I think you should focuse your efforts on house hacking but it's really difficult in Charlotte to do as there's not many duplexes available for purchase where the numbers make sense.Id suggest going the route of buying a home with cosmetic fixes required, make those and then consider renting it out and reappraising it and cash out -> repeat  Alternantively on the lines of house hacking considering going the pad split route, depends on if you're single or married or what your end goal is. 

The Austin area had 5-6 months of inventory for most of the past year.Here are the May 2025 stats for Austin and the greater metro:Here’s a chart showing the median sales price of a single-family home in the City of Austin in over the past year:The median sales price for a single-family home in May 2025 was practically unchanged from a year ago in Austin, with a year-over-year decrease of 1.5%.For some broader context, here’s a chart of the median sales price of a single-family home in Austin over the past 10 years:Compared to the recent price peak in May 2022, the median single-family home price in Austin is down approximately 12%.

Quote from @Adam Zach: Hey BP community,We’ve been scaling a rent-to-own single-family housing model across the Midwest and Southeast and have run into a wall with traditional DSCR lenders.We’ve been working with small local banks and credit unions to finance deals, but as we grow, we’re looking for more scalable lending partners.

Total Active Single Family Agent Listed Homes + Pending Transactions by CityCityActive SFR ListingsPendingSeaside526Cannon Beach464Manzanita175Rockaway Beach545Pacific City323Lincoln City18939Depoe Bay6015Yachats378Florence539Lakeside175Coos Bay11332Bandon7313Gold Beach779Brookings7812Eugene545196

I originally purchased this 2 bed / 2 bath single family home as owner occupied since I qualified for the down payment assistance program for first time homeowners.

You can "House hack" a single family home simply by sharing a room. ou don't necessarily need to have a multi unit to house hack. 

A move in ready, single-family ranch style home, in a more rural location in and around where I am located usually see single digit days on market.

@Lauren Kilburn a single person living in a 5/4 house?

We owner occupied multi-families in the past that we have since sold and we currently own and occupy a single family home.

Love that you’ve set a clear 6-month goal - that kind of clarity puts you ahead of the game already.Since you mentioned you’re new to real estate and aiming for multifamily, I’d gently suggest considering single-family turnkey (SFT) rentals for your first deal - here’s why:Why SFT Might Be a Smarter First Step1.