I'd suggest getting a quote from a contractor to take care of it all and forward this to the realtor as a bargaining chip to help cutting down the price of the property.

I've gotten on the bandwagon, looking to learn and eventually chip in as well.

If you purchased the property for $400K but it only appraises for $390K then the bank will only loan on the $390K and you have to come up with the difference of $10K or ask the seller to help chip in (they pay $5,000 & you pay $5,000).  

If all the partners chip in, that should be a reasonable cost to insure long-term happiness in the partnership.  

Renting rooms to/from friends is really just like getting a place together except owning the house instead of chipping in for rent yourself lol.

For if it's on market seller can just wait for primary residencers to chip in on the deal?

I have some questions that I would love others to chip in on.

Broken windows in the basement, downspouts broken, chipping paint.

Will some buy a fridge on Craigslist and try to put it into your newly renovated apartment on their own, scratching the walls, chipping the paint, dragging it through the common areas, only to find out they got the wrong size and they just leave it and/or call you?

Donald, The reasons we are looking at a duplex specifically is one tenant is less headache for us as this will be our first investment property, the lenders we are pre-approved with are only interested in a duplex nothing larger for first time buyers programs, and our city is loaded with side by side duplexes.Just convincing my wife to buy an investment property took a lot of Chip and Joanna Gaines books, and the agreement that it would be "cute" as some of the duplexes are brick Tudors with wood floors, fireplaces, and in up and coming older neighborhoods.