There have been brokerages offering flat fees and failed.

If you’re comfortable with a bigger investment, a duplex is good for the benefit of additional cash flow and you could house-hack.

THEY ARE NOT LIMITED TO ONE PROPERTY.So, they can 1031 to 2 or more additional properties OR 1031 into a rental property plus a DST so that all the profits are used up in the exchange. 

If you have equity and decent credit, a conventional Fannie Mae HomeStyle (or the Freddie Mac version) would likely be the better option instead of an FHA 203k loan (which will require a 3rd party HUD consultant to oversee the deal in addition to having the contractor involved). 

I know hosts have included additional cleaning fees for violations as a deterrent.If none of these solutions work, you could look into completely independent HVAC systems for the two units, though that would be a bigger upfront investment.

Detroit offers solid cash flow potential, a relatively low barrier to entry, and the market fundamentals are improving with a growing population and significant investments in the city.Since you’re based in upstate NY, Detroit is also a quick and easy flight, making it easier to visit and get a feel for the market if you’re considering out-of-state investing.

and they charge per door and not sure if they even offer everything that I want. 

Some banks even offer features that allow account holders to manage individual tenant information within one account, making the process more convenient.

The drawback is you need to build trust and relationships upfront.Both have their place, but private money tends to offer more flexibility, while hard money is more structured and accessible if you lack personal connections.

Your son is likely paying more than the property is worth, by definition, as the seller would almost certainly prefer a similar offer that was not subject to.