Also what is the Housing Maintenance Code.

You would need to bring everything up to code currently and that's going to be cost prohibitive.

The marketing/advertising firm, aka RE broker, is not the expert in building codes, zoning, structural engineering, neighborhood safety, etc.As a prudent investor, always do your own due diligence or you'll end up being (unitentionally) misguided by a RE broker's information.  

Hi Jeanette,What zip code is your current duplex in? 

When under contract at 300k with the expectation that codes would be the determining factor on what can be done on with the property, as it relates to new construction.

They might have insights on specific zip codes or pitfalls to avoid. https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/521

🌟 December 2024 Top ROI ZIP, 28262 🌟For the first time ever, only one zip code produced an ROI of 7% or higher!!

Based on the rents, I would guess the $1350 house is in a C+ or maybe B- area, and the $950 is in a C- area.What neighborhoods or zip codes are these in?

You're dealing with two parts of the IRS code.1.

Borrowed money from friends and family to pay cash for the property as the bank would not finance it until it had been remodeled, made livable, and brought up to code.