right.