House hacking a duplex with shared water meter, can I pay water bill from LLC?

[Candace Pickenpaugh]

Hi all thanks for any advice We are closing on our owner occupied 2 bed 2 bath duplex Monday. Lots of questions but our CPA is booked full until April 19th coincidentally! We plan to take payment from existing tenant into the LLC business checking account but we have a shared water meter. Can I put our utilities in the LLC or in our personal names? I know it's a no-no to co-mingle paying personal bills from the LLC. The electric and other utilities are separate. Mortgage will be on $208,000 @7.7% interest so not looking to put the duplex in the LLC so we can refinance soon as possible. Current tenant is paying $1100 but expires in June. We are trying to decide whether to keep our current single family residential 3 bed 2 bath 1800 square feet and turn it into a rental or sell it. We have about $98,000 left on mortgage at 4.5% interest 30 year locked. Current payment including taxes and insurance are $971.With a guesstimate of about $20,000 of updates houses this size in this area rent for $1600 to 1700 a month. Just repaired and made rent ready will rent for $1300 to $1400.So would take about 5 years to recoup a $20k update. Roof is 4 years old so no cap ex there but heat-A/C is 15 years old so due any time. It was built in 78 and nothing has been updated. Will need a master bath remodel (tub surround , walls refinished , lighting and cracked sink) , sink replacement in second bath and tub surround tile painted or something ,sink replacement in kitchen, stove and over the stove microwave replacement , 3 interior and 1 exterior doors replaced 3rd bedroom and laundry rooms need new flooring. Fully updated would sell for around $200,000 minus 6% agent fees , or as is probably sell for $150,000. If keeping should we put it in the LLC ? Can we transfer the homestead exemption to the duplex since we are owner occupying it ? All other suggestions and advice are appreciated , thank you !