Potential Real Estate Investing after marriage

[Maurice B.]

My fiance and I are getting married next year. She currently has a house and I live in my apartment. I currently have enough money for a down payment for a home but I am debating on a few things to do with this money. I am 30 and she is 32. We both have stable jobs and would be able relocate more than a 30-45 drive where we currently live.

Scenario #1

-I buy a house with a FHA loan prior to marriage. My fiance moves in with me after marriage and we rent her house (nice family neighbor. We currently have renters next door). We stay there for 2 years and then buy our more stable house to live and start off with 2 SFH for investing. (Hoping to get a mult family instead with the FHA loan)

Scenario #2

- My Fiance and I move into a nice apartment, she rents her current home and I use my down payment money and buy another home to rent. We proceed to live in the apartment and buy another property in a year. Then save up for 2 more years to buy a down payment on our dream home.

Scenario #3

-I move in with my Fiance after marriage. We combine my current down payment money and save up more for our dream home for 1-1.5 years. We then rent the current home and save up to buy another rental property.

I wouldn't desire to have a truly stable home until future children reach Pre-K. (5 years from now at least)

[Dave Foster]

@Maurice B., All good plans!  One bit of food for thought.  If your fiance has lived in that property for 2 years then the first $250K of profit would be tax free upon sale.  That's nothing to sneeze at and I'd highly recommend getting that money out and contemplating for a bit.  

Your plan to purchase nice multi to house hack is splendid. And if you can qualify on your own with an FHA then so much the better. Use it now. Buy it. Move her in and sell hers. Evaluate the market for the next purchase (maybe use some of those tax free dollars to buy another multi or two).