Anyone Rent In an Expensive Area & Buy Cheap Elsewhere?

[Mary Ann]

I've been trying for almost a year to buy a 2 fam house in Brooklyn, NY. Something always comes up, or my private money has moved on by the time I find something.  I'm leveraging myself alot here and wondering if there's a better way to do this. I didnt want to succumb my savings to renting an apartment, because it feels like I'm giving up the dream of my first property.  But I'll be leveraged to the tilt with no funds if I buy a house now despite getting a downpayment asisstance program. Still hard.   I'm thinking rent now and buy somewhere I can afford, even if just for cashflow.  Can that work? Anyone doing that? Any advice appreciated thanks!