Personally, I feel a newbie getting into a triplex in an area they dont know, which could have low income characteristics is a mix for disaster.

An example of this would be mixing your personal money and LLC money in the same bank account.3.

States that do require a license to lend/broker on 1-4 Resi Investment Properties: CA, ID, OR, NV, AZ, UTStates that do require a license to lend/broker on 5+ Multi/Mixed Use or Commercial properties:CA, ID, OR, NV, AZ**not legal advice - do your own research. 

If StayFi gets their act together you could use them, but I'm also one of those people that has mixed feelings about their way of collecting emails.  

The asking rent growth rate of the metro's eight underlying submarkets over the past 12 months has been mixed, with cumulative change rates ranging from 1.9% (San Gabriel Valley) to -3.0% (South Bay).Competitive Inventory, Employment, AbsorptionTotal employment in the Los Angeles metropolitan area increased by 14,200 jobs during the first quarter, representing a growth rate of 0.3%, while industrial employment contracted by 2,043.

If you have solid gross income, a bank statement loan may work since you have a mix of w2, schedule C, and schedule E income. 

My handyman couldn’t even get paint today because the machine at Home Depot couldn’t mix it thanks to the CrowdStrike software update that caused a global tech outage.

Considering your goal of house hacking a duplex, while FHA loans are common for first-timers, there are alternative financing options to explore:Conventional Loans: Need more credit and down payment, but offer flexibility. 203K Loans: Ideal for fixer-upper duplexes, bundling purchase and renovation costs.VA Loans: Great for vets—no down payment, competitive rates, and no mortgage insurance.Portfolio Loans: Private lenders, good for unconventional income or credit histories.Hard Money Loans: Quick, high-interest, good for investments or major renovations.With $30,000, mix it up—use it for a down payment, maybe pair with a conventional or FHA loan.

Drinking plenty of water and bringing along nuts/trail mix or a piece of fruit while out on the road has definitely been a plus in my experience.

It's a mix of things, takes trial and error along with time chatting/networking