Buying a multifamily home that is zoned as single family

[Erin Caldwell]

I am in the process of looking for my first multi-family home (and first home ever) in Tacoma, Washington. I have put in three offers (obviously denied so far), but have learned a lot in the process. However! I found a type of property today on the mls that I have not run into. Through my research I am not finding great answers. Any help or insight is welcomed about the issue below.

The property I'm interested is zoned and listed on the msl as a single family home. However, it really is a duplex in every sense (separate kitchens, separate meters, entrances, garages, etc.)

There are currently no tenants and has zero rental history since it was built in 1969. Has anyone run into this? A home that is listed as single family but really isn't? Could there be some kind of underlying zoning issue that will end up terrible? Could I end up buying this, then never being able to actually rent it out? Also, has anyone gone about converting a single family home to a multi?

Thank you for your advice!