Duplex, triplex, fourplex, small apartment buildings. Whether you're house-hacking your way into your first home or building a rental portfolio, Amanda represents multi-family buyers with the same faith-led, family-first care she brings to every client — plus the numbers work.
Multi-family real estate is one of the most powerful ways to build wealth in Florida — and one of the most overlooked by first-time buyers. Buy a duplex, live in one side, rent the other, and let your tenant cover most of your mortgage. That's a house hack. Do it once with FHA, and you can do it again in a year with another FHA loan. It's how a lot of Northeast Florida investors got their start.
Amanda represents both sides of the multi-family conversation: the first-time buyer who wants to house-hack their way into homeownership, and the investor building or scaling a rental portfolio. This page walks through both strategies, the financing, the cash flow basics, and where the actual inventory sits in Northeast Florida.
Live in one unit. Rent the others. Qualify with an FHA loan at 3.5% down on a 2, 3, or 4-unit property as long as you occupy one unit as your primary residence for at least a year. Your rental income from the other units can help you qualify for a bigger loan than you could get on a single-family house. Amanda has walked first-time buyers through this exact playbook — and after year one, you can move out, keep the property as a rental, and do it again.
Pure investment buyers — no owner-occupant requirement — typically use conventional investor loans (20-25% down) or DSCR loans that qualify off the property's rent instead of your personal income. Investor multi-family is bought for cash flow, tax treatment (depreciation), and long-term appreciation. Amanda helps investors screen properties for the numbers that matter: cap rate, gross rent multiplier, and actual cash-on-cash return after all real expenses.
FHA (3.5% down, owner-occupant, 2-4 units). The lowest down payment path for owner-occupants. Requires you to live in one unit for at least a year. FHA's 2026 loan limits in Northeast Florida for a 2-unit are approximately $783,000, 3-unit $947,000, and 4-unit $1,177,000 — plenty of room for most Northeast Florida multi-family inventory. Confirm current limits with your lender before writing.
VA (0% down, owner-occupant, 2-4 units). Active-duty military and eligible veterans can buy multi-family with $0 down. Same owner-occupancy rule. This is one of the most under-used VA benefits, and Amanda's MRP certification means she'll walk military families through it.
Conventional (20-25% down, investor). Fannie and Freddie both fund 2-4 unit investor properties. Rates are higher than owner-occupant loans and reserves are stricter, but the paperwork is familiar.
DSCR (Debt Service Coverage Ratio). A DSCR loan qualifies off the property's rental income divided by its total debt payment — not your personal W-2. If the property covers its own mortgage by 1.20x or more, you can typically qualify without traditional income documentation. Very useful for self-employed investors or buyers scaling a portfolio quickly.
Portfolio and commercial (5+ units). Once you cross 5 units, financing shifts to commercial multi-family — different loan terms, longer close timelines, more diligence. Amanda has lender contacts for this tier when the property fits.
Amanda will build the actual model with you before you write an offer. It's not optional. If the deal doesn't cash-flow, we don't buy it.
Duval County has the deepest multi-family inventory. Springfield has historic duplex stock (many pre-1940). Murray Hill and parts of Avondale-Riverside have duplex and triplex conversions in older bungalows. Northside and parts of the Westside have newer small apartment buildings (5-12 units) that trade as commercial multi-family. San Marco has some but they're pricier per door.
Clay County has multi-family clustered around Orange Park — mostly older duplexes and small apartment buildings serving the NAS Jacksonville workforce. Middleburg and Green Cove Springs have limited 2-4 unit inventory but occasionally something interesting comes up.
St. Johns County multi-family is limited. St. Augustine's historic district has a handful of 2-4 unit properties, some short-term rental capable (verify current STR ordinances first). Ponte Vedra Beach and Nocatee are largely single-family — very little traditional multi-family inventory.
Nassau County has scattered duplex inventory in Fernandina Beach and Yulee, mostly older stock. Rare but occasionally strong for beach-proximity rentals.
Baker County has almost no traditional multi-family inventory. Macclenny and Glen St. Mary are single-family and acreage markets. Investor buyers in Baker typically look at single-family rentals or a home with a legal in-law suite / secondary unit rather than a duplex.
Florida's landlord-tenant laws are generally landlord-favorable but there are rules. Security deposits, notice periods, eviction procedures, and repair obligations are all statutorily defined. Amanda will point you to a Florida real estate attorney for lease review before you close.
Tenant screening is the single biggest determinant of whether the property makes money. Credit check, income verification (usually 3x monthly rent), prior landlord reference, and background check. Don't skip any of these.
Fair housing compliance is not optional. Federal Fair Housing Act plus Florida statute protect against discrimination on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability. Your leasing process, your ads, and your tenant screening all need to be neutral, consistent, and documented.
Property insurance for landlords differs from owner-occupied. Landlord policies (DP-3 or similar) cover the structure and loss of rental income. Tenants should carry their own renter's insurance.
Short-term rental rules vary by city. St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach, and Jacksonville Beach all have STR ordinances. If your strategy involves Airbnb or VRBO, Amanda will verify the local rules apply to your specific address before you close.
Multi-family inventory changes weekly. Filter by Jacksonville for the deepest 2-4 unit stock, or by Orange Park in Clay County. Amanda can pull a targeted multi-family list beyond what IDX shows — text her at 904-238-5905.
Whether you're house-hacking your way into your first home or adding your fifth rental door, Amanda will build the actual cash flow model with you before you write an offer. No surprises, no assumptions — the deal has to work on paper first.
Multi-family is one of the most durable paths to financial independence — done thoughtfully. Amanda represents buyers who want the property to work, not just look good. Send a note or call. You'll talk to Amanda directly.