The departing tenant says she will continue paying rent, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Best bet is likely (not absolute - everyone's situation is different) is to look at a national lender or broker that has options in lots of states - its a great development versus 20 odd years ago, with technology, internet, places like this - can have access to many more options than before (local broker or lender thats it)

If your goal is to offset your mortgage with a house hack then Lowell would be a good bet, but if you're looking for a longer term appreciation play then the areas closer to the city would be better, although the offset from cashflow may be lower than what you're looking for.A good step for you would be to dig into specific areas more as @Lien Vuong noted above.

I am currently looking for a small local bank or credit union that issues lines of credit collateralized with investment property.

And are you looking for turn-key properties or something along the lines of a "fixer upper"?

Whatever you buy you likely won’t keep it down the line as you better define your investment strategy, so my advice is to pick an asset that’s going to teach you the most in the quickest amount of time.

Your best bet are still the Townships - they have the best schools in the county with the least restrictions. 

Ive seen what you do and I bet you guys are just over thinking this. 

From a credit perspective, house hacking also helps you build strong cash flow, which can make it easier to secure financing for future deals.Additionally, if you're targeting high-appreciation markets, you could also look into cash-out refinancing down the line to pull equity and fund additional investments.

I will ping you off line I dont  want to create competition for my client :)  send me a PM and I will let you know the areas ..