Good House hack / duplex / triplex areas?

[Christopher Forero]

Hello,

My girlfriend Jess and I both work for the airlines and are interested in an investment property to offset living expenses and eventually have a good COC return once we move out to grow our investment portfolio further. She already has a property in South FL while I've managed a 1 bed 1 bath apt in NJ. Been watching/reading BP and others the past 2 months to gain knowledge and skills.

I am a first time home buyer and looking to take advantage of 3.5% down on a good House-hack, Duplex or Triplex in the <270k range. Have the ability to DIY most remodeling projects, but also know when to call a pro. Distressed properties are good, not looking for a 6 month gut & reno (Taxes here are way too high for that time line haha).

I have been exploring zillow and realtor.com analyzing deals and walked by a couple of properties to check them out. Any specific areas to focus on for these types of deals?

Look forward to working and networking with many of you.
Thanks,
Chris

[Sarah Lewis]

Pro Tip: In Chicago, a duplex is a two story condo/apartmen, not a two unit building. So you will see ads for a 'duplex down', which is first floor with interior stairs to basement or less commonly 'duplex up' which is more often a  new construction condo with interior access to private rooftop. 

What other parts of the country call a duplex, we ( in Chicago) call a 'two flat' (in Boston a 'double decker'), a triplex is called a three-flat in Chicago.