Suleyka Bolaos and Jeff White, a couple based in Denver, have achieved a remarkable milestone: they retired in their 30s, thanks to a strategic investment in real estate. Their journey into property investment began in 2017, when they made a significant decision to add one rental property to their portfolio each year.

Since embarking on this venture, they have not paid for their own housing costs. Instead, they utilized a method known as "house hacking," which involves living in part of a rental property while renting out the remaining space to generate income. This creative approach has seen them share homes with roommates when they purchased single-family houses or become neighbors with tenants in multi-family properties, such as duplexes or triplexes.

"It's very unconventional," White shared with Business Insider, reflecting on their unique approach to generating income and building wealth. The couple's real estate investments have proven not only lucrative but also sustainable, allowing their rental income to surpass their earnings from traditional jobs in 2023.

White has an extensive background in corporate finance and accounting, while Bolaos has experience in sales and even started her own notary business. By combining their skills and knowledge, they have paved a path toward financial independence. As of 2025, the couple is currently residing in their eighth house hack and actively searching for their ninth property, with ambitions to reach a total of ten by 2026. Business Insider verified their property ownership through review of settlement statements.

The couples inaugural house hack was a fixer-upper fourplex that came with its own array of obstacles, including months of renovations and the challenge of evicting a previous tenant. Reflecting on that initial experience, Bolaos noted, "If we could go back in time, we definitely would have never bought that fourplex." Nevertheless, the lessons learned from that first venture laid the groundwork for their future success.

Since starting their property investment journey, they have honed their strategy, learning what works best for their financial goals and the Denver real estate market. By the time they reached their third property, they had developed efficient systems and a clear vision of the types of properties they wanted to acquire.

They established a diverse rental strategy, exploring different models to maximize their earnings:

  • Short-term rentals: One of their first experiments involved listing a unit on Airbnb. However, White quickly discovered that the workload associated with short-term rentals was more demanding than anticipated. "It was a lot of cleaning. It wasn't necessarily the best fit for us," he explained, leading them to move away from this approach.
  • Long-term market tenants: This straightforward strategy involves renting properties to tenants under a lease agreement of 12 months or longer, which they have consistently employed since their first house hack.
  • Section 8 landlords: With their third property, a duplex, they embraced the role of Section 8 landlords by converting one of the units into affordable housing. This strategy provides several advantages, including consistent rental income supported by government payments. "One of the pros is that you have on-time payments every month," Bolaos emphasized, noting the reliability it offers, especially during economic downturns.
  • Rent-by-the-room: This method has emerged as the most profitable for White and Bolaos, allowing them to optimize their rental income by leasing out individual rooms rather than entire units. They often choose to occupy the smallest and least expensive room themselves, thereby maximizing their cash flow from the rental property.

White's extensive finance background helped him grasp the nuances of rental property management, inspired by the book "Build a Rental Property Empire." Over time, the couple has become adept at determining rental prices depending on room configurationscharging between $800 to $900 for shared bathrooms and up to $1,000 for master bedrooms with private baths. As White succinctly put it, "More bedrooms equals more cash flow." They actively seek properties that can accommodate additional bedrooms, as this has a significant impact on their overall rental income.

However, the rent-by-the-room strategy requires careful tenant selection to ensure compatibility among residents. To manage this, White explained that they often start tenants on shorter leases of two to four months to gauge their suitability. If the tenants mesh well, they can then extend the lease to a longer term. This approach provides a manageable way to replace tenants if necessary without facing long vacancies.

While house hacking presents its own set of challenges, the couple has found that diversifying their rental strategies reduces risk and enhances their overall cash flow. Even if one tenant moves out, they remain shielded by income from other rooms.

Looking ahead, White and Bolaos plan to remain flexible in their strategies. They are open to adjusting their approach based on market conditions. For instance, they analyze whether switching to a Section 8 strategy from a rental-by-room model would yield better returns, as seen during fluctuations in payment structures. With their proactive and adaptable mindset, the couple continues to navigate the real estate landscape with confidence.