I was having an informal conversation with a lender yesterday and he mentioned that house-hacking can provide the benefit of more favorable lending terms, but I didn't get the full details...I'm seeking insight as to whether purchasing a MFR as a personal residence (house hacking) can allow a smaller down payment (20%) or more favorable interest rates than if purchasing a MFR and renting out all units.

There is a lot of free information on here and on the web that can at least get you educated a little more on real estate. 

I found this piece of information on job growth in Cleveland.

Has all the information they can ask for.

Josh Sicotte is correct, KnoxREIA meetup is a great resource for networking and local market information.

This is such a great community with a wealth of information.

Please feel free to reach out to me if you would like assistance with determining market value of a property or need information on hot areas of Palm Beach County.  

Information is very important - asking the right questions and knowing how to respond to responses will mark you as a rank amateur or professional who knows what to do and how to get the the bottom line quickly and close a deal.

So back to the original post @Richard Chan - being a newbie I'm not looking back yet, but as @Bill S. suggests - all that information is there for the asking (especially on BP) - it seems wise to soak it in as best as possible before making a big move with big regrets.

Message me and I'll give you more information.