I've been in this situation a billion times- honestly, the answer is very simple.

If I wanted to spend an hour doing it, I could probably put together a list of at least 50 cities where you can still buy housing for $100/sf or less.

Once they cut the govt spending that is going to equate to negative job growth most likely for periods of time.

You could easily spend a lot of capital to start with something else but doing the house hack gets you started and your feet wet.

When he became the first relief pitcher in MLB to sign a $100k contract and asked what he was going to do with all that money (this was 1968) he said “ 90% I’m going to spend on wild women, Irish whiskey and good times; the other 10% I’m just going to throw away”.  

Here are the numbers:$30k - avg monthly income3 options for rent vs buying$12.5k - avg monthly payment (20% down) on $2mil home$6.25k - avg monthly rent on $2mil home$6.25k - avg monthly payment (71.5% down) on $2mil home3 options for return on capital:7% - avg yearly return on 71.5% down payment (assuming 5% avg yearly appreciation in SD)10% - avg yearly return on from S&P 500>10% - avg yearly return on investment property (just an assumption, but I think you are all here because you beat the stock market)First, the $12.5k monthly is very intimidating and beyond what I should be spending on shelter (a no-go for me)

We are going to spend about 20K to bring it up to par but defiantly worth it. 

Can we all agree a dollar made in Austin TX or Bryan TX or Dallas TX or San Francisco CA, or Nashville TN or any where spends the same wherever you choose to spend that dollar.  

Do not spend profits (or pay yourself) for atleast 6 months.

Stop hanging out with your deadbeat buddies who spend all day drinking, talking sports, and otherwise wasting away.