I know some people are really anti-HOA, and I am not a fan myself, but it makes scheduling lawn care or relying on a tenant one last thing to worry about.

There's huge demand for this space as more people age and need these types of living environments.

If it’s just basic stuff like collecting rent, it’s more like 6-8%, but for full-service management—think tenant screening, maintenance, and detailed reports—it often lands at 8-10%, depending on the property’s size, age, or spot in Naperville.

Hoping to get feedback from folks who know the Dallas market well.Situation & Goals:Family: Me, wife, and 3 elementary aged kidsWork Location: Irving/Coppell area — prefer to stay within ~30 min commuteStrategy: Buy a property to live in for 1–2 years, then rent it out and repeat the processNumbers:OK if property just breaks even once we move out (cash flow neutral)Strong home appreciation is more important than short-term cash flowFeatures I’m targeting:Good school districts (important for both family and long-term demand)House hack potential — ADUs, in-law suites, small multifamily, rentable layouts, or something that transitions smoothly to a rental after we move outAsk:Which neighborhoods or school districts in/around Dallas should I be looking at that balance family needs + investment upside, all while keeping commute reasonable?

Also we have paid off houses, depending on our age and stage in life.  

Many others on here have said the same thing, but at your age i'd focus on career.

Anyways, new age business has a lot of bleed between residential and commercial - we are in the awkward years for sure! 

Build ages; you’ll find a lot of early 1900s homes here (Colonials, Duplexes, etc.).

First off, you’re definitely not “falling behind” at 25—you’ve already house hacked and are cash flowing on a duplex, which is a huge accomplishment compared to most people your age (or any age).When it comes to your question, there are pros and cons to both approaches.

Some apartment complexes will do the co-living setup too in order to provide more affordable housing (I've only seen at apartments close to universities where most of the people are within the same age demographic - with the exception of onesies & twosies.You may need to be mindful of the neighborhood, here & there.Structuring the lease may be charging a flat rate for most utilities.May want to follow the occupancy limits still for your local market.Hope this helps, I'd still try to connect with more people in St.