Duplex - Small Multi Investment

[Joshua Hughes]

Hey everyone,

Looking for some insight and advice from investors who’ve moved into small multifamily (2–4 units) as pure rentals, not house hacks.

A little background on me — my last property went a little crazy with the BRRR approach. Long story short, I added an AADU (attached accessory dwelling unit) onto the house, but I haven’t been able to refinance it yet. The project turned out solid and I’m still cash-flowing well, but since I had to use my own credit, it hit my credit score and DTI pretty hard.

I’ve now climbed back above a 700 credit score, but my DTI is still high, so I’m trying to be more strategic before jumping into the next deal.

Here’s my current buy box:

• Property type: 2–4 units (duplex, triplex, fourplex)

• Market: Oklahoma, Cleveland, or McClain County

• Target purchase price: 200K

• Financing: Conventional or DSCR

• Goal: Long-term cash flow 

I’d love to hear from those of you already in the small-multifamily space:

• What mistakes should I avoid when transitioning from single-family to multifamily?

• How do you structure management or maintenance efficiently at this scale?

• Any lender, financing, or deal analysis tips that helped you early on?

• What metrics do you personally prioritize (e.g., cash-on-cash, DSCR, cap rate)?

Appreciate any insight or lessons learned from your own experience.

Thanks,

[Drew Sygit]

@Joshua Hughes what Class of Property/Tenant are you targeting?

Your DTI won't matter with a DSCR loan, only your FICO score.

There are almost zero efficiences gained with 2-4 unit properties.