First investment, Condo or duplex?

[Juan Campos]

Hello I have previously posted a question about wanting to make an initial investment on my first property, I've currently been working my rear off, and saving along with my wife who works a 9 to 5

Together we are looking st 2 possibilities and want to make a move, however I would like some advice from the big boys and the veterans,

My first option is to find a duplex needing rehab and using an fha 203k loan to create immediate equity, however I am in the Dallas market and this market is saturated, there are very limited multifamilies, and the hours I work daily are 12 to 14 and have one day off or so a week, don't really have time to drive for dollars, but the times I do drive I'm always on the look out.

The second option is to build a duplex from the ground up , I have a buddy that builds new constructions and has his own bank as well, he said its about 90 to 120 per Sqft, I still need to run numbers..

My third is to buy a condo I just want to stop paying rent and move into something that I can call my own, and after a year move out of this condo rent it out (hoa allows rentals in the area I'm looking)

And move in with my inlaws for one year using my jobs income to save up for my next property or that duplex .

Meanwhile the condo is rented out to a trustworthy tenant , i have money in reserves for hiccups

And vacancies plus, the year that I'll be staying with My inlaws I will only be paying 500 a month..which is better than the 1500 I'm paying in rent now.

I guess my question is, if you were starting from scratch on your real estate journey, or from the point of view of someone well versed in the game, what advice do you have for me?

I won't want to stay still I want to move

[Patrick Drury]

@Juan Campos
I would do a house hack with a duplex in your market, to introduce yourself to real estate investing and cut out the expense of rent. Then look to invest out of state if you feel the market is saturated where you live.