Please do comment if wrong:If you are not residing in a unit then a homeowner’s insurance will not cover anything.

If you are still willing to stay in the same unit as your brother you can get a 2-4 unit building, rent out the other units and still rent a bedroom within your unit to your brother for extra income.

The second case was a commercial property (an 8 unit multifamily in a complex of 6 individual 8 unit buildings), owned by a group of investors.

How do you advertise your vacant units?

units you're in that boat, but for anyone out there, keep your head up.

If you are purchasing that MF property for $1 mil then you can use the 3 units as your replacment for the 1031 exchange ($750K of value) and live in the last unit ($250K of value).An awesome way to house hack your way up!!! 

I think a multi family (2-4) units would again probably be the right type.  

I have never provided a water dispenser/ice maker in any of my other units, but rather a Brita and ice trays with no complaints.

Adding small units in small unit counts is expensive development.  

2 unit house 30 year FHA 6.6% major renovations (roof,bathrooms,kitchen,etc) home has appreciated 397k when appraised to 550k zestimate (similar comps in the area are 500k).