In the short 2 months I have been a Realtor I have been able to help one couple purchase their first home which was great.Earlier this month in August I really wasn’t looking for a new primary anymore until my girlfriend was done her residency as a nurse but a house popped up in Towson, MD that I thought would be a perfect live in flip.

Unless you can find a property with a garage apartment or separate mother-in-law suite, I would go with "happy wife, happy life" and skip that idea.  4. 

I just saw one that actually had a mother in law suite that would be a very attractive option.  

I have also seen LL with one meter bill tenants based on percentage - I guess I do that in one of mine too (3/1 house with 1/1 mother-in-law apartment: 3/1 pays 75% and I pay 1/1 25% and include internet for 3/1 if they cover 1/2 bill).

I would shovel their sidewalk for no other reason than they were my mothers age.

I found out that there was a messy situation between tenants on the third floor (two young women, on is a mother of a two years old.

With the proceeds from the sale we are going to invest in my mother-in-law's current rentals and expand from there.  

If not, the next best option would be to buy a SFH with some sort of casita or mother in law suite that could be rented on a short term basis (AirBnb/VRBO).

My wife lost her father and step mother within about a year of each other.You may want to talk with a CPA about any tax obligations that may result from your inheritance. 

Mother's house also isn't an investment.