Everyone thinks duplex when they think “house hack,” but in Denton, TX especially, a regular house outperforms.
UNT and TWU bring thousands of students every year. Not all of them want a dorm or a cookie-cutter apartment. Plenty would rather live in a normal house with friends and maybe even a pup. That’s where this play shines. (Real Deal below).
Here’s the math: a $275K house near UNT runs about $2,400 a month with low-down financing. Take a 4-bedroom home. To keep things livable, don’t stuff it full (critical tip to sustain the asset). Rent out two spare bedrooms at $850 each and use the 4th as a shared office or lounge. That’s $1,700 in rent. Yes, you’re sacrificing income on a spreadsheet. That’s OK.
Mortgage: ~$2,400
Rent: $1,700
Out of pocket: ~$700
Add reserves/utilities: ~$300
Net “all-in” = ~$1,000/month to live near campus in a house you own.
Now fast-forward. When you move out, rent the master suite for $1,000, keep the 4th room as the lounge/office:
2 spare bedrooms = $1,700
Master suite = $1,000
Total rent: ~$2,700
Mortgage: ~$2,400
Operating + reserves: ~$300
Net: break-even to slight positive cash flow with all expenses covered.
Of course the fears are real: too many people under one roof, drama, turnover, the headache of living with roommates. And sometimes that’s true. But, this isn’t a forever setup and you should know before running this play. It’s a season of life where most people are just racking up student loans. Why let housing pile on the negative column when it can actually help you pay those loans down faster?
The Play: Live in the house for 2 years, move out, manage it for another 2–3. Sell before year 5. Cash out tax-free thanks to the 2-out-of-5-year rule, and drop all that equity on student loans or your next property. You just turned housing into a hedge instead of a burden that stays with most folks well into their married and parenting lives.
👉 I spotlight rent-by-room plays like this daily at HouseHackTexas.com.
A Real Deal in Real Time (8/27/25)
📍 320 Mill Street, Denton, TX 76205 – 6 minutes to UNT
Price: $275,000
Down Payment (5%): ~$13,750 + some tlc and shared office make-ready (say $6k). Oh, and seller should cover closing costs on this one after long days on market and previous contract falling through. If you don’t get seller credits, get a new agent 👍
Monthly PITI + PMI: ~$2,400
Rent 2 bedrooms: $1,700/mo
Live for ~$1,000 all-in while stacking equity
5-Year Outlook: ~$80K equity
10-Year Outlook: ~$160K equity
Onward,