Better down payment options, you live in the property you rent which makes management 30X easier.

You likely have to live there longer and/or plan to use it as a rental property (assuming the revenue is high enough) because you're starting at zero equity.  

Benefit from group discussions with like-minded peers and live Q&As with your real estate instructors.

I considered Cincinnati but since I know Indy well (used to live there), I decided to focus just on one city in the MidwestI also looked at Bakersfield.

I just don't forecast renting it all. it's personal living space for family & friends. 

Yes, that is the original house hacking strategy, but it really only works well if you've built up enough equity over the time you lived in the first one to depart and end up no money in when you refi.

To do it, you'd have to live like a pauper for several years.

I lived in GA myself for many years, great market to invest in around ATL. 

So basically would I be able to live in one side and rent the other side in a duplex . 

Even though they were no longer my tenant every time the update the bankruptcy I would get notice from bankruptcy court that my tenant still have the right to stay in the unit as continuance kept happing even though they had not live there any more for months.