<prompt> Human: I am currently a 22 year old, recent college graduate, and have been employed for about 8 months. Over the course of my college years first few months of full-time employement, I was able to pinch some pennies to make a decision of buying an apartment, or buying an investment property. I just need some help coming to closure on the several options I have. Below are my sources of income savingsType Value------Monthly Gross Income 6,666.66Monthly Net Income Post Taxes, Transit, 401k, Health Insurance 4043.02Gross Quarterly Incentive 2,000Gross Annual Compensation 14,000 Based off of the few months I have worked here, anticipated to be higher this yearLiquid Savings 30,000401k Balance 3,000 100 company match on 4 of salaryOutstanding Student Loan Balance 7,000I have came to a fork in the road where I have to decide whether I want to move out and live in my own apartment, or buy an investment property while I have the opportunity to develop financial security via equity. The apartments Im looking at are roughly 150,000 and have an average monthly rent of 1,500-2,000 depending on furnishing location. My commute is currently 3 hours both ways, and costs 400 a month. If I were to move closer to the city, it would be roughly 20-30 minutes one way, and roughly 200 as a commuting expense. I feel fairly secure about my firm being that it is rapidly growing, and I am rapidly growing with it 65k to 80k raise within 8 months. I am comfortable saving another 10,000 to account for my emergency fund furnishing cost prior to moving out. Currently, I do not have any living expenses ie. rent, food, etc. I have come to grips with the following 3 options, and need help with coming to a decision:1. Buy an a apartment and live in it, reducing my commuting time and cost in half. I would be willing to use the 30,000 as a 20 down payment and attempt at paying off the mortgage as fast as possible to gain equity at a young age. I anticipate working in the city for the rest of my career due to high demand, therefore the location will serve a great purpose.2. Buy an a apartment and rent it out while absorbing the 3 hour, 400, brutal commute. Allow myself to save some money while paying off a mortgage with the full value of what Im receiving from the tenant. With this option, I can chose to put a 20 down payment on a similar property within a year, where I would be renting one out and living in the other.3. Similar to 2, except after a year lease is over for the tenant, I would move into the apartment and use it as my living quarters. This would give me enough time to save more money towards an emergency fund.Are condominiums apartments as safe of an investment as a house? I know the concept of land leases is a fear for condos, where can I find that information about a property? Is it worth the hassle to look into renting out a co-op viewing their rulestenant approval process? What should I be aware of when getting a mortgage and renting out the property? Do I have to explicitly state that I will be renting out the property upon applying for a mortgage? Is it worth using my 401k savings towards the down payment, especially since my company matches 4 of my salary?Any, and all, information is appreciated. Thanks in advance!  <response>: Im going to suggest something that doesnt answer your question. Dont buy anything just yet. Youre on your first job. While you say the job is great, who knows how long youll stay there. Owning property makes it harder to move around for job opportunities. 