The unit is within blocks of Harvard University and a billion other universities are within a few miles.

I’ve recently undertaken to paint 3 units, two 2 bedrooms and one 1 bedroom.

I had a couple clients lock in just recently at 7.1% on 10-30 unit deals.

I suspect few will want to rent furnished units for the significant time it takes to rebuild.  

The loan is with you, not with your tenant, so none of that means anything to them - in fact because you live in one unit and it's under 4, if you were self-managing you don't even have to abide by fair housing laws (at least on the federal level). 

You certainly can ask the seller to make the units vacant before closing.

Depends on what your goals are. 1-4 units are still residential, so it doesn't really matter how you start.

For path #2, you mean purchase & renovate a 3-5 unit building right?

I just turned over a unit in middle of August.

Renovations are almost complete and will be looking to rent out a unit.