How to legally "live" in an owner-occupied investment property

[Trevor Novak]

Hi all! I'm a RE investing newbie and hoping to get some advice from those more experienced. :) I am looking to buy my first investment property in the next few months... looking at 2-unit MultiFamily properties. I have been pre-approved but *only* as an owner-occupied property (financing would not work as NON-owner-occupied as my salary income is low at the moment (currently taking a break from my 9-5 job)). If the property is zoned as a legal 2-unit but has an un-zoned (unfinished) garden unit, could I "live" there (while I fix it up) and still be ok? That is, I'd keep some stuff there, have some mail delivered there, etc. but would still live at another apartment most the time (where my wife and I have a lease for another 11 months). Would this arrangement still be workable/ legal/ advisable? Any direction or tips would be hugely appreciated... thanks in advance!!!