You bring up a great point and you're correct, I've noticed as well that most 2-4 unit listings are tenant occupied.

I occupy one unit. 

For those that live in areas where their county websites lack significant information on properties in their area, what have you done to find a list of properties based on criteria you want (I.e. list of non-owner occupied properties that have been owned for 3+ years etc.)Have you found sites like landgrid.com or others to do the trick?

I am going to be owner occupying for 1.5-2 years. 

Walking a tenant occupied property.

Looking for recommendations on home owners insurance providers for an owner occupied triplex in Bluffton SC. 

I'm renting out the neighboring unit, as well as one bedroom of the owner-occupied unit.

So the day you move out of your first home, any loan you would apply for on that residence would be non-owner occupied.

The VA allows you to use rental income from owner occupied multi families so it could turn out to be easier to obtain financing. 

Because of this, there would be a restriction of each party’s ability to access/occupy the property and thus would disqualify it as a second home loan.