Pay Student Loans or Invest

[Adnan M.]

Hello everyone, 

So I just graduated as a pharmacist last year and like most health professionals I graduated with massive debt. I've set my mind to be aggressive in paying my debt (4-5k a month), which would allow me to clear my name in 2-3 years, however, it's psychologically and physically draining. I feel like I'm running in place. I can certainly tough it out another couple years and pay off my debt, but I wanted some advice on whether investing on rental properties is a smarter option. Some facts about me that may apply:

1. My student loans run at 5% or less

2. I'm just beginning to learn about real estate

3. Because of my lack of experience, house hacking is probably the only viable option for me

4. I live in metro Detroit, so far I haven't encountered very good deals. I'm not sure if it's the area I live, the economy/market, my house hunting abilities or a combination of all three

Thank you in advance for your thoughts!

[Joe Villeneuve]

Invest first...then have your investment profits/cash flow pay off the student loans.  After the SL is paid off, you still have that investment profit/cash flow coming.  So, use it to pay off another debt, and so on...

If you pay off the SL first, that money only lived once, then died.  If you invest first, that money can live to infinity.