One of the biggest risks I observe with flips and first time investors are instances where the project goes over budget or gets stuck in mud, can't sell and even worse the borrower doesn't have the credit profile to refinance out to a lower interest lending source if borrower is required to hold the property as a rental. 

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 think I’m going to lower the price a bit after Thanksgiving, because I really don’t want to go into Christmas without it leased.

I've acted as a "deal warning person" to many new California and a few NYC investors who I've talked to in person, Zoom, and phone calls who want to buy the Midwest or South because the price points are lower.  

Sorry to hear that you are dealing with an eviction, though with the high cost of living here and relatively lower wages, I suspect it is not uncommon. 

I am also an Italian citizen, I lived there for a while, so I know the place and my family lives nearby.House prices are also lower in the areas I invest in comparison to Munich where I live.

Any ideas how to lower this or use it as a owner occupied property?  

Most lenders will use the middle of your three credit scores and if there's more than one applicant, the lender will go with the lower of the two credit scores.

Originally posted by @Cara Lonsdale:Having access to the MLS and your lockbox key will allow you to search for properties in real time and gain access/entry when you want to view. 

Here’s how I’d approach it:For the 9.5% Loan: Refinancing into a DSCR loan makes sense to lock in a lower fixed rate, especially if your goal is stability and better cash flow.For the 7.25% Loan: If the local bank's investment HELOC offers a competitive rate, consider it for flexibility.