When Cash Flow Beats Equity
After sharing my story about losing everything, I wanted to talk about the first big decision I’ve had to make on the road back to a healthy financial life: selling my duplex—my house hack.
I used to subscribe to the belief that you should never sell real estate investments. Buy and hold forever; maybe sell 30 years down the line. But when your goal shifts from growth to survival, cash flow matters far more than equity or tax benefits.
The Waiting Game
In the past, I’d been able to rent out the other side of my duplex (and my spare rooms on my side) quite easily. But it’s 2025. The market has softened, and people are afraid to spend—afraid to move.
For about four months now, I’ve sat on an empty unit that I still have to pay the mortgage, utilities, and electric for. Not to mention the stress of it all.
I tried my usual platforms — TurboTenant, Furnished Finder, Airbnb, etc. — but nothing. No bites. Each month that it sat empty, I ate roughly $5,000. That’s $20,000 total over those months, in addition to the payments for the failed business lease.
It took a call with my brother to realize that I was more attached to my ego and the idea of being a “real estate investor” than to my financial health.
The Math
The duplex did great for the first year or so. I was living in it and breaking even. The monthly mortgage—principal, interest, taxes, and insurance (PITI)—was $4,530. Electric was $220 per side, and utilities were $70 per side.
Tenants on the other side of the duplex paid $2,800, and the tenants in my spare bedrooms paid about $2,000 total, leaving me to pay only $310 to live there. The house-hacking ideal.
But then the V-word happened: vacancy. Suddenly, I had to pay all of it out of pocket — a total of $5,110 a month, which, even as a travel nurse, takes a toll.
That meant my monthly cash flow from this property was roughly –$5,000 per month. Time to sell.
(Note: I’m using a lot of past tense in this post, but this is all still happening. I just had the conversation with my older brother a week ago and recently listed my property on the MLS.)
The Psychology
Even though it makes financial sense to sell from a cash flow perspective (and because I can front-load some payments to my parents and credit cards from the sale), this has been an incredibly difficult decision emotionally.
Selling this — my last proof that I’m a “real estate investor” — has been hard. Having that first conversation with the realtor made me feel embarrassed. Thinking about how much the property might be worth 10, 20, or 40 years from now hurts my ego.
But I know this is what has to be done. It’s right. It does right by my parents. It does right by me.
For months, I kept praying that God would send a tenant. But the longer it sat vacant, the more I felt like He was telling me to let go. So, obediently, I got it listed.
What’s Next
After it sells, I plan on repaying debts. After talking with my family, the proceeds will go toward paying off two of my credit cards, with the remainder going to my family. I’m hoping to net around $60,000 from the sale — a large ask, I know.
Honestly, I’m excited for the future. Not having that $5,000 mortgage hanging over me will be such a relief. That duplex represents my old chapter — the “always be buying” era. My next season is one focused on stewardship, simplicity, and cash flow that lets me breathe.
Freedom isn’t owning more — it’s owing less.
If you’ve ever had to let go of something you thought you’d keep forever, you’ll understand this one.
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