Living in the house has definitely slowed progress. 

It’s a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom unit that I’ve been living in for the past two years.

They have literally help me change my life around from a direction that lead down a rabbit hole towards a life to live in peace and prosperity.

Don't use it strictly as a tool to turn the property into one you want to live in. 

I was forced to buy my first house because my roommate moved out and I couldn't afford to live alone.

Well, apart from “if you give me $3000.”Luckily this is a co-living model through PadSplit so I have some income coming in.

If there's a hole, it may be a red flag.b) sensitivity analysis: I examine all the assumptions, and make sure I can live with the worst case scenarios.c) "Stall and see": if they are getting money over multiple years, and there is no penalty for investing later, I would usually wait so I get some real performance data, versus having to look at theoretical pro forma information.d) Recession stress test: I will not invest in anything, until I subject it to recession level stress and see if I can live with the result.

I have great tenants, because I refuse to buy a property I wouldn’t be willing to live in myself.

If you qualify for both (you've lived in the property long enough and it is used for investment when you sell it) then you get to take both.

I needed to buy my first investment and also needed a place to live.