I paid full price for $546,000 on a new construction 5 bed / 4bath 3900 sq/ft with a basement home in a gated subdivision adjacent to Sugarloaf Country Club.

My Strategy is Buy and Hold a Duplex in which I plan to live in one and rent the other (if I can afford it); and my niche is an area within 50 miles from O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, IL.

If you're part of a couple, you might want that extra bedroom(s) to be not adjacent to your room, so maybe a legal bedroom in the basement or at least a master bath/huge closet between you and your roommies.Regarding rehab.

It doesn't happen in a short period.In Silicon Valley there is an extreme example of Palo Alto and East Palo Alto which are separate cites and are adjacent to each other (they are actually in different counties).The avg cost per sq.ft. for a house in Palo Alto is about: $1,400The avg cost per sq.ft. for a house in East Palo Alto is about: $600You only have to walk a half mile or so to go from homes selling for perhaps $500,000 to homes selling for $3,000,000 (Silicon Valley home prices are very high compared to the U.S. as a whole)Jobs and the economy drive home prices.

Most of the duplexes I've seen locally are in Forest Park and College Park (around or south if I-20, near the airport and Porsche facility.)I'm not educated enough to accurately rate these areas, but I'd guess they're either "C" or "D."

It's located 15 mins from downtown and major airport. 

Two duplexes directly adjacent to this one were both selling for 194.5, and in the same condition.

I have wanted to try Airbnb and was tempted to try it with my one basement suite as the house is 7 min away from the airport.

@Rocky Pe Benito If your adjacent owners are comping your 4-plex, why don't you show them how the condition of the two properties and rent rolls differ.

I am a lifelong resident a homeowner residing on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, PA (airport area).