But the numbers puzzle me.

Just to add a small piece to the puzzle, many real estate agents or other people who want your money will respond to your question; guess which area they are going to say is hot? 

So that would be the first piece of the puzzle I would solve.Regarding your question: rent estimator will be a single unit, and so if you have a duplex, your numbers are accurate.As for why it is cash flow negative, there are any number of reasons.

Hello BP! I’m looking for ideas on how best to fund the purchase of a 4 unit bldg. it has 3900 sq ft two 2BR/2 BA and two 2 BR/ 1 BA.  All in newly renovated condition, great neighborhood- two are furnished as STRs an...

That puzzles me why someone would do that.  

Best,A Puzzled Young Entrepreneur

I'm meeting with my commercial lender tomorrow, putting the cash aside and speaking with a few acquaintances who are already in this space to begin putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

Which was puzzling as it seemed he was focusing more on that instead of making rent as due !

People are probably going to throw bricks at my window for saying that but usually the agents who feel threatened by wholesalers are the unsuccessful ones, in my opinion agents and wholesalers are 2 pieces of the same puzzle, the ones who get that will dominate in their market.

@William Hochstedler --yes, definitely a few moving pieces in this puzzle.