Depending on the demographics of the area, I've found that Home Depot/Lowes is fine for just about anything going in a regular rental.One must consider return on investment and buying fancy custom cabinets won't yield much if any more rent that box store shaker cabinets, especially in a duplex.Get some decent cabinets and a good countertop and you should be good to go.

Track your cost, increase by a % and get one customer. 

Ultimately, does anyone really ever set out to do real estate as a minor part of their life's ambitions and succeed in it as a side hustle that they spend a carefully limited amount of their time and energy on?

There are several skip tracing companies out there, find one without high volume minimums, flexible pricing options and excellent customer service.

However, it’s crucial to ensure that the HVAC system is adequate for the space to avoid high energy costs.Flooring: The hardwood flooring adds a high-end touch but will require regular maintenance to prevent scratches and wear.

Im in Massachusetss so I had Mass save (program to help with energy usage paid for by the utility companies) come through to do an energy assessment and identified there is little insulation in the entire building and that there is a lot of knob and tube wiring throughout the property.

That will depend on your time, capital, energy, and skills.

Pushes energy prices upwards.  

The biggest question in energy right now is data center electricity consumption and ownership.

Next thing you know my customer base writes bad reviews, stops coming, etc.