### How Suleyka Bolaños and Jeff White Retired in Their 30s Through Real Estate Hacking
Suleyka Bolaños and Jeff White achieved financial independence and retired in their 30s by strategically building a real estate portfolio through **house hacking**—a method where they live in one part of their property while renting out the rest. Since 2017, they’ve acquired nearly one property per year, eliminating their housing expenses and generating passive income that eventually surpassed their day-job earnings. Their journey began with a challenging fourplex renovation but evolved into a refined system targeting **move-in-ready properties** in Denver. By leveraging multiple rental strategies—including **long-term tenants, Section 8 housing, and rent-by-the-room arrangements**—they maximized cash flow while minimizing risk.
### Their Winning Rental Strategies
The couple experimented with four key rental approaches to optimize income:
1. **Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb):** Initially tried but abandoned due to high maintenance demands.
2. **Long-Term Market Tenants:** A reliable, low-effort strategy used consistently since their first property.
3. **Section 8 Housing:** Provided stable, government-backed rent payments, especially valuable during economic downturns like the pandemic.
4. **Rent-by-the-Room:** Their most profitable tactic, generating up to **$2,000 extra monthly** by converting single-family homes into multi-tenant spaces. They prioritized compatibility by starting tenants on short trial leases before offering longer terms.
### Keys to Their Success
– **Diversification:** Mixing strategies (e.g., combining Section 8 with rent-by-the-room) reduced reliance on a single income stream.
– **Market Adaptability:** Willingness to pivot—like switching a property from room rentals to Section 8 if it boosted profits.
– **Strategic Property Selection:** Targeting homes with potential to add bedrooms (e.g., converting a 5-bedroom into a 7-bedroom) significantly increased revenue.
While house hacking requires sacrifice—like frequent moves and shared living spaces—Bolaños and White credit it for accelerating their path to **early retirement**. Their story underscores how creative real estate investing can replace traditional income and build lasting wealth.
*For more innovative success stories, explore Business Insider’s exclusive coverage.*
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