Do you actually have to live in one of the units of a 4-plex?

[Ellie Narie]

I'm wondering about the FHA loan. I know that FHA wants you to owner-occupy it if you buy a 4plex. But, what if you have a place somewhere else... do you actually have to go and physically move to that 4th unit? Or can you just "leave it empty" (aka, not rent it out), and kind of "pretend" you live there, but not physically actually live there.

[Andrew B.]

What you’ve described is literally the definition of mortgage fraud. If you sign a contract saying “I intend to live here” you must actually intend to live there. Anything less is fraud