Can my first home double as an investment?

Owner-occupied financing generally offers lower down payments and better rates than loans for pure investment purchases, which can make your first home the most affordable entry into real estate ownership. Common approaches include renting out a room while you live there, adding a suite where local zoning permits it, or keeping the home as a rental when you move. Each depends on what your mortgage allows and what local rental regulations permit, and both vary: some loan programs restrict occupancy changes for a period, and rental rules differ by city and county. Landlord duties, vacancies, and repair reserves are part of the picture too, so the rental scenario is best run before you buy, not after.