I bought a duplex as my first home. I still have a mortgage, but I only pay around $900 a month and have no regrets.

Raroha and her duplex in New Jersey.Courtesy of Dominique Raroha.Dominique Raroha bought a duplex as a first-time homebuyer instead of a traditional house.Raroha, a 29-year-old who works in insurance, figured she could collect rent while building equity.She lives in one unit with her boyfriend, and her tenant's rent cuts down her own monthly expenses.This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Dominique Raroha, a 29-year-old working in insurance in Sicklerville, New Jersey, which is ab