is it better to buy a 2or 3 family unit ?

[Mathew Fuentes]

hey. Im looking to buy my very first property within the next 3-6 months. I live here in NYC and wanted to know is it better to purchase a 2 or 3 family home ? I'm thinking a 3 family will cashflow better . I'm going to be looking anywhere between NJ and CT for a property and continue to educate myself on both.. Any advice is much appreciated!!!

Also , are there any areas of NJ and CT you recommend I stay away from?

thank you in advance !!

[Marcus Auerbach]

Most 3 units are a duplex with finished attic - and come with a number of issues on the peripheral infrastructure like parking, laundry and storage space. Make sure the 3rd has two froms of fire egress. 

Also most attics are finished as a "hot roof" - insulated tight against the sheeting, but often not well done, rather warm in the summer, also shortening the life of the shingles, making roof leaks hard to detect and costly to repair.

None of these issues apply on a real 3 unit, which was built this way.