33 Year Old First Time Home Buyer Needs HELP!

[John Buffet]

Hello all, 

I'm a 33 year old teacher from New York and I would love your help. I'm single with no kids at the moment. I currently live with my dad and I'd like to move out. My plan was to buy a 2 family home, live in one side and rent out the other. I am looking for places now, although I must continue to save the 3-5% down for the conventional or FHA loan.

I have a realtor friend who told me it's not good to live with your tenants but I really want to move out of my dad's house (he is a hoarder and the living conditions are stressing me out greatly). 

My question is, do I continue to look for the multi family home and go with my plan and live in one side of it and rent the other(s), or do I instead buy a cheapish co-op as my main place to live, and then save up for a multi family home a bit later on? OR, do I buy the multi family home and rent somewhere else? OR, do I buy the multi family, live there for a bit and try to save up for a co-op?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thank you

[Andrey Rudenko]

@John Buffet Living in a duplex with tenants is not a big deal, especially if you place the tenants yourself. I have been living in a duplex (house hacking) for 4 years now, no problems. I think buying a duplex as a primary residence is best strategy. You will save more money faster and then you can buy a house or condo, and have a duplex as rental. The only suggestion I would make: instead of duplex, try to get a fourplex. Especially one of those, that have triplex in front and single house on the back of the lot. Those are virtually perfect house hack options.