Cost to build is $350K (I am managing it all myself and calling in favors around the city to get low rates on materials and labor).

Create columns for Name, Street Address, City, State, Zip and then contact info: Last Contact, Relationship, Status, Email & Phone.IMPORTANT: do NOT ask people for THEIR business, ask for referrals!

If that isn't satisfactory speaking at a city counsel meeting about the subject would also seem appropriate. 

Have a late fee in your lease.Leaving trash in the yard, tell them to clean it up because if the city gives you a fine, who do you think is going to pay for it?

The city required the road to be extended a few feet, along with water and sewer.

The City of Portland, and Multnomah County are more restrictive than most of the state for instance. 

To be honest, I´m in the Maintenance & Construction for corporate businesses for some US companies in Mexico and we do some Real Estate down here also, but it´s way much different than the US, so I have much to learn from a lot of people around here and as @Julio Gonzalez, I think this is pretty much the right pad and place to start and to break my fears to start all over again from scratchAlso, I´ld like to hear more from @Justin Brickman why he voted for his city, pros and cons, it will help to read from a local...As I said before, thank you all guys for taking the time to write in this post and share some experienceDo you plan to owner occupy. $40k will not get you a non owner occupied San Diego property unless you find some unlikely alternate financing.

The City of Detroit is block-by-block in many Class B & C areas.In our opinion, zip codes cover too large an area.We use Detroit Neighborhoods, which are much smaller than zip codes.

I would like to know how to read the market a lot better and learn how I can see wether or not a certain city is thriving or not, if where I purchase the duplex is thriving I'll just settle there and target SFH's there instead of moving out of state.  

Their home has been vacant for over 4 years and is uninhabitable as the city water dept cut off service due to a faulty septic system spilling sewage in both our backyards.