@V.G Jason It is true that a duplex limits your rental pool. 

Single family homes are usually the best as they have fewer limitations.

Some thoughts on your situation overall:In terms of vetting, I personally there is a limit to how much you can mitigate risks when working with a smaller contractor.

Quote from @Jonathan Greene: That's very limited information for someone to help you.

The more rehabs you do the better understanding you will have of the market for contacting work and materials.Doing a rehab every so often prevents you from being sharp with your budget.For those with limited exposure, ask others in the industry and always run your numbers based on being overbudget and overtime. 

With a Conventional Loan you can buy a SFH, Duplex, Triplex or Quadplex with as little as 5% Down if it is your primary residence as long as you have the intention of occupying one of the units for 1 year after closing escrow.This is the strategy I have personally implemented and have assisted many of my investor clients in doing the same. 20% Down is also beneficial as it keeps your payment low but it does limit your ability of buying more real estate faster.i would be more than happy to discuss the different strategies with you over the phone or in person.

Limited inventory typically drives up prices for both rent and equity, as high demand meets low supply.

There’s demand for rentals in the area, and multi-family properties tend to hold value even in market shifts.New Construction: With SWFL growing fast, new construction is a big play, especially if you can tap into neighborhoods where demand is rising but inventory is still limited.

So my limited experience with a new build did not yield cap ex expenses with what you are proposing. 

That was fun.Because of this setback limiting my ability to leave my house, I sunk more time into my YouTube channel where I’m seeing exponential growth and am on pace to make over $6k this month from ad revenue alone.Life is good.