Investing in a duplex

[LaShanti Penn]

I am a newbie and want to get into real estate investing. I have read a couple of Brandon Turner books and the only experience I have with real estate is the purchase of my home 8 years ago, which was a short sale. I have savings as well as the equity in my home as an option for starting capital. I may or may not be investing alone but I do have a friend that is interested in learning along with me. I notice that people on these forums suggest multifamily quite a bit and the market here in Charlotte is pretty slim so I looked in nearby cities. In Hickory (about an hour away) I see some listings for brand new duplexes around $380k. I am intrigued by this only because it seems fairly reasonably priced for a duplex, much less a brand new one. I have never been a landlord but Hickory is close enough that I would probably handle it myself versus hiring a property manager. I have not made a move towards anything yet just because of fear of the unknown and trying to figure out how to vet deals. Does this sound like a good deal?