Just yesterday, I inspected a 31-unit building that is 50% occupied.

If you go this route, you will be required to sign a document that verifies that you intend to occupy the property. 

You can buy a 1-4 unit and will be most likly living for free with a duplex or cash flowing from the point you have tenant’s occupying for a 3-4 unit.

You can typically get a multi family conventional owner occupied loan with as little as 15% down. 

Total number of people that would occupy the apartment3.)

I'm wondering now if I can get hard money for owner occupied.

I don't have kids so I can't really make any recommendations, but I can comment on what I plan on doing.I purchased my first owner occupied home in 2018 and would personally not do it again.

While I haven’t gotten anything under contract yet, I’ve managed to land a handful of leads on currently occupied rentals in Detroit proper, Iowa, Indiana and Pennsylvania.

And according to this only 30% of owners can be on such loan, while 50% must be owner occupied.

Most hard money lenders won't loan on an owner-occupied 1-4 unit property.