Maintenance and potential repairs will also require a long-term financial plan and setting aside a contingency fund for such expenses.The steady cash flow, appreciation over time, and tax benefits can make a meaningful difference to your wealth in the long term, especially with the principal paydown on the mortgage.However, if managing the property from a distance feels too burdensome, or if you’d prefer the certainty and flexibility that comes with having less debt (especially given the high mortgage rates), selling and using the $100,000 in equity to reduce your loan for your next home may be the smarter move.

Same basic structure they asking price is a suggestion, I offer what I think is a workable number for me and we negotiate to the "middle";  though the middle is not halfway, we never "split the difference". 

If there’s a significant difference, it might justify the cost of adding more beds.For example, we manage a 4BD property where one bedroom is currently locked off, so it only sleeps 6 (1 king, 2 queen).

Also, I'm not sure how you're paying attention to it on the tax side, but the unit that you are living in's profit at sale is calculated differently than the other unit that you're renting out.Once you move out, that unit is officially available for rent so from that point forward, any profit gained at future sale will be calculated starting from that point and will be taxable.

The valuation and market value of a multi family property differs from a single family and you want someone that understands the distinctions if you go that route.

There are a lot of different things to consider here.

But now with the joy and headaches of non-metered units, trying to wrangle 3 different set's of persons into playing nice, etc etc.. 

IMO here's the differences between the areas you mentioned:1.

Columbus presents a little different type of investing from Cleveland but you can still find good properties that will give you some cashflow each month (not life changing but with your goal of 100 doors then it'll add up eventually).

There is many different ways, key is being consistent.