Need advice on deals gone bad

[Gaurav Nandola]

I am newbie and I was motivated to invest and acquire a number of properties to create a portfolio.

I took the plunge this year and bought 2 duplexes in Columbus, Ohio. However, in my enthusiasm, I made several rookie mistakes. 

First, my deal analysis was showing a cash flow of 5-6%, which was low, but I thought it would be good for a start. 
Secondly, I trusted my realtor too much and didn't verify all the information about the neighborhood, expenses, vacancy rates, etc
Third, I assumed that rents would go up.

Now, after owning the place for 6 months, I find a lot of pain points
1. The deal is not turning out how I thought. I knew about some repairs, but the operating expenses seem much more that I budgeted.
2. Recently, 2 of the tenants moved out and I found that I had to lower my rents by $100-150 per unit per the new comps in the area, eating further in to cash flow
3. One of the tenants hasn't paid rent for past 4 months. While the property management team managed to get some support from a non-profit, the funds are yet to arrive.

I also thought it would be more of a passive investment since I hired property management. However, I am constantly replying to their emails and following up.

Anyways, given what has happened, and since interest rates are on the rise, I was thinking a few options.

1. Sell one or both duplexes and take a small loss due to commissions, etc. Maybe now is the time to get out, before the market corrects significantly.
2. Grind my teeth and hold on to these properties. Since RE Investment are long term investments, wait a few years to see if things improve. But right now they seem to be like money pits.

Appreciate your thoughts on this.

Regards,

GN