I do not understand why one looking for a buy would ever go to a "wholesaler" vs those who actually control the vast majority of supply. 

This vastly increased what we could charge for rent.

I tell them I'm a little-guy investor and as such, I'm not in the market for vastly overpriced workers.Back to your question. 

The current lender could appraise the smaller parcel and perhaps determine the collateral is sufficient.

The vast majority of lawsuits against Landlords are for wrongful eviction, security deposit disputes, and Fair Housing Violations.

The return percentage is the same, but the impact to lifestyle is, presumably, vastly different.  

Wethink it’s important as it allows us to check for Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) issues and to determine if anapplicant is living paycheck-to-paycheck.

I recommend you do some market research on the price points to purchase and what you can get for rent to answer the question yourself.Regarding a 3 to 4 unit, If you decide to use an FHA loan make sure you research the FHA self-sufficiency guidelines. 

Since you're purchasing your first home, you likely don't have this rental history.Lease Agreement: While a signed lease agreement is a positive step, it might not be sufficient on its own for a lender to consider the rental income in your mortgage application.

I did not know that triplex/fourplex would require self-sufficiency test.