Introduction - advice?

[Marc Massery]

I'm 28 years old, live with my parents in western Massachusetts (Berkshire County). I have next to no expenses- no car payment, no student loans, my parents buy groceries etc. I have a 9-5 job that I LOVE as a staff writer for a non-profit. I make about 43k a year. I'm just trying to learn about what assets to invest in. I've thought about low cost index funds, not sure if that's the way to go. I've stockpiled $27,000 over the past few years in a savings account hoping to buy a house with it. I qualify for FHA, have excellent credit. I'm hoping to buy a duplex to live in for a couple years, and rent out the other side. When I do find a decent duplex, should I put down the minimum in a down payment? If so, what do I do with the rest of my money? How do I make that money "work for me" as Kiyosaki would say (just finished reading Rich dad, poor dad and wondering what to read next)? I was thinking once I was in a duplex to use my leftover cash to put in a relatively inexpensive single family home that I can afford to pay for with a conventional loan and rent that out. Is that a good idea for starting out?