Should i just let it be and try to find a small fixer upper instead?

Darren Landerway yes you can purchase a multi family but again your trying to fix it up while living there which won't work because the VA Loan has specific guidelines on their inspection and if they see even a lose outlet, they will tell you to get it fix or fail you.The VA inspection is in place to prevent from any owner using it as a investment now or years down the line.Has a veteran myself the only advantage I see this working in terms of investment is to purchase a fixer upper at a great deal with any loan other than a VA.

You want the lawyer to do it for you at least for the first time and if you are comfortable with what needs to be done you can do it yourself for the next times.The lease and consultation will cost you a few hundred bucks, but will be worth it if you don't consider it to be work he is doing for you, but a lesson the lawyer will explain to you how things are done.Two other points.. you never want to be in a situation where you are telling the tenant they broke the lease and you are going to evict them, and then your lawyer (or the judge) states your lease was illegal.The PAR lease is a basic minimum lease, if does not have the protections for the landlord that a lease your lawyer would create, if has options to add clauses but you need to know what to add.At the end of the day, the legal correctness of a lease is used about 5% of the time. 95% of the time you have good tenants who rent, pay and leave without issue, however that remaining 5% could cost you an arm and a leg if you do not have the proper lease and you (as a landlord) support and enforce that lease legally.

Mostly single family homes and triplex in Piedmont, Upper Rockridge, Montclair and Berkeley area.

We aren't sure if we should buy a fixer upper, rehab it, maybe live in it, while saving to invest in the multi family houses or if we should start with a different strategy.

Here are the details…2 Bed 1 Bath Upper and Lower Duplex in a high demand rental market.

I myself have listed and sold fixer uppers and above using nothing more than Facebook.   

The first house I bought was financed through FHA and was a fixer upper.

This saved us precious marketing dollars and gave me a leg up on the competition.

There could be mold under legs of furniture, dressers, and other heavy objects resting directly on the carpet.