Make sure you are aware that the STR rules do not change in the locality you are interested in, also make sure you have Long Term Rental or MTR as an exit strategy if STR does not work out

You can skip the first lesson (how to find a good deal).

Good luck

As a new investor, a duplex gives me some pause because I'm afraid there might be long periods of vacancy where I'll have to come out of pocket to cover expenses.

Ooo that's good to know - thanks John!

Under the Fair Housing Ammendments Act of 1988, Emotional Support Animals are protected under the class of Disability.Whether the ESA is legitimate or not is a completely different question.But if they've been there for 5 years and they are a good tenant, then who cares?

Personally, I’m seeing a lot of interest in fix-and-flip projects and long-term rentals, but financing remains a key challenge for many.

I was just wondering if anyone could give me any insight on the area and if it would be a good location to house hack.

The idea of taking the monthly cash over the lump sum can be a better choice, but not in all cases.  1 - Let's start with the question of how old a person is, and how long they will be taking that $50/month, or $600/year. 

You can try free sites like Spokeo as a shot in the dark, but it's not too hard to find the owner's information if you are good on the internet.