Use FHA or conventional if you just started investment but you have enough downpaymen

[Jaekwan Lee]

Hi, I just start getting to know investment after reading a house hacking book and I really want to begin the journey of expanding rental real estate. I am married and my family size is three (me, my wife, and 3 yrs daughter). Since I need to think about sending my daughter school in a couple of years, I want to start with duplex. I have enough savings for down payment 20% but I also hear that you have one chance of using FHA loan. So here is my confusion. Is still better to get FHA loan with 3.5% when I have 20% down payment for the duplex? Since I feel I see two options I can think of.

- Buy duplex with FHA 3.5% and look for another property like fourplex

- Buy duplex with conventional loan 20% down and wait until gain another downpayment 

[Andrew Freed]

@Jaekwan Lee - You're asking the right questions. This decision alone can determine if you scale to 30 units in 3 years vs. 6 units in 3 years. The key to scaling a real estate portfolio is understanding how to utilize leverage to the best of your ability. For instance, the infamous househack. That is one of the best ways to utilize leverage. You can get into a 3-4 family properties (3 to 4 family is preferred since it is tough to find a duplex now that cash flows once you move onto your next househack) with as little as 3.5% down (FHA loan, you can only have one of these outstanding at any given time) vs. 5% conventional loan (you can have up to 10 of these on your credit report before you essentially run out of space) and create an investment property with little money out of your pocket.

I highly recommend that you utilize a low down payment loan (preferrably 5% down since it has less closing costs, you can get out of mortgage insurance once you hit 20%, and you save your FHA for another purchase) and move into a 3-4 unit property. The key is to ensure it will cash flow once you leave a year later with all the units rented. And continue to do this for 2-3 years with that original 20%. Combine this househacking with joint venturing on some commercial property around the same market (5-20 units) with a few other investors that compliment your skillset and viola, you will obtain 30-50 units in 3-5 years.

This is making some broad assumptions... you and your family keep your expenses as low as possible while saving and investing as much as possible. 

Additionally, you understand that anything you invest in with debt has to have a significantly higher return than the cost of that debt.

Lastly, you love the process. This is a grind for sure, but you will thank your future self 5 years down the road when you actually have control of your time (which essentially is the reason people seek financial independence). 

That is my soapbox for the day.... best of luck on your journey!