I’ve called Hiawatha home since I was three years old, and it’s always held a special place in my heart. Growing up, my next-door neighbors were an older couple who owned over $10 million in rental properties around the Cedar Rapids area. I spent a lot of time with them and learned valuable lessons about property ownership and smart living.
When I was in high school, I started thinking about how I could create a life with the most freedom and lowest cost of living. After researching, I realized that owning a duplex offered a unique opportunity: I could live in one unit while renting out the other, essentially lowering my housing costs.
I went on the county assessor’s website and identified over 30 duplexes in Hiawatha that fit my criteria. I tracked those properties in a spreadsheet and waited for the right opportunity.
At 27, that moment arrived. I purchased the duplex I live in now, and it’s everything I could ask for—a two-bedroom unit with a bathroom, basement, central air, a garage, and 700 square feet of living space on the main floor.
This duplex is my forever home. By renting out the second unit and being diligent about my finances, I was able to pay off the mortgage in just five years instead of the typical 15 or 30 years. Owning my home outright gives me peace of mind—there’s no bank that can take this roof over my head.
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