You are asking for a lotTo get a deal, with location and needs.You need a good place to live for your Mom so she is close to supermarket restaurant may be park.Find the best place for your Mom and yes work on the financing. 

Which area works best for multi-family investing will depend on a few factors:- will you be living in the property as well?

I live in Illinois, if that factors into any decision on what my initial strategy should be. 

Recommend any tips (for STRs), any guidance etc.We live in the Phoenix metro area..Thanks everyone.

I recommend using a boilerplate lease agreement, then adding attaching an addendum with a list of rules particular to your shared living space.

I am currently living in one of the units What made you interested in investing in this type of deal?

I am planning on House Hacking the 3 unit (live in 1 rent out the other 2)  for a year or 2 and then move out a rent my unit out.$200k is a lot of money if you are in a flat market.   

This is my first public post and I'm hoping for some encouragement and insight into the decisions and direction I am heading...My family of 4 is moving next week out of our SFR in Milwaukee (between the airport and Bay View for those that are in the area) and moving to a duplex which we will live in it as a single family while our kids are growing up.

We are closing soon on a multi use building, we plan to live in the apartment but it needs a complete rehab.

There is fire wood left in the backyard by previous tenants and hope not but what if snakes starts living there and bite the tenant will it be our liability?