Buy on home in CA or multiple homes in Texas

[Timma Kumar]

Need advise. I am looking to buy a single family home in bay area. Homes are so costly here, 750 to anywhere over million . If I buy a home in bay area, all my savings will go into making 20% down.

We have immediate family living in Texas. We also want to invest in Texas (may be Dallas and or its surrounding cities) and may be re-locate to that place sometime in future .

If I buy a home with 20% down in bay area as primary residence I will end up with one home. My current rent is 2K per month. My expenses for home will increase to somewhere between 3.5k to 4k. New tax laws will not allow that much deduction.

For the same amount of cash, I can make downpayment for 3 homes in Texas.

Monetarily I keep thinking it makes sense to buy homes in Texas while the interest rates are still low and eventually move there and live in one home and still keep renting the remaining two.

Any pros and cons?

[Ronald Rohde]

You're trying to compare buying a primary residence vs cash flow investments. I say buy the rentals and move to Texas.

You'll be wealthier in 5 years with the equity built vs speculative gain in the SF housing market. One downside is that property tax in Texas is high, so you're essentially paying income tax in CA AND high prop tax in Texas.