The financial case for the two-family depends on documented, permitted rental income being added to your qualifying income, which can raise the purchase price a given salary supports under the 44 percent total debt ceiling.
The tradeoff is being a landlord under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006, which comes with tenant screening, maintenance obligations and the occasional vacancy, none of which a single-family owner has to manage.
Joel Dyck can show you both paths against the same budget so the decision is about lifestyle, not guesswork. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.