Biggerpockets family,I’m planning on purchasing a duplex, living on one side while keeping the established tenant in the other.

Why not leave the fireplaces and chimneys and remove the wall on either side of the fireplace to open it up?

I am 25, originally from the northern Chicago suburbs, and will be moving back home in about a week.After a lot of reading/listening, I have "decided" that I want my first investment to be a house hack on the north side of Chicago, ideally in Lakeview/Wicker Park/Logan Square/Bucktown areas, but I'm open to other neighborhoods. 

Pretty nervous about this side of things.

My aim is on the West Side of Cincy (C+, B- multi-families) and my Cap Rate Target is 8%. 

Hard money is easy to find but what i have experienced just recently actually is that the deal has to be great because the cost of money and time are not on your side if the numbers are tight. 

I think it's fair to say that conventional loans are always cheaper in the long run but on the flip side if you can save 5-10% down payment you could buy more properties and increase your cash flow quicker. 

This coverage is incase your home get "tagged" or possibly you have aluminum siding and the lower 6 ft get ripped off.

I was planning to start small, very small to prove to my husband that we have to start somewhere THIS YEAR instead of waiting at the side for another year.

Am now shifting over to the vacation rental side as an option.