Should landlords live onsite or not?

[Nhia Yang]

I found a small multi-family property (4 units, 2BR/1BA per unit) and it qualifies for FHA financing. I am thinking about living in a spare unit (the other 3 units are currently renting at $550/mo each). Has any of you lived onsite as landlords before? What were your experiences and suggestions for me? I have 3 children and currently renting right now, but my primary concern is the safety of the neighborhood. What are some things to look out for/ask, or tools any of you use to measure how safe the neighborhood is before living in as a landlord?

I will go view the property next week, but the usual things I look out for are: vandalism (on streets, homes, cars), upkeep/maintenance of the neighborhood (trashy? or well-maintained lawns), elderly people outside/people jogging/walking dogs, how comfortable residents seem (do people's homes have garages opened? How many outdoor furniture are on porches in good conditions?), and lastly, I ALWAYS use "spotcrime.com" to determine the crime rate of an area. 

What are some things to look out for/ask, or tools any of you use to measure how safe the neighborhood is before living in as a landlord? Any feedback is greatly appreciated!