hi Tony:like you, am just starting out as well and am attracted to the Houston Area (cos am bullish on its prospects and that was where I had my first real job!).

Well, how about if a prospective tenant shows up wearing sunglasses at night and a cap with a big marijuana leaf printed on the front and all over the sides? 

No idea of the prospects of that first property. 

Catch #1, the prospective buyer has to occupy the home.

The only way to truly identify the value prospect is to look at comps.

Act like a prospective tenant.

Without the numbers on your duplex we can't determine if it makes sense from an investment prospective.

.- Only doing showings at specific days & times, leading to longer vacancies- Requiring prospects to fill out applications first, before scheduling a showing to protect their time invested/wasted (which turns off some prospects, leading to longer vacancies).- Charging owners for pics- Charing inflated application fees to make, you know, some money for their time spent- Some even charge tenants MoveIn Fees and other charges to make money.So, don't be short-sighted and expect PMCs to work for free!

Seek for condominiums with comparable renovations and evaluate the impact these upgrades have had on the selling prices of those properties.Rental Demand: While renovations might increase a condo's appeal to prospective tenants, especially in the Section 8 leasing market, it's important to assess if the cost of the improvements can be recovered by the anticipated rental revenue.

Think about things that might affect your investment, such as prospective regulatory changes, economic diversity, and employment stability.Personal Preferences: Consider your long-term goals and desired way of living.