Since you live in one side of the duplex you may be able to be more selective about the character of the tenant(s) that inhabit the other unit.

I will probably only be budgeting to use up to $600k to be safe, which I know will be tight depending on what location is selected.

They can still work and careful selection is important. 

I just wanted to let people know of an option out there that i was really impressed by.I was looking for additional education as well as a way to get something that I could put on a resume as I was applying to Real Estate Industry jobs.

This is a learning property for me, so we’ve learned about managing tenants, making the right improvements, selecting contractors and managing the process.

You can select "IND" in the area field on your Illinois MLS.  

To avoid going through the same poor experience, keep reading.Even if someone gives you a referral here, do NOT make the mistake of assuming that the PMC will meet your expectations, just because they met the expectations of the referral source.In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!

BiggerPockets has a section just for this, Under the BUILD YOUR TEAM tab- then select- MEET UPhttps://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521This is the best way to learn from investors in Houston and what to expect on the market.

To avoid going through the same poor experience, keep reading.Even if someone gives you a referral here, do NOT make the mistake of assuming that the PMC will meet your expectations, just because they met the expectations of the referral source.In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!

To avoid going through the same poor experience, keep reading.Even if someone gives you a referral here, do NOT make the mistake of assuming that the PMC will meet your expectations, just because they met the expectations of the referral source.In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!