Being owner occupied means getting the lowest interest rate, and a conventional or fha loan. 

I'm beginning to renovate a multi family unit on the southside of Chicago that has been occupied since being purchased (9 years ago.) 

Over those 11 years it has been occupied for all but 3 months until this most recent turn.

I'd also start the marketing process 30-45 days before current tenants move out in most cases - it just seems easier to re-let a place that is currenlty occupied than one that's been sitting empty for a while for some reason. 

I went the owner occupied route on my first 3 homes.

I would do you due diligence but I have seen others use it to purchase non -owner occupied properties.

You want to force the tenant out so you can occupy, which qualifies as an eviction.Talk to the tenant.

Quote from @Olivia Blake: I’m a first-time landlord (just signed my first fully-occupied LTR in Jan 2025) and have already run into my first potential tenant issue.

(this is always what I make sure to do with all of my clients)With an FHA loan, it means you would have to owner occupy and live in Columbus Ohio.

In 15 years of management and 20 years of investing, I've never had a break-in on a vacant or occupied unit.