Seeking Advise on Getting Owner Occupied in SLC

[Michael Dinwiddie]

Situation: I am moving to SLC (with my wife and 1 kid) this summer to get a 2-year MBA at the University of Utah. I have $30k in investable cash and a full time, remote, job that I’ll have leading up to the MBA. 

I want to put that cash to good use and start learning real estate skills. I live a few hours from SLC currently in South east Idaho, but have flexibility to travel down/fix up a place if I get it during the summer.

Options: 

1) Find a multi-unit, put some sweat equity into it and house hack for two years then rent out the owner occupied side when/if we leave Utah in two years.

2) Find a single family, 3bdr, fix it up over the two years, then sell or rent when/if we leave Utah in two years.

3) Invest the cash and just rent for two years.

I’d love to do options 1 or 2, I’m prepared to do the leg work, but I want to get the communities opinion/advise.