Am I correct that a condo, depending on area and neighborhood, could be a lower risk/maintenance investment for an absentee landlord as opposed to other properties?

The appraiser gave the house a low score so the bank said it is a risky investment for them and gave me a 70% loan.

I applaud you for putting it out there but 1) maintenance/cap ex is far too low for a duplex 2) no PM. 3) vacancy at 1% will be challenging if achieving near market rent.

Our logical process:1) Use Neighborhood rankings to narrow down area of city you want to invest in2) Focus on getting to know that Neighborhood(s), so you know the good & bad streets, block-by-block.3) Be patient to acquire properties on good streets that meet your buying criteria.Our rankings are done with a "bell curve" approach.

When I looked at prices recently they look like they've gone up quite a bit but I know they vary a lot depending on the neighborhood. 

In general higher cost neighborhoods are safer than lower cost neighborhoods.

Rents are generally low there as well, but definitely stable.

My clients who invest in Section 8 housing do so in 'not quite' transitioned communities but that have low crime rates.

I was broke enough that I couldn't afford rent at my apartment, but fortunately my landlord didn't notice, thanks in part or in whole due to some substance abuse issues.Anyways, when visiting my mom in the neighborhood where I grew up, I had noticed this construction van at a house on our street.

Consider a HELOC for value-added BRRRRs or flips if you have a low interest rate.