Priorities buying a multi-family property

I’m looking to buy a two or three family property in urban upstate NY. I plan to live in one unit and rent out the rest.

My budget isn’t huge, so the stuff that I can afford is usually either in a less than ideal neighborhood, or in less than ideal condition.

Should I be prioritizing one of these two things over the other?

By “less than ideal condition” I’m talking more aesthetic stuff (cheap kitchen, bad molding) , rather than major stuff like a bad roof or something.

One costs money to fix, and the other costs opportunity cost in rental prices.

Is there a reliable way to determine if a neighborhood is on the upswing?