Realtors typically sell properties ~10% higher on average over FSBO. 

Low taxes, landlord friendly, above average appreciation, and limited new construction.

However, the time a typical home spends on the market is more than a week (8 days) less than the average May from 2017 to 2019.Regional and metro area time on the market trendsIn the South, where the growth in home inventory has been the largest in the past several months, the typical home spent four more days on the market in May compared with last year.

My experience overall is that the average quality is about the same.

(look, if you have 30+ units you are a GURU compared to me and the average Joe!)

https://www.rentcafe.com/average-rent-market-trends/us/al/or...

If the right property is not actively listed, on average I'd say it takes a maximum of 60-180 days from intro for the ideal prospect to present itself. 

First off, I live here and love it here- but for more of the numbers / data side of things, the average duplex price is $200k (in more desirable areas you are looking at $300k - $450k), super consistent and steady appreciation (right around 8% YoY for the last 4 years), 2nd strongest renters market in the US this year after Miami, 3rd most duplexes of any city after New York & Chicago... the list goes on 

With the average apartment in my area ranging from about $1600 and up, having a mortgage rate between $1200-$1400 (again, rough numbers the lender provided me with) doesn't sound too bad considering my money would be going towards my investment and not just right out the window.Now all this sounds very intriguing considering I am ready and willing to take these steps, but with where I am at as an hourly wage employee living paycheck to paycheck, in a VERY expensive town to live in, the numbers just seem quite daunting.

Real estate investing is a forgiving world; the average person can still make money even with some big mistakes.