I have tossed the idea of doing a flip or 2 for the capital increase so when I do jump in my entire savings will not be held up. most duplexes I have looked at show anywhere from a 5%-9% Cap rate.Also to add some info, I'm not looking to get rich overnight. anything with 120+ a month income per door is just fine with me.

I’ve heard opinions from both sides, but wouldn’t mind additional feedback in light of current increasing interest rate environment.

Like everything it gets easier as you go along, and for many people the increased risk is worth the potential for increased reward.The upside of turnkey is that there is very little work involved after the initial due diligence you do to select your provider.

Yardi says home prices are likely to increase.

Economy is roaring, means there are ways to increase salary.

If so, is the increase a lot or is it negligible?

As the economy and consumer confidence continues to improve, rates will increase. 

Moving the rear door over would have helped tremendously but it's not an option with the budget as the exterior has a very dated stucco style and we wouldn't be able to match color/texture and keep it in budget.So I'm looking for ways to define the open space directly opposite the kitchen.

My thought process being that using a balloon payment that is amortized over 30 years will greatly increase my cash flow without crippling my capital and ability to invest in another property. 

I enjoy every detail of fixing and flipping very much, from rethinking the layout to choosing the color scheme.