Tenants were ecstatic that I have been fixing things that were neglected for years and based on units in Clinton trading for about $200k a door, the property will likely appraise for 750k+ Lessons learned?

What is trading paper or contacts called?

Never use an Expense Ratio %-  do a line item forecast. 

Here are some general guidelines: Lien Position1st Position LienEquityMinimum Down Payment of 20-25% (a 30% equity to sale price is preferred)Down Payment made in certified funds and not borrowedMaximum Funding of 70% ITV (Investment to Value)SeasoningMinimum of two monthly payments already made12 months or more preferredPayer CreditCredit Score of 650 or higherNo major derogatory trade lines (No 90-180+ days delinquent, foreclosure, repossession, bankruptcy, etc.)No decline in credit since purchase of businessTermsPrefer 60 months or lessMaximum of 72 monthsNo Balloon Payment preferredCash FlowBusiness has positive cash flow1.25 debt service coverage ratio preferred.DocumentationPersonal guarantee from a creditworthy individualStandard documents including Note, Security Agreement, and UCC-1 filing.Tax Returns on the business that substantiate profit and loss statements.OtherPayment history current and verifiablePayer Interview indicating buyer is satisfied with business and comfortable making paymentsMotivation for selling the note is not a result of a deteriorating businessConsideration of high risk businesses or geographic areasIn these situations, sometimes a partial is a better option. 

If there is a repair needed I can either do it(some may not be as handy) or I can call a skilled trade guy.

Eric the big one for us is when trying to buy subdivision land.. and seller see's one acre being fold for 400k and they have 30 acres and now want 12 mil.. when in fact larger parcels for SFR are trading on the market at say 200k an acre.. they refuse to understand that it cost 50k or more per lot to get those lots buildable.. they just do the simple math and stick that price on them.  

Across the board, the worse the neighborhood, the better the cash flow, the better the neighborhood, the trade off for tenants base, better schools, low crime, etc etc.

Connecting with local GC groups in your area will help you connect with subcontractors, find out tips and tricks of the trade in your local area (since all areas and their real estate differ slightly).Also, have you considered the motivation behind building a brand-new duplex versus finding one on the market?

This may provide low cash flow up front but it is a way of scaling if you are good at adding value and then trading up that value.

My cost wont necessarily be the same or comparable as I GC my own projects and have trade skills.