This is instant return to your family and if you eliminate 18% interest on a credit card, that is a hard return to match with the amount of effort it takes.Third, I would make sure you have an emergency fund so that you can pay for any unplanned expenses that arise.You can focus on the highest interest rate debt first, which makes the most mathematical sense, or you can eliminate the smallest debt first for a feeling of accomplishment (Dave Ramsey method).Also, I am a firm believer that you cannot cut your way to prosperity.  

. $500,000 versus similar gain in S&P and househacking.Househacking is greatly exceeded S&P return in any environment.I think mathematically speaking only househacking strategy that can outperfom any other investment in the long run.

It is a provable proposition and my point can actually be mathematical proven to be correct.

This is just a mathematical exercise that hinges on a whole bunch of assumptions:risk toleranceability to attain x% when investing outside of the shackles of your company retirement planamount of time available to spend pursuing those returnsreturn assumption inside your company planfederal and state marginal tax rates in the futurerange of options in your company 401k.

Thanks for the reply, I went to school for Mathematics with a minor in Computer Science and now work in Software Engineering so hopefully that will qualify me!

From Canada I will try to put together a kind of an apartment Bible in the book form.This will be not hot air but all mathematical ratios starting with a mortgage, income,expenses, and residue or cash flow for the month and year end.The illustration will be all real and nothing with if's like there are so many programs available on the net.At he end the reader if followig all this will derive to his/hers net worth at the year end There will be nothing missing in order how to purchase, manage and dispose of such equity.Let me know if anything like this exists.

I acknowledge what you say and mathematically it makes sense in a decent way but by having a paid off duplex I live in my return isn't only the duplex. it's the margages I don't have to pay the income I get to keep and my tenant paying for my utility's and gas allowing me to save 90 percent of my income putting me in a ever more advantageous position. any propertys past this however it makes more sense to leverage. just to me at least I need my primary paid off I have seen to many people struggle to pay there bills

Chase the property, and you will lose money.Now, as far as the "potential" of there actually being other offers that came in goes, that shouldn't matter since this isn't a contest...it's a mathematical formula based on the answer (profit/cash flow) and not on the question (getting the property). 

That is how you know if something is a good deal or not... it’s whether it matches your strategy to achieve your goalA rental property is very simply mathematical equation.

I am not saying don't buy turnkey but if one wants to compare to the averages on returns to LA, SF or San Diego historically there is a very clear mathematical answer.