If you will be financing this purchase, I recommend starting with a prequalification as they will really help you focus on what markets will serve your budget best.

They've never been in another house in the neighborhood.Now often they will have more neighborhood or city knowledge, that I may not have, but I ask them questions that I think are important to the sale or value.Many homeowners focus on the wrong things. 

Picking a focus early on will help keep you from feeling scattered.Networking is huge in this business.

What are you looking to get out of the community and where are you focusing your real estate efforts?

We pride ourselves in keeping the forums positive, helpful, and focused on real estate (please, no politics, religion, etc.).

@Yoni Kaszynski, with a co-signer what I focus on is whether they are "collectible".

Since you’re already diving into BiggerPockets, focus on clarifying your investment goals (house hacking, multifamily, or BRRRR), building your network with experienced investors and lenders, and most importantly, taking action by analyzing real deals.

If you plan to use the remaining HELOC for a DSCR or BRRR strategy, that could help you build more equity, but consider if the current market conditions will lead to higher rates and lower cash flow in the near term.If your goal is to scale, you might consider holding onto your current duplex for the cash flow and focusing on the BRRR/DSCR strategy, which can allow for more control and potentially better long-term returns.

We work hard to keep things positive and real estate-focused (no politics or religion).

I will focus on how to buy a retirement home in the future while benefiting from a high-performing rental property until you're ready.We have many California clients who plan to move to Las Vegas for multiple reasons.