Banks only offering commercial loan for Duplex.

[Caito Coloma]

Hello BP have you experienced any trouble financing your multi-family properties with conventional mortgages/loans.  To my understanding thus far is that you could finance conventional MF up to 4 units and anything 5 or above would have to be as a commercial loan. I live in Miami, FL and several banks in the area are only offering the latter because it is a duplex investment property.

The benefits of conventional loans to my understanding are the following:

1. Interest rates are lower

2. 30 year terms = lower monthly payments (commercial loans = shorter terms = higher monthly payments = less cash flow)

3. Lower down payment (commercial loans minimum 25% down payment) 

So my question is have you had luck in finding a bank or lender to finance the purchase of a duplex or multi - family using a conventional mortgage? Is it even possible in Florida?