Episode 3 of 6

The House Hack Idea

Dana's coworker bought a duplex and rents half of it. The rent covers 60% of her mortgage. Dana models buying a $620k duplex in a less trendy neighborhood and running the numbers on house hacking with a roommate and an ADU tenant.

Key Insight

A $620k duplex with $62k down and a tenant paying $1,400/month brings Dana's effective housing cost to $2,310/month — only $210 more than her current rent. The house-hack path hits positive cash flow in year 4 with 3% rent increases.

Model This Scenario

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Rent vs. Buy

Is buying actually better than renting?

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