I'm new to rental property purchase and puzzled about the following. 

@Bradley Lee - Unfortunately an idea is only a very small piece of the puzzle.  

Part of the puzzle is that we have not sold our current home - and would need a place to live in the interim while remodeling...I have already been investigating loan programs, local banks (fnbalaska.com) offer a 2-close construction/remodel to long term option that is costly, but works (I used it for a 2004 house to tri-plex and short-plat option).

I'm posting for three reasons, and I'm hoping somebody here enjoys a good puzzle and wants to help a guy out. 1.

I'm beginning to look for the all the pieces to my puzzle, but I am new to this game and do not have all the connection I would like to have yet.

*the last piece of the puzzle for my calculations is appreciation rates/values in Indiana.

Everything gets shipped to the site and built like a puzzle.

Between those two avenues, you should find that piece of the puzzle.

I could be missing a piece of this puzzle, maybe this is where to find properties at a cheaper price or find someone motivated to sell?

The landlord reference can be a piece of the puzzle, and you want to hear they've never been late, no noise complaints, etc.