Underwrite a multifamily deal, find the ugliest house in the best neighborhood if possible.

Durham tends to offer slightly better cash flow opportunities compared to Raleigh, especially if you’re targeting neighborhoods that are up-and-coming but still affordable.

Go on Amazon and search "The Rockstar Real Estate Agent Roadmap" book. :) It doesn't talk or teach about making millions as an agent but helps you understand what a career typically looks like and things to consider before jumping in.

You may have to search a bit for the right contractor or engineer - sometimes I see one solution dominating in an area - "that is how we always do it" 

I could tell you to invest in Milwaukee, you can still find cash flow positive duplexes here in good neighborhoods around 350k and we have had very consistent 8% appreciation over the last years.

While some neighborhoods may seem attractive based on price alone, it’s crucial to avoid problematic areas that could pose long-term challenges.

Yes, Oklahoma is a great market to consider, especially for multifamily properties:Affordability: Oklahoma City (OKC) and Tulsa have duplexes and small apartment buildings within a reasonable price range.Landlord-Friendly Laws: Makes property management less stressful.Stable Cash Flow: Properties in Oklahoma often meet or exceed the 1% rule, providing consistent rental income.Growing Economy: Both cities are seeing population and job growth, boosting demand for rentals.Tips for Getting Started:Do Your Homework: Use tools like BiggerPockets calculators to analyze deals and ensure cash flow.Focus on Neighborhoods: In OKC, check areas like Yukon, Edmond, or Midwest City.

Things are going well so far - I am using Grant Shipman's model (LivingSmith) instead of padsplit, which works great for me.How nice are the neighborhoods you invest in? 

Additionally, we have equity of approximately $145,000.Now, we are faced with a dilemma: should we sell our current property and purchase in a more favorable neighborhood, or should we rent the house and let it pay for itself.We would greatly appreciate any advice you may have.

That’s great advice Taz, I’m currently working on saving enough money to get started, house hacking is hard for me at the moment because I just bought a house 2 years ago, I would have to sell my house(which is in a great neighborhood great location) and use that money to fund the duplex which isn’t totally out of the question, I would like to keep the house if possible but also would like to get real estate investing more.