Question for first time homebuyers (specifically multi-family)

[Michael Moore]

First time posting here so I appreciate any help! I am looking to buy my first two-unit home. It's a super overwhelming process so far. One thing that has come up for me a lot has been location and quality of living. My ideal location is not within my price range (assuming I'm financing it myself), but I also don't want to live in a complete fixer-upper that needs a lot of work. Any tips for finding that balance between location and quality of life? Thank you!