The short answer
Yes — if we treat this as a simplification strategy, not just a bigger-house purchase.
Recommendation: sell the vacation rental, sell the duplex, buy one primary residence around $700k, keep retirement accounts invested, and keep reserves intact.We are trading complexity for simplicity — fewer roofs, fewer surprises, less property management, and a home that fits the life we actually want.
We are not starting from zero.
The starting point is a strong asset base: real estate equity plus retirement and investment accounts.
Real estate equity
| Property | Value | Mortgage | Equity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duplex | $375k | ($150k) | $225k |
| Vacation rental | $300k | ($150k) | $150k |
| Total equity | $375k | ||
Financial assets
| 401(k) | $350k |
| Roth IRA | $60k |
| Taxable investments | $136k |
| Total investments | $546k |
|---|
Estimated net worth: about $920k+ before transaction costs and taxes.
The goal is quality of life, not property count.
Current state
- Living in a duplex
- Managing a vacation rental
- Multiple properties, mortgages, utilities, and maintenance calendars
- Multiple roofs trying to ruin our weekends
Desired future state
- One home we actually want to live in
- Simpler life and fewer obligations
- Less property management risk
- Continued path toward financial independence
If we sell both properties
The sale proceeds create the bridge from “$700k sounds expensive” to “the monthly cash-flow impact is manageable.”
Cash use
| 40% down payment | $280k |
| Estimated remaining liquidity from proceeds | $50k |
| Retirement accounts used | $0 |
We are not trying to save a down payment from scratch. We already own assets. The decision is whether to convert complicated real-estate equity into a simpler primary-home setup.
Case study: the $700k decision is really a monthly decision.
Using the current spreadsheet model: $700k purchase, 40% down, $420k loan, 6.9% interest, 30-year mortgage. The condo/housing example below explains the monthly cash-flow impact.
Modeled monthly cost
| Principal & interest | $2,766 |
| Property tax | $1,050 |
| HOA / assessment | $250 |
| HO-6 insurance | $52 |
| Utilities | $250 |
| Gross new housing cost | $4,368 |
|---|
Impact versus current budget
All bars use the same $0–$5,000/month scale, so the gap reads as the incremental difference rather than a misleading third pillar.
Spreadsheet output: current net cashflow $4,642/month → projected net cashflow after new housing $3,540/month.
The risk is not the mortgage. It is the add-ons.
HOA/assessments, property taxes, insurance, and utilities can move the true monthly number by more than $1,000.
Scenario detail
Click a scenario above. These numbers come from the scenario tab in the housing model.
Interactive affordability calculator
Adjust the major assumptions live. The purpose is not precision to the dollar; it is to see which variables actually matter.
Assumptions
Sale strategy
Live result
Wage calculator: closing the incremental gap
Important correction: the current budget already includes part-time income. This section now measures additional take-home above the existing baseline of 24 hours/week at $17/hour, then compares that incremental amount to the modeled housing gap.
Target work scenario
Baseline already in the budget: 24 hours/week at $17/hour ≈ $1,768 monthly gross and about $1,432 take-home. The calculator below shows only the increase above that baseline.
Incremental gap coverage
What we are actually buying
Not just square footage
A home selected for how we live now, not for asset accumulation.
Fewer properties, fewer bills, fewer maintenance surprises.
Retirement assets remain invested and monthly cashflow remains positive.
Decision rules
- Do not raid retirement accounts.
- Keep emergency reserves after closing.
- Use conservative HOA/tax assumptions before committing.
- Prefer one home we love over multiple properties that drain time.
- If the monthly gap feels uncomfortable, solve it with price, HOA, down payment, or income — not wishful thinking.
Final recommendation
Sell the vacation rental. Sell the duplex. Buy the ~$700k primary residence only if the live model still leaves us with positive monthly cashflow, reserves, and peace of mind.The financial move is not “spend more.” The financial move is “convert scattered equity and responsibility into one simpler home base.”