Suggesting to them buying their house for a wholesale range offer or lower dependent on the extent of the rehab, then having a contract in place that gives them a percentage of the profit to help get them back on their feet, paying off debts etc.

Lower the price2.

So in that a much lower rate of return is acceptable given the safety and certainty level of things. 

I really wanted to try finding a duplex that i could immediately rent out the lower half rather then buy a SFH and have a higher mortgage overallHow did you find this deal and how did you negotiate it?

I will be lowering the asking price and seeing if that will help in the sale of these properties.

Getting the lower unit separately metered seems like a pain.

Don't go for the cheapest (unless the price is lower because it is on sale), but also don't go for the most expensive. 

Even in a lower priced investment property, like a small SFR, what does the investor without a contingency fund do when say the ac or a furnace need replacement?  

For $10K and a lower rate I'd be willing to consider delaying...but only if I knew that lender two was solid on closing in a relatively short timeframe.

To transition to multi-family properties, research landlord-friendly states like Texas, Florida, Tennessee, and Indiana with favorable eviction laws, lower taxes, and higher rental demand.