I am also a relatively new member to BP, and I am looking for the same thing (multi-unit in Central/North NJ).

I mostly think it is because they may not get the power of real estate and what it can do for long term even multi-generational wealth. 

Spend the best few hundred bucks you have spent in years.....sit down with a local RE attorney familiar with foreclosures, with your list of questions/assumptions.

Hi Peter, great job with your multi-family.

My question is, would it be fine to go ahead and push to start the lease on the 1st, so I can get a full month's rent for December, or just let him start it on the 9th and lose out on 9 days rent out of the month (which actually comes out to about 190 bucks)?

Although, it seems like a lot of effort to only make $500 or so bucks a month on a rental, well, at least if you consider that it's a much more active affair than buy/hold REI. 

I'm not interested in turning them into this but the ability to absorb them into a single rental property has me a little curious if this could bring down the taxes from a multi town house to a more manageable figure.  

I'm looking to expand my portfolio by investing not just in single family homes but also in multi-family units whether it's in South Carolina or Southern California.  

Virginia townhouse is doing fine from a cash flow standpoint, but we are seriously considering exchanging it for a multi family property in our home state of NC. 

Disadvantages - more risk only one income stream when you go vacant, cap ex cost more because it’s not shared by two or more income streams, generally lower cash flow than a multi family.