Just closed on my first loan with them.

We have been on leave for the summer. 

Assessments are dependent on what they were for.

If you ask the manager to justify a fee and he starts hemming and hawing, move on or require them to remove the fee.

Never built in Houston before so take my feedback with a grain of salt but I'd put money on it being impossible to build a duplex from scratch for $125 a foot (including everything from drawings, engineering, permit fees, general conditions, labor, material, landscaping).Out here in AZ the builder cost is going to be $200 a foot at best, but add 20% on top of that for the client cost.

With thoughtful planning, you’ll be well on your way to building wealth and achieving your goals.Good luck! 

Most people will sell you on the upside—cheap properties, high cash flow, and a growing city—but they conveniently skip over the challenges.Tenant risk is real.

LOL   That is exactly what I would expect from the Detroit City Government.If you go there, they are likely going to say you first need a license from a different office on the other side of town and when you drive there, they will say you need an appointment with them, but they only have appointments the third Thursday of each month.  

Yes, you can do a refinance to tap some more of the equity on the property.

Even after renting, you should check the market every month or so to keep an eye on prices, vacancy rates, etc.