This spring we are going to work on the landscaping, which was the original plan anyway.

Issues/Concerns/Random Facts1)My First live-in House hack and have no idea about Section-82) May need to relocate for promotion could happen at ANY time in the next weeks/months, and if FHA allows, I would like to let the 6-month lease stay to term before moving in to that unit. 3) I did not factor in 10% property management but would like to entertain the idea of doing it myself.4) Duplex is on a small street with many duplexes with exact same style/design cookie cut( at least 10 of them) but THIS duplex has the best curb appeal and landscaping out of all them and every duplex on the street appears to be fully-rented. 

There are a few more “big ticket” items that need to be considered (Minisplits & landscaping) but most of the major costs have already been accounted for on this property.We currently have a 30 year conventional mortgage with a 7.125% rate on a purchase price of $750k. 

You do the math.Plus all the the exterior projects: new siding, new roof, building out eave returns and soffit overhangs to fix the poor curb appeal, un-converting the attached garage, driveway, retaining walls, the detached garage, 144 truckloads of fill to create a front yard, landscaping... 

Ensure there’s adequate parking and that landscaping is well-maintained.

Check vacancy rates, average rents, and tenant demographics to understand the rental landscape.3.

Aiming for full gut interior, electrical, maybe plumbing, drywall, windows, flooring, HVAC, and probably exterior paint and landscape.

47 - What type of landscape (this offers as many questions as I have listed already)?

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.

Those effected go well beyond the property owners, the economic contribution of RE and subsequent economic loss in the form of: management, maintenance, landscaping, caretaking, hospitality, tourism, contracting, designing, pools and gardening is economically catastrophic and will reverberate well beyond specific zip codes.