In fact, we just closed a new buyer on a beautiful turn of the century duplex in Duluth allowing him to househack the upper level. I

I had an AO smith with long warranty,   It died at near year 10.  

You do have a lot of leverage, and your comfort level is a personal decision for you based on your finances and ability to sleep at night. 

@Leslie Beia, while I don't believe I have the same experiences as Matt direct to hotel ownership, I do have a lot of experience working with investor capital, how to underwrite deals to show what the investors can expect in return and what you get.That being said, at a high level, I could invest in a private note fund, and earn 10% annually.  

This might reduce your overall interest costs and allow you to secure a more attractive rate compared to a traditional 20% down payment scenario.Platforms for State → City → Suburb → Street Analysis:For narrowing down markets, here are some platforms I recommend:Zillow and Realtor.com for broad market data, filtering by city/suburb/street.Roofstock for turnkey rental properties with in-depth neighborhood analysis.Mashvisor for detailed real estate analysis, including cash flow and rental estimates.Redfin and NeighborhoodScout for granular street-level data, crime statistics, school ratings, and property value trends.Once you narrow down to the city level, I agree that leveraging local resources—real estate agents, local investor networks, or property managers—will be key to gaining more granular insights on specific neighborhoods and streets.If you’d like, I can also provide you with a sample DSCR terms sheet to further illustrate potential terms.

It all comes down to what your comfort level is. 

I currently live by rail road tracks and the ground level is fairly built up near my house.

How level is the lot?

Not the case.Income level is only one of many applicant requirements not the only requirement.

It involves a lot of planning and people-managing, and knowing what going into building projects at least on a high level is key.