That's just normal closing costs, realtor fees (I can cut this down drastically), excise tax on sale, inspectors, appraisers and anyone else I'm forgetting.I'm walking away with a hefty profit still, but being a frugal kind of guy it pains me to see soooo much of my money go to transaction costs.

Tony, I hear your pain.

When I was a loan officer, I couldn't place anything below $50,000 and that was a pain to accomplish.

I am looking in the Baltimore area because that is where I have found most of the multi units are in the surrounding area for my budget, so it will be a hour drive to and from work every day(temporarily pain).

For example, wall cabinets have mid-tone wood shaker cabinets and white quartz counters, white backslpash ... island has white shaker cabinets with walnut butcher block counters.

Start time blocking your prospecting and networking efforts, on your calendar.  

Our duplex is just 3 blocks away so I know the area very well.  

the home is in the middle of the block. 

Sometimes, RE changes block-by-block so don't rely too much on zip code search. you are right, it is not easy to find good deal but you will for sure find one....keep looking and take action, as needed.

Just a few blocks down from me are SFH starting in the low 600s and have 4 of them already built, while the house next to mine sat empty for 11 months with an asking price of 400K, go north on RT 32 and you will see more developments being built, similar with RT 2.There are not many multi-units for sale in Annapolis, more towards Baltimore (up route 2) and on the eastern shore. a few of my other sailors rent basement apartments and the property manger I know says that's pretty common in the area, so that might be one way to have a "multi-family"I think the military pool is pretty large around here, with Ft Meade, Andrews, USNA and its support and Walter Reed and Navy yard, I personally know people who drive to all of those bases and live in Annapolis or a few miles from.