FHA Loan for Multi-Building Multi-Units

[Charlie V.]

Hello everyone,

I apologize if this is a newbie question but this is my first post after days of research. I am looking at using the house-hacking trick for a first property in the WV-MD-VA area and am finding it difficult to find a duplex/triplex/quadplex in a location that I can count on having a positive cashflow.

That is not quite the same case for properties with more than 4 units, but obviously there is the problem of 4 units for an FHA loan. I have found some properties that are being sold as a cluster of 3 buildings with 2 units, so 3 duplexes. Is this still considered out of bounds with an FHA loan? Or does it skirt it in that each building only has 2 units?

Also better properties can be found in the downtown area of some of the "larger" cities, but I have a mixed understanding I can't find clarification about FHA loan location eligibility. Are you able to attain an FHA loan within a major, metro area?

Also anyone with experience in the area around Winchester-Martinsburg-Hagerstown-Frederick-outer Baltimore/DC I would love to talk with to gain some familiarity having moved here a few months ago so at a bit of a disadvantage.