Lower down payment, gives you time to fix up the property a bit, and is more scalable for first time investors.As for FHA, even in this market it's seen as something sellers don't tend to prioritize over cash or conventional loans.

The YNAB 'system' directs the user to assign jobs/goals/purposes to every dollar they own, thereby prioritizing what is most important to them.

The majority of us in here would prioritize buying your first property > going into student loan debt. 

At the end of the day you need to prioritize features, pricing, etc. and see what works best for you. 

What we prioritize is 6+ school ratings, safe neighborhood, multifamily with preferably 4 units (we don't care too much about how small each unit is), 1-1.5h commute to the Bay (near Millbrae).Thank you all for your insights and helpful discussions on this forum.

Deep down I would like to say long-term appreciation, but my first initial reaction is prioritizing cash flow. 

One challenge for me, I think, would be the initial cost of a 2-family in NYC, or whether I would be open to going with a property a bit outside of the city to get a lower price.My current strategy that I'm considering came from listening to BiggerPockets Podcast 408: Full-Time Income on a Part-Time Schedule with Emma Powell in which she talks about how her first REI deal was being a hard-money lender using funds from a house sale, and that it was really powerful because she was effectively being paid to be mentored (by the experience lender) With that in mind, I am considering focusing mainly on just selling my current property, and maybe doing a house hack if possible, but prioritizing selling, and being able to use the proceeds toward a lending deal.

Travel nurses are also very focused on budget and in my experience will prioritize rent price over most other things. 

Prioritize useful photos that show the layout over close ups of decor, especially your first 5. 

Check with local governments for their economic plans.)Job Growth: Prioritize areas with a minimum of 2% employment growth YoY for the past two decades.