Now you can ideally monetize it's sell price with the added premiums of turn-key and seller financing, and as completed raising the sale price significantly creating sizable profit.

Could you convert just the garages in to a massive “owner’s suite” convert e small building into a garage or workshop and create the ideal 4 unit for an owner occupant?

Considering your goal of house hacking a duplex, while FHA loans are common for first-timers, there are alternative financing options to explore:Conventional Loans: Need more credit and down payment, but offer flexibility. 203K Loans: Ideal for fixer-upper duplexes, bundling purchase and renovation costs.VA Loans: Great for vets—no down payment, competitive rates, and no mortgage insurance.Portfolio Loans: Private lenders, good for unconventional income or credit histories.Hard Money Loans: Quick, high-interest, good for investments or major renovations.With $30,000, mix it up—use it for a down payment, maybe pair with a conventional or FHA loan.

I am looking for a 4-plex ideally (my second property) and would benefit from hearing more from your experiences.

What you wrote would be ideal scenario.

Keep it local, ideally within 20min!

 I suggest setting clear goals and outlining your desires and requirements for your ideal investment properties.

Tough neighborhoods still, but plenty of fixer uppers and low cost plots make it ideal for scrappy individual investors looking to get started on the cheap.

If your goal is to keep acquiring investment properties, going the DSCR route for future purchases would be ideal, as they do not report on credit(with me, the lender of course). 

If it's standard for the landlord to pay, also no problem although not ideal.