Getting Pre-approved for a Loan

[Tucker Kincaid]

Hello BP,

I am planning to house hack in Boone, NC in the next 6 months and am in the process of getting pre-approved for a FHA or 203k FHA loan and a 3.5 percent down payment. My goal is a duplex or triplex. The prices for these types of properties is between 350k-700k. This is my first loan and many of the lenders I've spoken to share that I will most likely not qualify for a loan above 450k.

What are your recommendations to get a loan with an annual salary of around 50k?