Risks associated with triplex vs. duplex?

[Rachel Degani]

Hi all! I have an opportunity to jump into a turn key triplex in a nice part of town in a high appreciation market (St Pete FL!). This property should cashflow anywhere from $200-800 (net) depending on what I can rent it for/how accurate the comps I've found are. The catch is, it would cost us ALL of our savings... (but we would still have about 10k in our biz account). Is this too risky? We are very good at saving so can prob build it back up fast. My aunt (who is not a successful real estate investor, but has some experience with flipping) says I shouldn't jump into a triplex because I'm too new. She says I should start with a duplex and work my way up. There is also a nice duplex which wouldn't be ALL of my savings that I have my eye on but it would not cashflow as much. I kind of feel like it's more risky for that reason. I am a brand new investor with one other property which I have been STRing for 2 years. I feel ready to jump in to my next deal and love the thought of a triplex, but I know there are risks involved; especially since I don't know what I don't know. Would love to hear from some more seasoned investors. Thanks so much for your thoughts!

[Nick Velez]

@Rachel Degani

I don't see why a triplex is more risky than a duplex, outside of having another set of items to maintain/repair. If the deal cash flows and meets your criteria, the unit count should not play a huge role in your decision. 

If you have any doubts on the numbers, I would connect with a local expert like @Josh Green.