So far, we have shortlisted Columbus, Orlando, Indiana, Vegas and Rochester.we live in Toronto and we really would like to connect with people like us who already started their journey to know about their experiences and insights of investing in the US! 

@Christopher Reynolds My mantra has always been, "Live where you want to live; invest where it makes sense."

Quote from @Damon Silver: Can you clarify "you can't have another separate tenant live there?" 

I've been living in my current house hack for ~1.5, and I placed my tenants in September 2023 (lease is up at the end of August).

Strategy 1: buy a duplex, live in one unit (for one year as a "primary residence) and rent out another unit as a short-term / mid-term rental on Airbnb.

Purchase price: $55,000 Cash invested: $440,000 Currently under construction and pre-leased for $6,195/month, this 7-bedroom, 5-bathroom student rental in Clemson, SC, was built using investor cash and designed for high-end student living.

We currently live in our forever home with both of our parents on each side of us.

House hacking a duplex is a solid way to get started in real estate while keeping your living costs low.

If you're willing and able, I do recommend the "house hacking" strategy which is just a fancy name for buying a rental property and living in one of the units, because you'll get very favorable financing - an owner-occupied fixed-rate 30-year mortgage.I'd also say, analyze that property as if you won't live there and it's a pure rental, and make sure the property is still cash flow positive if there's a tenant in your unit because then you'll know if it's actually a good investment.And when you analyze it, include payment of a property manager in your #s because if you don't, and doing so would make it go cash flow negative, then you've just bought yourself a job because you literally can't step away from managing it without losing money.

Unless you have the rentals paid for by the time you retire, they aren't going to be enough to live off of.