What's up, everyone! I've been a member of BiggerPockets for 5 years or so, but have never truly contributed to the platform. It has helped me over the years so much, and I wanted to get started contributing back to t...

If you aren't paying cash and are doing owner occupancy you may be able to use FHA instead of Conventional with a higher down payment. 

With an 8% mortgage rate, they would pay more than $650k in interest.One major problem for both buyers and owners beyond mortgage rates is the rising cost of property tax and insurance.

Good points.I'd add square, level, plumb - license, insurance, bond - using permits to follow codepointing out problems the owner doesn't realize they have that are serious. 

They agreed to pay in accordance to the lease and failure to manage to the lease is the #1 reason why landlords fail (Source: American Apartment Owners Assn).Cowboy up and stop having the tenant control your ROI.Best.

I'll be in the market for a duplex/triplex in the $400k range that I will owner occupy and use a 5% down loan.

Yeah that is a huge pet peeve, but also could be AI posters who don't care or my even least favorite, didn't get the initial feedback they wanted so they didn't look again.

Additionally, I would like to attempt to do the process Owner/Builder with subcontracting work out as well as doing some of the work I'm comfortable with (I have some experience with bathroom & kitchen remodeling an am not new to the construction industry).

My strategy would be to target properties which are most likely of the owner NOT redeeming.

Unless you believe the owners knew in advance that this model would not work and were doing this to just feather their nest and move on ?