Duplex/Triplex/Quadplex/etc sizing for rentals

[Jeremy Lee]

Hey all,

Was curious if there's a general 'rule of thumb' when looking for a duplex/multiplex in terms of # of bed/baths and what would be the best setup for renting out either all or a portion of it (if I were to live in it). In my area (LA/OC) I've been seeing quite a few properties where the first unit might be 2/1 or 3/2 and the remaining units are 1/1. Are the 1/1 units pretty desirable to live in or at least pretty easy to keep occupied? For some reason, I have it in my mind that 3/2s are the most desirable (probably because of reading John Schaub's book) but of course that's in the context of SFHs. It just seems like the turnover and vacancy rates for 1/1s would be higher in general.