PRIMARY HOME OR RENTAL HOME FIRST

[Tony Bui]

Hi there, I'm at the point where I need to buy a primary home and I also want to pursue a rental home as well.  
Which one should pursue first.... 

[Brendan Miller]

Hi @Tony Bui, I would say the most traditional start would be to purchase a primary home first, mainly because it requires less upfront money for the downpayment. With a SFH, you can get in as low as 3.5% with and FHA or 5% down with a traditional. With a rental property, most conventional lenders will do a minimum 15% down (requires PMI), or 20% down without PMI. Since you're looking for a primary, I would seek out a 4-unit and get both; you can live in one unit and rent out the other three, while being able to take advantage of a lower down payment utilizing an Owner Occupant loan.