Brainstorming Creatively: Needing Shared Wisdom

[Samuel Norris III]

So I have been spending a lot of time of understanding several different financing techniques and the power of leverage. So here are the cards in my hands before playing...

- I just have been working my current employer for the past 3 going on 4 yrs with a 401k less than $5k

- My credit score in two categories arrange between 610-650 with the third one being under 600. 

- I have 30k in school debt, which is the only thing on my credit report.

- My DTI is 60.4 at is highest

- After talking with a mortgage broker I am looking at the approval of about 100k-120k

Now my goal is to purchase a multifamily property that would do at least two things: [1] Pay for itself with me living in one of the units [2] cover all expenses of home and personal.

What would be possibly the stronger avenues to explore when getting financed regardless where I by my first multifamily property?