@Adam Webb Without knowing the details of your market, if there is such a wide disparity, you are better engaging in a simple arbitrage trade (as you've pointed out) and buying duplexes all day long. 

Videos and testimonials seem to work best.

If you are going to live in one unit, it will have to cash flow with the other rents.Bigger Pockets has a video showing how to do rental property analysis very quickly:https://www.youtube.com/watch?

@Taylor CochranOkay.So, you have to treat this like a buy and hold rental with you also living in one unit.So, you need to calculate the cash flow and the ROI.On the surface, if you're renting part of it for $1,750+ and mortgage would run around $2,500 at 4.5% interest rate.That leaves you with a negative cash flow for the investment before you consider property tax, home insurance, and reserves for maintenance, capital expenditures, vacancies, utilities, and property management.You should check out the Bigger Pockets video on rental property analysis.

The one caveat I would add is buy a circuit tester and watch some YouTube videos.

Actually joined yesterday, but new to Bigger Pockets and marathon-listening to old podcasts, watching youtube videos, and reading posts.

I recently got engaged to my girlfriend and we are planning to buy our own home in the nest year or so.

Like I said, its definitely worth trying to engage the neighbor. 

She has videos, other books, checklists, consulting services, and a few free resources like the list of when each county's tax sale is and a blog. 

Then check out your local library and see which books/videos can educate you.