there was a group of 8 of us that pooled money in a Cabal myself and one other were the main money guys the others put in smaller amounts and when we won one.. we would divy up interest prorata to the amount contributed.. this kept those guys from competing against us and for sure we bid up newbies .. really the only ones that would beat us were those that wanted to live in the house and would just go almost all the way to retail or above .. or someone bidding on a second thinking it was a first and no one is going to help you if you dont know what your doing.. this is a very caveat emptar bizz.

Tyler local, so sparked my interest whenever I see anyone post about the area.Given that your duplex is fully paid off and generating a steady cash flow of $1400 per month, it's understandable that you're having second thoughts about selling it.

I think the important takeaway is that you need to know what's going on in your local market.

Find the best local real estate investor meetups that have no pitches and you will increase your knowledge, camaraderie, and motivation ten-fold.

I would get on the phone with a local lender through a local bank. 

And a local resident is usually very helpful.

Connecting with local contractors or experienced investors in your area is also very helpful for getting accurate numbers.For ARV you’ll want to look at comps; You can start on Zillow or Realtor.com but I highly suggest connecting with a local agent.

You could also consider house hacking locally.  

Depreciation begins once the property is rented.It’s essential to consult with a real estate attorney to ensure compliance with local laws and to handle legal complexities.

The wider local region also seems to have a lot of tourist draw.