FHA Loan for Multifamily as a Foreign Service Officer Posted Abroad

[Tomasz Niedzwiecki]

I am a Foreign Service Officer working for the United States Department of State, and I am often posted at consulates or embassies abroad. I am considering purchasing a 4-plex or smaller multifamily property. Is it possible for me to get an FHA loan while posted abroad if I make the property my primary residence within the US? Even when posted abroad, my legal primary residence is always in the United States, similar to military members when they deploy. I could also leave a unit within the multifamily property vacant when I am abroad to use for storage if needed, to better help solidify the "primary residence" requirement.

This is a pretty specific question, so I haven't been able to find any previous posts on it or any helpful literature online. Any advice would be appreciated!