TO OWNER-OCCUPY:  A duplex home purchase can be appealing to an owner-occupant buyer who would want to live in one side of the duplex and rent out the other apartment! 

Read more in the article:  Should Your First "House" be a Duplex?

FOR INVESTMENT:  A duplex home purchase can also be appealing to an investor who uses both sides of the property for rental income!  The investor can manage the property himself/herself or hire a professional management company to manage the rental and upkeep on the property.

Owning a duplex can provide many advantages including:

1.   Duplex owners can use the rental income from one or both apartments to help pay for the mortgage cost of the property.

2.  Duplex owners can gain equity appreciation on the duplex.

3.  Duplex owners can deduct mortgage interest and taxes from income tax liability!

4.  Duplex owner occupant buyers have more privacy and usually a larger yard than found in apartment buildings!

5.  Duplex owner occupant buyers own their apartment -- so they can paint, paper and decorate their apartment to make it their own!

6.  Duplex owner occupant buyers, by their proximity to the rented apartment, can carefully supervise the tenants to ensure that the property is properly cared for and it is easy for the owners to collect rent and complete needed repairs.

Buying a duplex for either an owner occupant or an investor will come with some of the same responsibilities as buying a house ... yard work, maintenance, and repairs.  If the duplex owner rents one side of the duplex -- he/she becomes a landlord -- with all the responsibilities of a landlord.

Buying a duplex has many tax and appreciation advantages for both an owner occupant buyer or an investor!