Hi. I'm planning to house hack next year on my 1st property (being a live in landlord and rent out 3 rooms).
Another alternative is that if you purchase the appliances before you start renting out, is to just add the cost of those appliances to your total cost basis as "a part of" the cost basis of the house. Then you can depreciate the percentage of that total equal to the percentage being rented, over 27.5 years.
Typically when renting real estate (especially if you have a mortgage on it) you will show a loss on paper at tax filing time anyway. So expensing items really doesn't affect your tax liability in the tax year you rent them (for some). But when renting a part of your primary residence that could go either way. So its a good idea to figure it both ways. If expensing the item actually reduces your tax liability, then by all means expense it. If it doesn't, then depreciate it.
