SFH or Multi with family?

[Mike Miketta]

Hello, I currently own a home and would like to rent it out and owner occupy a multifamily unit so I only need to put down the minimum. I have been researching 4 plexs but would like some outside input. I like the idea of the other 3 units paying the mortgage so I can live rent free and save for the next investment. However I am a family of 5 (newborn, 2 year-old and 4 year-old) and started doubting if it's a good idea to move into a four plex or just get into another single-family home. My goal was to move into the 4 plex, serve the year I need in it and jump back into a house for the family. I dont know if this would work or not as I'm not sure how the debt to income or anything like that would work now that I would have a four Plex and SFH trying to get into another SFH. By doing this I would have a total of 5 rental properties and be back in a house for the family. Other wise I am think of just jumping from SFH to SFH to start building rental properties. Anyone with a family out there jump from SFH to multi. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.