Trying to house hack in Columbia

[Brice Peterson]

Hey everyone this is my first post on here! I’m a 22-year-old college student looking to get started in real estate investing by house hacking a duplex in Columbia, South Carolina. I’ve been doing a lot of research and I’m really set on the idea of living in one unit while renting out the other to help cover the mortgage.

The problem is I’m having a hard time finding existing duplex properties in good areas like Rosewood, Forest Acres, or even West Columbia. Everything I find is either too expensive, outdated, or just doesn’t seem like a good investment.

So now I’m wondering: should I consider building a new duplex instead? I know this comes with more upfront work and cost, but if I can keep it under FHA loan limits and live in one side, it seems like it could be a long-term win.

A few things I’m trying to figure out:

• Is building new even realistic for a first-timer in Columbia?
• What areas are up-and-coming and good for rentals?
• Are there local lenders or builders that work well with first-time owner-occupant investors?

Any advice, experience, or contacts you can share would be hugely appreciated. I’m serious about getting started while I’m young and would love to learn from people who’ve already done it.

Thanks in advance!

[Brice Peterson]

@Will Gaston not yet I'm just trying to weight my options of where to start