Englewood Investor Guide
House Hacking in Englewood, CO
Denver prices pushed house hackers south — and Englewood's bungalows, basement suites and hospital-driven rents reward them. Here is how the strategy works in 80110 and 80113.
By Jeffrey White, Realtor® · Updated October 2026 · 720-951-6868
Why Englewood
Why house hackers keep choosing Englewood
Start with the entry ticket: Englewood's median sale price sits around $510,000 — below Denver's roughly $546,000 — while rents stay Denver-adjacent thanks to Swedish Medical Center, Craig Hospital, the CityCenter light-rail station and an easy I-25/US-285 commute. Then look at the stock: street after street of pre-war and post-war bungalows, many with the ceiling height, outside entrances and unfinished basements that become legal second suites. Add Englewood's own, smaller-city permitting culture, and the suburb quietly outperforms its big neighbor for first-time house hackers.
The numbers
A worked Englewood example
| Line | Illustrative figure |
|---|---|
| Bungalow with basement suite potential | $510,000 (city median) |
| Down payment at 3.5% FHA | $17,850 |
| Estimated payment (PITI + MIP, ~6.5%, 30-yr) | Roughly $3,700–$3,900/month |
| Basement suite rent (conservative) | $1,500–$1,700/month |
| Your net housing cost while living upstairs | Roughly $2,100–$2,400/month |
Illustrative only — your rate, taxes and the actual suite decide the real figure. Two Englewood-specific diligence items decide whether the example survives contact with reality: whether the basement can be a legal unit under Englewood's own zoning (the city is not Denver — ADU and duplex rules differ), and whether the home sits in one of the pockets where Swedish and hospital staff actually rent. Run your candidate through the calculator and compare with the Denver numbers side by side.
Where in Englewood
Englewood pockets that work for house hacking
CityCenter & the light-rail corridor: station-adjacent homes and some of the city's small multi-unit stock — the deepest all-round tenant pool. South Broadway: older bungalows on bigger lots; basement suites and detached-garage conversations. Around Swedish Medical Center: staff and traveling-clinician demand that supports both long-term suites and 30+ day furnished stays. Old Town Englewood: character homes near the library and civic core — buy for the suite math, stay for the neighborhood. For the full market picture, read the Englewood real estate guide and this month's Englewood market update.
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FAQs
Questions, answered
Is Englewood cheaper than Denver for house hacking?
Usually at entry: Englewood's median sale price is around $510,000 versus roughly $546,000 across Denver, and the bungalow stock offers more basement-suite candidates per block. Rents run slightly below Denver's, so underwrite the specific property, not the averages.
Can I legally rent a basement suite in Englewood?
It depends on the property's zoning and whether the suite meets Englewood's own codes — the city runs its own rulebook, separate from Denver's. Verify unit legality with the City of Englewood during your inspection period; a suite without a legal trail does not go in Jeffrey's math.
Who rents in Englewood?
Swedish Medical Center and Craig Hospital staff, light-rail commuters working downtown, and households priced out of Denver's core. That mix keeps both long-term suites and 30+ day furnished stays in demand.
Does Englewood allow ADUs?
Englewood has its own ADU provisions, which differ from Denver's post-HB24-1152 framework. Lot size, zoning and parking decide eligibility home by home — check the specific lot with the city before pricing a deal around a future ADU.
Should I house hack in Englewood or Denver?
Englewood for a lower entry price and bungalow stock; Denver for deeper tenant pools and more true duplexes. Many buyers run one pre-approval across both — the Denver guide has the comparison math.
Want the Englewood bungalow list?
Jeffrey keeps a running shortlist of Englewood homes with suite potential — legal first, pretty second. One call gets you the current list with rent estimates attached.