From Tenant to Investor: How House Hacking Can Change Your Life

At Genesis Property Group, one of our biggest goals is to help our residents build long-term wealth—not just through quality housing, but through education and opportunity. Today, we want to introduce a powerful strategy that many everyday people use to take their first step into real estate investing:

House Hacking.

If you’ve ever dreamed of owning property, building passive income, or breaking out of the rent cycle, house hacking might be your launching pad.

What Is House Hacking?

House hacking means buying a multi-unit property—like a duplex—living in one unit, and renting out the other(s) to cover part (or all) of your housing costs.

It’s one of the easiest, lowest-risk ways to step into ownership because:

• You can qualify for low-down-payment loans

• Your tenant helps pay your mortgage

• You’re building equity with every payment

• You’re gaining experience as an investor while still living affordably

Let’s Break It Down With Real Numbers

Imagine you purchase a $250,000 duplex, and each unit rents for $1,200 per month.

You decide to live in one unit and rent out the other.

We’ll use simple, realistic numbers to show how this helps you build wealth—even compared to just continuing to rent.

Scenario 1: Keep Renting

Let’s say you rent from us at $1,200/month.

Now imagine that instead of paying rent, you deposited that same $1,200 every month into a 5% interest savings/investment account.

In 1 year:

You’d save $14,400 of your own cash.
With interest at 5%, you'd earn roughly $400–$500, depending on compounding.
> Total after 1 year: ~$14,900

In 5 years:

You would have contributed: $72,000
With 5% compounding: ~$80,000–$82,000
> Total after 5 years: ~$81,000

Still great savings—but look what happens with house hacking.

Scenario 2: House Hack a Duplex

Purchase price: $250,000

Rent of other unit: $1,200/month

Let’s assume a simple and typical mortgage scenario:

• 5% down payment: $12,500

• Interest rate: approx. 6.5% (typical for house-hack loans)

• Monthly mortgage (P&I): ~$1,500

• Taxes/insurance: ~$300

• Total monthly housing cost: ~$1,800

Your tenant pays you: $1,200/month

Now your out-of-pocket housing cost becomes:

$1,800 – $1,200 = $600/month

You just cut your housing expenses in half.

Now imagine you take the other $600 you used to spend on rent and put that into your 5% interest account.

In 1 year:

You save: $7,200
With interest: ~$7,400

In 5 years:

You contribute: $36,000
With interest: ~$40,000

But here’s the real magic…
You’re not just saving. You’re building wealth three different ways at the same time:

1. Your Tenant Is Paying Down Your Mortgage

Over 5 years, your loan balance decreases by tens of thousands of dollars—paid largely by your tenant.

2. Your Property Value Appreciates

Even at a slow 3% appreciation rate, a $250k property becomes:

$250,000 → ~$290,000 in 5 years
You gain ~$40,000 in equity just from appreciation.

3. Your Savings Are Growing

Your original $600/month savings grows to about $40,000.

Let’s Compare After 5 Years

If You Keep Renting:

Savings: ~$81,000
Equity: $0
Passive income: $0
Ownership: No

If You House Hack:

Savings: ~$40,000
Plus equity from loan paydown: ~$25,000–$35,000
Plus appreciation: ~$40,000
Plus potential tax benefits: worth several thousand

Total Wealth Gained: ~ $100,000+

And remember:
You were paying half as much for housing the entire time.

The Real Point: House Hacking Turns Tenants Into Investors

For many people, house hacking is how they break the cycle of:

• Paying rent

• Building someone else’s wealth

• Feeling locked out of ownership

• Waiting for “the right time”

Instead, it lets you:

✓ Reduce your housing cost
✓ Save faster
✓ Build equity
✓ Learn real estate firsthand
✓ Launch into investing with confidence

Genesis Property Group’s Mission

We don’t just want great tenants—
We want to help build generational wealth for the people who live in our communities.

If you’re interested in:

• What loan options are available

• How to run duplex numbers

• How to transition from tenant to owner

• What properties are best for beginners

Genesis Property Group can guide you through every step.

Want to Learn More?

Send us a message and ask about:
“The Tenant-to-Investor Roadmap” — our simple starting blueprint.

Your first investment property might be closer than you think.