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Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2026 · 7 posts · 5 votes

I currently live in Colorado Springs where housing prices are very high. A duplex can go for 500k-1M on depending on the condition and location. I am wondering if I should move somewhere that prices are lower to start my investing journey. I am 17 and simply wanting to learn so I have lots of freedom of location for where I want to be to begin investing (I want to start with a house hack). What do you think, should I stay in Colorado Springs with the higher price tag or move somewhere that has lower prices?

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Arman AhmedPro Member

Real Estate Agent · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2024 · 2k+ posts · 911 votes

Quote from @Josiah Shipp:

At 17, your biggest advantage is flexibility, so I wouldn’t feel like you have to move just to buy. I’d compare Colorado Springs with a few lower-cost Midwest markets first, where you can find more affordable duplexes and still house hack. You can live where you want and invest where the numbers make sense.

[email protected]614-418-6081

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Caleb Brown
Real Estate Agent · Kansas City · Member since 2018 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
1d
I don't think moving is a terrible idea. If you moved I would look at the job market, income. If you are going to be making less it may not be worth the trade off. Areas like Colorado Springs have high appreciation and are great long term.
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- Josiah Shipp
  OP
  Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2026 · 7 posts · 5 votes
  1d
  Thank you for your advice Caleb! I am planning to work a job that pays 80-100k per year soon after I turn 18. My pay would be great and my girlfriend (hopefully soon to be fiance) is planning to become a real estate agent and work a regular job as well. Our income should be quite good for our age and in general so I'm not sure if the location trade off would be worth it based on that. My other concern is the time it would take to build the credit to acquire a likely 750k loan (FHA).
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Jayson EwertBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2020 · 21 posts · 17 votes
1d
I think moving could work, but it won’t necessarily solve all the problems, especially if you enjoy living in Colorado Springs. There are successful investors in every market; the strategy just has to change based on the challenges of that area. House hacking can still work well here. Colorado has also been reducing some of the regulatory barriers around shared housing, which can make rent-by-the-room and co-living strategies more viable. I’d probably focus first on finding the right strategy for COS before uprooting your life in search of lower prices. I bought my first property at 23 as a house hack. It definitely wasn’t a perfect deal, but almost a decade later, it’s performed VERY well for me and I'm so glad I did it.
[email protected]507-313-3450
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- Josiah Shipp
  OP
  Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2026 · 7 posts · 5 votes
  1d
  Thank you for your feedback, I am 17 right now and was thinking of moving at 18-20 regardless, its encouraging to meet someone else with experience in the Springs! Do you have any advice you could give for my first house hack in this area specifically? Great to meet you Jayson!
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Arman AhmedPro Member
Real Estate Agent · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2024 · 2k+ posts · 911 votes
1d
Quote from @Josiah Shipp:
I currently live in Colorado Springs where housing prices are very high. A duplex can go for 500k-1M on depending on the condition and location. I am wondering if I should move somewhere that prices are lower to start my investing journey. I am 17 and simply wanting to learn so I have lots of freedom of location for where I want to be to begin investing (I want to start with a house hack). What do you think, should I stay in Colorado Springs with the higher price tag or move somewhere that has lower prices?
At 17, your biggest advantage is flexibility, so I wouldn’t feel like you have to move just to buy. I’d compare Colorado Springs with a few lower-cost Midwest markets first, where you can find more affordable duplexes and still house hack. You can live where you want and invest where the numbers make sense.
[email protected]614-418-6081
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Gregory AcsPro Member
Lender · MD · Member since 2025 · 148 posts · 54 votes
1d
Josiah, I think it’s great that you’re thinking about this at 17. Whether you stay in Colorado Springs or move somewhere more affordable really comes down to your long-term goals, career opportunities, and the numbers. A lower-cost market can make it easier to buy your first house hack, but don’t overlook the value of investing in a market you know well if the deal makes sense. Colorado Springs has become more expensive over the past several years, which can make entry more challenging, but house hacking is still a strategy many investors use successfully there.
If I were in your shoes, I’d spend the next couple of years learning how to analyze deals, building your savings, improving your credit, and understanding the financing options available for owner-occupied properties. Those skills will benefit you no matter where you decide to invest.
If you’d like to talk through different financing strategies for a first house hack or compare markets from a lending perspective when you’re ready, I’d be happy to help.
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Ashish AcharyaBusiness Member
CPA, CFP®, PFS · FL · Member since 2017 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
14h
Josiah, I wouldn’t move solely because another market has cheaper duplexes.
A $300K property in another state isn’t automatically a better investment than a $600K property in Colorado Springs. What matters is what you’re paying relative to the rent, what your monthly housing cost looks like after collecting rent from the other unit, how much cash you need to get into the property, and what your downside looks like if rents or expenses don’t go exactly as planned.
For a first house hack, there’s also real value in investing somewhere you already understand. You know the neighborhoods, employers, tenant base, contractors, and probably have some local support. Moving to a cheaper city means you’re learning the property and the market at the same time.
I’d compare Colorado Springs against two or three lower-cost markets using the same assumptions and see what actually happens to your monthly out-of-pocket cost, cash flow, reserves, and long-term return. Sometimes the expensive market still works surprisingly well when you’re occupying one unit and renting the others.
One other thing since you’re 17: keep learning and running deals now, but the financing, title, and contract side will likely look different until you’re legally able to enter the transaction yourself.
Feel free to DM me, I’d be happy to send you our Turn Key Rental Analyzer so you can compare Colorado Springs against some lower-cost markets using actual numbers.
[email protected]941-914-7779
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Min ZhangBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
3h
Hey Josiah! You’re already ahead by thinking about this at 17. I’d probably look into some lower-cost Midwest markets where you can find more affordable duplexes and still house hack. Take some time to compare a few different markets and see how the numbers look. You’ve got plenty of time to learn and figure out what works best for you.
[email protected]614-412-2912
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