@Engelo RumoraAre these properties in an area that is highly occupied by renters, or are they mixed into neighborhoods that have owner occupied owners as well?

These types of owners are cash to pocket folks.

I'm unsure what the right path is, but I've been reading about investing in owner-occupied, multi-family properties.

@Doug Davis, I concur with the others above, you're going to have a helluva time acquiring an owner-occupied small multifamily, especially if your pre-approval/budget is around $300k-$400k, the main acquisition cost for many investors.

This would be my first multi family investment opportunity, and If it goes the way I’d like, I can purchase 2 more duplex’s from the same owner.

Research the prior owner, property records, permits, etc.

No commercial business owner wants to own the building when they can triple net lease and instead just pay for furnishings, taxes , insurance and maintenance.The ConC return on a triple net leased property is far higher than on a property owned by the management company.Passive investors can still take advantage of accelerated depreciation and cost segregation thru material participation of new construction of a STVR home. 

It had been mentioned that the owner is a little rough around the edges.

And although they have a workaround for owner-occupied properties (aka "house hacks"), it's fairly clumsy.

@Mike King we've taken over a lot of properties from them - and the property owners were NOT happy with their services.Many nonpaying tenants and questionable "turnkey" repairs.