All posts
July 15, 2026 · Cole Parrish

The BUY RENT BUY Strategy

You don’t have to be an “investor” to invest in real estate.

BUY RENT BUY is a real estate strategy where you buy each home as your primary residence, keep it as a rental when it makes sense to move, and buy again.

I bought 5 houses in 8 years without selling my primary residence.

BUY RENT BUY is the strategy I've used to create financial security and build long-term wealth for my family.

I’ve proven that you don’t have to be an “investor” to invest in real estate. 

Now, it’s your turn.

Erase Parks And Recreation GIF by PeacockTV

Gif by peacock on Giphy

What is the BUY RENT BUY strategy?

At a high level, the strategy is as simple as it sounds.

Step #1 BUY your first home. 

The hardest part is getting started and it starts with a plan. More on that here, but for now just remember,

“Time in the market is better than timing the market.”

Step #2 RENT (or sell) your home.

If you can rent your home before buying the next one you can start building serious wealth. This is what I’ve always done and here’s how you can do it too.

At the same time, just because you can rent it doesn’t always mean you should. It depends on a variety of factors like your long term goals, current finances, etc.

Everyone’s situation is different. This strategy is designed to set you up for success and the definition of success looks different for everyone.

Step #3 BUY another home. 

Whether you decided to rent or sell your previous property, you now need a new place to live so it’s time to buy again! Here’s everything you need to know at this stage.

This isn’t a revolutionary new concept. The strategy is built around the simple idea that you can buy a primary residence for less money down and with a lower interest rate than you can buy an investment property. 

Minimum Required Down Payment:

Investment Property = 20%

Primary Residence = 3.5-5%

For a $750,000 home, a 5% down payment is $37,500
while 20% down is $150,000. 

That’s quite the difference.

Let’s be real, if every home you bought after your first home was considered an investment property then building a portfolio would be unattainable for most people (including me) and only reserved for “investors”. 

Now you know the BUY RENT BUY strategy.

You buy each home as your primary residence,
turn it into a rental,
and buy again.

NEXT STEPS: How you can get started

Everyone’s situation is different. If you want to run real numbers and get a personalized next step based on your situation, build your FREE plan here.

Have questions? Reach out and let’s chat.

Want to talk through your own real estate plans?

Whether you're thinking about buying, renting, or selling, we can look at your options and figure out what makes sense for you.

CRUNCH MY NUMBERS