I’m currently selling my main house and wanted to house hack but the only multi family properties coming on the market are like $1.2 million for a duplex and it just doesn’t math :/ Home prices here have always seemed to be higher than most areas. 

Affordability can be tricky, but secondary markets near larger metro areas often offer a good balance.

Quick math, $2.8M equity + $1.8M cash = $4.6MSo take that $4.6M and re-allocate it, buy SFR with cash, and target appreciating areas.

Run the math and see what you think.

I intend to do some off market searching in the Charlotte area, but have also considered looking into secondary or tertiary markets.

I am not sure how much you get involved but do your employees contact the realtor and discuss market rents, do the math to check leases versus market rents and which lenders use the "lesser of the two".Closing in an LLC versus personal name can also add a rate hit as well as Escrow or No escrow.

The OP made this math easier for me, since he let us know that he is clearing $2300 a month after all his fees, so that means the only cost he isn't including in that $2300 would be his principal and interest. 

Then to find inventory, you need to search out, i.e. network, and find out who is creating these type of notes or you help people that may have an interest in seller financing how to create a note that is marketable to the secondary market.

Quote from @Jay Hurst: Quote from @Jay Hurst: Quote from @Randall Alan: @Gregory SchwartzThen there is this on privatizing Fannie & Freddie:"Trump may renew a housing fight that could rattle mortgage rates":https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/02/economy/fannie-mae-freddie-ma...The gist of the article is that without the government backstopping mortgages, rates could realistically go up!  

Do the math and the answer will probably be obvious.