Considering your situation, I would try to find deals on Facebook, saved zillow/realtor search notifications, etc.

The property tax savings are going to be in the ball park of 40-60%, but to be safe you should double your expected repairs budget when calculating the NOI.If you have any other questions, or want a more in-depth response, I would love to help!

I’d even consider finishing the basement, just well enough for me to live down there, so I could rent out ALL the units.I’d save all my cash and look to refi the property in 1-2 years out of the FHA mortgage, so I could use it again if necessary.

@Jermaine Wesley thanks for sharing, as a retired Navy veteran I am stoked to see that you Mr deployment savings were supercharged by this project!

Not worth the up front savings.

In that process, I got my real estate license to buy the house and save on fees. 

This would defeat the triple tax savings @Kaaren Hall described above.

If you own several apartment buildings your best interest might be to speak with a asset protection attorney versus asking questions online of just anyone who might respond.Good Luck!

I am trying to look them up and I don't see any reviews on line and nothing with the BBB. 

If you can afford a higher payment, a 15-year mortgage saves on interest over time.For the down payment, aim for at least 5%, but if you can put down 10-20%, you'll avoid PMI and could get a better rate.