People get excited about auctions.In the future, I'd look into ways to make the property look occupied. 

I'm interested in writing an offer on a duplex in Columbus OH that is currently occupied with Section 8 tenants on both sides.

You need it to be a great deal and be very very quick on your rehab to make those numbers work.Another solution is to stay in your current home a year, then turn it into a rental and buy another house that needs work with a owner occupied rehab loans. 

Purchase price: $260,000 Cash invested: $9,800 owner occupied, future rental property

I am trying to house hack (3.5% down, owner-occupied, rent other rooms) in the Bay Area (driving distance about an hour from Redwood City and SF).

Are you going to owner occupy the house via FHA?

I wonder occupy one side so I can’t do that unfortunately.

The property is currently 100% occupied. 

We can lend in 2nd lien position and cross collateralize properties to help you take down additional properties using the equity in your rentals or non-owner occupied properties that are waiting to sell.

Low leverage, let time and inflation work their long term magic, keep the units occupied as much as possible.