Can you own one side of a duplex?
Henry Morales
Published Mar 05, 2026
A duplex is usually built in one go, but it isn’t always sold as a single unit. Whether you purchase one or both sides of a duplex depends on the building’s title. When you own one side of a duplex, you own half of the block of land as well; when you purchase the whole building, you own the full block.
Can you depreciate duplex?
Depreciation. The IRS lets you depreciate your duplex building, as well. Once you determine the value of the building alone, divide it by 27.5, which is what the IRS considers the building’s life to be. You can then claim that amount every year for 27 years, and a half deduction in the 28th year.
Can I rent out half my house?
Renting out part of your home You can only deduct a proportion of the expenses depending on what percentage of the property is rented out. Since, your principal place of residence is now producing an income this may mean that you will pay some capital gains tax when you sell the property.
Can you make money owning a duplex?
The unique thing about investing in duplexes is that it provides options to the owner. You can choose to live in one side of the duplex while renting out the other side, or rent out both units. Renting out both units will produce monthly cash flow. This makes owning a duplex, potentially very lucrative.
What happens when you rent out half of a duplex?
A duplex is a great stepping stone for anyone looking to invest in real estate. While you live in half you can pay down your mortgage. Then, when you move out, you can rent both sides — doubling your rental income. Rent goes up. In general, rent goes up over time, but a fixed, 30-year mortgage stays the same.
Can you make money living in one half of a duplex?
Buying a duplex and living in one half while renting the other half out to make money also works well for some. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits and drawbacks of investing in a duplex and renting out half to help pay your mortgage or make money.
Can a parent sell half of a duplex?
The duplex is probably a single parcel of real estate and it is not possible to sell the “rental half.”. If the parents sell half, the buyer gets an undivided one half interest in the whole parcel.
Can a duplex be set up as a separate property?
We recommend setting up the rental unit of your duplex as a separate property in TurboTax. The other unit is your primary residence and is not set up for Schedule E. This allows you to separate the income, expenses, and cost basis using your own calculations.