Hey Lee, Ohio's a great state for landlords but different cities offer different opportunities. 

Starting local offers hands-on experience and control, ideal for learning the ropes, while out-of-state investments can provide better returns but require a reliable property manager.

It’s also important to check with your lender to see if they offer this option.Lump Sum Payment: You’ll need to make a significant lump sum payment toward your mortgage principal.

The lenders that offer the 203k renovation loan are telling me that DPA cannot be used with it and this is in Ohio.

@Eli Jerman Owning a duplex where you live in one unit and rent out the other offers significant tax benefits but adds complexity.

The builder offerred $15,000 credit to be applied, however you wished EXCEPT can not be used for price reduction. 

In my post I was just trying to offer another perspective.

The rental demand in the area has been consistent, and duplexes offer the flexibility of house hacking or scaling into multi-family investing over time.With your experience in construction and remodeling, you’re already ahead of the game—fix-and-flips or BRRRR projects in Kansas City could be a perfect fit for you. 

I'm about to make two offers, one on a triplex with a 6% cap rate and one one a single-family that I want to use as my primary.

It’s about understanding what each neighborhood offers.