@Adedayo Adetunji people that break into a property & occupy it are called "squatters".On September 24, 2014, three new Michigan Statutes went into effect to make squatting a crime and give landlords more options to remove them (see Michigan HB 5069/PA223, HB 5070/PA224, HB 5071/PA225).

Wanted to know if landscaping is a tax deductable expense in general and if it differs when one unit is owner occupied.

If I were you keeping the property as 4 units and renting out bonus unit under the radar may be your best option especially if you plan to refi or do HELOC while occupying. 

Thanks for your help For an owner-occupied duplex, you’ll typically need a hybrid policy.

I literally started my real estate idea by considering buying property in Japan, but eventually decided that the US made more sense.

I am buying a flip house from a wholesaler. There is a tenant in the home, no written lease. The tenant wants to stay 2 weeks post closing in order to get all of his stuff out. The house is a foreclosure so we cannot ...

Even open houses on occupied rentals are a bad idea.If you want the highest sales price possible, you will have to list it on the MLS. 

If credit scores are fine, and you are just new to the work sector, then I would suggest doing a conventional loan with a strong income "non-occupying coborrower". 

Starting with an owner-occupied duplex is a smart way to build equity and gain experience.

Quote from @Fernando Martin-Gullans: Hey y’all, I’m a retail investor with 2 SFH rentals worth a combined ~$650k looking to utilize some of my stored equity to buy more out-of-state properties, but I’m not quite sure how best to proceed given that my interest rates are incredibly low (leaning me away from refinancing) and neither property is owner-occupied (which I believe prevents me from using a HELOC).