I want to get involved in the plans for the future, the financial goals of the owner, protecting the longevity and condition of the properties, maximizing income potential while also treating tenants like paying customers with fairness, care and respect.

In fact there is absolutely nothing wrong with the above described technique as long as it's fully disclosed and UNDERSTOOD by all parties.John is "disgraced" because he got involved as front man with a Salt Lake City real estate marketing firm that promoted John all over late Nate TV back around 1998 - 2003.  

This can help offset your mortgage and other expenses.Single-Family Home: If you choose a single-family home, you may have the option to rent out rooms or a separate unit if there's space, but the income potential might be lower compared to a duplex.Affordability:Duplex: Financing a duplex might be more challenging, but the rental income can assist with affordability.Single-Family Home: Single-family homes might be more accessible for first-time buyers, but you won't have rental income to offset expenses unless you choose to rent out a portion of the property.Property Management:Duplex: Managing a duplex involves dealing with multiple tenants and units, which can be more time-consuming than managing a single-family home.Single-Family Home: Managing a single-family home is typically simpler since there's only one tenant.Privacy:Duplex: Living in a duplex means you'll share a building with tenants, which could impact your privacy.Single-Family Home: Offers more privacy as you won't be sharing the property with renters.Market Conditions:Duplex: In some markets, duplexes may offer better appreciation potential and cash flow due to the rental income.Single-Family Home: Depending on the location, single-family homes may have better long-term appreciation potential.Long-Term Plans:Duplex: If your goal is to accumulate rental properties, starting with a duplex can be a good way to get into real estate investing.Single-Family Home: If you prioritize a more traditional living arrangement and don't want to manage rental units, a single-family home might be a better fit.

Small town big shots sometimes make their own rules and that's the type involved here.

We log in weekly to pay any bills and then invoice the tenant.Most other utilities (cable, internet, etc) we don't get involved with since they are not requirements under our lease agreement.Good luck!

A final point - foreclosing is generally a legal process involving attorneys.

No need to get the Govt involved in the housing market IMO.... a) they do not have the necessary competence, and b) they F up everything they touch, and c) they get a little power and they will never give it back..... 

I’m trying to get into single family home real estate and I have been trying to get a feel for the type of cash flow involved.

I have noticed a trend over the pasts 10 years where more and more of the people have zero involvement in the day-to-day operations of the property and are only raising money.  

Understand the fees involved and calculate the total cost for an entire year of management so you can compare the different managers.