S
uleyka Bolaños and Jeff White retired in their 30s, thanks to a savvy real estate portfolio. They've been house hacking properties since 2017, living in part of the home and renting out the rest to boost savings.

    The Denver-based couple has added one rental property to their portfolio each year since 2017. They haven't paid for their own housing since then, opting instead to "house hack" each new property by moving into a portion of it and renting out the rest. This unconventional approach put them on a fast track to early retirement.

    Their first house hack was a fixer-upper fourplex that presented challenges, including an eviction. However, they've honed their strategy over time, focusing on move-in ready properties with multiple rental income streams. They've experimented with various rental strategies, including short-term rentals, long-term market tenants, Section 8 housing, and rent-by-the-room.

    Renting individual rooms has proven to be the most lucrative strategy for White and Bolaños. By maximizing rents in each room, they can cash flow while living in the property. They've learned to calculate potential income based on factors like bathroom availability and number of bedrooms.

    To find compatible tenants, they start with shorter leases (2-4 months) to test personality fit before offering longer-term renewals. This approach allows them to replace problematic tenants more easily.

    While renting by the room requires managing multiple tenants and sharing space, White and Bolaños believe it can create more cash flow and lower overall risk. They prefer a combination of long-term rentals, Section 8 housing, and rent-by-the-room to diversify their income streams and adapt to changing market conditions.

    As of 2025, they're living in their eighth house hack and plan to add two more properties by 2026. Their experience has taught them the importance of flexibility and adapting strategies based on property characteristics and market trends.