If you come across as a person who is willing to do the right thing he will ease up on you in stuff that doesn't matter as much as say a roof. 

As others say, a JV with an experienced note investor is the best way to get in and not get scorched; Good luck!

@Anthony Dooley When you say "a hot deal pops up".....What are you doing with these properties?  

Single family must cashflow $200, multi must be $100/door Single family properties I would like to be able to create instant equity with properties that need some repairs, or something I can take from a 2br 1ba to say a 3br 1ba. 

@Thomas S.....just waiting for someone to chime in and say "as long as they pay the rent it doesn't matter"..... :)....pick your battle bro :)Hell no...lie to me on day one and the relationship is pretty much dead

One thing you could do is to give yourself a time frame (say a year) and pay down the duplex as much as possible then refinance this to either a) lower the monthly payment or b) cash-out refinance to purchase the next property in cash?

Just go don't say a word just observe.

In 2015 alone we say a 14% increase in Orleans parish, which was an unprecedented increase for the metro area over the past decade. 

With a renter, they will not be able to give you possession of the home at closing - which is what most purchase contracts explicitly state.So you should have final say as to the tenant seeing as how you're going to have to inherit them as part of the purchase.  

Then on the next month pay down the mortgage in chunks.After lets say a 7 year period.