It will be a duplex in downtown Tempe and I will be living in half.

Not HAFA but seller getting a lesser amount, which is evidently not enough to temp him to leave.

Specifically, I'd look at the Tempe, AZ market as I'm familiar with the area.

I live just south of MB in the offseason and had a pipe burst when the temps fell into the 20s last winter. 

Also, look at temps in areas you’re considering to see what national park will allow you to maximize the season.

There are bridge loans that take a construction loan to permanent debt. once a property has seasoned and it's completed you can refinance. whether that is a new build or a flip, lenders typically have seasoning requirements. building is all about structured finance and making sure the loan product is a bridge product or temp to perm. if you want to learn more I'd recommend talking to construction financing firms. we are a builder 

The sellers had agreed to pay $X for the temp buy down. 

If you have water lines in an outside wall, and the unit is reaching ambient temps, that cold air will travel and freeze the pipes all the way up to the top.

@Pj Hamadeh Based on your initial input, you might consider the Baseline corridor area, Ahwatukee, Tempe, Arcadia, and potentially other areas.

Is there anyone currently MTR-ing in Phoenix/Chandler/Tempe that would be open to a quick chat?