Maybe a french drain system would be appropriate to redirect the water.

@Dan Gerding if you decide to rent instead I know a great 2/2 condo in the Marigny that might be available 😄The Air BnB option is very restricted in some areas by a recent ordinance , particularly the French Quarter and the Marigny.

I recently got a HELOC through Navy Federal on my primary residence.

What if in the upstairs unit only, I put French doors that going from the living area into the back bedroom?

I hired a drainage company to install french drains and sump pumps to remove the standing water.

Purchase price: $240,000 Cash invested: $15,000 This rare, 2 story double in historic Holy Cross offers an inviting French Quarter feel at an affordable price!

.- Navy Federal allows you to purchase a single family or duplex with the VA loan, other mortgage lenders like Veterans United allow you to purchase up to 4 doors.- You must live in the property for 1 year.- VA loan appraisers have a different set of minimum requirements than many other mortgage types so make sure the property you look at can meet these standards or it may not be an option.Good Luck!

I am in the Navy and my wife and I are deciding on whether or not to buy a home.

We have some really heavy rains and water starts coming into the properties kitchen through some exterior french doors. 

The new rules limit short-term rentals in residential areas to owner-occupied properties only (must have a homestead exemption in place), places caps on rentals in commercial and mixed-use buildings, and bans them outright in most of the French Quarter and the entire Garden District.See these links:  https://www.nola.com/news/article_c390da62-ba00-11e9-b876-237e289ed3ef.htmlhttps://www.wdsu.com/article/new-orleans-city-council-approves-new-rules-for-short-term-rentals/28639928https://www.nola.gov/short-term-rentals/