The 4 guests smoked marijuana in the house (strong smell), broke a window blind and a picture, put a hole in the bathroom wall, chipped an end table and worst of all vomited on the couch and front porch.

When I saw a call coming in from a number I didn’t know, I would go take a “bathroom break” and find a deserted corner of the office.

I suggest the first property should be turnkey, the second should be a light rehab (finish basement, redo bathroom).

You can get some estimates from contractors for what they charge for big ticket items like to renovate a bathroom, renovate a kitchen, replace the furnace, replace the roof, etc.All wholesale deals should have free and clear title and you should be able to see the sales agreement before submitting the earnest money deposit.

Then you ask them to show you their kitchen, bathroom and one or two other rooms (basement or living room).

Also consider adding higher end finishes in the bathroom(s).

Meaning you may be able to do some cosmetic or smaller renovations like bathrooms or kitchens in your duplex when the tenants turn over and those smaller investments can demand higher rents, so in the longterm you may have more cashflow from the duplex to help fund a future investment in another property while you wait for market conditions to change.

This followed after a 2X overflow of a tenant on a first floor that flooded his bathroom using a portable washing machine and flooded the basement apartment.

Kitchen and bathrooms.

Consider looking for a large single-family home with the ability to add more rooms or bathrooms, then rent it out by the room.