If the tenant were to leave, what would I need to do to get top rents? 

On top of that, we repainted the house to boost curb appeal and really make it stand out.

Go to GET STARTED > EVENTS AND MEETUPS at the top of your screen.

This mortgage is 1250$ with insurance/taxes.My logic for buying the duplex is that I would move into the top portion.

Starting with the basics like saving and budgeting is definitely a good move, but it sounds like he’s ready for some beginner-friendly real estate concepts too, like analyzing properties or understanding cash flow.Books like Rich Dad Poor Dad for Teens or podcasts like BiggerPockets Rookie could be a great fit.

Good afternoon Jason, Caleb had a very good point, I highly recommend owner financing to get you started on top of some sort of side gig.

We aren’t aiming for anything top of the line or updated but we need bigger and more bedrooms etc. so our next home we are looking $450kish and not much more. 

On top of that, when you go to sell you learn the market has been stagnant and has not appreciated with limited owner occupants & investors are not willing to pay retail given the amount of distressed inventory that exists in the market. 

The irony of the 1% "rule" is that those who could even use it effectively don't need it, ie if you need to spend more than 30 seconds thinking about whether it fits the guidelines you're probably not educated enough in RE to use it anyway. 

Go to BUILD YOUR TEAM at the top of the screen and look for local investors or meetups in your area.