, but we are in a situation & desperately need some help/advice.Basically my question is: Given our situation (which I’ll state to come), would you guys recommend we go about trying to find investors to buy our property, or go about things the traditional route and find a realtor?

Going straight to a traditional lender for a mortgage may seem simple, but this approach will not always guarantee the best loan terms.

Since you are living there, it should be much easier to set up showings rather than a traditional rental traveling to the property.The biggest mistake I have made, and seen other makes, is loosening their guidelines after a few weeks/months of vacancy because they have simply had enough. 

Hey @Chance CovanIf you're exploring options beyond traditional financing and haven't owned a primary residence for at least 12 months, starting with a bridge loan might be your best bet.

With the rapid variance of interest rates in the past three years, you're going to have a difficult time buying a property in a semi-traditional manner which can compete with those who are sitting at 3% rates and still cash flow.Do I believe the market is going to correct, yes eventually but it will be several years and It will be a slow change.

We have found houses the traditional way - through the Multi Listing Service (MLS), through foreclosure auctions, off of craigslist (that really weren't scams!)

You can dive into the specifics of that here if you'd like to see why they jumped so high YoY.What I'm saying is, HOAs are a lower entry point of course, can be lucrative if you analyze the deals as traditional long term rentals....BUT, you ultimately have little to no control over specials assessments, HOA fee increases, and even rule and regulation changes that can impact your investment.

So answer the OPs question, traditional buy and hold a house off the MLS is one of the worst investments today for most people as prices and interest rates are up.

Single-Family Home with a Basement:Pros:Familiar single-family living with potential rental income.Can be a good starter home, quieter living if the basement is well-soundproofed.Potentially lower initial investment compared to a duplex (depending on renovations).Cons:Finding tenants might take longer, especially if the basement isn't a fully formed apartment.You'll be responsible for all maintenance and repairs for both units.Less separation between your living space and the rental unit.Multifamily Duplex:Pros:Clear separation between your living space and the rental unit.Potentially higher rental income with a full, separate unit.Faster tenant search as it's a more traditional rental format.Cons:Might be slightly more expensive upfront than a single-family home with a converted basement.Potential for noise complaints if the duplex isn't well-built.Dealing with potentially two sets of tenants (though vacancy rates are typically lower with duplexes).So, which one to buy first?

This would obviously change the strategy but I have even considered making one unit an STR and the other 2 or 3 units a traditional 12-month.