If you stay in Northern Minnesota you could look to locate closer to Duluth which has a large supply of duplexes at prices much below $500K.

Account Closed a PMC has two options to get liability insurance (tenant slip & fall) protection:1) Get added to owner's policy as Additionally Insured (NOT named insured).2) Setup a master commercial policy and add every property they manage to it and then charge those owners the cost of the policy.Otherwise, a PMC CANNOT get liability coverage on a property they have no ownership interest in.So, nothing wrong with their request.

Most contractors here in California will charge their hourly rate and possibly ad on a smaller charge if they need an assistant.  

The average for the U.S. in the third quarter was a 28.7% return on investment.It’s impossible to know what every flipper in the U.S. spent to remake homes but Attom said the 28.7% return is within a range that could be easily wiped out by renovation expenses, mortgage payments and property taxes.”My large last extensive rehab was a little unit and I spent over $100k and I have done quite a few rehabs (3 last year, so hopefully my cost is competitive with what can be achieved).  

Is the finished basement SF added to the main SF to get a total SF which I then use as I normally would to get a per SF price or do I value the basement and main floor differently?

This could be added at some point.

Let brokerage grow, tenants pay down mortgage, and save up for another property organically (Cons - slow growth, waisting equity// Pros - low risk)2) Cash out the $300k brokerage account, pay off the townhouse, start cash-flowing $2,400/mo, and save up for new investment or 1031 into multi family(Cons - cap gains tax on cash out, high Oregon income tax penalty, hard to find deals being $2,400 monthly cash flow) // Pros- cash flow, increased leverage into large investment)3) Cash out $300k brokerage and put into separate Multi Fam property, hoping for $2,400/mo+ cash flow, keep townhouse rented as is (Cons - cap gains tax on cash out, not utilizing equity PROs - increase portfolio value, higher upside with value add or rent increase on new units?)

You probably also find a huge difference between SFR, Small multi and large multifamily.

I have improved fair rental value and value by increasing the kitchen size; adding an island tearing down walls between the kitchen and dining area and living area, etc.It all depends on the particular property. 

Large tree in back is dead .