and soon realized that there was no aviable apartments in or around the same neighborhood for the price that they were looking for. if they wanted cheaper rent?

The cost would be about 500k about $250k cheaper than it would be to buy another duplex property in my area.

You can find cheaper options on some other stuff, but I hope this gives you some Insite as to what money can buy these days. 

Duplex can always add additional units via the ADU laws. 8) Related to number 1, purchasing a property with an existing ADU is cheaper than buying a property and adding an ADU.

.- Someone talked about crime and hard tenants (who don't pay - usually inherited ones)- not many economic opportunities to attract pool of people and boost area etcI'm looking at houses on both sides (Canada and USA) US, they are cheaper like 731 Pine Ave, Niagara FAlls NY 14301 going for $270,000 (5/2, 2700sq ft) but on Can side, it's like houses are in the US$400K - smaller sq ft.

Remember: cheaper doesn't mean you'll make more money.Start by going to www.narpm.org to search their directory of managers.

The tenants have the option of something like a rent strike but they should know they could be evicted and then will be forced to move - if there is cheaper rent, then that seems doable.

I have to choose between a much cheaper market that I live in that is much easier to cash flow, but finding good renters could be more difficult.

I am currently located in The Bay Area, California and I am little nervous about  investing out of state but I thought I would give other cheaper markets a shot other than my backyard which is expensive.

In your example, $250 in utility bills is much cheaper than $2500 to fix frozen-pipe damages!