@Colin J Parks
Welcome to the BiggerPockets community! No matter where you stand in your real estate investing journey, BiggerPockets is the ultimate resource for all of your investing needs. I’d suggest starting out by networking with as many other investors as possible and be an active participant in the forums.
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I know you said that you want to start with a duplex for your first deal but depending on the market there at the moment, finding these deals where the numbers work in your favor can be tricky. I'd keep an open mind to other strategies such as house hacking a 4-5 bed SFH and rent by the room. Another idea is the non-conforming duplex. This is where you take a split-level home or a home with a walk-out basement and put up a wall and a kitchen/kitchenette in the basement to create two separate units.
Feel free to DM me if you want more specific advice.
Good luck and get educated!