From google: “The Fair Housing Act (FHA) does not apply to certain types of rentals, including: Owner-occupied buildings: If the building has four or fewer units and is owned by the person who lives there Single-family homes: If the owner rents or sells the home without using a real estate agent, and they own no more than three homes Religious organizations: If the property is only available to members of the organization's religion Private clubs: If the property is only available to members of the club Senior housing: If the property is designated for people who are at least 55 years old Even if a property is exempt from the FHA, it must still comply with the law's ban on discriminatory statements, notices, or advertising.

I was insured through NREIG when it was a single rental to one family but now since I have transferred to room they dropped me.

I plan to invest into smaller multi-family 2-5 unit turnkey properties.

I also live in Orange County (Just north of Fullerton) and am interested in learning more about multi family house hacking.

They could offer different products for single family vs multifamily so it's a good idea to get with a lender to see what they can do that may not be your typical mortgage type.

Do you know the area very well or have family/friends that live in the area?

Same answer whether you borrowed against your residence or against your rental A or against your life insurance or from your family or from any other source. 

For property selection, choosing a duplex or triplex in a good neighborhood can provide steady cash flow, while adding an ADU to a single-family home works well in areas with high rental demand like Portland.

So while I have family nearby I want to minimize excess wear and tear because 1.

Quote from @Richard Kim: I'm a fairly new small time out of state investor who owns a couple multi-family properties in Cleveland.