This is how I see it:Single-Family Homes:Pros:Larger pool of potential tenants (families).Simpler management (one tenant, one lease).Often easier to finance.May appreciate faster in some markets.Cons:Only one income stream.Vacancy hits harder financially.Duplexes:Pros:Two potential income streams.Live in one unit and rent the other (house hacking!)

Even the best property management companies (PMC) struggle with:- Finding reliable handyman and contractors (ServiceTechs)- Same with affordable ones- Tracking preventive maintenance- Tracking previous work for potential reoccurrence warranty coverage- Understanding tenant reported problems, so the correct ServiceTech can be dispatched- Determining if tenant is at fault for an issue & should be charged - and will proof stand up in court?

It is something I am interested in doing in the future, potentially even this year, but I am curious how to put concrete numbers to this decision.  

Does anyone know of any folks in the Austin, TX area available to show properties to potential tenants?

Clearing potential building sites.  

Probably the hardest thing some of us ever do is give ourselves permission to risk failure to succeed. 

This was my first deal, and house hacking made the most sense because it lowered the threshold for risk in my mind.

The neighborhood has been flourishing, making this incident highly unusual.What initially drew me to the property was the potential for high rent and strong cash flow.

You need to minimize upfront expenses because 100% of your investment is at risk and lost if the lot is not buildable.My favorite strategy is to locate the property and tie it up for usually no more than $100 for a period of 8-12 months, analyze it myself and if I believe it to have a chance at being buildable I create a permitting plan and market the property to other investors/builders willing to take on the permitting risk.  

Knowing that you're new in the forum and to avoid a potential reaction of the style "Who's this idiot who thinks he knows my country better than me?"