Recently a duplex came on the market that I am really interested in, it is located in an A neighborhood.

He was a realtor based in the Midwest (I think the greater Chicago area) and was talking about off vs. on market deals and the importance of choosing equity over cash flow. 

I have been in the STR market for the last 13 years.

so short window I suspect the marketing will start in earnest on March 15th though !!!

They would likely be able to confirm that your expenses are reasonable for the area or that your rents are at market rates.

Market Fluctuations – What if appreciation stalls, or rates rise, impacting your refi strategy?

I also pressure washed the exterior of the units and raised rents to market rent.

I use some mixed strategies to go on and off market, but I'm just generally curious what others are doing and finding that works for them?

I would recommend starting in your backyard and hone your skills if its possible, I know some markets have an extreme HCOL which may make it unfavorable in your case.

I've helped 6-7 different investors move money from Oregon to Wyoming in the last 15 years and they are all happy they made the move.Consider finding a market that has a better long-term outlook, economically and legally.