The first property I bought was a duplex where I lived in one half and rented out the other. This was my first real taste of real estate investing and house hacking—a strategy I highly recommend for beginners. In 2016, I purchased the building for $177,000, which was below the asking price. With two tenants already in the building, I moved into one of the units, which allowed me to secure the property with just 5% down. Looking back, I wish I had gone for a purchase-plus-improvements mortgage, but even without that, it worked out. The other unit rented for about $800 per month at the time, which—believe it or not—covered my mortgage!