I initially wanted to find a duplex/triplex/fourplex in the city and live cheaper in one of the units (probably can't live rent free in this city), but I'm finding that even the ugliest of those are still around $2M+.

More like the game of Othello, "a minute to learn, and a lifetime to master.Anyhow, due to circumstances, (Please read my book in2-3 years, or watch for me in NY TImes, I have the one and only self sustaining kidney transplant in the world.

Are you looking to live rent free and house hack?

If you are not careful, in 20 years you will be one of those guys in front of City Hall saying that you have been priced out of the market and that the owner of the building owes you a place to live.  Rent

Get my first building that i will be house hacking plan is for at least a 4 unit building to cover the monthly costs of managing the building and to be able to live rent free.

I am a recent transplant to the Atlanta area and also a newbie to the real estate space.

If you guys are making $100k then you should be able to save $50k in ONE YEAR and still live really well.I’ve got a wife, kid, dog, cats, and house payment and we are currently budgeting about $50k for the year with room to cut more! 

I own property in Texas and Florida as well as the Sacramento area .Many San Fran transplants are relocatIng to the areaDave

You can either rent a place to live, rent money to "buy" a place to live (i.e., get a mortgage) or you can pay cash and forgo the potential returns from the cash.I've done the one hour commute thing and don't recommend it.

theres no way that we could afford "prime" real estate. i know the area isn't where people are going to buy that have cash on hand and can afford a $300k mortgage. its not why we are buying it. at least 5 of dh's friends have bought in the SAME lennar subdivision so its geared towards first time or not great credit homeowners and even military who are going to be moving every few years. honestly with the schools....from what i 've heard all of tucson and az suck big time. if your really worried about education then people are going to send their kids to private school or homeschool. my kids won't be here long enough for "real" education (or lack there of) to hurt them. 1st grade at worst and i do realize that many things happen in 1st grade but its a hurdle we'll get to when we get there being 3+ yrs in the future. now i also know that many many many people our age DON"T have kids so school isn't even on their radar. sure the south will always be cheaper vs. the transplanting the same house on an east or northeast street b/c its the south. but theres sacrifices we have to make and we realize that.we (well my realtor) phoned EVERY builder in town asking if they had anything like lennars selling points and everyone shot her down saying it was outrageous. so we did try. yes its the valencia reserve just south of valencia on alvernon on the left (if going south). now the rancho at $140k interests me. we put in offer at $150k all closing costs paid (so technically $142 or so for the actual house) and obviously rancho is nicer!