My plan is a gradual rent increase over 3-6 months to move up to market for this specific example. 

I would recommend raising the rents slowly and developing a plan for rehab that gradually makes the changes.

You may need to calculate your time value to $20/hr starting out and gradually moving that # up as you see some success.The get rich quick schemes are an illusion, this is hard work getting things working right but worth it once the big ball starts rolling. 

I’m just beginning my real estate investing journey and about to close on a duplex where I’ll live in the smaller unit and rent the other unit out, gradually upgrading both units to build equity.

Basically, I want to move gradually on my offers to him, see what he will actually take.

Started again in 2009 with bank owned homes and moved gradually into short sales.

As they say, slow and steady wins the race, so thank you for the confident advice on a gradual financial gain.

I was thinking that this would be my first investment and I would gradually make repairs until it is up to par.

Is it a situation where up and coming neighborhoods have low property taxes now but they gradually rise?

But thats years away given the gradual pace they seem to be proceeding at.