In the end my duplex - 2bed/2 bath on each side- stays fully booked mostly by construction workers and it's been working really well for me. 

I believe $1200 spread over 12 months for painting 2 rooms is a little high (i just paid $4k for painter to texture walls and paint (prime and paint) walls and ceilings in 1350’ unit), but not as outrageously high as some posts imply. 

I have SFU's & Duplex rentals in the Midwest and looking at selling a few and reinvesting into the St.

Some kitchens will be 5k if its a small one and some will be 15k if you are taking out a wall and its larger.

That's the throwing you know what against the wall, and hop0e plan. 

After he teamed up with a local intermediary in the Bay Area.. from what I read in the Wall Street Journal, Lockton has been helping investors streamline these moves.. he ended up freeing enough capital to invest in a mixed-use building in San Antonio that we’d been eyeing for a while.I’m no attorney or CPA, so I’m not giving legal or tax advice here, but there’s definitely something to be said for repositioning your insurance to fit your broader investment goals.

Another friend who invests heavily in Phoenix shared a story about her first deal there..she jumped too quickly into a duplex without adding a little cushion for those first-year capital improvements.

Since one unit is int he basement the square footage put me in line with other small duplexes.

I am closing on my 1st rental (Duplex) next week & I am going to self-manage the property.

There was also a failing retaining wall in the rear of the property that completely blocked natural light form a handful of houses, and was technically on the property line and a shared responsibility.