I do recommend on higher end properties adding TV channels and Spectrum has a live TV stream app (no more boxes, I also imagine other cable providers so as well).

Amenities tenants prefer and bring higher value and the list goes on...

We will be moving but I like to owner finance what is left on the mortgage at a higher interest rate because I do not need to pay it off to qualify for our next home. 

Deduct NEW property taxes after you buyDeduct home insurance costsDeduct maintenance percentage, typically 10%Deduct vacancy+tenant nonperformance percentage(we recommend 5% for Class A, 10% Class B, 20% Class C, good luck with Class D)Deduct whatever dollar/percentage of cashflow you wantNow, what you have left over is the amount for debt service.Enter it into a mortgage calculator, with current interest rate for an investment property, to determine your maximum mortgage amount.Divide the mortgage amount by either 75% or 80%, depending on the required down payment percentage - this is your tentative price to offer.If the property needs repairs, you'll want to deduct 110%-120% of the estimated repairs from this amount.Be sure to also research the ARV and make sure it's 10-20% higher than your tentative purchase price.As long as the ARV checks out, this is the purchase price to offer.It is probably significantly below the asking price.

We are thinking about furnishing one of the Racine duplexes and listing it as a MTR to maximize our investment and get a higher cash flow. 

Seller financed loans - See #2 above as typically seller financed have lower rates, longer terms and higher LTV.

You didn't mention the higher Florida insurance costs. 

I really wanted to try finding a duplex that i could immediately rent out the lower half rather then buy a SFH and have a higher mortgage overallHow did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

However, short term rentals are much less passive than long term rentals and are essentially a hospitality business, which is in and of itself required a whole additional layer of knowledge and expertise.With regard to your question about private lenders, it’s important to draw a distinction in terminology between “private” and “hard money.”

The itemized damage estimate that my insurance provided me lists an Actual Cash Value that is 15% higher than my Dwelling A Coverage.