The rental demand in the area has been consistent, and duplexes offer the flexibility of house hacking or scaling into multi-family investing over time.With your experience in construction and remodeling, you’re already ahead of the game—fix-and-flips or BRRRR projects in Kansas City could be a perfect fit for you. 

4. how do you estimate a repair?

I say this not to discourage you, but rather to encourage you to prepare for what lies ahead so that you have the best chance of success. 

Because real estate always goes up and the maintenance fairy takes care of all repairs free of charge.Seems like a recipe for disaster. 

I have some upcoming repairs needed that outweigh the Homestead Exemption and plan to make my primary home a long term rental in the next 7 years but the repairs can’t wait.  

Are you looking at the maintenance/repair costs of the homes once in place, W/S/G costs. septic expense if applicable? 

A small multifamily property is a smart choice for a first investment—it offers a great balance of income potential and manageable scale for someone new to the space.Don’t worry about being ambitious; it’s clear you’ve done your homework, and you’re already ahead of the game by setting a clear goal.

I haven't sold yet, I've been analyzing property to get a head start on the 45-day timeline of identifying the potential replacement property (and because I enjoy analyzing property). 

(So therefore we wouldn’t have to pass on the cost of the repair to him ie. the tenant).Now, several months later, I contacted the contractor to ask if he would be to provide a price estimate for a different job at our house.

-What about repairs, capex, vacancy?